The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-05-18
Mr.. Jennings Re-
plies to Mr.. Dabbs
Plain Spoken and Somewhat
Caustic Discussion of the Road
Bend Issue
|itor The Daily Item:

Editor The Daily Item:
I notice in your issue Of the 9Th
inst, communication by Mr.. E. w.
Dabbs, making comments on the
meeting held on Thursday afternoon
May 5th.
Mr.. Dab5s says he had hoped that
the meeting would present some con-
structive plan on which everyone
could agree. knowing Mr.. Dabbs'
disposition to oppose practically ev-
erything, I am confident that no hu-
man mind could have devised any
plan upon which we all could have
agreed if Mr. Dabbs were a part Of
ahe audience
Mr. Dabbs states that he was dis
appointed because out Of it all no plan
was offered except that presented by
ne. This, at least, take as a COM
phment, to be at least able to present
some feasible plan at the meeting
whereby something could be done,
even though Mr.. Dabbs thinks the
method of bringing it up was un-
tactful, (which he terms an effort to
) hrowbeat my fellow members Of the
Hard Surface Road Commission.
When the Legislature passed the
Act authorizing the people to vote
upon the question Of selling bonds
to build hard surfaced roads and at
the same time created the Comn1is-
sion to build these roads in case the
people authorized the issuing Of the
boEds, the Legislature never intend
fn 10
the question Of whether it was wise
or unwise to build hard surfaced
roads but that question was left to
t7e people to. determine, and they
Gid determine this question by three
and half to one TO build the roads.
It was only left to the Commission
to handle the money in a proper
manner and see that the roads were
properly built and that we got value
received fer the money.
II I employ a contractor to erect
4 a house for me, 1 do not transfer to
him the advisabilty Of building the
house; that question I determine for
myself, but I only employ him to
build the house which 1 had deter
mined to build. Just so in the case
of the hard surfaced roads. The
people. by their vote determined to
build these roads and simply ap-
pointed the Commission. through
their representatives to build the
roads-zznot to say whether it was wise
or unWise to build the roads; this was
never transferred to the Commission,
and, I assume, never will be under a
Democratic government.
It was not my purpose to browbeat
Lhe Commission in the slightest de-
gree, but wanted the Commission to
know the sentiment of the people as
far as possible in reference to going
ahead and having these roads con-
structed. It was not my fault that
the resolution was not taken UP be-
fore some Of the people who attend
&c the meeting had left. I had to
wait until the Chairman permitted
me to bring up the resolution.
Mr.. Dabbs also states that If
were really sincere in wanting an ex-
preston of the people why did l re-
fuse his suggestion Of referendum
when the County Court is voted on.
We have already had a referendum
Cd this question and the people have
decided the issue by three ard a.
half to one; and even though it We're
within my province to have this re-
ference made, would deem it unnec-
essary to do so. and especially to
crafty the wishes of a would-be OBJ
structioIlist of every progressive plan
that is proposed.
Mr.. Dabbs says we all want good
roads, but the difference between atr
Dabbs and myself. as I see it, is he
wants good roads and I want good
roads, but he seems to expect to get
than without eNpendinG any n1ofoS
ard an willing to go ahead and cx-
pend money in order to get the
roads, as to ny mind this is the only
way to get them, as 1 do not ex-
pect them to be presented to US by
some one else or handed down some
night from heaven
5fr Dabbs further states he is sure
the Commission would give more
weight to a referendum vote than
to the expression of a few citizens
who were largely influenced by the
pleadinss of myself and Mr.. Beiser
The Commission has already had
an expression CT the people on this
question, and Mr. ReIser and myself
made the same kind Of plea before
the people before the bonds were
voted upon, and We convinced them
we could build these roads without;
a cent Of cost and in addition to that
accumulate large fund out of the
useless and unnecessary expenditures
of money in keeping up automobiles,
truckes, wagons, buggies and all kinds
of vehicles. and in the excessive use
Of gasoline over the abom!nable
roads we now have. and all the county
would have to do in order to do this
woutd be simply TO use its credit in
selling bonds; and whenever the peo-
pie get the real facts and proper in
formation their vote will always be
like it was in the meeting on last
THURSDAY. OF course. we do not ex-
pect to convince Mr.. Da5bs Of the
wisdom Of this proposition because
this is in line Of progress and pro-
gress is usually what an obstruction