The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-08-04
IIGHTING MONOPOLIES.
The Democracy of south Carolina Protecting
Valuable Industry.

Valuable Industry.
CHARLESTON, $. c., July 25.--THE Sun.
about one year ago. came to the rescue Of South
Carolina by publishing the story Of The
Phosphate Fraud" There was no journal in
this state which at that time would attack this
gigantic MONOPOLY and 1t babe fair TO hold an
unchallengod sway. 1t controlled tho news
papers. aud almost every business man in the
community had connections or business rela-
tions with the proprietors. and many who were
disconnected feared to- encounter the active in
1uenccs which were brought into service by 1t.
Almost every faint-hcarted man grew pale at tho |
audacity Of an attack upon money ana |
brains" II was useless. they said. TO attack |
these pillars Of the Democratic temple; they |
could not be overthrown. Well. THE Sun has
done It, The monopoly has fallen. II now has
no friends; everybody proclaims himself an
ntimonopost.
The monopolists. emholdened by the silence
OF the local papers and the apathy OF the people.
undertook at the last session OF the Legisa-
turo. to satisfy and extend their rights eScu-
sivey to dig and carry away tho phosphate
deposits from the navgable waters Of the State.
The acts which were passed mapped out the
whole public domain which contained these
beds of rock. and even made provision for such
as might hereafter be discovered. and gave
them TO the favored few. The argument which
was used was based upon the report OF the ex-
Attorney General. that the people would not
pay the royalty Of 81 per ton II they were grant
ed general right to dig in these rivers. and
that for the collection OF this revenue 1t was
necessary to vest the privilege in large and
responsible corporation.
Before the passage Of these acts great many
poor men were engaged in working these phos-
| phate beds. They had natboat which cost them
| ~ "a mir ~ ,Va which cost f6 and
with these implements alone they could dig
each day from 81 to tiO worth Of rock accord
ing 10 the locality. These acts put u stop to-
their business by forbidding their digging
phosrhates under penalty OF $50 fine and
thirty days imprisonment. The number OF
| these men thus thrown out Of employment. to-
gother with their determined protests against
/ the injustice If prccluding them from the
ancient right 10 dig anu carry away anytning
unupprOur!ated and found in the naNlganl"
Writer'S soon commanded tho attention ~ the
public By degrees they found bold advocates.
who came forward and plead their cause. At
length mass meeting was held. II was an eN'
] pertinent. and many predicted failure. Sucn u
Thing ma An attack upon the Bourbon principles
OF the state. holding them to M account for
their M slni acts was unheard ~ In CHARLESTON.
But the Meeting was successful thousand
voices Joined in demanding a repeal Of the OBJ
uoNinus laws and n committee was appointed
10 mcmoralizc the Legislature to that cnect
Tho n.wspnpers treated the meeting merely
a. "a local affair and paid 40 attention 10 H. SUI
the nntl-monopohsts. not tp lc dauhted had
10000 copies " their memorial 70 the Log N
ture struck Of and distributed through ut the
State. These were placed in the hAnds ~ every
public man and soon the apathy ot the people
| gave way to enthusiasm. The newspapers
would not openly attack these enthusiasts. but
read them. from day 70 day homilies upon COM
| munism and the terrible anarchy which result
ed from popular rights. In private cohNersa-
ton the term Communists soon began 10 I've ap-
piled 10 the anti-monopolisis ana many 81 Inc
litter began To accept II in its full application
Thus the public mind was divided NJ the be-
ginning " the present CAMPAIGN Ter Govern.S
and state and county officers. AZ the call ~
the Democratic primaries the people turned out
in goodly numbers. The issue was directly
Tho anti. monopoliSts were successful. except In
Wards and g.. In those warts TIE mirnnopo,ists
in this city that Mt the primaries candidates are
selected who are p9t abon what J, Sn9Hn g Nm IN,
a lar ward ticket and any boiling or private ticke
is balloted for at a set Of polls opened for INA
purpose from u NJ 70 p. n. and tne hish +,
; In these elections the ward ticket is general,
+; mocracy Of Wards ? and rallied and cleared
the ticket Of all the monololists So that thet on
, vention became unanimous ne Convention
1 was held on the 22l inst. and completed III
i work tremendously 10y clreuhg a d,lcsat M %
i nineteen anti monopolsts. and placed then
\ upon an autI-monopoly plauorm.
IL The other action of the CnnN"ntl.n was an NJ
- tempt To- hinder the monopolisls from ruunln
II an independent or fusion ticket hy COMBINING
< with tho Republicans. To TINS end sttnuI
= resolution adopted conlnmnihg sue
a course and quoting Coy. Hamptons speech a
j. Anderson. which advised against II. The Coy
u ernur WAS In ia" up country when ne mad" TAI
II Anderson speech. and IL was intended 10 NEE
- tho case ~ tho Republican senator Cochran m
"A others of that section, who might not no sa,ls
J. Ned with he county nOminatlons Of the Dem,
c crniic party The Governor las heretofore h'c
)f in open afliation with the monopolists; obeyin
y their dictaton in every offlfinl iaNor Inc rt
:, he laid down IN Anderson, therefore, lie 10 L
~ applied 10 his former political ehums
OF C"lieton county has done exactly what wa
done in Charleston. An anu khpsphh'e ~
III large majority. The object Of the movement
~ to secure tn" organization ~ the Democrat
q | party in the interest OF the repeal OF the M
al nOpoly acts. So far II appears to be snecesriu
IL The nOnopolists cannot retain th"ir eNciusN
he rights except by going over TO the Republics
IN party and this they will hesitate 10 do. Mar
IN wish they would do 40. There IL as much n
se for schoolhouses. The one educaies the PICK
al ninnies the other educates the grown p-opl
IL Bsaides. two parties would teach the erclusiv
III OF South Carolina a lesson Of liberality tn
r. There was one other matter attendant up'
Is the County Convention. An effort was made
ne insert in the platform recognition OF Y
OO bonded debt Of South Carolina according TO u
ny ready for presentation. but upon suggesti'
ut made by divers parties. that enlargement "
taken out and tho action OF the last Le9islatui
Sc in removing tho debt question from the polite
*, arena and leaving II tn the courts to settle "
ny declared satisfactory. In the Convention VIII
ed Col Andrews An old citizen. presented the res
ii, luton to appoint committee OF i've 10 dram
M platform. the younger members could not agr
irt coming They voted the resolution dow
he Then the old Colonel hauled out his platior
ew with its new plank. and the whole platform "
he adopted without amendmsht py unani iso