The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-19
Another Railroad scheme.

A bill has been introduced in the State
Senate to charter the Manchester and Au-
gusta Railroad Company, for the construc-
tion of railroad from the Wilmington and
Manchester Railroad to the Town of Ham
burg, with branches to the City of Colum-
bia, to Millen on the Savannah River, and
to such other places as the company may
find desirable. The bill is SO broad in its
terms, and proposes to grant powers SO un-
limited in their character, that one Of two
considerations has apparently suggested the
phrsseology of the charter. Either the ap-
plicants did not know what they wanted, or
else their designs were so palpably objeo-
tionable that they could only hope to escape
detection by being buried beneath load of
generalizations. This last is, in all proba-
bility, the meaning of the bill as it stands.
Without, however, discussing this bill to
incorporate the Manchester and Augusta
Railroad Company, we may be permitted to
ask whether South Carolina is 10 be made
the railroad Flanders of America. 1t seems
that when railroads in adjoining States are
unable to do all that they desire with their
own Legislatures; whcu they are able to
extend their legitimate business no further;
they come with trusting confidence to the
General Assembly Of South Carolina and
ask for right or privilege which may
increase their trade, but will certainly in
jure US iu far greater degree than it can
possibly teneit them. Nor arc the appi-
canls usually proluse in their promises.
They do not even say ,hnt they will build
up this CRY and HAT; that they will im-
prove the comln rec Of .he whole State and
strengthen its commercial position. On the
contrary, they say-wc ure working in H."
interest of Savannah. or Norfolk, or vii
mingtop, and we know that, in your kind
ness of heart, you h.d rather that your own
city and State should go 20 the dogs than
deny US the favors which we ask for our
own States aud cities But unfor. unalely we
clunot afford to be so Qrxoilcaliy generous.
Ia the race of trade it is every State for
itself, aud not every State for its neigh
bors; and if We desire to see South Caro-
lima fvurishing and rich. we must reverse
our present policy, and do unto others, in
matters of commercial legislation, precisely
as hey do unto US.
We are not inclined, in these things, to
blame the Legislature without qualification.
That body cannot we'll be aeusured if she
grants charters right and left, while we
twirl our thumbs aud wait for Providence
to help US. Aud we say that if Charleston, as
the representative of the State, watches
| these things well, and looks after her own
interests as sharply as other cities look after
| theirs, there will be an end to these ar,ful
schemes, and legislation will have for its
purpose the welfare of this State, and not
the welfare of any Other State, at the oest
of our destruction.
In the meantime, we would suggest to
the General Assembly that there was ono
8 rule which required three months notice
to be given Of the intention to apply for
charters for public companies. This rule
could not work to the prejudice of any no
est undertaking which did not fear the light
of day, while it gave the people the oppor
tunity of knowing what was intended-oi
combating with oil their power any move
! ment which threatened the commercial life