The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, September 25, 1901, Image 4
?tt ?dttjjman at? Sra%?n.
"WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, i90f._
Tbe Sumter Watcnman was round ea
io 1850 and the True Southron in 1866.
Tbe Watchman and Southron now has
the combined mretilation and influence
of both of the old papers, and is rnani
esfcly the best advertising medium in
Sumter -
AS TO OUR BAD ROADS.
The communication of Dr. Dwight
in this paper on the subject of bad
roads confirms the opinion, that since
the chain gang has been in this coun?
ty the custom of working the roads
has been to a large extent discontin?
ued by the people. This should not
be. It is impossible for 25 or 30 hands
to keep the roads of the entire county
in order. The work of the chain gang
should be directed to permanent im?
provement of the highways, and the
roads should be kept in order as here?
tofore until a better plan is found.
The people themselves are to blame
ior the condition of the roads, for
they sit down and wait for the chain
gang to come around intsead of work?
ing them as the road law provides.
There is no use to attempt to make
the County Supervisor the scape goat.
He may not be perfect, he may fail to
do many things that he could or should,
but even were he absolutely perfect and
absolutely tireless he could not keep
the roads of Sumter county in good
condition, with the people so entirely
supine and indifferent to their own
duty in the matter.
: THE LEE COUNTY MOVEMENT.
Some of the Reasons for Establishing
the New County.
Mr. Editor: All honor and credit
and thanks to the Watchman and
Southron and The Daily Item for the
privilege of their columns to discuss
the pros and cons in the matter of
dividing the county. Your offer is
liberal and generous and the wisest
move that has been made in the matter
and calculated to accomplish more
than contentiousness, slurs and sneers,
or strained attempts at witticisms,
which only engender bitterness: and
the people on this side, at least, will
appreciate your broad courage.
Now, over this side, it is well known
that I- was, abinitio, opposed to any
cutting of our old "Game Cock" coun?
ty and fought the move, and even up
to the initiation of this last move was,
to say the least, reluctant. But, upon
discovering the wide favor and popu?
larity with which it has been received
by the greater portion of our people I
concluded to give more study and pon?
der more seriously upon the '; Why
ness" of the "Wherefore" that this
was thus, and will attempt to give my
conclusions.
Prom the day when South Carolina
was a Province under the Lords
Proprietors even unto this day as pop?
ulation and property values have in?
creased, the trend has been towards
smaller and more compact territorial
management, simply as a measure of
political economy.
Our State, in the writer's own time,
was divided into 29 Districts. Some
of these were again subdivided by spe?
cial act of assembly ; as in the case of
Sumter and Clarendon, once forming
one district. But, as population and
property rapidly increased and values
enhanced and prosperity possessed the
land and people, and facilities became
more grealty needed, and time became
mere precious, a special provision was i
incorporated into our new constitution
for the formation of new counties,
upon certain conditions, provisions
and stipulations, to meet this growing
necessity of the people for greater con?
venience and facilities in the manage?
ment of their district or county affairs,
until there are nov.- nearly double the
counties in our State.
It has, for some years, been dawn?
ing upon many of our people on this
side of Sumter county and in the in?
cluded sections of Darlington and Ker?
shaw, that the time had arrived for
them too to "s?t up house keeping"
for themselves for the same above rea?
sons, and they have become convinced
that it is feasible, practical and a ne?
cessity. They Lave noted that there
Hes, on the undulating and fertile
hills at the head cf Black Eiver, a pic- '
turesque growing and prospering town,
centrally located and willing and ready
to make a fair and handsome donation
towards obviating increased taxation
in the formation of the new govern?
ment if she is made the county seat. ]
Who can blame her for so commend- :
Srr-\. an ambition.
Thu* has the new county id?>a grown
."in ^ogalarity and developed into a
widespread determination to material?
ize at at the polls. So much for the .
reasons for voting for Lee county. As .
to Dr. Cheyne's communication I .
will take it. seriatim, and answer.
First, that I too have "been searching
'for k'now<edge among the Lee county" 1
opposers, why they are S<J reluctant ?
. th&fi ffg should secede. Sumter once
bex&l* approved the right of seees
3.lv& ar.d fought gallantly in its de
3fenee and the only reason given now
for resisting that right is identical
-nif i that Which influenced thc north
in the by gen^ namely, the loss of
rich tributary territory and conse?
quent Loss of Pellf Pap and Power, i
This loss is readily conceded, but is no ?
Tai?d reason why ii family, political or j
??osttestic, should not divide and set up !
".house keeping-' for themselves, when ?
thev so decide and demand solely and
only what th.*- law assigns then;. wi:!:- ;
oui* antagonism or contention by the ?
political or domestic parent on mere j
selfish grounds. Like my friend, the
Hon. Dave Durant, I too Lav.- been |
seceded from, domestically. Maugre
all argument and disapproval, hat my
progeny are flourishing and Fm not
starving or dead. Sumter will retain
lier numerous railways, radiating and ?
reaching to tho uttermost parts of the j
land. She will retain her marts -of
trade and manufacturing industries
and banks. She retains every item
of county property and only propor?
tionate share of county indebtedness
i Lee countv assuming her full quota
of same.) "She will have less cour;
expenses, less poor and less pris
to care for ; less roads and manx
causeways to keep up. She r<
the position of county seat and
also retain all the gentlemen of
acumen who haven't the astutene
move over to the "Bantam C
As to the shape of the old conn
may be, in some aspects, procrm
but unfortunately neither the cc
tution on any statute bearing t
on provides for or prescribes any
ticular form, shape or picture,
leaves those dissatisfied with
shape the same privilege of reste
themselves. It surely will woi
more hardship or inconvenience
those who reside in the "handle'
go to Sumter or to do as they
always done, in all respects, than
fore the Lee county lines were
Mere surveyor's lines and metes
bounds are no obstacle or bar to t
and commerce, or other interco!
We are not moving off anywhere a:
have heard no word inimical to S
ter or a single adverse comment n
regarding her.
With all due deference to
Cheyne, who owns a very valu
I plantation on the bluff of Black ri
f I would ask him if any " wide av,
farmer" would give as much for O?
go lands today if they were sitm
17 miles from "the largest ma:
town," orin other words would
"any wide awake farmer" or ol
buyer, give more for Dr. Chev]
lands today were Bishop vi He, 3 m
distant, a market town of size and n<
as is Sumter, with a turnpiked r
thereto. Does not proximity to n
ket affect land values in an increas
or decreasing ratio until entirely
yond it's influence? Just in the se
ratio as might be illustrated by con1
uity and propinquity to and remoter
from some heat producer? Is 8 mile:
turnpike road sufficient to destroy
that influence? Put that question
that square cut shape to that "w
awake farmer" and hear his answ
Turnpiked roads offer -facilities wi
out any rails because they overeo
distance and friction which comp
h ends time and cost, and even withe
turnpikes proximity answers the sa:
purpose in a measure. All our lar
are more valuable than when cott
brought 12 and 15c, greatly owing
modern commercial facilities. Increa
those facilities to the market town a
the syllogism is sound that conclue
values will increase.
If joining the "majority of yo
neighbors" is "good ring rule" t
definition has been wonderfully chan
ed. "'Ring" in South Carolina .po!
tical parlance signifies to "cabal,"
unite in a small party to promo
private views by intrigue." If the
is any "ring" caballing or intriguii
it is not on this side the lines.
I don't know who fears that "son
little X roads will start up as a conn
seat," but there is a very strong te;
dency towards small counties and v
doubt not but that Dr. Cheyne himse
would very complacently regard ar
very favorably consider any movemei
to establish a county seat contiguoi
to his own plantation, say at Gregg
X Roads or St. Charles, and pla(
higher values on his already fertr
acres, and contend for the enhance
ment solely upon the grounds of pro:
imity to the county seat and a prof
pective market town.
The Doctor says he hopes "ths
Bishcpville may grow and prosper an
overflow with milk and honey or an
other juice she may prefer." "Bishop
ville has her ?full share of milk now
as we can testify, and doubtless hone
too and other sweets, but it is tha
same flow of "juice" that the projectei
Lee County furnishes that Sumter i
so loth to lose and Bishopville will re
ceive her full quota of that (to use ai
irishism) is the bone of contentio]
and the cause of antagonism righ
now. The matter of increased taxa
tion in new counties has been dispos?e
of by Mr. Durant, in your last issue
and doubtless he has the data, anc
ei'en should our taxes be somewha*
increased it is a simple family ques
tion of finance upon which we are re?
ceiving some of the cheapest lega!
advice we ever got from Sumter.
There areno "wild surmising" as
to what Bishopville will become,
"solid, substantial growth" is there
now in the shape of brand new, solid
brick and moratar and wood buildings
filled with substantial merchandise, a
bank with substantial "demintion
cash" in it, large new livery stables
with substantial live stock, more lots
being sold at substantial figures: more
stores and residences to be built, more
merchants and more population and
more business attracted. We don't
need any teaching about "booms" in
Sumter County, as the Doctor would
know had he been living some years
ago, just where he is now. If there
is any collapse it won't hurt Sumter
this time as she is 22 miles distant:
L-oilapses don't hurt the country any?
way. Money only changes hands.
Yes, we will relieve Sumter of very
many of her causeways and bridges,
but we have superior highways and
will try and select superior highway?
men and will make the "good roads
movement'' a specialty and make our
roads an object lesson, and if Sumter
will spare us some sand we'll swap her
some clay for road building and she j
:-an extend our pikes from our lines j
to her city and automobilecommunica- j
{?ion can be established between the I
'Gamecock City'' and the "bantam ?
to*vn" and all will be cairn and serene*
between us. Yes, a number of us re?
gret to "leave old Sumter, known so
favorably, all over the United States,"
(?) Many of us are stili living who-i
helped to make her well known and j
very favorably too-in the South, but
the time has arrived when even the
sentimental South must cause mere
sentiment to stand aside and patriot?
ism must vield to Pelf and Pap.
J. Merrick Reid.
St. Charles, Sept. 23, 1901.
GUVS AMENDE HONORABLE.
In Re the Ice Cream Festival at Si.
Charles.
i)e;ir Editor: Will you please allow I
me? iiy some sheer miserable inadver?
tence we omitted a name in the list. <>f
Elfs and Fairies. Miss Xela Marion
Shaw's pretty face als:? beamed under \
the immaculate white cap as a wai?
tress, and this little lady would have
been more conspicuous but for indis?
position which caused her ..arly retire?
ment from servir?. Sile is the daugh?
ter of Mr. and Mrs. Sam E. Shaw,
who were contributors to the feast and
?iatrons of the school. Our omission
das been called to our attention by
entirely disinterested parties and we
feel like kicking-ourself. Guv.
Wee Nee, Sept. 23, 1001.
DISCUSSING LEE COUNTY.
Mr. DuPre Favors the New County, but
Would Not Injure the Old.
Mr. Editor: I have read the two
communications in your issue of the
18th inst, for and against the forma?
tion of Lee county.
That by Dr. Cheyne is the same ar?
gument "that was used against the
formation of all new counties in the
State, with the exception of Hampton
county and that was a political neces?
sity at that time, in order to give the
whites now in that county some show?
ing over the black horde that so large?
ly predominated in Beaufort county.
Mr. Durant simply begs the ques?
tion. Like him, I can say that Sum?
ter county is very dear to me, the
bones of my kindred lie in Sumter city,
and at Bishopville, at which place I
spent a number of my boyhood years.
But this is a mere statement that does
not weigh an atom in deciding a ques?
tion, that I believe is best for my fel?
low man. No man has the right to
defeat a public measure that would be
of benefit to his friends where he is not
injured in doing so. If he lets such
sentiments govern him, he is not a safe
man with the ballot. The people
around Bishopville need a new county.
Some of them above there live thirty
miles from Sumter, That is a long
trip to take to attend to their public
and private duties, let alone the ex?
pense incident thereto and fatigue of
travel by private conveyance. Mr. !
Durant has shown that the tax rate of
new counties is less than the old coun?
ties, and the town of Bishopville has
given the new opera house (a very sub?
stantial building) for a court house.
Now where is the bug-a-boo of high
taxes. The statement that ic would
leave Sumter county irregular, is a
wasted argument. AU the States and
counties are irregular in form, with a
few exceptions, as well as the Congres?
sional Districts. But what has that
got to do .with the prosperity of either
county? It is almost an insult to say
that Sumter city would be injured by
the new county. Her merchants are
broad and liberal, and can extend the
lines of their business into several
counties just as she is doing today.
County and State lines, don't keep
down a city's prosperity. Columbia is
on a rock with poor water facilities,
yet we see how fast she is growing and
extending her trade. So it is with
Atlanta and other regressive cities.
Charleston is a dead place comparative
with her abiltiy. There should be no
false sentiment about this matter.
We all love the old county but in this
day of progress changes must take
place. Family ties are strong, but
separation has to come however painful
it is. It is so decreed. The advocates of
Lee county are good and true men. In ?
seeking to better their condition they i
are not trying to injure others, an?
all should look at it in that way.
County lines can make no difference
between those who love and respect
?ach other. No more than different
creeds can do. The people of Lee
county would be just as good friends
to Sumter, as they are now. Nothing
svould be changed except their public
luties. Then why fight them when
they are trying fco help themselves.
The ties already formed between us
ill will last till death. They would
?o to Sumter in distress as freely, as
she would go to them. Let each man
in the prescribed limits of Lee coun?
ty study this question well, and cast
ais ballot for or against the measure
is he thinks best for his public inter?
est, then when the ballots are counted
m the 22d day of October, it is found
;hat the county has won or lost in a
'ree untrammelled fight, let all inter?
ested accept the result in good faith.
Jas. E. DuPre.
Pisgah, S.C Sept. 23.
i;I wish to truthfully state to you and the
.eaders of these few lines that your Kodol
Dyspepsia Care is without question, the
jest and only cure for dyspepsia that I
:ave ever come in contact with and I have
ised many other preparations. John
Beam, West Middlesex. Pa." No prepara?
ron equals Kodol Dyspepsia Cure as it
contains all the natural digestants. It will
iigest all kinds of food and can't help but
lo you good.-J. S. Hughson <fc Co.
Weekly Orop Bulletin.
Columbia,, S. C., September 24.
The first of the week ending 8 a. m.,
Vlonday, September 23d, was warmer,
;he latter portion decidedly cooler
;han usual, with a maximum tempera
:ure of 93 degrees at Blackville, and a
ninimum of 47 degrees at Greenville.
The winds were generally northeaster
y, and were high during a part of the
veek. The sunshine was generally de
icient during the first of the week,
vb i le the last three days were, almost
rloudless.
The rasnfalll ranged from 0.21 at
Charleston to 8.10 at Anderson, with
excessive amounts over all but the
ioutheaste-rn portion of the State. The
ttins were damaging to open cotton,
ind caused floods in all the "up coun?
ty" streams, submerging low lands to
i greater depth than any previous
Tesbet this season. The ?ains were
beneficial to growing and immature
?rops. A drought of considerable sev?
erity prevails in the southeastern conn
;ies, along the imm?diat?' coast, to the
njury of fall truck' crops; there also
:he ground lacks sufficient moisture to
luickly germinate recently planted
?.eds.
Cotton picking was delayed, and
5pen cotton beaten out bf the bolls, by
the heavy rains and winds. Tin- re
jent cool weather checked the rapid
and premature Opening, and decreased
rust and shedding. In SOUK- sections
a large portion of the crop is open, in
other places but little has as yet open- ,
i'd. The crop is furthest advanced, !
and poorest over the eastern half of
the State, while over the western half!
it is unusually late, with many young j
bulls that will require at least a month j
longer to mature. S<-a island con I
ti nues to bloom freelv and has improv '.
ed.
Corn is being gathered, and thc poor :
yields confirm previous estimates.
Rice is not so good as it appeared to ;
be before harvest: in the Georgetown
district the crop is short: harvest is:
nearing completion. The hay crop is
the largest in years, and much of it. :
has already been secured in line condi?
tion. Sweet potatoes are very good.
Peas are good. Oats are being sown,
and some have come up to good stands.
Minor crops as a rule promise excel?
lent yields.
Looks Like Lever in the Seventh.
From Reported Figures Lever Has
700 More Votes Than Brantley.
Columbia. Sept. 2-1.-It looks very
much as if Mr. A. F. Lever of Lexing
I ton has won the race for congress in
! the final primary in the Seventh Con
! gressional district, defeating Mr.
j Thomas F. Brantley of Orangeburg.
I The figures obtainable, considering
those points from which the missing
votes are to come, indicate that Mr.
Lever will hold the lead he now has
or not fall back more than 200 from
that lead. The figures available now
account for a total vote of 6,086,
which lacks 2,888 of coming up to the
total vote cast in the first primary,
the total vote therein being 8,974.
Of the vote reported last night Mr.
Brantley has received 2,691 and Mr.
Lever 3,395, giving the latter a lead of
704. Absolutely nothing has yet been
heard from Berkeley county and only
one box in Colleton county, has been
reported. More than half of Orange
burg's vote has been accounted for
and half of that cf Lexington. All of
the Dorchester vote save four boxes is
in and there are only ten boxes to
hear from in Sumter. The missing
vote from Orangeburg and Lexington
counties is in the rural districts and
Mr. Lever's county has more of this
rural vote to report than Mr. Brant?
ley's. Berkeley, it is thought, will be
carried by Mr. Brantley and Colleton
is the debatable and uncertain ground.
The vote as reported thus far is as
follows :
Brantlev. Lever.
Richland, 39* 32
Lexington, (12 out of 29) 299 1,305
Orangeb'g (30 out of 52) 1,535 . 903
ft T* Iv ft 1 v _,
Colleton'("vValterboro) 43 1S7
Dorchester (all but 4) ?34 224
Sumter, (23 out of 33) 441 744
Total, 2,691 13,395
mig -
The Hague. September 21.-Baron
Van Lynden, the minister of foreign
affairs has forwarded to the legations
and members of the counsel of the
Court of Aroitration, a copy of the
Boer appeal for arbitration with a
notification that he intends to bring
up the appeal for consideration at the
first meeting of the council. The date
of the meeting is not fixed.
This popular remedy never fails to
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Some Reasons
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Keeps out water.
A heavy bodied oil.
HARNESS
excellent preservative.
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OIL
I s sold in all
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THE LARGEST STOCK IX THE WORLD
Nearly loo Varieties.
All the choice, luscious kinds for the Gar?
len and Fancy Market. Also Shipping
Varieties. Also Dewberries. Asparagus,
Rhubard, Grape Vines, etc., etc.
Cur 120 pag3 Manual, fros to buy?
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All plants packed to carry across the
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CONTINENTAL PLANT CO.,
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Sept 25-4
MCI TO TAXPAYERS.
C??F*CE or
COUNTY TREASURER SUMTER CO.
SUMTER, S. C.. Sept. 24. 1901.
NOTICE is hereby given that I will be
in my office in the County Court House at
Sumter from October 15th to December
31st, 1901, inclusive, for the collection of
taxes for tiie ti?cal year 1901. The levy is
as follows:
For State purposes. ."> mills.
For County purposes, 3 mills.
For School purposes. '.'< mills.
Total levy. ll
Also the following special school levies:
School District No. 1. - mills.
School District No. l<5, 2 mills.
School District No. ls. 2 mills.
School District No. 2*?. 3 mills.
Mt. Clio. 2 mills.
Concord, 2 mills.
Privateer. 2 mills.
No. .". 1 mill.
N<>. 17. 1 mill.
School Dist nc: No. 2.".. 1 mills.
School District No. 22. 4 mills.
Commutation Road Tax for 1902 ?1.00.
payable from Oct. 15th, 1901. to Feb. 1-t.
11)02. H. h. S('AK1>( Uv? ?ron.
sept 24 Treasurer Sumter Co.
? ANNOUNCEMENT
L^OCOCC 3f5??? 5c3??? : Z. 3 CC CC CC CC BS cc cc cc cc cc cc cc ec
OP
umter y ry floods Jjo.
We have purchased more largely of
li
I?JJ?
1
bi
Silks, Suitings, Novelties and High
Class Dress Goods than ever before.
The goods are all in, have been opened, and await your in?
spection. Never before in the history of The Sumter Dry
Goods Company has the assortment been so complete, and
never before have we exhibited such a variety of new styles
and new ideas.
This is the Day When Ready Money
Talks
As it Never Talked Before in This City.
Cash with its mighty power of buying and selling has its hand
on the helm and the result is money saving for you.
Come and see our Goods,
Get our Prices,
And we will leave the rest with you.
We have the best line of
Ladies' and Children's Shoes
to be had.
We carry Drew-Selby, DottenhofFer, and the American Girl
Shoe, and Hill and Green's Children's Shoes-every pair
guaranteed.
Another pair or your money back if not
satisfactory. Respectfully,
The Sumter Dry Goods Co.
FALL
Announcement
CALL AND SEE OUR NEW LINE OF
Waisting^ Tricots, Alba"
tross, etc., plain and
striped?
ALSO NEW LINE OF
Embroidered Pattern Waists, all the
new colorings.
These are just the materials for early
fall waists, and the newest things shown.
Take a look at our line of
BL. J CK GOODS.
Everything that is new you will find
here.
We are opening new goods every day.
Soliciting a share of your trade,
Yours,
?sr
m