The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-12-08

(AbOeville Press and BannerO
IL Is stated that OF the men who
have enlisted i'm the army as well
as of those who have been drafted
into service greater percentage
OF the boys and young men from
the towns and cities have been found
III for service than of the boys from
the country districts
Those people who expected the
country districts TO furnish better
soldiers than the towns and cities
have either forgotten or, have never
heard the experiences Of the Civil
War. Col c.. McDuhie Miller, of
Orr's Rifles. stated that the best SOL
diers in the Civil WAR were young
eighteen year old boys from the towns
and cities; that they were possessed
OF more endurance. stood the hard
ships OF camp life better. and were
more easily trained than their broth
ers from the farming sections. ana
. that most of all they didn't have any
better sense than to be brave and
fight.
And In this war the towns AMI
cities have done their part. OF all
The young men i'm the old National
Guard perhaps ninety per cent. are
, boys from the towns and cities. The
: recruits who volunteered for the mos.
Part have come from the same places.
The drafted men show full per-
ccntage Of these same men.
In the patriotic calls upon the
people OF the country. the towns
and cities have borne the burden
OF the flfty-three hundred dollars
contributed in this county for the
He'd Cross. something like four
thousand dollars came from the city
OF Abbeville alone. and the greater
portion OF the balance from the towns
OF Due West. Donalds and Calhoun
Falls. The Liberty bonds sold i'm
the county have been bought by the
people In the towns and cities When
the second Liberty loan was fioated
i'm this county. although cotton was
selling for twenty-seven cents, and
there was money in the hands OF
farmers In all sections. 1t was left TO
the people Of the Towns and city to
take practically the whole allotment
for this county. And our representa-
tlves in congress have so arranged
matters that practically the entire
war tax A this country will be paid
by the men in tho towns and cities.
Although the war has brought hum
dreds and thousands Of dollars TO the
people OF the farms in Abbeville
county. and although they are being
enriched by II through the price. not
only Of cotton. but of all other pro-
ducts. they will pay practically none
OF the burdens already imposed on
the people nor Of those to be impos.
Cd on them.
We have been hearing all these
years. (mostly in election years)
that the farmers are the backbone
OF the country. but we heard little
OF II In the Red Cross campaign. the
Liberty Bond compains. -he Y. NJ.
A. campaign. and we hear no
complaints that the farmers are no.
assessed their part OF the war taxes.
Even those who are opposed to the
war are accepting the lig profits
which other mems blood and money
are purchasing for them without
feeling called on to pay value re-
ccivcd
In saying this much We are not
unmndful Of the fact that some. n
very few. OF tho farmers OF the
county have responded TO all the
calls of the government We have
NO complaint against lhese men:
they deserve the commcndation Of
all men. especially because they are
few.
But we assert that I'm the great
crisis through which we arc pass
iug. and In the great fight which is
being wagcd over the waters. and
which will bc wagcd. the towns and
the cities are the backbone Of the
country.