The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-07-12
THE RAILROAD PROBLEM.
Report ofthc New York Legislative Invos.
tiRatinR Committee "A General Rule That
Works Much Hardship.

Works Much Hardship.
tFrom the News and Couricr.l
South Carolina suffers, as we have
already shown, from the special rates
accorded by the railroad companies to
particular firms, and suffers still more
from the difference III the charge for
freight going to or coming from tcrmi-
nal and other competing points. 1t is
urder the operation Of this difference
that the farther freight goes the less it
pays, not proportionatcly but positive
fly. AN instance was given the other
day where it cost G8d cents hundred
to carry freight from Baltimore to
Winnsboro, and only 48 cents to carry
1t from Baltimore to Chester and back
to Winnsboro, an additional distance
Of about sixty miles. This brings up
the whole question Of through and
local frcights, and the New York Com
mittee have given 1t their careful at
tcntion.
The trunk lines to New York de-
pend quite largely for their business
and profit Oh freights brought from
and carried to points out Of the State.
The rates for transporting these
freights arc Irregular and uncertain,
but they arc always from ten to sixty
per cent. less than for local frcights." :"
Our information Is that there is as
great or a greater discrimination in
South Carolina. "Goods are brought
from points out of the State to New
York city for much smaller sum than
from places within the State" So is
it in South Carolina. ".rhe excuse for
this discrimination is that the New
York roads are obliged to adopt this
policy Of low through rates in con-
sequence Of the powerful competition
of other roads. "They say the policy
Of cutting down tho rates OH through
freight was begun and carried OH by
the Grand Trunk. Pennsylvania Cen
trail, and Baltimore and Ohio roads,
and that they We're obliged to conform
to it in sclf-defcncc. But the other
roads throw all the blame on the New
York roads," The same tale is told in
South Carolina. But. says the New
York Enpress: "With this battle of
the railways for Western traffic, the
people ofNew York have no interest
whatever. The point that they con-
tend for Is that the New York roads
shall not discriminate against New
York freights. They do not complain
that goods arc brought from Chicago
at IL cents per hundred, but that Is,
and even 3S cents, are charged for
bringing the same goods from Buffalo
and Elnlira. They contend that as the
railways were chartered by New York
and given special and profitable privi-
lcgcs by the Legislature for the con-
vcnience and prosperity ofthe people
OF this state, therefore tho railways
are bound not to discriminate against
lneAo1f.hfaq,ttec chRHc.---' IFS itls :" our
case. We have nothing to do with
railroad quarrcls. What we contend
for is that South Carolina roads shall
not dlscriminatc against Charleston
and South Carolina trcights. Let the
Western ti'cights be brought rs cheap
~ as the roads can afford to bring it,
but transport New York freight at the
same rate for the actual service render
ca, ana in no case charge more for n
short distance than for long distance.
lftl!is policy would bear hard on our
roads III their competition with other
roads, 1t is to be borne in mind that
other States complain rs badly as New
York, aud would doubtless Immediate
" follow her example in forbidding
this ruinous discrimination" This Is
equally. tho necessity and the demand
III South Carolina. There is no desire
to hcightcn the cost of flour and pro-
visions, for example, by raising the
charges on Western freight; but we
insist that Charleston freight, South
Carolina freight, shall be carried at the
same rate as Western freight. for the
actual service rendered, and that in no
case Shall the charge for short dis
tancc be more than the charge for a
longer distance. "To-day the farmers
OF New York, owning lands valued at
SlO0 per acre and taxed on that basis,
cannot send their produce to our mar
kct SO cheaply rs persons in the West,
whose lands arc worth from $3 to $40
an acre. The pooling arrangements
with the other railways cqualize adj
yantages, giving Philadelphia and
Baltimore and Boston benefits which
belong to New York, owing to her
superior location. Arrangements are
made with foreign merchants and ship
pers by which ircights arc sent through
from Liverpool to Chicago cheaper
than they are forwarded from Liver
pool to New York. These facts of.
set tho plca that through transporta-
ton, at low rates, increases the trade of
this city, md lowers the prices of pro-
visions. The total effect of tho rencr.
al policy tends to cripple New York.
Il takes foreign business directly away
nom our merchants. 1t prevents
Western merchants from coming hore
to buy goods. 1t taxes the farmers
and manufacturers Of tho interior to
enable the roads to carry on a war of
competition with each other and pay
handsome dividens on fictitious stock,
1t injuries the city and the whole State
Tor the profit Of tho railways aud the
partial advantage of the farmers and
traders OF the West. These general
bearings ofthe system, and inequalities
and evils growing out Of it, are fore
ing, tho subject OH public attention,
and make change Of railway policy
necessary for tho protection Of tho citv
and the welfare Of the State" Is not
TINS the case likewise in South Caro-