The watchman and southron. (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, July 20, 1912, Image 4
f||tWlitrbnonan? ^outbron.
I*uMkIh u \\ttl(ie*<la) und Saturday.
?BY?
OSTEEN PUBLISHING COMPANY
8LMTBK, ?. C.
Ternui:
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Advertisement*:
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?racts fur three months, or
^??ar? t.# made at reduced rates.
'"atloiui sv h 1 c h sub
? will be charged
fei
Obtti. of fsjsjpsjtl
will be char* I
The gfl I r W itchi. n was found
?d In :hS0 and the Trus Southron In
lift The Watchman and Southron
v?w ha4 in* combined circulation and
lafluem *? i f wHh of the old papers,
and Is manifestly tfcs best advertising
medium In Sumtsr.
? ???l^WW
We regret (bit w ? b.i\e neither the
?puce nor the f icillties t<> reproduce
In this paper the complet. record i>i
the testlmom t iker at the August,
hearing of th,> dis|;ensir> m\rstigal
tng emunottee. since we wish that
every voter could r?ad the entire icc
erd. Being unable to reproduce the
testimony in Its ent'.rety we have giv?
en as full and coinorehensBe sum
mary of the facts as possible. Tiu
disclosures are shameful and dis?
graceful.
e e g
in arriving at an opinion as to the
estimate to be placed upon the \u!uc
ef the testimony of W. J. Humt, It
should be remembered that Burns
bas no Interest in the politic* of South
Carolina, that his business is to run
criminals to ei rth and collect testi?
mony that will stund the test of the
closest and severest scrutiny. Ills
business depends upon making got d
*y*ry charge that he makes and when
he says he leg proof |g convict a man
of crime he stakes his business and
his reputation upon the outcome. He
has stated under oath that he has
proof to convict Governor Blease of
crime, and If he fails to substantiate
his charge his business and reputation
wilt suffer. Furthermore if he falls
to pro\e his charges. Governor Blease
has ample ground for action again-t
Mm for defamation of character
and damages. Will Uo\. Blease foree
Burns to prove what he has charged,
will h. demand that the be put
to th. anal test, will he take action
against Burns. If he falls to carry the
case to a conclusion, or will he be
content to b*t the matter drop where
It la if Bums d a s not press it? Will
h.- ' ?? I w wind) abuse of
Barns? If he Is an honest man and
not \ he will make Burns,
fehler. Grace and others prove the'r
?b?rge*. If he Is a cook, he will con?
tinue 1 i th. .?. a itb coarse
epithets, but do gjtihtni to \ indicate
himself. Governor Maggg cannot
clear himaaM I y abusing Felder.
Grace. Burns and Others w h0 charge
him with maft. ?o-.rupie.n and other
gflnaga] gottner ? ig la rtnsJtaatsj him?
self by threats against his accuse:*
and \erbo-e ehalh nges to mortal com?
bat at son,? future time when the -ea
son is opportune.
ess
th. . Maggg d. | \ t|. d it Bamberg
en Sa' gj .1 \ the u < >i \ lo V id and
walk; ramp p. ? \ . \ .1 iii ule at a
campaign Mooting it South Carolin.i.
What in be expected of a man who
Will Use the l.mguag. h. did on that
eccasbm? Oasjld he bg oouatod aa la
respe. t my poattlatk i ? irus la any
trust I i i'lininwt'1 anj law fairly,
hopestly or decentlj '.' He h i- regard
for none of the decencies 'f life, hal
no . on. . ption of tlo ?1111> h? 0W< | the
State to . atsiss t hlmaelf as the gov?
crnor -hould, and boast* with bfagOg
?h iih" -.f sl.. knit b> h s po
nticai sgggeariaraj be I toes criminal! or
net
Till -1 WtOARIl M'I'lti ?BIM \ I It >\.
Deeg4te nil th it has bees said and
written concerning the appropriation
?f ti'a.uoo by ih,. r.ts of Sumter and
II .'.ana b> th.inf. of Saa l. r ?a
total of < || gag?f,,r m?. purpos, of
securing rb?h??< of way through the
county and I terminal site in this < itv
for the South Carolina Western Rail*
Way {SJsahoord)i there SCCBAl to be a
?ide?proad lok of information t> la
the facti of the matter. A gleit ibal
of mat Information Is also being Indus?
motives for
s?? far a* oag
meal,
s" ? olartf)lag tie
? I ' sobu mg the minds ..I
? ii pidiie ,.i fata
gl fSS i, w ihs ?n
' it v 11 ? i.tide a It bout
v, I II the r*V IS Hi If
?\, know ot .an ov n k an w ledge of
ngsro i.e. j, ibi? to ei. ertaln bs in
gjSjtl v
T>. beam at tlo- beginning, II Is n< ? -
sjgsjsjfjf t<? baeti several years,
K\ar' reald.i Unmtef county who
knows ?rnthu.g fullv < Mgid/.,int of
the tot thit f'-r more th in ten years
ggtarnsltt< at efforts h o?- beeg m oj.
to obtain ? connection with the main
line of the Seabo.ud Alt Line Rail?
road at seine point between Cheraw
.inj e'umden. The shortest and gen?
erally the messt feasible route was
that via Btshopvllls to ? point at or
near Bothuae, Some aoven or eight
years ago a movement waa undertak?
en to promote a local enterprise to
buiid a branch line on ihe route in?
dicated. Messrs Netll O'Ponnell, R.
i. Msnalag, w. H. Ingram, ihe lau
Marlon Molse, ? f thli elty and Mr. T.
(?. M? Leod. Ol DtShopVtllSi t ?oK the
Initiative In the muter.* and, after
i veral conferencei with represents
lives of the geaboard, which was then
eoatrolled by John ghelton Wllll inn
and a-soclates of Uichmoml. Va.. an
undviHtandhu was reached that the
Baal i ard would oo?opt int.- In the
nadertahlng * >n certa t conditions,
chief of wi.i< h \ ere that the route
be surveyed and demonstrated to be
feasible aad not too costly, thai the
rights of way be secured and termi
Inai sites in Blshopvtlle and Bumter be
provided. Pursuent to this agree?
ment Maj. \v. Lorlni !.?* and Mr.
? Thomas, of the Seaboard A BT Line
ooastruotlon department, an experl?
em ed railroad engineer, w ere em?
ployed to make thS survey. Several
prollmlnary lines wort run and Anally
the best route waa ohoasn aa ths
permanent line. This line was sur
Veyad, the proAle idats were made
and everything was In readiness to
go forward with the work of con?
struction. A large percentage of
the required right! of way had been
pledged by Isnd-owners and the road:
Would undoubtedly have been built
in a short time but for the Ananclal
difficulties that overtook the Seaboard ;
just Sjfl thM Ilms 111 the result of the j
Aght Baads by tin; Ryan interests to
wrest control of the Seaboard system
from the Williams syndicate, Ryan
who had powerful financial backlni
gained control, bond issue- were piled
up on top Of bond issues and the
Seaboard was s...>n forced into the
hands of receivers on petition of
1 oadholdera This ended for the
time all hope of building the Sumter
IMshopNille line.
The geaboard proposition was a
dead issue for the or six years, and
nothing was heard of it. except an
OOCaeloBal aOWSpApAr article urging
that the enterprise be revived and ?
determined effort made to obtain a
connection with the Beaboard?the
Ohe thing necessary to perfect Suffl
ter's railroad facilities. During that
time, however, several latervlwa were
had with Mr. Manning by Beaboard
OfBelalS aBd representatives of the
bankers who were Ananclng the sys?
tem, and eoalldence that the branch
would ultimately be built was revived.
After the lapse of a few years the
An laces Of the Seaboard were ad?
justed, its bus.ro ss improved, the dif
ferences with the bondholders were
settled, the receivers were discharged
tad a progressive syndicate regained
i nttol. Then began an era of e.x
panslon and development Branch
reads srere thrown OUl from the main
line at various polnta to serve as
feeders. The Beuboatd <niered Ma?
rian, idiion. Bennettsvllle and v.u:
line In this Statt' and BSVSral towns
in North Carolina. Hut in e\ cry in
Stance these branch roads ware given
free rights of way. free terminal sites
?nd other aubstantlal Inducements by
il i towm and sections through which
they were built?some of these towm
had no railroads, but a majority
sought and we.e willing to pay a
reasonable sum to secure additional
facilities and a Competing railroad
system.
This policy of expansion on the
p.irt of the Beaboard Increased the
hope eatertalned lo re that the Bum
tor-Blshopvlllc branch might be
built In Ihe neaV future. The rail?
road committee of tin Chamber of
Commerce took up the matter with
Mi. W, K Bonsai, who was promoti?
ng and building the branch lines of
Ihe Beaboard. Considerable corre?
spondence and several conferences
between representatives ol the Cham?
ber of Commerce and Mr. Bonsai fol?
lowed, but n> dellnlte results were
accomplished, Mr. Bonsai and hi*
principals having their hands full
end their time occupied with the un<
d< rtakings to which they were alread)
committed. Tin next thing we heard
was thai the people of Hartsvllle
h oi Intereoted Mr. Bonsai In a Hea
hoard connection for thai town and
he had. on Mccouni of Inducements
off? red. agrsH d to build ti
road from M< Bee, on tie mam line,
In llnrtfvllle, Tlo rights of way were
i tirnli b. d frt u ol - net tu the railroad
ami I Hiiltublc t. rmllial Site in the
'town w.i provided, Then Darlington
I heeaine tietlvely Interested md the
load w?i extended t.. that town and
Ithetice t<> Plorenee, fret right* of waj
? and terminals being th< coiidltlotis
j upon w 11Ich the r.I w im bttlll \t
I Ibis lunetiire Ihe rum.a w current
ami generali) icci pt. .1 . n u. thai
11h? Seaboard wu* preparlns to build ?
trunk line to Charleston where it
? ?Wlis extcnelVe and valuable t.ina
! nai pt op, 11 < o11 ih. wai. ? front 11
w.is confl<|entl) isserted bj Plorenc?
p< oplc th it the trunk Inn would be
extended from th-i ??|ty In Charles
ton, it was also asserted that the
trunk tine would he built from Harte
vllle, via La mar and Tlmmonsville to
Charleston, the business men of Tlm
monivlle bring eager to secure a
Seaboard connection and offering
rights of way. terminals and other
Isubstantial Inducements. It is a
ifuct that a surveying corps was at
work on the proposed line to Tlm?
monsvllle when Mr. Manning, of the
[ra Iroad committee of the Chamber
of Commerce communicated with
Mr. Bonsai and asked for a positive
stater ent ? i to the probability or
possibility of the Bumter-BJshopville
line being built. Mr. Bonsai replied
that if Bumter was prepared to en?
tertain a l uslness proposition he
would be In a position to submit one
within a few weeks, The surveyors
w ere called off the Lamar-Timmons
vllle line and a hurried preliminary
survey was made from liartsvllle to
Bumter by way of Blshopvtlle, At
the lime there was considerable mys?
tery about this survey, as the men In
thi party refused all Information to
Inquiries, coming and going without
communicating vith any local people.
and declining lo tell w hom they
represented, A week or two later
Mr, Bonsai notified Mr Manning that
he was ready to submit a definite
proposition and that, to avoid use?
less correspondence and protracted
negotiation--, he would say positively
at the outset that the proposition
submitted would be the best and only
terms he was authorised to consld- ;
sr, The proposition submitted, ai
haa been heretofore stated a number
i
of tines was: Mr, Bonsai and a SSO- i
elates would enter into an agree- 1
men! to b illd a st indard railroad 1
from Hartsvllle to Bumter, via Blsh?
opvtlle, to equip it with tlrst class
rolling stock and have it In operation j
to Bumter within twelve i lonths from J
the consummation of the agreement
on condition that the rights <>f way
I
fCOm a point tWO miles south of Blsh- ,
opvllle to and through the city of ?
Sun ter to a point two miles south of
the city of Bumter together with a ter- j
mlnal, 1(0x1000 feet In size in the city,
be provided free of cost to the rail?
road.
Upon hecelpt of the proposition a
meeting of Cltliens was held In the .
hail of the Chamber of Commerce, :
whiej, was attended by i large num-,
her. some of whom were residents of |
the county but not of the city. Mr. j
Bonsai's proposition was laid before!
the meeting and it was accepted by i
a unanimous vote of thos-e present,
after a full and free disc isslon. Mr. j
Bonsai was notified Immediately that
Bumter accepted his proposition und
would comply w ith the presi rlhed
conditions.
A special committee to represent
the interests of the citizens of Sum
ter in dealing with Mr. Bonsai and j
associates was appointed as follows;
R, I. Manning, chairman, Nelll O'Don
nell. H. J. McLaurln, Jr., 1. C, Strauss
and W. 11. Ingram. Subsequently up?
on the removal of Mr. Ingram to Co?
lumbia Mr. I?. i>. Molse was added to
the committee,
A : n,itic.' commlttei to devise
tvayi and nein- for raising the mon?
ey necessary to procure the rights of
way atid terminal site was appointed
as follows: I.. 1?. Jennings, D, D,
Molse, R. B. Heiser, l?. R. McCallum.
Jr.. R, 1.. Wright. R, < ?. l urdy. 11. I?.
Barnett, <*? m. Hurst, .1. m. Chandler,
H. c, Rayniworth,
The action of this meeting of cltl?
iens assured the building of the
Seaboard branch Into Bumter, but the
important matter <'f raising the large
sum of mom > necessary to carry out
tin agreement to provide the , ights
of way ami terminal in the city yet
remained to be determined. A rough j
estimate of the sum required was
*-"..'?<?<? to $46,UOO, and it can readily
be appreciated what a momentous
atid difficult problem tin committee
bad to solve - how and from whence
Was this i trge sum to be obtained?
At llrsl there war talk of trying t"
iai.-e the money by popular sub?
scription, calling on public spirited
eltlsens oi the county as well hs
residents of the city <?'? Bumter to
contribute to the fund
Prom the outset the writer was
convinced that it would be Impos
possible to raise the money bj popular
subscription, ami on the duy Mr. llon
-al's proposition was accepted suggest
? 11 to the chairman and other members
of the committee that the onlj feas?
ible, fair and adequate plan lo raise
the iman \ would be to obtain nn
appj oprial on foi a p n t of I he sum
from the <it> of Sumter and I he ha I
unce from the county, It) this meth?
od the burden would Im evetil) din
Iributed and no on< would h< called
"ii for iiton than bin lusl dtare The
cotituilttee did no| fall ill With 111 i -
suggestion immediately, but wi con
linueil t.. ml \ oca <? this plan of t I
t a lew in Mllpporl of lb If ? 1 ?!!< ? ait ion
nd pi tub d them in this le w p per
Ighing what w? believed aileip b and
a ppi ? pi ia I lop o| , it \ ;tnd count)
fund i,. pa) for ?he i ighl of wuj nd
ter tu Ina I t < a the railroad, ' ' u t 11 >
ai- :.. advocating thi appropi
? ti. n of pubpe funds?cIt) and conn
ty?to secure the Seaboard connec?
tion wore elaborated quite fully In
this series of articles, which were In
then selves an advertisement to the
people of the entire county that the
appropriation < f Ity and county
funds for the purpose of Improving
and extending the railroad facilities
of the city and county was under
consideration. But this was not all
th< notice the public had. The mat?
ter was generally discussed for sev?
eral months and ;t was finally decided
*'? ask for the appropriations. In
this city a petition uns circulated
among the freeholders and qualified
electors requesting city council to
make en appropriation f r the pur?
pose of carry 1 hg out the agreement
f Wed Into with Mr. Bonsai. The
petition wo? signed by fully ninety
per cent of the cltlsi ns <?: Bumter and
when it v. eis presented t< city coun?
cil th;it body voted on appropriation
of 120,000, he financial condition of
the city at the time rendering it Im?
possible t?> appropriate the larger
sum asked by the petitioners.
In tin meanwhile the annual ses?
sion of the legislature came on, and
a conference was held between the
members of the Sumter count} legis?
lative delegation and the special
finance committee, U 1?. Jennings,
chairman, representing tin- citizens.
The con mittee asked the members of
the legislature to Introduce and se?
cuta- the passage of an enabling act
directing the county commissioners
to pay over to the city of Sumter the
sum oi $16,000 to be used for the
purpose of extending ind Improving
the railroad facilities ? t* the county
and city. After Investigating the
finances of the county, the delega?
tion decided that the county could not
spare more than $12,000 and this
was agreed upon. The bill carrying
out this undertaking was prepared
and Introduced In the House by Dr.
Qeo. \v. Dick, it was amended in j
some a. nor particulars In the Sen?
ate und in the tree conference com
mit i? by Senat?.i Clifton and was
passed and became a law as amended.
When thi m ittei of making the
appropriation, as authorized, was
brought to the attention of the coun?
ty commissioners, they postponed
action and took the matter under ad?
visement. The grand jury took cog?
nizance ,.f the matter, and Foreman
C, \v. Chandler called a special meet?
ing to consider the proposed appro?
priation. This meeting was attend?
ed by every member of the grand
jury. Supervisor Pitts and Hon. \i.
B. Belser were also present in obe?
dience to the request of the foreman.
There were present also Dr. Qeo. W.
Dick, the railroad committee of the
chamber of Commerce and perhapa
a dozen other citizens. Foreman
Chandler had Clerk of Court Parrott
read the summons umhr which the
grand jury had been called together
anil then briefly stated the object of
the meeting, viz. to consider the pro-1
posed appropriation of $12,000 of
county funds for the purpose ?d' aid?
ing the city of Sumter to extend and
enlarge the railroad facilities of the
city and county.
.V r. Manning, chairman of the
t. Uroi d committee ? f the chamber of
Commerce, stated the case briefly bul
clearly, setting forth the reaaona for,
and the necessity of, the appropriation
of county funds authorised by the leg?
islature. The tacts stated by Mr. Man?
ning are presumably known to all
Intelligent citizens, but to make the
record complete, they will be sum?
marized as follows: < l > The need of
another and competing line of rail?
road, the benefits accruing from
which win be shared by all
citizens of the county in the better
facilities and on peting freight rates;
(2) the development of a section of
the county now without railroad fa?
cilities and the enhancement of land
values In that section; <:: > the Im?
provement of the railroad facilities
ol the city of Sumter and the con?
sequent growth and development of
the eit> as a manufacturing and
wholesale und retail trade center,
such growth md development Innur
Ing dirt ctly to the benefit of the
count) by the increased taxable value
ol elty pr< perty, which would swell
tiu Income of the county in direct
'ratio t?? the growth of the town; i i ?
Ithe Immedlat? Increase in tin- taxable
I property of the county b> the build?
ing of the new railroad, having ;? fax
able valuation ol $100,00? to $150,
000, from which the county will de?
rive an augmented Income sufnclenl
to repay the appropriation within
a few years; 15? that the only terms
upon which the building of the rail
iron d could be assured wi?re those
I prescribed h> Mr. Itonsal lights of
w;i\ and terminal furnished b> sum
tei five of cost '?? the railroad; M?)
lh it unless the ?? t? nus had been tie
! copied b> I In i*ll i/? ns of Sumter
when laid before tin mass meeting
the railroad would not ha\e been hull!
j to Sumter t it'. ( , i ' hat ;i prelimin?
ary canvass showed cloarfl) 'hat
t hi u ii;inmin cost ol the terminal
'.ole and rights "i way required
Would b< $"{?.??? to ||????* Is)
?
i IIh mom \ in eded was hy
la \a t Ion, f o in I his w n \ the burden
1 . . uhl i ? ?hnr< d by all and In the
3ame ratio as they received benefit*;
< 9 t that although the city of Bumter
vvll| receive very Ittle direct financial
benefit f/om the ral'road In the w .y
of tuxes, sita..- but a (mall portion <??
Its trackage will be will :. the i ity
limits, the city council . f -' in h ??
made an appropriation ol $20,ooo :.
consideration of the ?arg? ndit?
benefits expected; <i". that, whereas,
the county will receive lurge md Im?
mediate direct benefits the vv f
taxes and as much ??i moi Indirect
benefit as the I y ol S'umter, the
county Is asked to appropriate only
$12.000, as against tin $20,t. . ppro
prlated by the city; ?11? that as a
husinesa propositlon the appropriation
of $12,000 authorized by the legis?
lature was fully justiiled in thai it
was necessary p? secure the railroad
and that it was in the nature of an
Investment that would produce cer?
tain and large direct dividends on
the amount Invested and much larger
Indirect returns In the development of
the country it will traverse; ml') that
it is Justified by the fact that the
county, as a a'hole, would be the
greatest beneficiary of the building
of the r??ad and therefore should bear
at hast a small portion of thr bur?
den; (18) that the building of this
road win be the Immediate cause of
the building tof other'Tirrrroads In thli
count v,
Mr. Belser, the only member ??f the
legislative delegation summoned to
appear before the grand jury, was
?ailed on to state the grounds UPOF
which the delegation acted in secur?
ing the passage of the a<-t authoriz?
ing the appropriation. Mr. Belser
stated that after a careful analysis of
the financial stntus of the county the,
delegation arrived at the conclusion j
that $12,006 could be appropriated;
for this purpose without necessitating j
the increase of the levy for county:
purposes or in anywise crippling the
county. This conclusion was based
upon the estimate furnished by the
county board and upon an independ?
ent Investigation of the county's
finances.
He submitted the following esti?
mates of the receipts and expenses of
the county.
Estimated County Expenses and Dis?
bursements, March 15. 1912?
October 15, 1912, County Ordtnar}
Purposes.
1912,
March l??By amt. cash on
hand available for Co. or?
dinary expenses.$44.000.00
Estimated collections by
sheriff on delinquent
taxes. 2,:j00.00
Estimated tines and forfei?
tures. 700.00
$4 7.000.00
To 7 months expenses at
$ 1,300 per month. to
I ?ctober 10.. . $30.100.00
Appropriation, city
for Ii. R. pur?
poses. 12.000.00
$42,100.00
Balance estimated on hand
October 15, 1912.$4,900.00
intimated Expenses nns.1 Disburse)*
ments. October 1ft, ltIS to October
15, 1011 County Ordinary Kxpon
ses.
I'.y amt. on hand f. jm
1JU2.?4.900.00
By amt. from 5 3-4 mill
levy Co. ordinary pur
popses.4 4.000.(?0
By amt. from Com. road
tax.9.o00.00
By amount from tines and
forfeitures. 1,000.00
$58,900.00
Estimated county expenses
(Including rural police 1 -
months) at $4,300 per
month.51,600.00
Net balance available for ex?
tra road work beyond or?
dinary $14,000 per an?
num. 1,300.00
Dr. 1 >i' K when called on Btated that
Mr. Reiser had covered the ground
thoroughly and he had nothing to add
to w hat he had said.
Supervisor Pitts was requested to
give a statement ol the financial con?
dition of the county and to explain
what effect the appropriation of $12,
000 would have on th<- business of
the county. He submitted the fol?
lowing statement of estimated expen?
ditures and receipts, the estimate
being based upon pr< ? i?uis years' in
come .1 nd ? xpendlt ures
I \pcndit m i'-.
Estimate ol expenditures,
I 1 2.$ I 7 111,00
1 ?onntion for It. It. 1 li.ooo.OO
Salaries for Rural police 11,000.00
Amt. for ? ount> map 7".
I n< reuse In salaries . 7 30.0a
Receipt*
Estimated income from
linos and licenses
Estimated In? me from 5 3 -1
mill tax .
Estimate d tn< ome from
oad ta x. ?? ,<\ ;.oo
n ? fr ... i H I t?,00 I.SS
i ? Imue... . 4.00 ).O?
?v ? t 7 per ?v n 8 000.40
3 00
;: om sir ?
fter !? tying' . n
M . Pitta :>?.: liier stated, in reply
1 ?estions. that unles? there were
1ui '? reseen ? ? extraordlna . expense*,
ih ui ty : (1 sufficient t mds <.n
It ?? 'I or ] vld< d for to es ... on tue
? ? "oi k and p iv all ordi?
n?r) expenses without embarrass
ment. aftt. paying the |lt,000 ap
i?i oprlation.
The appropriation, In fact, the
whob matter eras discussed in a gen?
eral manner by the members of the
grand Jury and others present. At
tin- conclusion of the tu ?ring the
grand Jury adopted, by a unanimous
cote, a reeolution recommending that
the county board "f commissioners
pay over to the city of Sumter $12.
000, a?s authorised by the act of the
legUlature.
Borne days subsequent to the spe?
cial meet in ot _ .a lie
rd
with al to Co
I .
? i au.ed b| the legislature.
The object of the meeting was stat?
ed t > Supervisor Pitts and the act
authorising the a
i< i? i. also the rec<ui
grand jury. Then ; it:mm
from U D. .tennin .
Hey, was Ti-iid. Mr. Jennings gave hii
reasons for having declined to ad?
vise the county hoard as -a_> what ac?
tion |t should take In respect to the
appropriation* the gist of his com?
munication being that he 1
viously taken part in the fra
the legislation and did r.ot f
it would be proper to act BS
viser of the supervisor and bet
n .tier concerning which he had tak?
en :iti active part as
ze n. He gave hid reas
the appropriation and
enactment of the leg
isirg the county board to pay over
the money for the purpose speeired.
Those interested will find Mr. Jen?
nings communication on file in the
Supervisor's office.
Supervisor Pitts, having been in?
formed several days before by Mr.
Jennings that he could not advise the
hoard in this matter in his official ca
pactty as county attorney, sou?ht
legal advice eist where and obtained
an opinion from Purdy ?S: Bland.
Their opinion, afbl
Hons of the const
the issue f bonds 1
B special tax In I
advised that the a.lion, fcUile
not a bond issue or a special tax, was
clearly In the same elaes and the
legality of the use of public monev
for the specified purpose was QUSS
th-nable. The supervisor and board
were advised that the money be not
paid over to the city of Sumter as
authorised In the act of the legisla?
ture. The opinion is on hie in the
supervisor's office where it can be
seen by interested citizens.
The legality of the appropriation
waj discussed by Messrs. J. H. Clif?
ton. 1. C. Strauss, Ii. B. Belser and
D. 1?. Moise, Who quoted numerous
authorities and decslons of the courts
in rebuttal of the position taken by
Messrs. Purdy and Bland in their
opinion. They held that while the
constitution was clear and explicit in
forblddiag the issue of bonds or the
levying of a tax for railroad purposes,
or in fact for any purpose, except
certain purposes enumerated, there
was no inhibition of the use of mon?
ey in the treasury for any purpose of
public interest and general benefit.
Their position was that since the
county had ample funds on hand for
al! ordinary needs and the authoriz?
ed appropriation also, there was no
obstacle, legal or otherwise, to pre?
vent the immediate payment to the
rity of Sumter of the $12,000 to be
used to supplement the $20.000 pie
vlously appropriated by the city, to
extend and Improve the railroad fa?
cilities of the city and county. I?.'.
Dick also spoke briefly in advocacy
of the appropriation on the ground
that it was business proposition
for the benefit of the entire county.
Mr. K. I. Manning advocated the
appropriation along practically the
same hues a> h< had done la-fore the
grand jury. Mr. O'Donnell and s<-' -
<*ral ?ther citizens spoke briefly In
advocac) of the appropriation!
The financial condition of the
I county was fully discussed bj the
Supervisor, members ol the board,
legislative delegation and others and
on the showing ma?ie it proved
beyond doubt that tin county hol
funds on hind sufficient tor all pur<
p.,.e?, ?ltho?, cr?m?ln? Ihe board I,
anyw ty, or neee?*.*ltating the curtail?
ment ol tool improvement, as com
i
: preprint ion, Sup? ; \ Isor litt- am
in ?> U w of tie cpinion . f l Mini v
Bland, although En fa* or of th.
proprlation as i btislm ss propo