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

hr. Blulier Raid he nad been member
Of the House when the Blue i dge Road
was first begun. He remembered the
hard struggle over Il then, and that the
results had been three millions of wasted
money end very burdensome debt for
the State.
Representative Miller opposed the bill
with any shadow of State responsibility.
but would favor it otherwise.
DIR. Simonton offered an amendment
remitting the taxes now due, and those
for the next three years if completed
within that time.
Mr. Johnstone said that under the
Constitution the House could not remit
school taxes. lie moved to further
amend by excepting the school tax from
the remlssions. This was accc ;,ted.
Dir. Aldrich moved TO further amend
by striking out the exemption from taxa
tion for three years. Lost.
tillibustering tactics were resorted to,
| motions TO adjourn and to take q 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 solidly and
doggedly on their position. The rarks
of it's friends were terribly depleted by
desertions as the dinner hour approached
and finally, about o'clock, motion to
take recess until half past I o'clock
was agreed TO.
| At the night session Mr.. Simonton's
amendment to tho bill WAS adopted.
Mr.. Gaillard opposed the bill (speak-
ing or the section to exempt the road
from taxation for twenty years) on the
| ground Of the inde6nitencss of the par
| tinao IN oIyo f1,o 10
said tho State was asked to endorse q
scheme that had no known sponsor, and
he opposed the State being committed to
any railroad, and said experience justi-
fed his position. The exemption was an
unconstitutional and unjust discrimina-
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 1t, 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 of
taxes. But yesterday the Legislature re-
mitted the taxes Of the Airline Rail-
road.
Mr.. Cleveland argued that the excep-
tion was an uni Just discrimination in
favor Of the road and opened the door
to demands for the same in favor Of every
road in he State. The help if given
should be rendered while tho road was
crawling and not extended after it was
established. The Blue Ridge Railroad
has to pass links owned by aliens in Ten
nessee, through hostile territory in Geor-
gia and over the Greenville and Colum-
bia and South Carolina Railroads, and
| 81, T. =,
short and powerful speech charged Mr.
Cleveland with Inconsistency in occupy
ing opposito 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 an
empty claim on useless road bed to
aid in bringing the products Of the
West to "thc Queen City of the South" !"
and exchange them there for the fruits
of the Indies, Nothing was asked Tor
until tho road was completed and then
the State would get ten dollars for every
dollar exempted in taxes. Mr.. Clsve-
land in personal explanation vigorously
denied the charge of Inconsistency. The
fourth Section was then adopted by O
vote of 60 to %.
The section of the bill prohibiting dis
elimination against Charleston, was
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. Tho 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 compro-
missed by inserting provision prohibit
ing discrimination against Charleston or
any other port in the State. Mr.. r. r.
Hemphill moved to lay the bill on the
| the table. Lost: 53 to 80. The bill
then passed to third reading: 5S to
39 thus ending the night session j. the
House.