The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-09-01

her Portland; Massachusetts her Boston and
| Salem; New York her metropolis; Maryland
her Baltimore; Pennsy sylvania her Philadelphia;
North Carolina her Wimington; Georgia her
Savannah; Alabama her Mobile, and Louisiana
her New Orleans. Interior States, with an eye
fixed on the same general principle, have like
wise located their chief cities upon the borders
of the great lakes or rivers. Mississippi has
her Natchez and Vicksburg; Missouri her st.
Louis; Illinois her Chicago; Wisconsin her Mil
waukee; Ohio her Cincinnati; and Kentucky
her Louisville-al these thriving cities being
80 situated with reference to the trade OF the
world that the interest of the State-its SELF
protection in progressive and monetary point
Of view-has demanded that all internal i'm
provements should be made tributary to their
development.
In South Carolina we have our Charleston.
Examine the map and observe how closely the
sagacious men who projected lines OF travel in
the past, even without the experience OF later
Gays, have followed this principle. Roads
radiate in every direction, like the fingers on
an open hand-to Savannah, to Augusta, Will
mington, Camden and Cheraw; through Colum-
bia to Abbeville, Laurens. Greenville, Yorkville
Spartanburg these several termini only wait
ing the lapse OF time and events to become
connected with still more interior towns, or 10
embrace other roads from which freight and
travel will be diverted to Charleston.
Even far off Cincinnati and other great cities
| Of the West have recognized for forty years
the Importance Of direct highway across the
mountains to our chief port; and already the
| line has been more than half completed, show
ing clearly that if their interest in Charleston
| is 30 valuable to the West as to induce an eX-
penditre Of millions Of dollars upon single
road, our interest in that city should be a
hundred fold more important to ourselves.
| That the people Of South Carolina have
heretofore appreciated the Importance Of ma
king and controlling internal improvements,
is attested by the aid, amounting to many mil
| lions Of dollars, which has been rendered to
every railroad radiatlng from the City OF
! Charleston to the interior OF the State. The
very interest upon cuc State debt, to pay which
the people are about to be taxed is the result
OF the generous investment made in railroads
| by the State, with an eye to more intimate
connection between the interior and the sea-
board, to the benefit of the laboring classes
and the substantial development OF our re-
sources.
Yet the present Legislature has not been in
session sixty days before one OF it's branches
hastily and with but little consideration passes
bill, the whole force and effect OF which will
| be to cut the State in twain from its north
eastern to southwestern border, with North
Carolina railroad, in which we have not one
dollars interest. Nay, more it proposes to
connect at Columbia with another North caro-
gusta extension Of the Charlotte line-apd thus
draw from the great basin of the Southwest
trade which at this time finds its outlet In the
City of Charleston, and once diverted will ab-
stract millions of dollars from the active capl-
tai OF the State. Can the construction OF even
an air line from Cheraw to Camden and Column
bia COMPENSATE for such loss to our people
and their institutions?
The guage Of the proposed road from Raleigh
l. IL han. fhof ~
railroad in South Carolina. This itself is o
grave objection. It not only gives to On out
side corporation the power 10 impose special
tax upon The laborlng man OF the country for
the privilege OF sending his cotton or produce
to market, but it compels every line in the
State with which it may connect-and at Co.
lumbia it touches the very Heart OF the sys-
tem-to pay tribute to this North Carolina en-
terprise which would 80 shrewdly establish o
monopoly on our own soil. Is such policy
financ ally wise or statesmanlike? Will the
mere accommodation OF 8 lew who live upon
the proposed route compensate for an inl-
mense abstraction of substantial wealth from
our must?
There is, however, another consideration en-
titled to great weight. It is claimed that If
your Legislature will grant the charter re-
quired by the Chatham Road, the Legislature
Of North Carolina will, at its next session IN
November, grant charter to the Cheraw and
Cnalields Railroad Company to extend their
road to Salisbury. Were this privilege assur-
cd, no objection could be urged for our own
people will contribute to any enterprise which
will enable US to tap the Blue Rldge Railroad
of North Carolina, now extended nearly to
Ashevllle, and thus secure double pathway
across the mountains. But such concession
is utterly Improbable. An examination OF the
railroad system OF North Carolina on any rail-
road map will demo astrete that it's object is
tie concentration of the trade Of the great
West aud Southwest within its own borders,
or transfer OF the same to the Virginia roads.
! I. IS therefore preposterous to suppose that
any charter will be granted by North Carolina
to so important connection as that between
Cheraw and Salisbury, the effect OF which
would be to change the current Of trade from
q point north Of Cape Hatteras 10 the salubri-
ous and inviting harbors Of our own State.
Until this concession is made directly and
beyond doubt, ought South Carolina for the
benefit Of Two or three interior towns, or OF the
few Hundred persons who may engage In the
construction Of the road, to jeopardize the
welfare Of her chief lines Of trade and travel,
| to ruin her own interest as an endorser 10
very large amount upon the bonds OF her rail-
roads, and to withdraw that fostering care over
| her great seaport which has been 80 generous
| ly bestowed in the past, which, as has been
demonstrated, every State in the Union e1-
| tends to one or more or 1C6 cltl3S, ana WHICH,
if withdrawn, sacrifices the prosperity of
Charleston and Port Royal and many interior
towns to an enterprise whose largest benefit
will be conferred upon railroad in which
practically we have no lot or portion
Is it not, under all circumstances prudent to
wait three or four months, until the regular
session, when our sister State will bave an
opportunity Of declaring IN unmistAkable
| terms that she is willing to reciprocate the
i great favor, and grant the only boon which
can Offset that 80 persistently requested from
you? II the proposed line Of railroad Is
desirable, is it not wiser to afford our own peo-
pie an pportunity to build 1t, and thus keep
| its control in our own hands than to permit
foreign corporation to run Its narrow track 70 70
| the very ,,oa-. of the State without prom 10
ourselves, and there for further Distribution
break the bulk OF it's freight, thus increasing
| the cost of merchandise aud produce 10 our
merchants and consumers?
An extension of the present railroad system
of South Carolina has lJng been contemplated;
and if the Legislature are prepared at the pre-
sent session to grant charters and encourage
such undertakings, our own capitalists WILL at
| once eyail themselves OF the opportunity to
commence work and push it forward to COM
pletion.
In all matters which so largely concern the
welfare of our people, let the General Assem-
bly Of South Carolina ''make haste slowly,"
and not be misled by the speclous sentiment Of
benefit to the poor" that is uttered by mo-
uopoly controlled in another State. When
| NI.tL n, .ot;oo or opu othor 2fofoo r,ornoit no