The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1870-02-03
The Phosphate Report.

whom was referred the Phosphate Bill re.
port that after considerations Of its pro.
visions and principles. they recommend
that it do not pass.
Their reasons are: First, because 1t Is
the nature of a monopoly, giving the
right to a few individuals, for all time, to
take from the waters of the State belong
ing to the whole people, an article OF I'M
portance to the planter, and devote IL 10
their own personal benefit 1t also gives
them the power to regulate the supply
and price of the article, the tax upon 1t,
and the employ, discharge, and wages OF
thousands of laborers. Under the DO
minion of this gigantic monopoly, an IN,
huence might be exerted which would
render the condition of the laboring man
and his family less desirable than the
tlraldom from which he has been emanci-
pated.
They set forth that, aside from the ques-
4 tionable rights of the Legislature to con-
fer such dangerous powers upon corpo'
ration, there can be no doubt OF the lm-
policy of the measure. The progressive,
policy is the elevation of the individual
| laborer; and there is bill before the SEN
ate, appropriating half a million of dollars
for the purchase of lands, which will place
thousands of laboring men in the position
of owners, and prompt them upward to
prosperity and independence. A strange
inconsistency would be presented in our
legislation, of appropriating money from
the treasury to build up one system of Ia
Dor, at the same time giving immense
wealth to promote an antagonistic scheme
of cougregated labor, with few advanta-
ges over slavery except in name.
The justice and expediency of the meas.
ure are also questionable, in the aspect OF
taking from the available resources of the
State, when. she is struggling with pecu-
mary embarrassments, and the people are
burdened with taxation. The revenue
from this property may defray consider.
able portion of the State expenses, or, If
devoted to sinking. fund, would in few
years, entirely extinguish the State debt.
This measure proposes to fitch the patrl-
mony of the people from the custody of
| the State, consign it to wealthy individ-
uals, only proposing to give the State the
utterly insignificant sum of twenty cents
per ton royalty.
A fact worthy of consideration is, that
there is not an individual of the colored
race among the corporators, and yet the
laborers will be almost exclusively taken
from it. A Charleston Democratic paper
recently remarked that the laborers in the
phosphate beds would probably vote with
those who employed them. This invidi-
Gus discrimination against a majority OF
our citizens, and the political purposes to
which it may be prostitated, are not cal
.culated to recommend the measure to the
favorable consideration of the Legislature.
These Carolina phosphate deposits are
of immense value, and may become an i'm
portant source of revenue to the State,
and of wealth to the nation. They are
already recognized as the. most available
fertilizers in the world, and we shall socn
see vessels of every cline thronglng Char.
lesion harbor in quest of them. Already,
at single wharf on Ashley River, were
seven ocean steamers for phosphates.
Commodious warehouses and capacious
wharves have appeared, and frequently
vessel has come up at 7 o'clock in the
morning and returned to Charleston at 9
in the evening, laden with four hundred
tones of phosphates, and ready tor her
outward voyage.
One company has invested upwards of
$500, 900 in lands, buildings and machine
ry. They employ from 800 to 500 work
men, whose aggregate wages average
about $4,000 per month. They have ex
norted numerous cargoes of phoSphates,
and have sold in New York city $780, ,oe0
worth. which were taken from ten acres
of land.
Heretofore the principal source of sup.
ply has been the Nevassa Company which
collected it from the Caribbean Islands.
Since the organization of the Ashley Riv.
er Company, their price has contracted
from s25 to Sll per ton, and their shares,
which at par were $50, have been offered
for So per share.
A Bill has been referred to the commit
tee ssto regulate the digging and mining
for phosphate deposits from the navigable
streams and waters of the State of South
Carolina" which appears to combine more
of the essential requisites than any other,
and is recommended to the favorable con-
sideration of the Senate. 1t asks for no
monopoly, asserts the prerogative of the
State and the rights of all citizens to re-
move phosphates, upon which it imposes
a royalty of 50 per ton: 1t also provides
for the Incorporation of companies for the
purchase and sale of phosphates, which
may be licensed and designated as State
Depositories, and authorized to give re-
ceipts to the miners for the sum of 50 per
ton, royalty. These receipts must be for
warded monthly to the State Auditor,
who will collect them from the dcposito-
ries. Provision is also made for the ap-
pointment of Board of Commissioners,
to frame code of rules, which shall be
i IL. rGNl,o l,ill alcn