The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-06-08

manure TO my friend Mike Goldberg
Che having gone into the agricultur-
al Salnc) at Il price that he has not
recovered from yet. Mr. Jennings hav-
ing been in the game a little longer
was Il little wiser and a little more
foxy.
Now Mr.. Jennings refers to GER
tain deals that | had with the Booth
Boyle Live Stock Co, when l was
on city council. He takes particular
pains to Indicate the percentage Of
Iownership of stock that each of US
owned at that time. I thank him,
however. for his generous suggestion
that doubtless the city bought at a
good price everything that they
bu2ht from them. l cannot under
stand why it did not come to his at
tentiOn at some earlier date, as all
bills at that time were O. Kd by the
entire city council, he had full knowl-
edge Of what was going on. Whether
this law he referred to was a recent
act Of the legislature or had been ac-
!cidentally dug up by him I do not
know. AS the city's legal advisor
be stated it was law and the prac-
t!ce was discontinued by unanimous
consent as he says. However, about
q year ago when the city was in need
Of large mule for one Of the SAN
Iitary wagons, the Booth-Boyle Live
Stock Co. had a mule that suited the
job, the only one in town at that
time Mr.. Jennings found a way to
secure this mule for the city. / can
not quite understand Why this con-
sciencious objector should have
changed his views in the not very re-
mote past as he is such a stickler for
form, however got his own consent 20
purchase from one Of his corporations
in which l understand he owned
about 1890 Of the stock. In this
transaction the city, l am informed.
lost about $3.50 on car purchased
by the city manager when it was re-
turned to the Eastern Carolina Motor
,Co., in order that the city could use
the car purchased by Mr.. Jennings;
they very rightly taking the position
that when an accredited employee Of
the city bought this car and paid for
it they considered the transaction
u.
handle the car for the account Of the
city, the city coming out loser on this
jtranaaction around $50. Another
trade took place with corporation,
am informed, in which he owned
about two-thirds of the stock. | do
not know why this trade did not
stand. l only refer to these transac-
tions to show the inconsistency and
unfairness Of Mr.. Jennings in certain
matters. ! offer no criticism of these
transactions and have always felt
law was all that should be required.
ESPECIALLY when the city was the bene
ficiary.
Mr.. Jennings makes reference some
where between page one and page
seven of sore heads in Sumter and
certain acts of theirs. l do not know
what he refers 10 or whom he refers
to as sore heads" or why it should
be brought into this discussion. ] as
sumo however. that this has q politi-
cal significance. AS do not knowthese
men Of straw. I hold no brief for
them I did not hear the criticism
as the cost Of the power house. but
l am frank to say it is legitimate sub
ject for criticism; in fact the whole
electric light proposition could be
criticised very justly from the st4nd-
point Of cost.
Reverting back to this floating in
Gebtedness, now approximately two
hundred and sixty thousand dollars. 1t
hnc u
the water supply Of the city is very
deficient; in fact it is an open secret
that there has got to be an expendi
:, ture of possibly hundred thousand
dollars. or more, before an adequate
supply of water will ever be obtained.
We also have about two and half to
three miles of streets. embraced in n.
Main, East Calhoun, East Liberty and
Green Swamp road to connect up with
the hard surface country road pave
ment when these are commenced
which will be at city limits; this will
be an additional hundred thousand
dollars or more that would have to
be spent go ii looks like this floating
Indebtedness Of a year ago that Mr..
Jennings predicted would be wiped
out within a short time will be in
creased to approximately a half mil
lion dollars, that is if he can find
some law or excuse for law, that
Will permit an Indebtedness Of this
amount over and beyond the taxable
income Of the city. To my mind he
has Dalled the city's financial matters
iup pretty thoroughly and if he is al
lowed to have his way in the mat
ter Of road building he will have the
lcounty in about the same fix How
ever. unless misjudge the temper
Of the hard surfaced road commits
sion, no amount Of coercion on his
part will avail. I haveSwondered as
a matter OF fairness, why he did not
send the commission each a copy Of
his resolution. that he offered at the
recent mass meeting. directing that
the majority take his view and sell the
bonds and go to work: it does seem to
me that this would have been the
ethical course for him to pursue.