Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1919-01-03
VACATION IMPRESSIONS
What the Editor Learned on a Va
cation Trip to Marlborough
SOUTH CAROLINA NOT PROGRESSIVE

SOUTH CAROLINA NOT PROGRESSIVE
Plenty of Money in Evidence on Both
( Sides Of State Line; But Tar Heels
Are Making the Best Use Of Their
ProHts-4n the Country That Was
Once the Stamping Ground Of Hsn-
sry Berry Lowrie.
They've got better roads in North
Carolina than they have in South Car
olina. They are making more progress
in North Carolina than they are max
ing in South Carolina. They. are hold
ing cotton in North Carolina just as
they. are in South Carolina. They are
equally saddened in both states by the
flu, and the people of both states are
equally apprehensive Of what the fu-
ture may hold In the shape OF further
ravages from this scourge.
These are few Of the outstanding
impressions that were confirmed by 9
brief vacation that the editor took dur
ing the holidays. The vacation. was
spent as the guest OF his friend. Hon
John L. McLaurin, of Bennettsyille
and was pretty well filled with walks
and talks and rides and observations
scenes and impressions.
I spent two days between Yorkville
and Bennettsville. three nights and
two days with Mr.. McLeurin. one Of
the days in Bennettsville, and the 9TH
er on. an automobile trip to the east
through Marlboro, Scotland and Rob-
eson counties to Lumberton, N. G.
where Rev. Baxter McLendon Is hold
ing an evangelical meeting. was on
the go most OF the time and the two
days with Mr.. McLaurin were pretty
full of interest and diversion.
Let me say in order to avoid any
misapprehension, that there was alb.
solutely no political object or signif-
canoe in the trip. 1t was purely friend-
ly and social. Mr.. McIAuifn is done
with politics. He is convinced that he
is not suited to that vocation. He
knows very well that he could help
South Carolina, industrially, agricultu-
rally and financially, IL he cotlld be in
position to shape legislation In such
manner as to carry out the plans that
he has long cherished along that line;
but he does not feel equal to the task
of smashing the partisan barriers that
stand in the way. So he has absolute
|ly quit politics. He has not quit think,
ing of ways and means to help the
people to get fair deal, means of cir
|cumventing the parasites that control
and prey on honest production and
things of that kind; but he has given
up all thought and desire for official
position. It is not because Of any
doubt OF his ability to administer such
position IN the way he thinks: It should
ne administered but rather sbecaust
he is unable to compete in the gettins
there with people who know so little
what to do with administrative office
latter they have secured it. Il have
given to the state several years during
which I could have made great deal
Of money" he says, "but II the state
has benefitted as much as SO many OF
my friends seem to think, have nc
regrets, except that wish I could have
more completely carried out my plans
in connection with grading, marketing
and financing Of cotton"
While in Bennettsville I learned
from Mr.. McLaurin and others thai
Marlboro farmers have not sold a greai
deal of cotton. They have thousands
and thousands Of bales on their farms
and in the warehouses The BENEFITS
vile Warehouse company Of which
Mr.. McLaurin 10 the principal owner
is alone carrying more than six thou
sand bales, and it would have twice
that much except for the fact that 1t is
lacking in storage room.
Bennettsville, by the way, Is quite
pretty town, so far as fine business
buildings, handsome homes. well KEEP
lawns and yards go; but 1t won't stane
close inspection as to civic progress
It has a few concrete sidewalks, mostly
constructed by private enterprise; bu
lit has no paved streets The town IL
very we'll laid off on a wide, fiat ridge
1t is for the most part quite level. The
site is all that could be desired. Bu'
the streets are dirty, unpaved, muddy
| and anything but a credit to people
who own so many handsome residences
and business houses along with SC
many high priced automobiles.
On Thursday Mr.. McLaurin and
| took a trip in Mr.. McLaurin's big Cad
lalac car to Lumberton, about fifty
miles to the east of Bennettsville. The
route lay through what is commonly
held to be the choicest agriculture
section of Marlboro, passing through
the little towns of Tatum and McColl
crossing the Little PeeDee river a
Barnes's bridge, a fewmiles over thu
North Carolina line in what was for.
fmerly Robson, but now Scotland
county. The country through whtcf
the road runs is almost as level as 9
floor. There is not a hill to be climbed
anywhere. The soil is. ola grayisf
yellow, with lots of sand in it, splendid
material for a roadbed, yet the road Ii
not nearly as good as that between
Yorkville and Rock Hill, or Yorkvillt
and Clover. It is all cut up in ruts ane
does not have the appearance of hav'
| ing ever been dragged. No intelligen
ttraveler from abroad. aware OF tnt
fact that Marlboro produces more cot
| ton to the acre than any other county
lin the United States, would ever have
believed that he would find the princi'