The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-19
THE BLUE RIDGE RAILROAD.
1t Passes the House Of Representatives
and Its Friends are Confident that 1t will
Also Pass the Senate.

and Its Friends are Confident that 1t Will
Also Pass the Senate.
The following synopsis of the discussion
had on the Blue Ridge Railroad Bill in
the House of Representatives upon its
third reading on Saturday night, is taken
from the Charleston Ncus and Courier,
and will no doubt be read with interest
by all of our subscribers:
The special order for the day, the
Blue Ridge Railroad matter, was taken
up, and Mr.. Carlisle continued the
upon the Spartanburg delegation. He
some length to Mr.. Murray's structures
debate against the bill. He replied at
did not propose to bring what had been
enormously called rival roads into the
House and make any comparison of their
merits. He favored allowing the matter
to lie over and come fresh from the
people.
Mr.. Haskell deprecated the apparent
disposition to treat legislation as matter
of bargain and sale, and return favor or
opposition in kind. The bill was not, rs
it had been called, postscript legislation.
This was not the same bill that had been
defeated at the last session. He would
not have supported that bill. He then
referred to the Airline Road, which he
said, although merely skirting the State,
had increased the value of its taxable
property by two millions of dollars. Rail
roads could not come to the State without
far more than compensating for any eX-
emption Of taxes by increasing the value
of property. The stock of our railroads
was, rs had been said, worthless. 1t was
because they had to depend upon the
driblets of trade, instead of having a sup
ply from a main stream, such as the pro.
posed road would furnish. 1t was useless
to accuse merchants of lack of patriotism
for purchasing in Atlanta. The only way
to prevent their doing so was to make il
to their interest to purchase in Charles
ton. So long as Georgia and North Car
olina legislated to give their merchants
advantages over ours, so long would oul
people purchase of them. The Blue
Ridge Road was two-thirds completed
and it would require much argument tc
induce him to believe that there was any
substitute for this need, which all mus
admit could be made at less cost ab initio
The Spartanburg and Asheville Road
from its nature, would always be too diff
Gcult and too expensive to supply grea
route for egress and ingress. He agair
referred to the Airline Road, which haC
converted what twenty years ago was al
most a terra incognita into the garder
spot of the State.
Mr.. Aldrich said the question unde
consideration was choice Of two princi
Piles. His was that the people wer'
an agricultural people, and that thei
home industries should be built up. Th'
other advocated the conversion of then
into a commercial people. 1t was pro
posed to build up the commercial at tht
expense of the agricultural. 1t had beer
said that no more money was to bt
granted-only an exemption of taxes
but every exemption left an increase o
the burden on the backs of other citizens
He was as anxious as any member to SEE
Charleston built up, but did not want tt
see it done at the expense of the remain
der of the State. But he denied that thi:
road would benefit Charleston except
very indirectly. Who was the State
dealing with in this matter? So far a;
was known it was proposed that she ne.
gotiate with shadow. Even if the road
was completed it would have to own the
South Carolina Railroad to make Q
through line, and it was the foreign capi.
talists who were purchasing the stock ot
that road. Where was the guarantee
that it would not fall into the hands oi
those inimical to every interest of the
State? The proposed discrimination
against the taxpayer in favor of corpora
tions was unconstitutional and wrong in
every way. If Anderson and Oconee
wished to aid the road they should be al.
lowed to do it, but he was opposed to
giving State aid.
Judge Cooke said he thought the road
q great enterprise, stamped with the ap-
proval of the wisdom of the State years
ago. The gentleman's remarks regarding
the unconstitutionality Of the bill amused
him. Where had the House respected
the Constitution or constitutional princi-
pies? When it had Systematically over
ridden the Constitution in other matters,
it was too late to feign respect for it now
to the detriment of this great enterprise.
The State, so far as taxes went, had never
received dollar of taxes from the Blue
Ridge Road, and having gotten along
without it so far, could continue to do so.
Mr.. Earle had no objection to Ander-
son and Oconee having permission to tax
themselves for this road if they wished.
This enterprise was a grand one, and the
State could lose nothing and might gain
great deal by extending the benefits OF
taxation exemption to it. He favored
the passage of the bill with the exception
of the section appropriating the proceeds
of special tax for the benefit of the
road.
Mr.. ]. J. Hcmphill said he believed
the majority of the House favored the
bill if passed without the section making
the State tributary 10 the road.
The House refused to strike out the
enacting clause by a vote of 6S to "a on a
call of the yeas and nays.
Mr.. R. r. Hemphill moved to strike
out the second section, providing for the
State to take stock for the taxes of the
road. This Blue Ridge scheme had
been very popular about 1861, when
the idea was also prevalent that South
Carolina could whip out the United
States by herself. He thought the COM
pletion of the Blue Ridge Road about as
practicable as that other idea.
Representative Eckard expressed his
disapproval of the bill generally.
Mr.. Cleveland said the proposed plan
would be REIMBURSEMENT of the States
right to hold the road, for the benefit of
no one knew who. The legislation pro-
posed would be in keeping with all Of
it on this subject since the war.
Mr.. Buist favored the bill. He had
heard no strong reasons why the State
should not give the very little asked for
to aid this road. This State, under the
leadership of John G.. Calhoun, had do
mated 50 600 600 for this road. and its