The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-06
The Proposed Lease of the south caro-, ;,
lima Railroad to the Central Railroad
OF Georgia-Threatened Ruin 10 the
People and the State.


destruction OF. the stock itself, what can 10
said to those who ore interested IN tne wei
fare of Charleston and South Carolina
which will adequately arouse them TO tne
dangers with which they are threatened
There is not man living in this city, doing
business here, having his earnings invested
here-whether in houses or in securities,
nublic or private-who can fail to see how
disastrous to him and bis interests muSt be
the accomplishment OF this measure. WHAT
In the past seven years, has supported the
hopes Of those who barely, and with prlVa-
ton, sustained the heavy taxes and charges
on their property, but the slowly and surely
developing increase Of the trade OF the city
When, during that long period, have these
hopes been presented under circumstances
which 30 certainly ioretold the realization
ofthem al at this present moment? With the
purchase OF controlling interest in the
Greenville Railroad, not only was great
danger averted, but great benefit secured.
With a like benefit obtained 10 the control OF
the Macon and Augusta Road, another dan
ger was ayerted, and another advantage Sc
cured. With the announcement that these
objects had been accomplished, relief came
to the hearts;of all whose affections and
interests were involved in the preservation
OF the material interests Of this State and
city. Were these acquisitions, these new
and assured sources Of future prosperity,
uncared for by those whose interests were
antagonistic to. those Of this people Ihe
answer is told we'll enough In the iny-con-
cealed disappointment OF those who have
been working against us, and who, happily
too late, tried every move their ingenuity
could suggest to break up the arrangements
which had been made, and takeirom us the
advantages which had been secured. What
are these advantages? The securely restored
trade of the State and the city, and wah ii
the securely restored prosperity ofdhe city
and State. Yet strange, passing strange, is
it that there are persons who calculate so
confidently on the blindness, the avarice, or
the necessities OF our peoplo as to suppose
that this offer OF dividend will induce the
stockholders to turn over to them that con-
troll Of the South Carolina Railroad which
4is but, in plain terms, the control oil both
Charleston and South Carolina.
Ooly few days ago re heard person OF
great intelligence, stranger sojourning
here, having no interest in the matter, de-
clare, that, oitd its present railroad con-
nections, in Tess than foe gears, the CITY OF
Charleston ,ooud enjoy greater commercial
prosperity than it had ever knoa0n; but if
lease should be made Of the South Carolina
Railroad to the Central Railroad Of Georgia
for ts0enty gears, AT THE END OF THAT TINE
ONE WOULD LOOK AT THE PLACE WHERE
CHARLESTON HAD BEENl And We believe
there is mournlul truth in the prophecy.
Not more fixed and inseparable are the
relations OF cause and effect than are all the
consequences anticipated from this PROPOSE
tion to surrender to our rivals the means pf
our support. Can any one who is sane be-
leve that the proposal is prompted by de-.
sire for our goods or believe that any o.her
motive prompts the offer than the desire to
secure business for Savannah? And il with
all the disadvantages under which hitherto
we have labsred, we have been role, year
after year, to lessen the advantages which
circumstances at the close OF the war gave
to Savannah, and, in the course OF the last
twelve months, show more decided sue
cess in the contest than at any previous
time, does the offer to lease the South
Carolina Railroad fail to show that Savan-
nah cannot continue the contest, and that
her chance for success consists in inducing
the people Of Charleston no longer to strug-
gle with her? II ever before, In oil time,
the parallel can be found, to the one side,
that, with so much OF calculation, attempts
to absorb a rival fastening to complete sue
cess; or to the ether, that, it is supposed,
will be 30 weak as to listen to such PROPOSE
tions, we confess ourselves unable to dis
cover it.
What is there now which does not render
it probable that our receipts OF cotton will
go on increasing until they will in short
time exceed that OF Savannah?
What is there now which does not make
it impossible, if the South Carolina Railroad
is under the control of the Central Railroad,
for the people Of Charleston to receive as
much cotton as they now receive?
What is there 2ow which does not render
it probable that the wholesale business Of
Charleston, with the advantages recently
secured, will not be, in short time, as ex-
tensive and lucrative as its warmest friends
would wish?
What makes it possible that this trade can
survive at all with the control OF it in the
hands OF large corporation intensely en-
gagged in the development OF rival city
in which every advantage to it is loss to
this city?
What makes it probable that the retail
business OF this city, under such circum-
stances, can improve?
What makes it otherwise than impossible
that its fate should be other than would cor
respond with the erostration which would