Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1882-11-23
The Railroad Question.
An ei'son In,ritigenccr.

The Southern railroads have been
proves [1or their high charges and
ppor accom- mod allons. lnlecent years
there has been considerable improve
men: in both these respects. but not
near 60 much az there ought to have
been. with the enormous business
which they have received from the
people. They have in our country,
owing TO the cotton map,a which has
such strong possession OF ouf plan
t-rs, not only hauling in oue direc
t IN, but they have it also each way.
Tley bring US from without the State
f.ar. films OF our food, and nine tenthe
If our clothes, und then they haul
oar cotton TO market for US, thereby
making on both sides OF the account.
There has been aerious complaint
against these corporations, much Of
W ,ich no doubt was not well founded
b it 1t was so general that the Leg +
| .ture undertook last year to gently
mind these corporations in South
Carolina that they must mend their
W us, and to this end passed very
mlld act for the regulation Of com
mon carriers. 1t seems, however,
that this action of onr Legislature
lis been construed by these gentle
mn to be an exhaustion Oh the pow
er Of legislation, and a license to re
new mere vigorously their oppfea
sion Of the public. In keeping with
thi- eonclnslcn, they have, in the very
& At season after thip legislation,
g~satly raised their freight charges,
without any excuse therefor, except
th the people had made a better
crop, and bence would have mo- e oi
i. aud could therefore spare larger
sun to the greed of these corpora
tlons. 1t is therefore pla,n that these
self constituted tass masters, VINO
I've in other STATES. regard the pe0
pie Of Sonth Caroline as their ser
vo1ts. They allow lis To have Il Jiv
ing. BIT; II hountiiui Pio9:6encs
approves our crops and thereby 10
Grasses ourjucomes, theae, our ~ou'h
D, tnasters, cone in AMI say yon must
share this bounty of Providence With
m. by paying a larger rate Tor my
h In. 1t is time, high time, Tor the
o .ople of this State to show these
CORPORATIONS that we are the masters
and not their servants 1t is the du
ty Of the Legislature to enact raj
road lam for this State similar 10 that
in force in Georgia, and then to Sc
( :I-7 l i777-r OF 7ne dS7Ss,, ~
aad the ahrewdest men in the State
t, execute he law. f>relghta and
passenger rates should be reduced
and a lair and equitable scale adopt
el. We do NOT want to hurt th'
railroads. Yer? lar IRON 1t. W.
w.nt those now built TO prosper, apt
others 10 e completed At an early
| d4v, but we cannot afford to see then
become the sovereigns OF the Sra't
Toey must be made to keep RI II
p!.ces, and use the powers giveI
tlem by the STATE Tor the heHsAt o
t,e State. AZ now ope.Ars5 thy ar
fat rendering lie peoH'e I'll o0u'l
Carolina hewetS o.! wool ard draw
er, a. waller for the Northern ciiles
a Id Tor the Northern capitalists. Tn!
i. what we want terminated, ana II
t.rminst.c will give sd.!ition~l pros
p rlty to the people, and in the loni
ria viii benefit the railroad ~ ten
o tue State. There will be no NOR
i nportant SUI ject before tue LrgiSia
t Ire than the rtmod-ilng o. the rail
r ,4d bill, and our people shout
wich closely the record CT ever
m rnber Of thai DO ly on this sutl'.c
P lblic or;r.on, properly exsr'ed' WI
9 sure the passage of good Aiiroa
! VI Tor this State.