Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1871-12-28
The North western Rail Road.


SPEECH OF Hon. JOHN A. BARKER. 81"
the House of Representatives. el Soa.N
Carotina, December 18th, 10l, on ne
passage of the Act to CaesfeF me -No,t@
Western Rail Road ,ceepqay' oVer the
Goue1Wo,'s veto.
Mr.. SPEAKER ~ desire to say few
wc.ds on this question, because it is one
which practically concerns my immedi-
ate constituents, and because I believe
this House, when it comes to understand
it, viii pass this Act over the Governor s
veto.
Sir, confess have been surprised to
hear gentlemen oppose the passage of
thisAct for reasons little worthy of con-
sideration. was particularly surprised
to hear the gentleman from Union Mr..
Mobley,l oppose its passage on no other
ground than that he was not present in
the Committee when it was approved
Surely, if he neglects his duty by not at
tending the meetings of his Committee,
he has no right to make complaint against
his fellow members because they will
not neglect theirs
Sir, the Rail Road proposed to be built
by the Company to be chartered by this
Act will supply want which has long
been felt by the community living along
the line of its proposed route. lam my
self a resident and one of the Represen-
tatives of the County through which that
route runs; and I speak of my own
knowledge when say, that many OF my
constituents are obliged to haul their
Cotton so miles to reach the nearest Rail
Road station, and, of course, have to haul
the fertilizers they purchase the same
distance back. Thus, the transportation,
not only of the crop but of the chief
means Of raising it, swallows up large
portion of its proceeds. And the same
disadvantage attends the transaction OF
all their business which involves either
transportation or travel. S
Sir, we esteem it a hardship, that while
other Companies not only receive Char
ters from the General Assembly but OBJ
tain loans and guarantees beside, this
Company, which asks no loans or guar
antees, has the greatest diff Guilty in even
obtaining Charter. And we are com
PEELED to wonder. whether this difficulty
arises from the fact, that this Company
has no political combinations, and ap-
peals to no political considerations. Sir,
the Governor gives no other reason for
vetoing this Act, than that its material
portions were incorporated in the Act
to promote. the consolidation of the
Greenville and Colum bia Rail Road Com
pany and the Blue Ridge Railroad Com
pany," and that it is, therefore, unneces-
sary to re enact them. I answer that
reason by saying. that it is really no rea-
son at all and for this reason, that the
incorporation of the material portions OF
this Act in the Act passed last winter has
served no practical purpose, and is not
likely to serve any. By that Act, the
Greenville and Columbia Railroad Com
pany was empowered to build branch
of their Road from some point on the
line of their Road. at or east of Anderson
Court House, and West of the Sa',Itl..
River, to Aiken or Hamburg
that Company had built such
their Road, we would have bee euf
But that Company have not b;iii-
branch of their Road-nor mao
tempt tolbuild it. And T gof 9ier
say, that tnat Company had I,4n
of building it at the time The
Act passed last winter. IAe M
there was no necessity Of
Company power to build suc
of their, Road at that time. q
pany possessed that power a
had possessed it for more th;a.
without making the least al
crcise it. And it is because 4
ny possessed that power TO,
five years-before last wirei
making the least atten,M 70
and have shown no itten
cising it since, that matt
Company has no exclusive
power, and that the Northfh
-Froau Coru1ny should haJ
or the similar power propos
them by tho Act now befor
And, for these reasons, I q "
House will pass this Act, t,
Veto to the contrary notwit