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 Manch ester and Au-
gusta Railroad Company, for the oonstruc-
tion of a railroad from the WHINING pton 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 it's
terms, and proposes to grant powers SO un
limited in their character, that one Of two
considerations has apparently suggested the
phraseology Of the charter. Either the ap-
plicants did not know what they wanted, OF
else their designs were so palpahly ebjec-
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 az 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 to be made
the railroad Flanders of America. It seems
that when railroads in adjoining States are
unable to do oil that they desire with their
own Legislatures; when 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 in far greater degree than it can
possibly benefit them Nor are the appli-
cants usually profuse in their promises.
They do not even soy that they will build
up this city and thats that they will i'm
prove the commerce Of the whole State and
strengthen its commercial position. On the
contrary, they say--we are working in the
interest of Savannah, or Norfolk, or viii.
mington, ana we know that, In your kind
ness OF heart, you had rather that your own
city and State should 60 to the dogs than
deny us the favors which we ask fer our
own States and cities But unfortunately we
cannot afford to be SO Quixotically generous.
In the race Of trade it is every State for
itself, and not every State for its neigh
bore; and If We desire to see South Caro-
lima fourishing and rich, we must reverse
- F-SSSAA' PV"Aoy, @uN w uuCO CGn0rg. In
matters Of commercial legislation, precisely
as they do unto us.
We are not inclined, in these things. to
blame the Legislature without qualification.
That body cannot well be oensured IL she
grants charters right aud left, while we
twirl our thumbs and wait for Proyid enoe
to help us. And we say that If Charleston. "a
the representative Of the State, watches
these things we'll, and looks after her ewm
interests as sharply as other cities look after
theirs, there will DO an end to these artful
schemes, and legislation will have for its
purpose the welfare Of this State, and mot
the welfare Of any other State, at the cost
Of our destruction. 5
In the meantime, we would suggest to
the General Assembly thst there was once
Q rule which required three months' notice
70 be given Of thu intention to apply for
charters for fablis companies. This rule
could not work 70 the prejudice or any hon.
est undertaking which did mot fear tho lisha
Of day, while Il gave the people the opper. 4
tunity Of knowing what was intended---o,
oombssting with oil their powSr any move.
ment which threatened tho oomnaero liSs