The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-05-18


not left with the Commission to de-
termine, but that was left with the
sovereign people Of the county to de-
eide, and they did SO in unnalstakable
terms
Mr.. Dabbs further states: when
Mr. Jennings wants to carry his poin,
he never considers the consequences
1 In his zeal to whip his colleagues to
his way of thinking he was willing to
kill all the good Of the meeting ur
to the time he took the floor.
HE made million dollars Of bor-
rowed money overshadow every sus-
gestion of self help and better sys-
tenn Of farming and marketing tna1
had gone before.
1 admit the meeting was a gooo
meeting, even though no definite
steps were taken for any immediat.
relief, but good results are bound tc
follow from the getting together o.
the leading citizens Of the county ant
discussing cooperation and varlou
things Of interest to the people; ou
l cannot conceive how bringing VI
one of the most important questions
that is, good roads. at meeting o;
this kind would destroy any cthe:
good which had been done, but to m!
mind the question brought up wa:
very pertinent at q meeting OF this
kind, and Judging from the way thos
who were there endorsed the resolu.
ton they thought the same way.
The argument of Mr.. Dabbs agains
building good roads at this time j
the same: kind Of argument that he
been used for the past rs to 80 year.
and is hampering the good roads, bu
| am now satisfied that the peopl'
now realize the mistakes that have
been made and are now ready anf
willing and deSirious Of getting ou'
of the old roads and keeping aoreas'
Of the people Of other states. Ink
is what I consider self-he!p-golns
ahead and doing something-but 1t
not. the kind OF self-help Mr.. Dabbs
refers to- The kind he refers to,
FAR as am able to see, has neve
gotten US anyw here.
Mr.. Dabbs also refers to the Priva-
teer road and the Turbeviile Shor
Cut, and he states they can be bull
without adding to the tax burden
the county. I would like to know
how any read that can be called
road can be built without cost, but
Mr.. Dabbs' opposition to bulldlns
hard surface reads had any weight
then I would be sorry that all OF thes'
hard surface reads did not run elthen
on the edge, through or around MI
pabbs' plantations in order that n
might withdraw his opposition, bu'
as 1 am confident that his opposition
in reference to this read matter viii
not be felt any more than the weigh;
of a boat only sufficiently large to car
ry a canary bird on bosom of tn
Pacific ocean would be felt by thes'
mighty waters.
There is great difference be-
tween discussing a system OF ROAD:
that would benefit the entire county
and in discussing short cut 'roat
in Mr.. Dabbs' neighborhood. or tn
short cut road in the Privateer neigh
borhood, because these two short GU;
roads would benefit practically only
those within the neighborhood anc
not the entire county, whereas the
hard surface roads is matter fol
the whole county Don't understand
me to oppose these two short GU
roads. because / made motion al
some meeting that was held that th'
County Board build these roads, a!
I believe this to be to some eXten'
along the line Of progress, but l die
not think the Board could bul!c
them without any cost. Mr.. Dabbs ha:
not suggested in his communications
how this can be done.
Mr.. Dabbs also refers to number
of taxpayers who do not own auto
mobiles cr trucks. l assume they OWL
some kind Of vehicles, or at least a
great majority OF them do, and they
would use the roads with Whatever
kind OF vehicles they had, and would
save in proportion to those who own
automobiles and trucks, and those
who do not own anything of this
kind ] am satisfied do not pay any
axes and would not be affected Sc
ar as taxes are concerned but would
,ikewise get the benefit of the roads,
even though they did nothing but
walk over them, because it would be
uuCE more PHEASANT ~ "e14h o'eA
hard surface roads than it would be
o walk over a sand bed or mud hole.
Mr.. D.obs states when these bonds
were voted cotton was bringing from
41c to s1.10 a pound. and now it is
worth sc to 15c. Yes, and If Mr..
Dabbs would investigate he would
find the material out of which these
roads will be constructed and also the
abor is about proportionately lower
now than it was at the time cotton
was 41c to $1.10 pound as cotton
s today, and we can build the roads
much cheaper now than we coulo
have then. Therefore. the same n
nancial principle obtains.
Mr.. Dabbs also speaks about the
burdensorle taxes. Well, if this
should dominate the minds Of ma
jo:ity Of the people we would never
have any of the modern conveniences,
because we cannot have them With
out money; we cannot have public
modern convenicnces without payins
taxes, but in this instance Of good
roo(ls any one who will stop and think