The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-03-16

here. 1t Is strong i'm intelligent, pub
hc-spirited men; but it is not SO
strong in numbers as il should be-
There are several hundred more in
telligent. public-spirited men in sum
ter who should unite with it at once
and believe they will do so just so
soon as they begin to realize what the
association Is, and what it can do for
Sumter county and the State. Let
me say frankly TO all such that this
association needs you and it wants
you. but permit me to say also with
the same frankness. that you need it..
For many years you have been en-
gagged in and unequal fight against
bad road conditions. You have given
your money in the form of taxes to
wage this never-ending struggle. The
weapons used in the manner Of
using them have cost you and your
fathers before you much money. Are
you satisfied with the results? Do you
want to keep up this fight to the end
or your days and then bequcath it to
your children? Or would you like now
. to try a weapon which others have
used with satisfactory results? If so,
YOU need this association.
1t has been said that the valuable
man in a community is the man who
can and who will cooperate with his
fellows. To all such this association
makes its appeal. 1t can make no APP
peal to the other kind Of men, for its
work is necessarily cooperative.
In making this appeal to you, / as
sumo that you would gladly welcome
a system Iof permanent roads. provid-
ed it could be had with a reasonable
outlay OF money. / assume that you
fully appreciate the value of perma-
nent roads and all they mean to the
prosperity, development and happiness
OF q people. assume, also, ,lthat you
believe there is great strength In unit
ed effort and that men working to-
gether along a definite line and for
definite purpose can accomplish
more than if each man should work
in his own way regardless of what
others might be doing. Relying upon
these assumptions as true, I submit:
l.. That the association which you
are asked to join is the only organiz-
ed body in this county, State and ma
ton with which you can unite in or
der to cooperate with your fellows for
better roads If you are to cooper
ate at all in an organized way you
must do so through this association
or else form another.
2. That this. association means
business i'm Sumter county and that
in due time it will submit, along with
other associations i'm the county, plans
for system of permanent road con-
struction. 1 believe every strong in
telligent man and woman i'm the
county should have voice in for
mulating those plans. You owe it to
your country. you owe it to your owr
interests to place yourself i'm po-
sition to give your counsel in this all
important matter.
3. That the conditions in Sumter
County are most favorable for obtain
Ing system of permanent roads
The county is small and wealthy in
comparison with most counties i'm 9TH
er States which have built permanent
roads. It's area is only 447 square
miles. The assessed value Of prop
erty Is over eight million dollars,
which is probably not more than one
third of its true value. am told its
bonded Indebtedness is only sixty
thousand dollars The average sol
is most favorable for permanent road
building for there is neither the deep.
shifting sand nor soft clay TO any
great extent. Every part Of the coun-
" Is reached by railroads and this
means great saving i'm road construc
ton. If Sumter county is not amonq
the very first counties i'm the State (,
get system OF permanent roads. i
will be the fault OF the people and not
of physical or financial conditions. NJ,
prediction is she will bo the very 0rsf
Certainly she can afford it and moth
| ing else she can do could pay he,
half so well.
| I. The American Automobile As.
sociation and the South Carolina State
| Automobile Association do not pre-
Sume To tell the county association
"hat Kind Of roads to build or wheI
ana now to blnld them. All these
'"'''ES are left TO the counties. each