The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1920-06-28
OUR GOOD ROADS

The people of Abbeville County
have voted for good roads and they
are entitled to have. good roads. But
so far as we now recall the act un
der which the vote was cast makes
no provision as to when the work on
these roads should begin, nor when
it should be completed. That was left,
we assume, tc the judgment of the
men who were charged with doing the
work, and it is we'll that it is so, pro-
vided of course the members of the
commission exercise sound judgment
in the matter. 4
There can be no doubt that the
present is no time to do this work.
"A dollar now will accomplish not
one-third of what it would nave ac-
complished' four or five years ago,
and not one-half of what it will ac-
complish within the -nexS four OF
five years. Labor is scarce and the
wages demanded is several times
the value of the work done reckoned
in the values of four or five years
ago.
And it must be remembered that
we will not likely pay all of the
bonds which are to be issued with
money from forty cents cotton. No
body expects cotton to stay at forty
cents for many years, though we all
hope that it will stay there as long
as other things remain high. But
when cotton goes down 20 twenty
cents it will be twice as hard on the
taxpayer to meet his good roads as
sessment as now. Therefore, as stat
ed, we are, of the opinion that now
is not the time for the building of the
roads. We can obtain twice the mil
cage perhaps five years from now
that we will obtain from the present
bond issue if the roads are built
now. Then would it not be wise to
have the roads surveyed, sell the
bonds if possible for par, or above,
and get all plans mapped out and
wait a few years until we can get
more for our money? We are not
unmindful that other counties are
going ahead with the work in their
counties and that greas many peo-
pie are impatient to begin work, but
there is common sense in all things.
We have gotten along for a good
many years without this huge out,
lay of money, and we can stand it
few years longer if there is promise
that we shall reap benefits by wait,
ing. Because other counties have
made mistakes is no reason why we
should do the same thing. |
Unless this plan is followed some7
body must make up his mind to be
disappointed, and we fear his name
will be legion. In the ounties which
have gone ahead with the work the
results have been about as indicated
above. Not all the roads which were
to have been improved have been i'm
proved. The money has given out
before the work reached certain Sec
tions of the counties, and in many
cases these sections ofthe counties
Will pay the assessments for the good
loads they expected to obtain when
the bonds were issued, and will be
without any of the benefits promised.
Along this line we have just noticed
the following in the Chester News,
which will be of interest: e.
"A number of citizens Of Lands
ford township, and legal representa-
tives, appeared before Judge Ernest
Moore, in Lancaster, Wednesday
with reference to the expenditure of
money by the Highway Commission
in Landsford township. Those repre-,
senting Landsford township claimed
that their proportion of the bond
money had not been spent in their
township and they asked for an in
junction against the commission. 1t
WAS shown that the commission was