Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

OOUWrfr BOAM? OF OOMMI8KION MHB ANSWKItS CRITICISMS. I 54my for Short of Public Rood System to of Passe* and Resents "M* New sps per Kdltor The Dolly Itsm. The Supervisor sod Conamlslonerj ol 8USSUr County havo followed with interest the dhoosslone of road Im orovsiuent, which have recently ap aeared m your columns. So fur aa Ifeeee oeanmuoi cations ore part of a jpoveoaeet for the public good, thev are thoroughly welcome, and may be mi value. 80 fir as they are the ve Afcales of sarcasm and petty spite they eaaaet ae of benefit. II la easy t<? criticise and tear nowa; anybody can do that. To con struct; to build up; to lead to better sseat of conditions, well, that Is dlf ferent. Public officials, having a correct of duty, know that they arc servants, and e xert themselves promote the public Interest. They tykewlee know tha' Jielr actions are proper subjacts for criticism. But crlt of this character, to bo helpful, must be based on knowledge and sea? soned with sound Judgment. One thing stands out clesr and dis? tinct. In all of those articles, anl that Is. our roads and bridges need to he Improved. None know that better than those who are charged with the care and maintenance of these highways of travel. It Is not probable that any observant person will deny that our rosda are generally improved In the last few years. They are better than they used to bo, but they are not Ideal la this age of automobiles and motor trucks The roads have not kept pace with the development of vehicles, and un? der present financial conditions satis factors Improvement Is out of tho question. If ths Board was composed of the six most expert engineers In the world, they could not build per? manent roada without adequate funds; no more than a great builder could construct a palace out of material barely suitable for a '?arn. That by way of introduction. Now here art some facta t > think about. COnnty Revenue. The minimum needs of the county for 191?. were estimated at 965,138.00. Th* estimate for 1917 was about the same. For several years the Income has bom insufficient, evon with rigid econonr y. Finances have gradually fallen behind. The lbove estimated Ineoms was apportioned as follows: Roads and Bridges. 99,900. Foes and Salaried. 919.21*; Alms House and Poor. 14.860; Chain Gang. 91.550. Public Buildings. 92.310; Jail. 93.202; Contingent Expenses. 96.230; Court Kxpentos, $?.000; Confederate Vet? erans. 91.900. These do not Include Intsrse: on bonds or other things for which special taxca ure levied. Bear In mind that It Is unlawful for, tho Hoard to upend more money than Is thus allowed. They ure not to create debts u excess of income. TakLag the Road.1 and Bridges, and Chain (Jang f jnds together, and wo have 921.460 fir the construction and maintenance ol' 6G0 miles of roads and about 700 bridges. That means about 911 per mile. Under normal conditions the amount would Ik) Insufficient for more than eeceveary upkeep, and permanent Im? provements to any appreciable extent are impo*?lhlf. But conditions are not normal. High prices of provisions, labor, machinery, lumber, and all oth? er things has ut this small figure to about one-half of Ita ordinary pur power Vrlces sdvunoe con liummiRriniiiiliiiinn'*" n We Grind Ileuses, examine the eyes seJaattflonUy und fit eye 1, .? r 1 ? ?: it 1 t > Let us work fbr fan We hsve I I prescriptions on file. Broken I-macs replac? ed promptlv. Graduate opto? metrist and optician In charge. W. Ay Thompson, I JEWtlER & ?f TBKTWST. tiiiiiiinimiiiiiiiiiMiTrffrmrrrrmiiMiiirm tinually; county funds do not in crcnso perceptibly. Our taxes arc al? ready among the highest In the State, bei? g 19 1-4 mills, exclusive of spo clul school taxes. Some counties pay more, from 9 1-2 to 22 1-2 and In Lan? caster so much us 24 3-4 mills. Taxes uro high, but property values are low and unequal. Present County Bonds. I In 1910 the county was authorized to sell $60,000 bonds for road im I iprovemcnt. $30,000 of this amount iwua sold by our predecessors, and the money expended on bridges, equip? ment, drain pipes, etc. Under the act authorizing '.he bonds, the county is forbidden to issue more than $10,000 In any one year. The Board has un? der consideration the sale of the re? mainder of these bonds; $10.000 this year and $10.000 In 1918. Before they can do this however, they must con? sult our legislators, because an addi? tional tax will be necessary to pay in? terest and provide a fund for pay? ment of the bonds when they come due. There is now a special tax of one-fourth of a mill, which is not enough to take care of the bonds al? ready sold; and further sales mean more taxes. It Is a matter of com? mon knowledge that the Board has no power to levy taxes, that is strictly a legislative function. And right here there is somewhat of a dilemma, for we have but one representative re? maining. Senator Epps and Mr. Mc Cutchen have gone into military ser? vice, and Mr Sanders has become Su? perintendent of the Penitentiary. Mr. D. D. Molse is the only one left to us. Should we sell these bonds, part of the funds derived therefrom, might be expended on the Black Hlver road, for which there is demand for im? provement. Certainly from current Income the enterprise is impossible, beyond tho customary work of main? tenance. Our county, fortunately, or unfor? tunately as the case may be, is not a rocky country. Wo have no material for permanent roads, and tho only way to get them is to buy elsewhere. The cost, including transportation, dis? tribution and rolling, Is large?thou? sands of dollars per mile. There i? said to be a good grado of gravel near Stateburg, but so far as wc know, it has not been thought of as a perma? nent material by any one who Is com? petent to Judge in such matters. Even if It be of good quality, the cost of I transportation by wagons and trucks, would be prohibitive, except on roadt-1 in tho immediate vicinity. Permanency Is an indefinite term I when applied to road materials, and I means different lengths of duration to| different minds. The best clay road, we have, do not last very long, and! the Stateburg gravel may not bei much better than the best clay. Wei do not know about that; but we I would be glad to use it, if it be found of sufficient permanency to justify the j enormous expenditure; provided wc had the meana. We certainly haven't I It now, for the county is running on 1 $25,000 borrowed money, which must be repaid from taxes this winter. 1 Permanent Bonds. Our friends who went recently on the boll weevil trip to Georgia and Alabama, came back with enthusiasts praise for some of the roads ovei which they traveled. Wo would bei glad if all our roads were as good asl the beat anywhere; and wo are not without hope that we may yet have roads of which to boast. But If that ope is ever realised, the people must j provide tho wherewithal. We pa> | taxes, just as other cltlsena do, and we will go as for as tho most pro gres-sive people, to get the right kind! of roads. One of our friends afore-1 said, tells us that some of those fine 1 roads run right through the material I of which they ore made?rock and! gravel right, at hand In abundance J One of the counties. Montgomery! I county, Alabama, had expended two! millions of dollars for good roads, and I the money was not raised by ordinary taxes, but by the sale of bonds. That I points the way for Sumter, for only) by tho same method can wo hav. what we want. There Is no chynci unless the people voto bonds and pa) the price. g | An act was adopted at the last aes aion of the legislature, authorizing townships in Sumter county to iasut good road bonds. Messrs. L. D. Jen nlngs. J. p. Booth, I). V. Keels and Dr, M. ta Parier were appointed Count* I Highway Commissioners. Thus far they have taken no action, wo do not know why. Perhaps they have a satisfactory explanation. There la also a State Highway Con-, mission from whom assistance can be secured for the construction of th? chief roads, according to their plans whereby more direct and convenient travel will result throughout the Stuls In every direction. Incident 111 v. thi very matter of State Highways, should mnke us careful about Spending mou ey for temporary Improvement o roads that may be. and are hope will be permanently Improved under lb State plan; ami that at no distant time Keep up the discussion; vote lh< bonds and get the money to build roads; for it may just as well he un? derstood thut they DOVef can be built out of the ordinary tax levy for gen? eral county purposes. And now we conic to tho purchase of tho great Whito truck, about which so much has been said. When the present Board assumed its admin? istration, they immediately realized that we had practically no mainten? ance system for over six hundred and fifty miles of road and In view of the rapidly advancing price of labor, mule feed and other commodities entering Into the cost of such maintenance, they immediately begun Investigations as to establishing a department which would accomplish the results desired and diminish the cost thereof. With this end in view, they made an ex? tensive investigation of the roadway equipment used in many counties and personally inspected the equipment used in Richland, Lexington, Saluda, Edgefleld, Clarendon and Orangeburg counties, witnessing In each instance a careful demonstration of the different outfits. After doing so, they purchas? ed the White truck for which they have no apologies to offer nor regrets* to express. The truck has done all and more than ^was claimed for it by the manufacturers and has replaced the services of twenty-odd mules. In less than a week after its arrival here, however, the Board noticed the pub? lication of adverse criticisms from many sources before even an oppor? tunity was given to demonstrate the value or utility of the truck. We might add that this truck was purchased mainly from a fund of something over $3,700, which the in? coming Board found as a residue from the last bond Issue. The re? maining funds necessary for the pur? chase of the truck, it is expected to obtain from the automobile licenses for Sumter County through the high? way commission at Columbia. Since the receipt of this truck, it has been steadily and daily employed in maintenance work at all times except when this ia caught up with, then It is utilized In the construction depart? ment, and since its purchase the coun? ty has been able to dispose of six mules which were no longer needed. In conclusion we might add that th I Board at all times welcomes construc? tive criticism, realizing their respon? sibility to the public, but some of the malignant and rather superfluous newspaper articles of recent date, not only fall to throw any light upon th" subject, but are of infinite detriment to the advancement of the cause of good roads, which comes foremost al? ways in the minds of the Board. By order of the Board. C. M. HURST. Clerk. Sumter, Sept. 4th, 1917. COTTON PtcKING DELAYED. Washington, Sept. 5.?Wet wcathei interfered with the best development '.n cotton In many central and eastern districts during the last week, accord? ing to tho weekly crop bulletin IssueC today. In Texas, however, well dis tributed rainfall was beneficial. Boh weevil damage was reported in sonn sections. Cotton picking was delayed in sonic parts of the south by showers. Tho bulletin reads: "Showers the latter part of the Week broke tho drought in Texas, oxcept li a few central, western and south western counties. The weather con? ditions of tho week were favorabu for tho cotton crop in that State wher tho plants arc not already dead be cause of the dry weather. It was to* wet In South, Central and Easteri Oklahoma, Southern Arkansas and th< lower Arkansas valley, much o Louisiana, parts of Mississippi, Ala? bama and Florida, and the lack of sunshine which accompanied tin showery weather produced condition.* somewhat unfavorable for cotton in the districts indicated, as well as In Tennessee. The rains were favorable in Geor? gia, South Carolina and North Caro? lina and tho deterioration of cotton due to dry weather was checked over large areas. "Satisfactory progress was made in the development of cotton in North Carolina and improved where rains occurred and it is generally fruiting well. The bolls were opening fast in Soutli Carolina and picking is going on rapidly. There were many unfavor? able reports from Central and East? ern Georgia, where cotton deteriorat? ed on account of the drought; in oth? er sections good rains brought relief Two-thirds of the bolls are open Jn the southern portion of that State, but picking was delayed In places by rain Picking was general in Florida, al? though It was too wet in places. Th plants are some grown In Tennessee and sunshine is needed, but they gen? erally promise well; a few bollf opened during the week. Picking and ginning progressed rapidly in South ern Alabama and work was begun 111 the northern portion of this State. There Is considerable shedding locally and weevil continues destructive in central parts of Alabama. "The bolls are generally opening rapidly in Mississippi; sunshine is needed also in a few districts In Mis sissippi. Too much rain Interfered with picking and caused rotting Ii some places In Louisiana." ? ADDITIONAL MEN EXAMINED. Those Ml Second Cull Appear? Rejec? tions 5tuoh l4irRor Than ut Previous Kx a in I nations. The examination of the two hun? dred twenty-five additional men sum? moned by the local board was com? menced thi& morning. This call was made necessary In order to fill the places of forty-live men who never appeared or answered the summons In the Urst call, and who arc now treat? ed as deserters, and also to have men in readiness should the district board allow exemptions on industrial grounds or should they reverse the lo? cal board in exemptions denied by them. The examination today showed a larger percentage of rejections. Out of seventy-six men examined, twenty six were found physically unlit, the greater portion of those being rejected because of light weight. The list or those examined today is as follows: S. R. Young, rejected. R. F. Haynsworth, passed. J. C. Brown, passed. Geo. H. Hurst, Jr., rejected. Archie LcGrand, rejected. W. D. Raffleld, passea. Rowland Bradwell, rejected. J. E. Richardson, passed. D. D. Dawkins, rejected, j. O. Sanders, Jr, passed. R. C. Lewis, passed. E. J. Shaw, rejected. G. L. Jackson, passed. E. B. Reynolds, rejected. J. A. Reames, rejected. L. T. McLeod, passed. H. D. Strothcr, passed. R. E. DuBo80, passed. W. A. Bowman, Jr., passed. L. B. Griffin, passed. B. B. Kolb, rejected. R. E. Lee, passed. A. J. Bradford, passed. M. M. Woods-, passed. A. D. Maxwell, rejected. Joseph Amos, passed. Henry Singleton, passed. Owings Meekins, rejected. Henry Green, passed. Sam Singleton, rejected. Wilson Mickens, passed. W. J. Keels, passed. William Blanding, rejected. Rainey Brown, passed. Julius Brunson, rejected. M. Chanle, rejected. C. B. Epting, passed. J. J. Rivers, rejected. Delgar Ford, passed. M. P. Mayes, passed. Mauldin Monroe, passed. Lawrence James, passed. Ned Deas, passed. Isaac Gaillard, passed. Walter Gardner, passed. Daniel G. Sampson, pas&od. President Kclley, rejected. Vinco Wilder, passed. Wallace Atkinson, passed. William Franklin, rejected. Preston Moody, rejected. Elijah Roberson, rejected. Shepard Jackson, rejected. Willie Delay, passed. R. E. Spann, passed. Ed Dunlap, passed. Robert Roberson, passed. Wesley Roberson, passed. Henry Lowrie, rejected. Webster Scott, passed. Daniel Shannon, rejected. Willie Henderson, passed, j Jesse White, passed. Elliott Missouri, passed. I Matt Hannibal, passed. John Bradford, rejected. Stephen Pea, rejected. A. Roberson, passed. Allan Titus, passed. John Hodge, rejected. Willie Wilson, passed. Priest James, passed. Madison McBrlde, passed. David Nelson, rejected. Alton Moses, passed. Bossie Farmer, passed. GOT LOANS FROM FRIENDS. Gov. Ferguson Refuses to Reveal Their Identity. Austin. Texas, Sept. B.?Practically all of $70,000 in cash deposited in the American National Hank of Austin for Governor Ferguson during February and April of this year was bound in Wrappers of the Alamo National Bank of San Antonio, according to the tes? timony of Carl Widen, assistant cash? ier of the American National, at the Impeachment trial of the governor to? day. Governor Ferguson testified during the house investigation that about this time he was receiving from friends loans In currency that totalled 156,00Q, Before the house, he refused to reveal the Identity of the friend^ or indicate the source of the loans. DeWitt C. Dunn, cashier of the l'n Ion National Hank of Houston, told o an alleged attempt by Ferguson to borrow $30,000 in 101?. Large peni? tentiary commission deposits were be ing made in the Fnion National, h< said, but the governor's failure to oh tain money in no way affected deal ings with the penitentiary commis? sion, Mis. W. M. Wolfe has returnee1 ivvm a visit to Columbia. SUNDAY SCHOOL DAY. Sunday, November 1, Adopted by South Carolina Sunday School As? sociation. Spartanburg, Sept. 5.?Sunday, No? vember 4, 1917, has been adopted by the youth Carolina Sunday Sc hool As? sociation as State-wide Go-to-Sunday School Day for South Carolina. This particular date, it has been announc? ed, will be observed throughout North America US International Go-to-Sun? day School Day. In the oflicial call for mobilization. Marion Lawrence, General Secretary of the International Sunday School Association, states as some of the ob? jectives of the day: 1. To enlist recruits for the Sun day school. 2. To stimulate all Sunday schools to greater activity. 3. To advertise to the community that the Sunday school is tor persons of all ages. 4. To impress upon the Church a larger sense of its responsibility ano opportunity in the Sunday school. 5. To impress upon all the import? ance of lining up the Sunduv schools to help our government In such mat? ters as Bible study among the sol? diers, Red Cross promotion, and food conservation through the joint com? mittee of the Sunday School Council and our Association. 6. To inaugurate plans wlurcby ach local church and Sunday school may be kept in helpful, sympathetic touch with its members who go to the front in this w^rld war. 7. To Impress the great truth upon the young that, while this war is changing the map of the earth and overturning customs and institutions. Jod and His word, Jesu;) Christ and His saving power, man'4 Individual responsibility for Christian living, abide and ever will abide unchanged. Go-to-Sunday School Day was ob? served for the first time in South Carolina last February. In order to unite with the other States, the South Carolina Sunday School Association, according to announcement by R. D. Webb, General Secretary, has moved up the annual date a few months. Last February the day was observed by hundreds of schools throughout South Carolina, and was a great success. A large number of schools more than doubled their regular attendance and hundreds of people were retained as permanent members. According to a most conservative estimate, there was an increase of 75,000 in the attend? ance on that day. It is expected that the observance of Go-to-Sunday School Day in November will be more general throughout the State than it was in February. AFRICAN CREW IMPRISONED. Captain Albert Oliver Held lu Bran? denburg Camp. Washington, Sept. 4.?Capt. Albert Oliver of the American tank steamer Campania and four of the live mem? bers of the naval gun crckv who were taken prisoner when their ship was captured and sunk August 0 by a Ger? man submarine are in a prison camp at Brandenberg, Prussia, the Ameri? can Red Cross was advised by cable from Geneva. The message made no mention of Seaman William Albert Miller, the other gunner, and an inquiry has been cabled to Geneva to learn his fate. The four gunners held by the Ger? mans- arc James Delaney, chief gunners' mate in charge of the gun crew; Ray Roop, boatswain's mate; Charles Tovan Kline, gunner's mate, and Fred Stephen Jacob, a seaman. They, with Miller, were the first American naval men to be taken pris? oner since war was declared on Ger? many. It had been feared they and Captain Oliver had been lost, as a French cruiser which picked up the remainder of the tanker's crew report? ed that a u-boat had been sent down that day by another French warship near where the Campania was sunk. Washington, Sept. 6.?Formal con? ferences by the Japanese mission and Secretary Lansing were held today. No announcement was made of the subject discussed. It has been made clear that Japan wants steel to hurry ship building and aid in strengthening the .economic aud industrial position. RUB-MY-TISM Will cure youy Rheumatism, Neuralgia, Headaches, damps, Colic, Sprains, Bruises, Cuts and Burns, Old Pores, Stings of Insect?, B't. Antiseptic Anodyne, used iutewally.and externally. Prta I Geo. H. Hurst, Undertaker Mil EaUjSjif. Prompt Attention \o Day and Night Calls. At 0. I. CK A IG Old Stand. H. Main. i nones. Niyhtioi This is a prescription prepared espociolly for MALARIA or CHILLS A FEVER. Five or six doses will break sny case, and if taken then ae a tonic the fever wiH not return. It acts on the liver better than Calomel end doca not gripe or sicken. 2Se rem mum. LOCAL COMMITTEES WILL AID IN AKKANtilNG SAME, SAYS Fl EL ADMINISTRATOR. (Airfield Says Victory Depends in I^irgc Part Vpon Proper Handling of Coal. - \ Washington, Sept. 5.?Early fixing of retail coal prices W9M ]>romised to? night by Dr. A. II. Garlicld, the fuel administrator, in a statement outlin? ing 'he government control policy. Prices will be established for com? munities with the aid of local com? mittees, into whose hands will be put responsibility for their enforcement. Maximum production of coal at prices- fair both to the producer and consumer will be the aim of the gov? ernment, Dr. Garfield declared. Pro? ducers' prices already fixed will be re? vised where they force efficiently operated mines to produce at a lose. Operators seeking revision of the scale are asked to send in cost of pro? duction statistics covering a period of years. The fuel administration, Dr. Gar field says, will seek the cooperation of operators, miners, distributors and consumers. Producers arc asked, however, to name no committees until Dr. Garfield has had time to select his associates and to form his organiza? tion. A plan of apportionment of coal will be worked out, Dr. Garfield an? nounced, by which domestic consum? ers will obtain everywhere a fair share of the s-upply at prices which reflect those fixed for operators and whole* salcrs by the president. ROUNDING VP TRAITORS. Vigorous Campaign started Against Organizations and Individuals. Washington, Sept. 6.?The nation? wide seizure of documents of the In? dustrial Workers of the World is said to be only one step in a vigorous cam? paign, the department of justice is ready to conduct against uisloyalty and sedition. From now on drastic measures will be employed against organizations and individuals whose utterances and activities give grounds for suspicion. A great mass of doc? umentary evidence was obtained in the raids late yesterday. HUNGRY IN HOLLAND. People Are Not Starving but Suffe* Privation. Atlantic Port, Sept. 6.?"We are not starving, but our people are suf? fering many and accumulating priva* tions," said the head of the Dutch mission before leaving here. "The situation is aggravated by the fact wo are feeding between half and one million foreigners." WANTED?To lease a cood 4 or 6 horse farm (with or without option to buy next fall) close to Sumter, Rishopville, Mayesville or Manning. Must be good land and suitable buildings. Am able to finance my? self. Write me Rock Hill, S. C. E. R. Cook. BLUR RIBBON JACK?I am now standing a Jack that took the Blue Ribbon four consecutive years at State Fair. C. A. Ellerbce, El? lerbek Mill, Retnbert. S. C. FOR SALE?Registered Aberdeen Angus bull, four years old, tubercu? lar tested, without fault or blemish. C. P. qstcen, Sumter,J3. C. BUY A FARM In Georgetown county where fine crops of tobacco, corn and cotton are grown. We have several for uale at low prices and the best of terms. A few of the list arc: 101 acres partly improved $10 an acre 54 acres improved .. 40.00 an acre 100 acres unimproved.. 25.00 an aero 111 acres partly im? proved . 35.00 an aero 133 acres partly Im? proved . 25.00 an acre 4 40 acres part highly improved. 30.00 an aero 100 acres part highly improved.3<UMI an acre Bl acres partly im? proved .50.00 an aero 21 acres partly im? proved . 35.00 an acre Other small and larger tracts. When writing state size place desired. Best of terms on all. Write today to REALTY COMPANY Georgetown, S. C.