The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-21
SOUTH CAROLINA POLITICS.
THE PROS TRITE STATE At LAST FREE
FROM CARPET BIGGERS.

IRWIN tfEf Ef-hEtUOffasD'
The Main issue New the Fraudulent Debt
Piled Ip by the chamberlain Hing-hoW
the state waived Her Sovereignty aud
Went into the Court Room re "a Defendant
CuAn1EsToN. Mach 14-The carpet
barg.rs have NIL left South Carolina and gone
West Most Of them aro in Idaho and Arizona.
But Notwithstanding their flight the natives Of
the State who stood behind the scenes of their
administration and shared in the plumber Of
the people. still remain In power. They eXer-
else under the new administration rs much in
nucnco as they ever did. and claim as many
special privileges and exemptions as If there
WINS no change in the Government
These capitalists whom Chamberlain in
weighed into his bond spccuatons. in order
TO coerce their loyalty to himself are still
manipulating public affairs with an eye single
to their pccuniary advantage. And those gen
tlcmon who received more valuable gift from
the State. in the shape Of exclusive rights in the
phosphate beds OF the nnyiGablc waters of the
State. are still lauding 1t over their fellow
citizens.
We have changed TIC name OF the party in
power from Republican to Democrat; but the
power behind the pnry remains the same We
have modified the downward tendency OF pub
causes which impel IT, The economy OF the
regular governmental machinery has been re-
who enjoy special privileges are, as burden
some az ever upon the balance Of the State.
In order to settle tho matter Of the State debt
the Log stature agreed To leave that matter To-
special court cons. sting OF three OF the regular
Circuit Judges. Ihey were TO entertain the
questions Of law incident 60 the claims. and de.
eide them rs they would between man and
man" For this purpose thcy agreed that the
State should throw on her sovereignty. in her
immunity from suits. like lighting pnrson or
police officer who lays inside his shoulder
straps when they wish to test their manhood.
il was not only a condesccnson to the bond
holders, hut one of those chivalric actions
which demanded generous recognition. The
State came out victorious in tho contest before
the Court But the defeated parties are not
satisfied. and they have appealed to the State
Supreme Court. Whether the bondhOlders can
force the non-con,batnnt State TO fight in that
court Is an open question; One thing Is certain,
been in favor OF the bondhoders. they would
have insisted upon the immediate payment
course To further litigation.
The first action taken by the bondholders was
TO get an INJUNCTION from tho United States Dis
trict Court Judge against the state Treasurer.
restraining MIN from paying out the moneys
COLLECTED Tor paying the interest upon the pub
~ dcid Tor any purpose except Tor ths interest
This did not work well. for the Treasurer
stopped paying interest on all their bonds.
good or bad. They therefore abandoned that
State. Supreme. Court. Not satisfied with this.
they have as&ed one 81 the Circuit Judges FOR
mundamus 10 compel the reception Of the cOu-
pons from these bonds by the tax collector in
payment 81 taxes, according 10 the stipulation
1t will thus appear that after accepting the
gage 81 battle thrown down by the non-cOm-
bntants. they ignore the result They were not
compelled to accept the challenge. They might
have gene through the regular channels Of the
ordinary courts, no action OF the State could
have excluded them from the privileges of that
public highway. But they accepted and lost
aud now they repudinte their responsibility to
abide 10y the decision as its stands. In their
anxiety 10 force their fraudulent claims upon
theii demands repudiaiors' and ihro9ten
the state with withdrawal OF credit; They
ignore their own reputation, and Imagine that
they control the money markets of the world.
They are not apt To Tighten any one by their
threats II the state has don ANYTHING impru-
drnt ~ the negotiation, II was uwngiQ her own
eensittNencss concerning her financial honor.
IN LAYING aside her soyelgnty and submitting
t. the decision of court. A State which will
DO this. need not fear the effect of abiding by
the decision.
To pay these alleged debts would be TO impos
an unjust burden upon an impoverished pco-
pie, gnd TO acquire reputation for prodigality
which would depreciute her recognized bonds
Not to pay them would have n tendency to
check the rash issues Of public securities to
Notwithstanding these plain CONSIDERATIONS.
the conieuerates OF Chamberlain have had the
ear Of the STATE Executive, and been able to con-
troll the state patronage in their own interest
They claim 1t rs their prescriptivo right be-
cause they have enjoyed II 50 long: and though
they have antuEonzed the party in power upon
the very issues which produced 1t. their claim
Is acknowledged.
rides, public fatiery. and social recognition
elects these strange results; II j. the same
WIN mo tAeluNlNN TlkUth flhlmfu Dy bFfTy
much the same people who hold the fraudulent
Indebtedness OF the state Notwithstanding that
these privileges were granted By the Radical
legislatures under very suspicious crcum-
stances, and are now excluding from the public
domain the starving work people II the state
besides exacting heavy contributions from the
agricultural population for their manufactured
fertilizers. the nlonopolists are able 10 control
any pubic department IN their own interest
The last Legislature was chosen against them
Yet that body did nothing, and the phosphate
lords. in derision raised the price Of their fer
GliZerH upon the farmers. and Tpun ngt the
OF their subordinate dlggers. The Legislature
appointed "A Commission h. examine the qucs-
ton. Three was the number, The lawyer OF the
chief beneficiary Of the monopoly and good
nAturcd adhcrrnt Of the same comprise the ma
Jority, with third who knows nothing Of the
question. except what ho learns from the mo
nopoisis themselves.
traordinary condition under Gov Hampton.
because they looked upon him IA their liberator
from tyranny; and To question any act OF his
administration was sacrilege But Gov. Simp-
son epl0ys no such immHnity ana the people
bic signs OF discomfort The country papers
arc outspOken against any further recognition
OF the fraudulent debt, and there is scarcely Il
county where Indignation meetings against the
phosphate monopolyare not held.
The next session OF the Legislature promises
10 Ice lively one between the contendng fac
tions. But there have been so many dsappoint-
ments in these controversies arising from the
undue Influence OF wealth and power. that il Is
improbable that any action will be taken which
vii Keep the question out Of the campaign OF
Asa preliminary point in this struggle tho
CAPITALISTS have already begun the MayOralty
campaign for Charleston. The election takes
place in December nine months of. and yet
their wirepullers and Ofticeholders have Sc
lected their candidate. and arranged their plan
OF making public sentiment They aege that
their recognition 10y the Democratic party is
necessary for the integrity Of that pqrty. They
conJure up the enormltles OF the Repubican
rule and threaten them ms the consequonces OF
denial OF their claims. and OF the action 10
which they may b. driven to secure thor
claims. Their candidate Capt W. A. Court
ney Of the Washington Light Infantry is de-
servelly very popular gentleman. and has
very little sympathy for their claims but. new
erthcees, he Il in their hands, and his personal
popularity will 20 very far TO further their ends.
But strong as he Is, he has too heavy a load "a
carry and long before the race Ii over he will
back.
a FAN In the Windsor Hotel