The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-01-07
Representative Men From All
Sections of State Gather
in Columbia.
TO WAGE A CAMPAIGN
Machinery Put in Motion to
Get Signatures of Automobile
Owners Asking Legislature
to Pass Laws.

Columbia, S. c., Jan. 6.--That the
time has come to lift South Carolina
out of the mud was the unanimous
sentiment of the representative men
from over the state who gathered at
the Jefferson hotel Friday afternoon
to discuss plans for q campaign to
secure good roads legislation at the
coming session OF the general as
sembly. A permanent organization
was perfected and the drive for a
bond Issue sufficiently large to con
meet every county seat In the state
with concrete roads will begin at
once.
The state highway committe
which will direct the campaign Is
composed of one representative frora
lows: First, r. G. Rhett, OF Charles
ton; second, to be selected; third
James NJ. Pearman, of Anderson
fourth. ]. w. Norwood, of Green
Vile: fifth, John 7 Stevens of Ker-
shaw; sixth, d. w. Alderman. Jr.,
OF Florence; seventh, Frank f.
Brodnax OF Columbia. This com
mittee WIN hold a meeting in CO.
lumbia Immediately.
A B. Carter, OF Greenville, presi-
dent of the South Carolina State Au-
tomobile association, presided over
the conference. r. f. Grabel, of An
derson, submitted the report Of the
ways and means committee appoint
ed at the good roads convention held
here December IL. This report
recommended the formation OF a
permanent organization OF one re-
preventative from each congressional
district. 1t was unanimously adopt
ed
r. G. Rhett. OF Charleston. author
OF the plan for a $25.000,0oO bond
issue, explained the plan in a stir
ring speech. A crisis in the affairs
of South Caroliaa has come, ne de
clared. There is always a grnat
crisis after a great war. Or al
changes take place after any .srea1
were many changes and they all were
against the South. The South has
never had any opportunity. All of
our avenues are controlled from New
York. Now things are changing
again after another great war. Are
we going to take advantage Of IL this
time? Are we going to again be-
come a leader? Is this Inaugural
tion OF concrete highways means
OF holding the position we have at
tanned in the last 1S months? Why
wait for other states to take the
lead? Are we not going to take the
advantage of the glorious opport-
tunity that is offered us?
Mr.. Rhett decided that the state
was abundantly able to vote a bond
issue now. The income of the pee
pie OF the state in 1914 from the cot
ton crop was s75.OOO.OO0. Las
year It was s25O,OO0,0O0 The in
come from the cotton mills last year
was $217.OOO The income Of
the tobacco raisers was over $20,-
600. 900. The income OF South Caro-
1ira is so per cent greater than the
assessed property values.
THE state is in position this year
to do things we have never dreamed
OF doing before" declared Mr. Rhett
Automobiles have come into very
general use during the past few
years. They require good roads
We have been shaking them to
pieces over the rough roads of our
state for the past several wears.
would not do the average automo-
bile owner much good to have a
stretch OF good roads in one county.
What is the use OF an automobile
travelling five miles over good roads
in your, own county and then shak-
ing II TO pieces OF a sorry road in the
next county?
"The motor trucks have come 20
stay" said Mr.. Rhett. "They de-
stroy soft surface roads The men
who own them and drive them have
come to the people Of the state and
said to them we want to build some
concrete roads for your trucks. We
want you to lend us your credit and