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The Press and Banner ABBEVILLE, S. C. Published Every Wednesday by THE PRESS AND BANNER CO. WM. P. GREENE. Editor Wednesday. June 2, 1915 GETS ACTION. Some weeks ago this paper called attention to the great amount of time taken by the Southern Railway to make the runs from Abbeville to Hodges and from Hodges to Abbeville. As the trains then ran, the schedule called for forty-eight min utes for each trip. The matter being thus called to the attention of the Southern, it at once gave it consideration. The result is that intlead of having three mixed trains as formerly, we will have in the fut.ire only one mixed train, and two passenger trains, the schedules of the two latter calling for thirty minutes for each trip. i This is quite a concession to the people of Abbeville. It is no more : than the case demanded, but it epeaks well for the Southern that it i has its ear so close the ground, and that it is willing to try to furnish : the public with better accommoda- < tions where possible. ] The Press and Banner also com- 1 plained that we were given the cast- J off equipment of longer lines, and < that we did not get the proper ser- ] vice in this way. The Southern has < answered this complaint by putting J two new coaches, just out of the 1 shop, on the Abbeville branch. 1 It is not possible to have every- < thing we want, but we see no reason 1 why the Southern should not have ? the up-train and the down-train, in i the morning; meet at or near Hodges, * so as to cut down the long wait which ^ t fce are forced to make when going |1 to points in the up-country. If jf schedules will permit it, the Southern f should correct Jthis objection, i ?i?? THE ROAD TAX. 1 The Attorney General of the State ^ has rendered an opinion to the ef- j fei t that we have no law authorizing t the collection of a road tax,, as such, 1 in Abbeville County. Matters in J this regard on the surface seem to be in somewhat of a muddle, unless j the Supervisor's office intended to ^ [ abandon the idea of collecting a i road tax, in lieu of labor upon the i roads, and the legislative delegation i agreed with him. |t The Attorney General is right in t the construction of the law. But it 1 must be noticed that we are not ' without a road law; we are only i without a road tax; that is we have * no sum nxea Dy law as ? cummuw? tion tax to be paid in lieu of workin j the roads. [ t At the time the present Super- i vicor went into office, if we remem- 1 ber correctly, the road law for Ab- 1 beville county provided for four i days labor, giving to persons liable 1 to road duty the option to pay one < dollar in lieu of such labor. It will be noticed that by the law, Sec. 1355 1 of the Code of 1902, persons between < certain ages are made liable to road < duty, the law in Abbeville county ' being for four days labor. j1 T?v Act of 1910, p. 668, the legis- 5 lature provided that in Abbeville 1 and Richland counties 'very person 1 between the ages of 13 and 50 years, shall pay a tax of one dollar. By ' Stc. 2 of this Act it is provided that' 1 '\;!1 persons who are liable to road 1 dutv" shall pay the tax "in lieu of J ~?erforming or causing to be perform- i ed labor upon the public highways." j' This Act it will be seen does not re-!1 peal the requirement of the previous '> kuv that persons between certain 1 p.?*es are liable to road duty. It on-j iy provides a tax in lieu of the labor still required by law. By Act of 1911, p. 181, the last/ named act was amended so as to; st/ike Abbeville countv from the j terms of the Act, and leave the Act applicable alone to Richland county, but there is no provision in this act, 1 either repealing the general law making certain persons liable to road duty, nor does the act itself relieve th^m from such road duty. 1 Therefore, we contend that the ( General Law is still applicable to Ab- 1 bev'lle county in so far as the liabili- 1 ty to road duty is concerned, unless ] the Code of 1912 has repealed that 1 law. We think it has not. i It is true that by the terms of the Cu'lo certain counties prescribe the ( number of days that work shall be performed, while there is no such provision for Abbeville County. Sec. 1977 Code 1912. But it does not follow from this that persons are not liable to road duty in Abbeville county. The general provisions of the Act are "All male persons able to perform the labor herein required, from the ages of eighteen to fifty years shall be required annually to perform labor on the public highways, under the direction of the overseer of the road district in which he shall reside, in the various counties as follows: (twenty-four counties being named and the others not mentioned.) Section 1976 provides: Except in the counties of Abbeville the following persons shall be exempt from road duty." Other sections of the law with relation to Highways recognize the requirement thfct the persons named are lj^tble to road duty. The fact that the number of days is not fixed for Abbeville and other counties certainly will not ' ?--1J *? * UnUla ue neiu tu eAeinpi* wic pci^una name from the performance of labor otherwise definitely required by the statute. Now the legislature had a right to fix the number of days or the amount Df commutation tax which should be paid by each person liable; or it had the right to require the labor, and to put the roads and the working jf the same in the hands of the Supervisor and sub-superivsors. Where2ver the legislature has fixed the amount of commutation tax or the lumber of days, this is final. Where :he amount of the commutation tax )r the number of days is not fixed, lowever, it does not follow that the Supervisor, or county board, cannot ix the number of days or an amount ;o be paid in lieu thereof. The fact ;hat general supervision of the roads, md the working of the same, is in ;he hands of the board necessarily jives the board the right to accept i sum in lieu of the labor to be performed. The statute does not rejuire the personal services of the jarties liable to road duty; but on ;he other hand it provides that substitutes may be employed by the paries liable. Why cannot the county rommissioners contract to hire a substitute for each person liable to abor at a certain price to be fixed? \ great many persons have already jaid one dollar in lieu of this labor, jelieving that the old law still was of force. The county supervisors have 1 perfect right to retain this money n lieu of that laboi*, if they elect so ;o do; and they have the same right ;o contract with every other person iable to road duty to take so much noney in lieu of the labor to be performed, and ta undertake to provide substitutes with the money thus colected. If we are correct in this, and of ;hat we have little doubt, then nothng should stand in the way of colecting such amount as shall be fixed jy the Board or of requiring the lumber of days labor which the Board will require, the number of lays not being fixed by the Code of L 912. Therefore, the matter is lot surrounded with any real difficulty. Most people liable to road iuty will prefer to pay a reasonable amount rather than be forced to ivork the road'" at inconvenient seasons. Ihose who do not desire to pay, will of course be required to work. It is important that this labor, or a monoy equivalent, be required. As ive have called to the attention of our readers in previous issues, there is a property tax for working the roads. The county chain-gang is supported by taxation, and its maintenance, we believe, amounts to something like eighteen thousand dollars per year All of this money is paid by the people with a little property?moctly by the white people of the county. The negroes residing in the county use the roads more than a groat many large taxpayers. While property should pay for pood roads because it receives an incidental benefit therefrom, and its owners are therefore interested in roads in ?-rder to help their marketing facilities, r?nd thus to increase the value of their lands, the users of of the roads, none the less, should contribute to the building and maintenance of the highways. It is not right that all the burden should be placed in one place; and no doubt the county supervisors will see that it is not so placed. If the Code of 1912 is not the law of the State, as has been suggested, then manifestly the law of foroe in 1902 is still the law. Under it Abbeville County may require four days labor, but any person liable is given the option to pay one dollar in lieu of the labor required. GENERAL NEWS Warning of the Unexpected corning of the seventeen year locust has been sent out by the United States Government. The locust are known as Brood vi of the cicada and they are expected in the east in May and June. They are expected to do little damage to the trees and orchards. The brood will appear only in the northern part of the State, around Pickens. The last appearance of this brood was in 1898. A committee of one hundred men, headed by former President William W Taft h hvp iecnoH a fnr a mti. I ference to be held in Independence j Hall on June 17th to consider forming a league of peace, or a league of nations. Rev. G. T. Harmon, a prominent minister of the Methodist Church, died at his home in Williamston last week. He was sixty-five years old, and is survived by four children, three daughters and one son. Mr. Harmon was born at McCormick. Between Saturday and Tuesday, May S to 11, the British artillery fired a million and a half rounds of shells. United States Senator T. P. Gore ! will visit in Union the first week in j rr~ ...:n i. 1 uune. xiti win in uiuun un | the 2nd and 3rd and some time later | in Jonesville. He comes to visit his ! cousin, T. H. Gore of Jonesville. Senator Gore is known as the "blind Senator," The May weather record has been broken by the cold weather last Thursday and Friday. There was a killing frost throughout the Northern and middle-western states and in some places there was ice. In Georgia the first peaches have been shipped to the Northern markets. The peach growers anticipate . a crop of over five thousand cars and the railroads are getting ready for . the shipping. The General Assembly of the ' Presbyterian church of the South, which has been in session at Newport News has selected Orlando, Fla., as the next meeting place. Very Fine English Walnut Tree Press and Standard. One of the most valuable trees in ' Walterboro is a fine English walnut i tree in the yard of Hon. Wm. J. j' Fishburne. This tree is just old! enough to vote, if the same qualifications were required as in the case of male citizens, and is like the 'spreading chestnut" tree of the Village Blacksmith. But it does not spread for naught, as every spread- j. ing branch is loaded with young ! v alnuts. So numerous are these ! t* at the branches have to be propped up already, and Jack Smith says ! there will be 10 bushels of the finest J walnuts ever grown in this State produced on this one tree this year, i They are of the finest variety and flavor. In addition to this one tree Mi\ Fishburne has several others j coming on. He is an enthusiast on the subject of English Walnuts ?vid believes that this section is just suited to their fullest and best i growth. _____ Irish There, Too. A distinctly Irish story is told by ' the comedian, Thomas Murray, says The New York American. A mush-, room town in America started with a single block of houses and a thea-! ter; three months after it was a flourishing hive of humanity. "So it's going on well", said the comedian to a man from the place whom he met in New York. "I guess it's just bounding," was the reply. "It's just Cosmopolis. Includes all sorts?English, Greeks, Russians, Germans, Chinese, Italians ?yes, and some Jews." "No Irish?" "No." "What!" "Waal, now I come to think of it, there are two Irishmen there. One's mayor and the other's chief of po lice." ^ Comments By Carping Critics And Cuised Croakers. A gentleman of sound judgment said a few days ago that the best paying investment for this town and county would be to have re-located and permanently built a first-class road from Abbeville to Due West and Donalds. A good level road about 40 feet wide and well built would be worth more than a railroad. Think it over and get to work NOW?don't wait. A lady of good taste suggested recently that the county should clean up and keep in first class condition the magnificent courthouse. A stitch in time saves nine and many stitches are needed right now. In several places the plastering needs repairing ; if the roof leaks it should be looked after and made good. New seats should be put in where some are brotom. The janitor should be made to keep everything in applepie order or a new janitor secured. A fwrnrnlinfy man Hl uoyciuig iuv.ii who likes to come to Abbeville and always goes to the moving pictures urged that the entrance to the splendid opera house be kept in better and more attractive condition. The corridor is generally dirty and the unsightly bill boards are an eye-sore. These bill-boards should be put on the outside in a good frame and not on the inside and should be kept straight and clean. This same gentleman said there is more rough talking and laughing at thesse movies generally from the galleries, than any he had ever attended. Less noise and more music is what our opera house needs. While on this subject it would be well to have all broken seats in the opera house made new, and without delay. One of the best women in Abbeville handed us this: "Do get after the police to see that our shade trees are better protected. There are many trees in Abbeville that are being ruined by horses and mules being allowed to nibble on them. The Mayor, or somebody, should have these trees boxed and carefully protected." A few days ago a party of gentlemen from a distance were ri(l:ng about the chy and all seemed to o-i \ niost favorably impressed with everything but. thought that we should have better side-walks. They could not understand why any progressive and enlightened people would allow for one moment the rough rocl: crossings that jolt so and wear oiil vehicles. One of Abbeville's best old friends came to town last week after an absence of three or four years and the first thing she said was: "Do take up a collection and paint out the words, "Abbeville Furniture Factory" on the old buildings used for that purpose sometime ago. A big attractive word "WAREHOUSE" would look like lifs and business." A traveling salesman who has always had a good business in Abbe ville remarked on Monday that he could not understand why the business people of the county and town did riot have better phone connections with the county seat and other town?.. H'j insisted that Abbeville is far behind every other section of the up country in this respect. Referred to the Chamber of Commerce (?) A level-headed man who travels South Carolina from the sea to the mountains complained a few days aco that artomohile Viirp in Ahhf> ville is higher than in any other section of the State. Any little old town anywhere else does better than Abbeville in that respect. Here the automobile people want two prices every time they hire a machine. Vox Populi. DR. W. E. McCOKD .... DENTIST .... over Dr, Speed's Drug Store C\ -ffl n ft VlLiUO Phone 242. 'Abbeville, S. C. Malarialr Chills&Feyer Prescription No. 666 ia prepared'eapecially for MALARIA or CHILLS 4. FEVER.' Five or aix dotea will break any case, and If taken then aa a tonic the Fever will not return. It acta on the liver better thaa Calomel! end doe* not gripe or lickeo. 25c If you want a nice flash light or an ex tra battery go to Speed's Drug Store. Buy Now % l|jf^ / /c/X Summer Pleasures withoul Discomforts! Indoors it's s moist. On the porch it'i when the Vudors are dowr Why not eat, sleep, live there t Thousands do it The cool air gives forces you to dreamless sleep because nerves while you sleep. It cures then Vudor Porch Shades cost little. The keep out glare. You can look out thr but not in through them. They las "that new look," for they're stained, no dipped. Vudorize BHnBBHB Our second shipm< shade have ji Have You ( Tie Kerr Furm A Little Now V Made In America. From satin to sausage, from rubber to rouge, We have always been used to, behold? "Made in Germany," "England" or "Belgium" or "France,'/ On everything salable sold, But since Europe has gone on a blood drunken spree And the east is mixed up in the row, The things that we eat and the things that we wear Are made in America now. From a white cotton gown to a diamond crown, From hairpins to automobiles, From embroidery floss to the pickles | and sauce * We relish so much with our meals; From pans to pianos, from carpets to cake, TVimio'Vi nil nnnrlnrned with a crest. " ? I The "Made in America" label affixed j To anything stamps it the best. ?Minna Irving in Leslie's. I I Notice Income Taxpayers. The date for making income tax returns to the State of South Carolina lias been extended by the Comptroller j General to July the 1st. If returns are not made by that date .*>0 per cent penalty will be added. Blanks for making returns will be sent on request. Richard Sondley. Auditor Abbeville County. (5f3JSfSMSI5JSJSISI:?J2jSf2ISJ&'3MSJ3?3M3M2/c | CLEAN , Inn v I "ur"l 1 Iii fact Everything i C. A. Milford 1 Phone f2J2J2J2/2J2J2JSJSJ2JSJ2/SISJSJSJSJSJBJHSJB/SJ5JS/SJi ' J Pay Later ,YOUR .rui^n i snt of this famous ' fl ist arrived. 9 lot Yours ? ' I iture Company I ' A Little Then I r MM Neuralgia Pains Stopped flB You don't need to suffer those ag- Hj onizing nerve pains in the face, head, 9fl arm, shoulders, chest and back. Just HH apply a few drops of soothing Sloan's BH Liniment; lie quietly a few minutes. You will get such relief and comfort! Life and the world will look brighter. * DM Get a bottle to-day. 3 ounces for 25c., at all Druggists. Penetrates HH without rubbing. BH UV-VEB-LAX I All the Effectiveness, Not 9 the Effect of Calomel. Liv-Ver-Lax is one of the most important medical discoveries of recent years. For a long time medical experts, realizing the harmful effects of JH| calomel, have been striving to find a QH liver cleanser that would be just as effective as calomel, and yet be absolutely harmless in its action. Recently this remedy was actually put forth Mj by L. K. Grigsby, in his Liv-Ver-Lax. ^Hj Liv-Ver-Lax is a harmless vegeta- HH ble compound, designed solely for MB the treatment of liver complaints. HH The immediate favor it has met with in thousand0 of homes is proof posi- fj^H tive of its real value. If you feel worn out, tongue coat ed, and skin sallow, don't delay until it becomes dangerous, nip the trou- flB! ble in the bud with Liv-Ver-Lax. Insist on the genuine, bearing the j&fl nature and likeness of L. K. Grigsby, which is guaranteed to give satisfaction or money refunded. For sale by any druggist. BUY YOUR I I lints, Oils, Stains, I H arnishes, Liquid ? H veneer, iutc. n ; in this Line from I Bfl| & Company! M 107 1 I I