Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1921-04-13
WALliAI,IA. S. q.
WE'D NESDAI, APRIL 13, 1921.
MIR. COOKS IDEA GOOD.

Elsewhere in this issue will be
found Il letter from j. a. Cook, Of
Madison, in which he states firmly
that our proposition TO have the
County Highway Commission en-
ploy Oconce's Supervisor on the
"missing link" Of the mountain
highway is absurd on its face. 1t
does seem absurd. to tell the truth
about the matter. but many an alb
surd proposition has been worked
out to marked advantage where Ger
tain events have disarranged set
programs.
And Oconee's road working pro-
gram has been rudely balked The
supply bill, which we will publish
next week. will show that sufficient
funds were provided for by the Gen
'eral Assembly for a road working
program Of no mean proportions.
But the money is all gone before
the work is done. or even much
more than begun.
And the public is asking why?
On whose advice?
For what reasons?
To save whose neck?
And why take the halter off OF
one and tie the hands Of another
with it?
The public expected-and it had
a right to eXpect---a road working
program that would mean, with
man like J. G. Shockley at the head,
good roads for practically the whole
OF our county, as Is evidenced by the
splendid work that has been Eonc
since January tst and the quantity
of it evidence can he sCnu In all
sections 0i the county. thougn OF
course, comrHrcd With what Is hadly
needed there hNS h1Cn litIc done.
IiNt inc road working program
About up for the present, unless, as
Mr.. Cook suggests. we get the money
for Mr.. Shockley to do his work
with.
And right there is the rub
Where are we going to get it?
Air. ShOckley is bluntly told that
If he exceeds his 1921 appropriation
for roads he will land in the pcnI-
tcntiary. And his appropriation. at
the very beginning Of his term. has
vanished
Where did it go? Certainly not
on the roads of Oconee within four
months. Not a bit Of it. 1t went. we
are told. to pay debts contracted by
Others. on the advice and insistence
OF others.
And thus Mr.. Shocklcy, on whom
our citizens depended for taking
them out OF the mud and mire. ha,
his hands tied hard and fast.
we agree with Mr.. Cook that the
best thing to do is to get money for |
Mr.. Shockley with which to operate |
the county's machinery and work al |
the bands he can get.
But where are we going to get |
this money, friend Cook?
II we have advanced an absurd |
proposition, Is not the get money"
proposition equally as absurd?
ON the county farm there is al |
ways fine, big turnip patch, but
the people OF the county will never
get any blood" out Of it. even II |
every turnip in the patch were
sQuepZed to the uttermost. In other
words, friend Cook. you cant squeeze
blood out OF a turnip.
Neither can the County Supervi-
sor 20 to the banks and demand that
they lend him money with which to
work the roads. We doubt If he
would even have the face to go to
them and ask 1t. when he has nothing
to put up as security for the desired
Joan.
And the money borrowed for the
1921 road work. and for which the
1921 taxes stand pledged, has gone
90 pay debts that were contracted
before Mr. Shockley came into ofTic"
So. temporarily at least, we say
let the County Highway Commission
put Supervisor Shocklcy to work on
their highway work. and save money
for themselves and knon tho cODnty
outfit from being dead expense.
It may be absurd. But
We're from Missouri.
Especially when we consider what
nasty fix we are in.