The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1919-09-12
GOOD ROADS.

The citizens of Abbeville County
know that in every State, almost IN
every county in the United States
good roads are being projected or
arc beine built. They realize the
need of 200 or more miles OF I'M
nroyed roads in this county and we
don't believe they are going to see
the rest of the country pass them Dy
and leave Abbeville County isolated
and behind the times. Anderson,
Greenwood, Laurens, counties 1mme-
diately surrounding US, have already
bepun the construction of good
roads. The people, the natural ad-
vantages, the land, in fact every
,hins, n this county com al. "a or
ar. with any Of the "ouEtias me"-
t,oreG. The county's finances are lr
Z. lent condition. T','re Is ~
reason why bond iss' =. for orc
mill ,n dollars for good roads should
not .,c passed. There IL every rea-
son why it should be.
From all sections of the county
have come intimations that the peo-
pl,, are ready to consider the Ques-
ton again-and favorably. There
are two methods of obtaining a bond
isue. Probably the best method is
take the mater directly to the peo-
ple in a bond issue election. In or
der to hold an election of this kind
the State Legislature must pass an
enabling act to that effect. Senator
J. Howard Moore has stated that he
thinks this is the best method. An
other way is to circulate a petition
and then get bill through the leg
is lature authorizing the issue of the
bonds.
; After all it is up to the people
and if the people desire better roads
the election will be carried for
bonds. Of course few months
could be gained by the circulation of
a petition; but, as has been said,
most anybody will sign petitions and
there is danger of misunderstanding
arising, because some would say
they did not understand the pur-
pose of the petition. We believe
there is an overwhelming majority in
this county for the bond issue and
that any possible method to get
good roads would be satisfactory.
Yet it is well to play safe even if
time is lost.
The amount of the bond issue is
of greatest Importance. Two hun
dred miles Of good roads are needed
in the county and it will take about
one million dollars to build these
roads as they should be built.
The question of maintenance also
is of utmost Importance. Good roads
are only half built unless adequate
means are provided for maintenance.
This phase should be considered in
the act passed by the legislature.
The selection of the commission
which will have charge of the build
ing of the roads from the letting of
the contract to the acceptance of
the completed work, the handling of
the funds and the determination of
all questions that might arise, is
matter to be seriously considered.
Nothing is more important than the
selection of able, energetic, fair
minded and public-spirited men for
the commission.
Quite often the determination of
the roads to be constructed are left
to the judgment of the members of
the commission. The act sometimes
names the roads. We believe that
it would be perhaps wiser to name in
the act the. roads to be built, in or
der that the citizens, when they
vote on the question:, might know
exactly what they might expect to
get.