Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1883-09-20
Is THE r. II. COMMISSION A FAILURE

1t would perhaps be unjust to answer this
query in the affirmative. 1t might be
thought more charitable to wait little Ion
ger and give the Standard Freight Tariff,
as fixed by the Railroad Commission, fair
test. But it may be answered on the other
hand that the Commission had ample time :;
that eight months was sufficient in which to
adjust the rates, and that although it was a
big undertaking the Commission took its
time, visited Atlanta and conferred freely
with the Railroad Commission of Georgia.
Besides all this the Commission had the
help and advice of an experienced railroad
man in the person of Mr.. Bartlett, as Secre-
tary of the Board. In the meantime, while
the Commission was preparing its schedule,
some of the press of the State did not hesi-
tate to make known their impatience.
Apologists for the Commission among the
press admOnished their brethren and the
public to be patient; that the motto Of the
Commission was "Go slow and be sure :"
that while their work might apparently
progress slowly, it would be all right when
it did come-'just and reasonable" The
essayed task was finally finished and given
to the public. But whethera failure or not,
it certainly failed to give general satistac-
ton.
The work of the Commission is not only a
failure to this extent, but instead Of reliev-
ing the people Of alleged unjust discrimina-
ton in freight rates, the discrimination
against some localities is greater and more
unjust, it seems, as fixed by the Commits
sion, than that complained Of as imposed by
the railroad companies before the Commits
sion was created. Indeed it has been sug
gested that the Legislature, at its next ses-
sion, should repeal the railroad law and
abolish the Commission. Another sugges-
ton is that it would be better, as the matter
now stands, for some localities, at least, ''to
pay the salaries of the Railroad Commission
under an agreement that no other service
shall be required of them than is contained
in the eXertion of drawing their salaries" !"
We do not agree with the latter suggestion,
but unless the Commission can so amend its
schedule of freight rates as to be 'just and
reasonable" we shall favor the repeal of the
railroad law and the abolishment of the
Commission.
In our view the Office Of Railroad Com
missioner has always, from its first enact
ment, been considerable humbug, and
but for the fact that provision was made for
the salary of the Commissioners to be paid
by the several railroads of the State, we
should have been still more strongly op-
posed to it, Nor did we favor the present
railroad law and opposed it on its passage.
Although we doubted its tsadvisability, there
was at the time and before the enactment
of said law such hue and cry against the
railroads for alleged unjust discrimination
that, by way Of experiment, we would have
supported the bill when on its passage in
the Legislature had the amendment offered
thereto providing for the grouping Of inte-
rior towns, in regard to freight rates, been
adopted.
The people of this section had had an Op-
portunity of testing the grouping system,
and found it to work well. Itplaced Green
vile, Spartanburg, Newberry, Anderson,
Abbeville, Union and Laurens on the same
footing as to freight rates. But those who
had the management of the railroad bill OPP
posed said amendment. We then voted
against the said bill. But it wasadopted by
a large majority, and becamea law, in which
we cheerfully acquiesced. Since its prac-
tical operation, however, it seems discrim-
NATIVE and unjust, unless it can be so mOdi-
fed as to be '.just and reasonable" equitable
alike to all sections of the State, we shall ia
vor the wiping out of the whole business.
AS the law now stands it is, in all its more
essential features as to freight, failure
LoTensrile Herald.
THE STATE GOVERNMENTAL gentle
man whose business brings him in contact
with the officers of many State governments
tells the Neus that the Executive Depart
ment of South Carolina is the best and most
business-like he has ever seen. All who
have had dealings with the Executive Off
GERS of the State will echo this praise.
There is not business house in the United
States in which the management and sys-
tenn are better than they are in our State
House. Nobody can accuse our Executive
officers of ignorance of their business or fail
ure toattend toit tpropcrly. -Greenr1Ue Ners.