The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-03-26
Meeting of League
of Women Voters
Two Excellent Addresses Heard
On the Advisahi!ity of a
County Court

"a Spehuiu meeting or sumter
League OF Women Voters was held a
the court house Tuesday evening a
which two extremely fine and stronJ
addresses were delivered upon tn,
debated question of the advisabilit,
or establishing county court fol
sumter county. This question, "shal
q county court be established I'm The
county or Sumter is to come before
the citizens OF Sumter on the second
Tuesday of June and is to be voted
upon by an affirmative or a negative
vote, the majority ruling. This cues
ton is one for the serious considera
ton OF everyone in the county fol
IL Is an all embracing subject and one
involving the interest Of all tax pay
ing citizens.
| AT the meeting last night the very
capital arrangement was made where
py by both sides Of the question were
clearly brought to light in order that
the advantages and disadvantages i'm
each case might be lucid,y weighed
against each other.
Mr.. John ID. Lee. as was stated by
Mrs Jno. X. Sumter, chairman of
the meeting, had very kindly con-
sented to take the affirmative side OF
the question, whereas Mr.. M. w.
Seabrook, although himself not per-
sonally opposed. would bring out the
negative side of the question and
present the possible objections.
Mr.. Lee came before the meeting
as the first speaker and made very
comprehensive talk i'm which he eX-
piained Just what jurisdiction this
court would have, how the election of
the Judge would take place, when the
court could meet. the expenses con-
nected with such a court, etc. He
stated that In tho counties which now
support a county court, tho courts
were giving satisfaction. His esti-
mate was that this court would han
die the majority OF cases which
would normally come up in the cir
cult court since the Jurisdiction OF
the county court would be up to cases
involving a sum rot exceeding So
600. His estimate of the cost of the
operation OF such a county court was
In the neighborhood Of $4,000, this
amount being raised by the levy of
an additional one mill tax which
would not be appreciable. He stated
that IL was estimated that S40O had
Deen saved per annum on the costs
or the courts of Kichland county. Mr..
Lee closed his address by saying that
the real question was whether or not
sumter county wanted and needed q
court to dispose of the public bust
ness.
Mr. Seabrook then took the floor
and presented all probable objections
and opposition to the establishing of
the court In Sumter insofar as he was
able to see them. Mr.. Seabrook
mentioned the counties Of Spartan
burg, Florence and Barnwell as
counties that had already had this
question brought up before chem and
had not been In favor of the estab-
fishing of county courts in their
counties. He quoted from letter
received from Spartanburg lawyer
the sentence THE farmers will never
be for the establishment of a county
court until all the lawyers are against
It. This gave the idea of the op-
position to the court in Spartanburg
county. The talk made by Mr.. Sea-
brook certainly took care Of every
detail OF the on-establishment side
of the proposition. His points were
accurate and 9 o clear that they could
not but be thoroughly understood.
His objections were certainly the
ones which are to be squarely faced
when the time for the decision is TO
bo made.
After Mr.. Seabrooks address the
housc was thrown open for q short
period in order that an expression
might be heard from anyone desir-
inS to say anything on the subject.
Mr.. John Sumter and Mr.. II. B. Bel
ser brought out an undeveloped point
or two.
Certainly everyone present at the
meeting last night left the court
house with new knowledge and a
clearer insight into this question now
confronting the citizens Of Sumter
county. =.