The dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1919-2001, August 23, 1922, Image 5
, NEWS OF CANDIDATES
f AS TOLD BY SELVES
(Continued from- Page One.)
am willing to vote to give that section
1 a. special oifice under the control of
the Sheriff of the county, and make
such special officer responsible to the
sheriff for his doings, and make hiin
subject to removal at any time when
his services are not satisfactory.
In our county government, I am in
favor of the county commisisoners
being elected by the people whom
#they are to serve. I have not the
least objection to the present members
of the board, but the voters ougm iu
have an active part in the selection of
their county officers. If they elect
bad ones, they cannot then unload
the burden on the legislative delegation,
and at the next election, they can
correct the error. If the delegation is
allowed to name county officers, the
way is open for the building of all
^ sorts of political machines and combinations.
I have no reference to the
present county board, but It is a
dangerous thing to start. ' isw:
' In cbnfcection with our county government,
let it be clear that I have
not advocated the abolishment of th$ 1
office of County Supervisor. Some
voters may have tinferred that from
some of;-my speches, but I have not
made such a positive statement. If
. we were to adopt the Aiken county
system which is four commissioners /
"" ^ vi 'Mor qQ )
witn an enginew, m iwau
he is called there, we woyld be putting
outy the Supervisor with a salary of
$1 ,800.00 and would have to employ
a road builder with a probable salary
of $2,500.00. And in Aiken County,
the commissioners appoint the road
builder, or engineer. That would be
getting away l'rom my policy of allowing
the people toF-elect their officers.
Moreover* iif we have four
commissioners without a supervisor,
and each commissioner supreme in his
district, there is danger of each being
'. interested in his own territory with
out any regard for the county as a
whole. So I think it would be wise
to have a supervisor as a member
. representing the whole county. f*
I am in favor'of the clearing up of'
the tangle in the present road law.
Many people do not know whether
they owe the ooiinty $5.00 as a road
tax or five days work on the roads.
e-. j
*4, My position is to make the road tax
as,Ji?ht as possible, and the work too,
but hlake it clear as to what we are
va *>< --Ti .. ...
to do and how we may lo it. I do
? pot think that the people "mind paying
or working if they can see re-'
suits from eiiner course, me irouuie !
now ;? that wne.n they pay, they seel
f _little results, and the work that is}
dche- Is not . of- apy great permanent
value,. ;J think that $3.0& will secure
&-< - as much work ,done, or buy as much
material,-sas $5.00 would have done1
two-years ago-Ltv iherei.ore, will ad- j
vofcate a road tax 01 not more than }'
per yehr . J
IV would be worse than foolish ^for'
V V * * '.. .
' me, or any other man, to promise to j
?0 to the legislature and, in one year,!
.service "to the people.of this county. I '
_ am not seeking the ot.ice as a step- j
'ping stone. With the whole country j
in a deplorable condition, I think it
is of tremendous importance that we
have men in the General Assembly
. 1 . r...
who are willing to devote their time
and energies unselfishly to the bene*
j
fit of the public; and if 1 am elected,
that is just what I intend to do. I do
pot claim , any extraordinary ability,
but with my knowledge of and experience
in public affairs, I feel that
^ 1 am Qualified to give some service
^'of Value in your legislative matters.
* If Sve eVer needed men who are able j
" 'to stand up and fight, we need them
l now! And you want men who canj
hold their own with the best that may 1
be sent from other counties?men of
mature minds and ripenecLexperience;
men who are at home in the public
fbrum or iri the private conference
' ii'i : ?? |..
room.
In my opening speech at Summer.
. . v
land, I anonunced the three things
that I thought most concerned the
public at this time. Those issues are
taxation, roads, and schools;.-and after
-.covering a greater portion of the
county, in this campaign, I* 3.111 con.vinceid
that -the. most pressing need
iiowis in the field of taxation. If we
can secure a satisfactory system of
taxation, we can easily take care of
our roads and schools. No' one will
argue now that we can * have' good
roacls and good schools without taxation.
'ine old idea of having swuethmg
"free" is in the discard. I will
rnur i in .iLVoi
ofbunding just as many Kood roadt
as we are aoie to t>iuld; but i Oiink
' we Simula L?e very caret ui in the inat,ter
oi spending the p'uol.c funds..
Lvfery ddih?r ctiai "i^" Spoil i rfiu.M. o.
ham t:i .;y the ULX-haye/s?arm uOn ..
iorfcei a. i. smml itady at an //.He.
* oto
uo a 11 ill i..y power to a.d the iuru
iehuois.: i kiiow what tney are an.
what tney need, having worked in
and v.uii them myself lor several
yearse. When you come to realize
that =o few of our young people go to
the colleges and universities, and not
many more get to the high schools, it
is of prime importance that the rural
schools receive the best support that
we can give them. It is better that
all of the people have an elementary
education than that the masses be ignorant
and the few be educated. Right
now, many of the rural graded
schools are in an embarrassing situa- |
tion because the-state has not kept
'" - ?" t **n r-t nf onnnnrf 1
lis iiicru tuiiuun ^ ? - - ,
Many districts have voted the re-,
quired tax, and met all the other requirements,
and now the teachers remain
unpaid for many weeks of service,
in this one item, the state has
fallen short in the sum of $116,000,00.
If I am elected to the Legislature, I
propose to insist that if the state cannot
meet its contract, it would be
better not to make it at all.
There is a demand everywhere that
the burden of taxation be reduced. If
that is to be reached, there must be
a big curtailment of expenses. Some
of the candidates have been saying
that they are in favor of economy?
and leave the matter there; but that
is not sufficient. Economy is not
the word: it is retrenchment. It might
be economy to invest a million dollars
this year in order to enjoy good
results five or ten years hence; 'but
how can we invest money when we
haven't it? And how can we secure
it except by taxing the property?
Certainly, we do not want more taxes!
We now have more than $60,000.00
of unpaid taxes for this year, and
many of the delinquents are unable
to pay. That is going to mean borrowed
money?with interest tacked
on. The last General Assembly
' made a good beginning in tax reform,
but we must go further with it. I
'am in favor of taxing luxuries?the
things we do not actually need?and
'thus reduce the levy on lands and
other visible property. ^y idea is to
'build up a system of taxing property
heretofore escaping taxation to such
an extent that we can pay our obligation
to the, state without taxing our
lands and other property except for
'county purposes. When we reach
that stage in reform, our county levy
will be lowered to such a figure that
it will not hurt anyone to pay; and
' then we can make it just what we
want it. If we want public improvements,
and are willing to tax ourselves
to meet the cost, we can have them.
But we cannot do all this in a single
bound. The Lexington Delegation
'made some reduction last year (perhaps
as much as they could), but
with past indebtedness and our obligations
for,',building'gpod roads, our
levy for county purposes this year 53
} 3 1-2 mills?just.one mill lower than
it was two years " igo ! Your' taxes
"IC V'"'j*Y'
for this year will be some lighter, but
that is due to the fact that your assessment
for this year was made on
a lower scale "^Lvalues.' What we
>r .. . :
need to do is to cut expenses! And in
this connection, I am in favor of using
the pruning knife on the useless
offices with big-salaries attached! And
I am also opposed to Creating some
.1 j
new offices to give a soft berth tosome
political helper. This applies
#to both the county and the state.
Right now, we are afflicted with, off
reduce your taxes to a satisfactory
level, give you all of the good roads
you would like, and build all of the .
good schools that we need. I do not |
promise that'. - All that I can promise 1
is that if you honor me with a place !
in your delegation, I will be there at |
the first bell, and will remain there j
until the last bell?all the time work- 1
ing consistently in the interest of the
people of this county and of the state 1
at large. If 1 am elected, I will make
a special study of the needs of the
county so that we will be ready to go |
'to work without delay. I have been]
a life-long student of government? |
county, state, and national?and with
my age and experience, I can begin!
I
work at once. I do not think that j
you will have to spend a year's sal- ]
ary to educate me in the ways of leg- 1
islation.
i
There are other issues that I would i
like to go into here, but 1 cannot im-j
pose on the kindness of the Editor in j
giving this space. I am ready to an w-er
any question concerning rny >
stand, and will do so frankiv
_ _ v..b. M **V* 1
without hesitation.
I pledge myself to a term of service,
and I shall appreciate your "Support ip>i
the coming primary. ? j
CYRUS L. SHEALY.
j " i
J ,1st. I advdeate an act of law to j
provide all text books of South Caro- j
lina to be furnished free to alT'ehild-1
, re'n or South Carolina. My reason t
why?we have a compulsory law?j
we have got to send our children to
-school, of which I so heartily approve I
of. There are so many poor laboring}
people in our county and State who
i -.re not getting enoir-h for their hi- i
or to support their families and buy!
neir children books. Iteing one my-j
. , i- 1
1 1 know a laboring man s cnndj- i
I
man who lives in the rural district, ;
who only gets about 75 cents to $1.00
a day for his labor, with probably
four or five children. Some three or
four to go to school. How can a man
in such a standing support his family I
and buy school books for his child- j
ren? Yet he is compelled l y the law j
to send them. I believe in educa- !
tion. I believe in equal rights to all i
Americans. So by providing the adopt- |
ed text books free, the poor man will j
be relieved some. This can be done j
by the elimination of little petty offi- !
eers, both county and State, who get!
I
a big portion of tne taxpayers money :
?who go dressed up all the time, j
which we have no need of. I believe
in law enforcement?if they are
worth it. We have so many laws J
till when you try to keep one you j
violate a dozen and don't know it till
somebody who does know it turns us
up. We want laws worth while. We
have laws and officers to protect
them that are not worth the books
they are printed in.
2nd. I advocate reducing road tax
from $5:00 to $2.00 and every male
from 21 to 50 years of age pay a $2.00
road tax. If you will bear with me
a little, from about 1912 to 1918, we
built almost every road in Lexington
county with an overage of $2.50.
Since 1918 till 1922 we have paid
$5.00 road tax. I believe in good
roads. I will, with the cooperation of .
the other 2 delegates if I am elected .
to enact the road law to this effect.
Some one might say why not have the
boy who is 18 years old pay road tax.
Here is the way I see this point: If
you had a boy 18 years old and you
were to tell your child what you wanted
him to do tomorrow and along
I comes the read overseer and warns
him out to work the road the same
day, who should he obey? He would
have to obey the road overseer on account
of the sorry law. According to
the Divine law he should obey his
parents, for (-Jod commands children
to obey their parents that thy days
may be long upon the land which the
| Lord thy God giveth thee. If he pays |
hi? $3.00. .and when the election, time
f comes up he is not allowed to vote,
>>} y , ...
? and if he happens to holler a liuls
. t y. \ \ \
I loud at an election, some officer is
ready to say something to him; probably
put him in jail. This is taking a
father's rights away from him.
Good people of my county, if this
meets your approval, vote accordingon
the 29th of August.
JOHN F. SHEALY, JR. ; 5
tion. For instance you consider a
S. E. SMITH.
To the Voters of Lexington County: J
I am grateful for the privilege of ,
submitting to' you my platform as a .
candidate for the Legislature. \
':\' i favor .a more even distribution \
of our taxes, county and state, let- ^
ting .no property, real or personal escape
taxation, f favor, a high lux-;;
ury tax law, and a hydrQ-ele<p.U'i<i; \
power tax , law. L favor the abolish-* j
ing of any department of our govern-1>
ment, county or state, that is not '
rendering service commensurate with.,
the costs of the same, and in reduc- t
ing the clerical- forces in the state ;
department wherever it can be done \
and not impair the usefulness of the^
departments. I favor each countyilj
handling its own automobile licenses, ?
and retaining and spending the money .
thus c.erived on the roads within the
county. I favor the reduction of our '
road tax from $5.00 to $3.00 or even \
to $2.00, all eligible men paying the .
I money, without the privilege of workj
ing as is now provided. Our roads
[ would then be worked better with
I improved road machinery, and at less
cost. I was the first candidate in
I
' Lexington county to declare himself
j four square opposed to the rural
j police system as it is being operated.
1 I am flatly opposed to it and I offer
I' - ?
I as a relief measure, that with tin
.services of a sheriff and his deputy.
\- " ' '
that the power and jurisdiction of our
! magistrates and their deputies be
j enlarged, enabling them to earn better
pay for their services, thus inviting
and inspiring competition foi
tliese offices in our primaries. I beI
lieve in law and order, and we will
j have it, when all our officers want it .
and stand for it.
I I stand squarely for better rural
1 and high schools, where 85 per cent. L
I of our boys and girls finish their edu{
cation. Our children deserve - to
have full term schools, and teachers
i . '
fully competent to train them, men-'
t tally, morally and religiously. " '\I
1 l'avor the enforcement of all ouifir
i.'u *
laws. If they are good, we' neeclr
I . *
, them, i'f they are not good, to enforce
j them will the sooner bring about ;
[their repeal.' Having had two years
! experience in the General Assembly
1 "know what it requires to be of real
| service there. Always on the job? ;
regular wo. L in the committee roo.ns ,
steady and consistent voting; 'and
making frieilds with, and enlisting
.ie support v." other members, tc
-1,> : ut over the legislation desired
t,
My position in Tile Peoples i'.irdv u?
I
Swansea, as cashier, familiarizes me \
with the distressing condition of the
average farmer, and as a life long
farmer. I submit that I am pecul-j
iarly fitted to be of service to our j
people at this time in the General i
Assembly of our State.
i
In conclusion, I ask that you consider
my location geographically. 1
am the only candidate for a county
office South of Lexington court house.
We bear our county burdens without
a inurmea-, pay our taxes?when we
can?have had but two vears repreI
senation in almost 20 years, and feel1
that we deserve representation at j
this time. Study the issues before
us, and study the men aspiring for
office at your hands, remembering
that no man can carry into an office
any more character and ability than
he can carry into his own home,
around his fireside with his family.
Your vote on these principles will
be appreciated. 1 thank you in advance,
and am,
Cordially yours,
S. E. SMITH.
GEORGE BELL TIM MERMAN .
Mr. Editor:
Availing myself 01 your invitation to
furnish, for publication, a short statement
of my views on public issues, I
submit what follows.
The main concern of a legislator is,
or should be, the matter of taxation,
inseparably conected with it are the
important subjects of education and
good roads, as are other subjects of
less general interest, but of importance
nevertheless.
All 01 us, no doubt, will advocate
economy, good schools, good roads
and good government; but the question
is: How aic we to get these
things? A legislator cannot bring then;
lO nass linlPSS hp ilitni-ma hi t- ...
__ _ 4 i * nmn'vU W1 i
?he lisral affairs ot hxs county um
.state; unless he knows the needs ol
both and understands the means at
hand to meet those needs, id very
representative should study his
county's affair^ and master then;, as
far as that is possible, before tut
meeting of the General Assembly. Tne
sessions of the General Assembly cost,
possibly, $3,000.00 per day, and a lot
of the time wasted there is due large/
ly to unpreparedness of members.
They should prepare before the session
opens and go ttieie ready to gei
down to business.
Not within my recollection ha:
therecbeen a time when there ua.
rporeateed of sound principles of economy
than exists now. In this county,
seven mills of the taxes for this yeai
are l'or debts incurred in the past. A;
Seems that at least 3 mills a year fo:
Sjthe next two years will have to bt
levied for a like purpose. Considei
this with the fact that there is now
jjunpaid, in this .^county, more than
'$t>0,000.00 of taxes!uor 1331, and thv
turther fact that there is still un]>aid
'Some of the taxes lur 13 20, and wt
need no further argument for economy.
\v'e cannot econumize by letting om
[children grow up m ignorance; no:
can we do so by allowing such road
improvements as we have lo go to'
Waste. Let us mark time, if we
must; but it would be a calamity.
Which would take the life of anothei
generation to overcome, shouid wi
allow ourselves to go backward.
As a step toward economy, I favoi
doing-away with useless expenditures
and useless offices, both county and
state. ;
I can only speak generally. Wt
have useless and unnecessary state ufficers
and clerks that have been treated
by the General Assembly. Somi
of them are drawing larger salaries
than our judges, even the members ol
the Supreme Court, hot to mention
the regular line of state officials created
by the constitution of our state
I believe that if we do away with
those that are not needed and cut tne
salaries of those who are getting too
much, out of proportion to others
that we can then pay the ones who are
needed more, attract better men to aspire
to office, ahd save the tax*
payers money by the transaction.
We are paying $4,500.00 for kural
Police, and we don't need them/They
get approximately $750.00 more than
this county gives to the aid of it.c>
weak schools. The policemen may
have been needed while the camp was
in Columbia, but the camp has gone
and the need for policemen has gone
also. They cannot be justified on the
ground that they are a financial success,
that the criminals pay tilth- salaries.
The records at the court houst
show this is.not true. Neither can it
be said that they have reduced
crime, because the records of the
criminal courts show crime 1i~j
greatly increased W/ih theui.
not favor turning .tie^iuiflTy o^.^tn
lawlessness, but my observation and
/
investigation have convinced uu- that
the Sheriff, with one deputy and iht
Magist rate's constables, can l.ia.ma.:.
order in th'.s county.
1 believe that the p-opb- of tin
not . in ,s. n.ve n h--'
tion, should select its officers, especially
those who have charge of its
fiscal affairs.
I believe that changes should be
made in the management of the affairs
of the county so as to guarantee
some definite policy of road improvement,
to the end that the several sections
thereof may ultimately be benefited
thereby, flood roads are a necessity,
and bad ones cost too much.
The county's business affairs should
| be placed on a business basis,
I favor a change in our present
| road law. Under-it, a lot of people
are neither paying the road tax nor
working the road. I do not favor
tavinfr hrvvcs r\?> mat-incr t>i?m w/ivL
roads before they are able to vote. A
road law should apply equally to all
who fall within its terms. The tax
of $5.00 is too much and should be
reduced.
I favor giving all the aid our financial
condition will allow to the support
of our common schools. 1 want
to see the boys and girls in the country
have an equal chance with the
boys and girls in town for an education.
In another generation there
should be no such thing, in South
Carolina, as a white man or white
woman signing by his or her mark.
I regret that lack of space will not
permit my elaborating the ideas here
touched upon.
t
In conclusion permit me to say. that
in running for the House I have no
private interest to serve and no political
ambition to gratify. My reward will
be complete if I can feel, after I have
finished that I have been of service
to my county and to my state; and, in
so serving, faithful to the many loyal
and true friends who are responsible
Cor my entry in this race.
GEORGE BELL TI.M.MER.MAX.
August 2f. 1922.
PAUL WKSSIXGErR.
To the Citizens of Lexington County:
If had not occurred to me that I
might be 01 service to my county in
the Legislature until it was mentioned
to nie. Moreover, some of those
who considered me suitable to be one
of the representatives of our county
announced my candidacy in one ol
our county papers without my solicitation.
The conviction then came
upon me that I should respond to th^
call. I therefore stand before you
as a soldier before his commander
ready to put the best in me in the
service of my county and state. Now,
I feel that it would not be amiss for
me to outline and have put in prime
some of the ideas that appeal to me
in considering the interest of our
people. I am the only candidate in
the race for the legislature from my
section of the county, and I think the
different communities should have
representation in that body.
In first place: I thoroughly believe
in economy and its practice in county
and state. I would not vote to waste
one penny of our people's hard
earned money.
I would vote to reduce the cost of
running our government wherever
practicable or where not an injury to
the best interest of the county.
Hence, I am in favor of reducing offices
and office force where possible
although our county does not appear
to be burdened with unnecessary expenses
along this line 'except the office
of Rural Police. When the Act
providing for Rural Police was
passed, there were a large number of
strangers located at Camp Jackson
When in Cc
The Gro<
1732 Main St., Oppos
The Cleanest and most up
in the State,.. When you
; . ?f? * . 9
somethn&^au han't gef'ir
! 3 < "-J'' v. *
! will find it here.
!
"v v / i Tv >"A V H
! < VS." ' f
! . W He m a viz ct'-f o r
i 'b '? & f' ' >
seh#0R.v?-Must be*ci?#r ar
and many of them visited all parts:
of our county and some of whom it.
seemed did not have proper appreciation
of law and order and good
citizenship. But now they are gone
and I now favor saving th? expenses
H
i of that office to the taxpayers of Lex|
ington county. Besides, I believet
that the sheriff and his deputies and
J the magistrates and their constables
i are amply able to and will give us
i adequate protection. JBut if after as
J year's trial it is seen that we need
the Rural Police, I would recommend
I
putting them on again.
I believe that the State Highway
overhead expenses are too much. Too
'many engineers and help. The government
too easily forgets how hard
it is for the average citizen to earn,
a dollar.
The State Agricultural Department
cost eighty-two thousand dollars anI
nually. I believe this is too much for J
the good it does. 1
I believe that the automobihs^ M
license tax could be collected by the
various county treasurers at less expense
than by present method.
I believe in fcood roads. But think,
that the road tax should be reduced
to two or three dollars and should be
phid to the treasurer along with
other taxes for distribution on roads
in district from which collected.
I believe that the county should
be devided inro four districts and s i
! commissioner elected by the people J
j for each district arid each district^ U
i and each district have the use of the
chain gang three months of the year
! under the supervision of its district
: commissioner.
!
i I believe in good schools and colleges.
That rural schools should rue
nine months in the year. I regard
education one of the urgent needs of
our state.
1 believe in law and enforcement.
Law without obedience is no law.
-More chain gang and prison sentences
and fewer fines will engender
more respect for law.
I believe that postponements and.
lang beclouding trials impede just
and. efficient government.
I believe that our tax system
should be revised. That taxes should
be more equally disUul^utrough
the taxation of all property. \I am
convinced that considerable wealth, in
various forms does not bear its just ?
proportion of our tax burden.
I believe that luxuries should be
taxed.
Lastly, I favor-my county being put
ack on a cash basis.
, I know the needs of the farmer, the i
merchant, the mill man?was raised
on the farm and am farming now.
""Was in the mercantile business for
- - ii ii n.^1
20 years and have lived with trie
people during that time. All have
been hard hit. by the severe depres
^ / y i* ^
sion. It is a/ hard struggle for azs
all. . 7' 4 **?
Now, my fellow citizens,v if you
elect me to the legislature, I promise
! I'All fAl'tVlflll AAmMAA 'V,
I j vu laiunui oci i <
PAUL J. WESSINGER^.
I New Brookland, S. C.
I FLOWERS ; i
, Choice Flowers in Season. X*
SEEDS. ^
Sweet Peas, Pansy, Phlox, . Poppsyv 1
Snapdragon, Grass, etc. Let us help
i ' v- - *
I you select best Seeds, Plants and.
Bulbs. it,
ROSE HILL GREENHOUSES j *
1225 Lady Street,
Columbia, S. C.
' /. \
' >2? I
? i
'r
% 1
>i f
>lumbia Visit I j
I | '<
... .1
:eryShop
ite the old Post Office. 1
/.
t y
-to-the-minute Grocery store / ;
want something real nice? :?
? "
1 the ordinary Grocery, you N ;
* t
\ * .
! i
V
first cljfsii Hjjjney?in pound
td:-&&JiiW^lWken. ?
?