The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-19

of the House when the Blue Ridge Road
was first begun. He remembered the
hard struggle over it then, and that the
results had been three millions Of wasted
money and very burdensome debt for
the State.
Representative Miller opposed the bill
with any shadow of State responsibility,
but would favor it otherwise.
Mr.. Simonton offered an amendment
remitting the taxes now due, and those
for the next three years if completed
within that time.
Mr.. Johnstone said TINT under the
Constitution the House could not remit
school taxes. lie moved to further
amend by excepting the school tax from
the remissions. This was accepted.
Mr.. Aldrich moved to further amend
by striking out the exemption from taxa
tion for three years. Lost.
FillibusteHng tactics were resorted to,
motions to adjourn and to take a recess
followed each other in quick succession,
accompanied by calls for divisions of
yeas and nays.
Great confusion prevailed, amid which
the opponents of the bill stood solidiy and
doggedly on their position. The RI nks
of its friends were terribly depleted oy
desertions as the dinner hour approached
and finally, about 4 o'clock, a motion to
take a recess until half past Z o'clock
was agreed to.
At the night session Mr.. Simonton's
amendment 10 the bill was adopted.
Mr.. Gaillard opposed the bill (speak,
ing on the section to exempt the road
from taxation for twenty years. on the
ground of the indefniteness of the par
ties seeking to make the contract. He
said the State was asked to endorse a
scheme that had no known sponsor, and
he opposed the State being committed to
any railroad, and said experience justl-
fed his position. The exemption was an
unconstitutional and unjust discrlmlna-
ton In favor of the road.
Mr.. Miles favored the bill. He denied
that the scheme was vague. He SAID
that. on the contrary, capitalists were
backing it, and only asked for the aid
for this that had been extended to many
enterprises of less Importance and prom
ise. The courts had never decided the
unconstitutionality of the remission oi
taxes. But yesterday the Legislature re-
mitted the taxes of the Airline Rail
road.
Mr.. Cleveland argued that the excep'
ton was an unjust discrimination II
favor of the road and opened the dool
to demands for the same in favor of every
road in the State. The help if giver
should be rendered while the road wa:
crawling and not extended after it wa:
established. The Blue Ridge Railroad
has to pass links owned by aliens in len
nessee, through hostile territory in Geor
gia and over the Greenville and Colum
bia and South Carolina Railroads, ano
will cost six millions. Mr.. Simonton II
short and powerful speech charged Mr.
Cleveland with inconsistency in occupy
ing opposite positions on the Air Line
and Blue Ridge bills and favored the
latter.
Mr.. Callison said the exception asked
for was remission of nothing by the
State, and merely REIMBURSEMENT of ar
empty claim on useless road bed tc
aid in bringing the products of the
West to "the Queen City of the South,
and exchange them there for the fruits
of the Indies. Nothing was asked fol
until the road was completed and ther
the State would get ten dollars for every
dollar exempted in taxes. MIR. Cleve
land. in personal explanation vigorously
denied the charge of Inconsistency. Line
fourth Section was then adopted by
vote of GO to %. ,,,.. ;.
The section of the bill prohibiting dis
elimination against Charleston, wa;
amended to apply to all ports OF the
State, the the amendment being opposed
by Mr.. Miles on the ground that it was an
attempt to discriminate against Charles
ton. The amendment was withdrawn
being vigorously opposed by the Char,
lesion delegation who threatened to Kill
the bill. Much confusion was caused
by some attempt made to sell Charleston
out. But finally the attempt was compr.o'
missed by inserting provision prohibit
ing discrimination against Charleston OF
any other port in the State. Mr.. r. Il
Hemphill moved to lay the bill on the
the table. Lost: SO to 80. The bill
then passed to a third reading: 5S to
80 thus ending the night session in the
House.