The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1876-03-30
RAILROAD PREIGHTs AGAIN.

persons connected Will tuc NAoi6e - NAaAS
county, and we regret to learn that some
person or persons have been industriously
misrepresenting our position in regard to
the question of reduction in freights. Ii
our readers will trouble themselves to re-
read the said article they will doubtless per
ceiye that it will not sustain the construc-
ton which some have made haste to place
upon it. All that we desire is to be under
stood according to what we plainly said,
and then We shall be satisfied, for if parties
choose to differ from US they have the right
to do so, provided they do not take it upon
themselves to misrepresent and traduce our
clear and unmistakable language. In our
articles we endeavor to say precisely what
we mean, and do not intend to allow other
persons to state our position in such man
ner as to place US in false light before the
community without branding such misrep-
resentations as slanderous. 1t has been said
by some that we are fighting the Grange.
In reply, we challenge single word OF ours
that will bear out this unwarranted asser-
tion. We said we were glad that the Grange
obtained the reduction they did on their
freights, and we commend them in the
highest degree for the energy and enterprise
they have evinced in this matter; but we
think our other citizens should be protected
from the extortion which has been practiced
upon them by the South Carolina Railroad.
1t has heretofore claimed that it could not
afford freights any cheaper, but by the re-
duction made to the Changers it has shown
that it is able to carry freights q great deal
cheaper, and all that we asked was that
reduction be made in every article transpor-
ted for any person. We do not desire the
rates of freight raised upon the Changers,
but we do want reduction to the merchant
and private individual. In this we do not
antagonize the Grange, for general reduc-
ton in freights will benefit them as much
as any one.
This reduction which has been Obtained
upon fertilizers Is a very small item COM
pared with the e1orbitant tariff that Grang-
ers and every one else are compelled to pay
upon every particle of goods or food they
buy. The consumers are the parties who
pay the freights. It Is not the merchant,
for he adds the freight on to the price of his
goods, and the person who buys them has
to pay the freight, whether he is Granger
or not. This is question of vital impor-
tance to the people of Anderson County,
and as representative of public sentiment,
the Enteligenccr felt called upon to cry out
against the evil which is expressing Grang-
ers and every one else. Now, just here, we
would remind those who are ignobly seek
ing to asperse our intentions in this matter,
that the Istcligencer has always been. and
still is favorable to the Changers, because it
has reason to believe that the Grange is a
powerful opponent to monopolies, and hence
is calculated to effect much good by breaking
them down, and causes reduction in values
by lessening the number Of middle men
engaged in trade. We have never looked
upon the Grange as selfish organization,
which was seeking to establish for itself q
monopoly of cheap freights or any thing
else, and we do not believe there is true
Granger in the County who would object to
every other man having just as cheap
freights as the Changers do. Our readers
must remember that there are great many
farmers who do not belong to the Grange
that are entitled to some mercy at the hands
of railroad The Lsteligencer is not the
organ of any particular sect, but endeavors
to advocate such course as will benefit the
whole County without injuring any class,
and if there are any persons who complain
of us for this reason, we have no apologies
to make to them.
But some persons say that we have inter.
fered with the prospects Of the Grange by
censuring the course Of the South Carolina
Railroad towards our people. There is no
foundation for this charge either, for the
same argument can be used to induce re-
duction next time that secured it at present.
There is q through rate of freight from Bal
timore and New York which enables per-
sons to purchase goods or fertilizers up there
and ship them through little cheaper
than they can be bought and shipped from
Charleston; and in securing the reduction
the Grangers simply said that if the reduc-
ton was not granted, they would purchase
in Baltimore, or elsewhere than Charleston,
and hence their application was granted.
They can repeat this whenever they please,
and it shows that the merchants, if they
will unite, can accomplish the same end for
themselves and the general public. The
business men of Charleston are influential
in the control of the South Carolina Rail-
road, and whenever there is a prospect that
Charleston will lose trade from high freights,
a reduction will be granted. This subject
should be looked after by the merchants of
the up-country, and if this ruinous policy
is pursued the merchants Of Charleston
should be shown that it is the source of q
loss Of trade to that city. There is no diff
ference between the Changers and the mer
chants in this matter. It is common fight
against the oppression Of the South Carolina
Railroad, which has q monopoly Of our
carrying trade. All our citizens should
unite in o strong and determined effort to
secure general reduction, which will be
beneficial to every man and every interest
in Anderson County.
Does any one want to know why 1856
pounds was adopted as the legal net weight
for barrel of flour? Because weights were
computed by tons of 2,24O lbs, hundred
weights of 112 lbs, quarters, etc., and
quarter" being one-quarter of hundred