The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-23

" III j IL III Nhit o'
profit on money at interest: No country has
ever or can dcvelope its agricultural or manu-
featuring ability when a high rate OF interest
is lawful. Talent and skill in these depart
mcntx are completely handicapped 10y eNccs'
sivc interest. We need never expect develop
mcnt of any kind with interest at Il high rate
No agriculture community can afford 10 pay
ten per cent. The high rate Of interest beng
Icga.iZcd to accommodate the capitalists {"
the money centres and to please the ncca"lo"-
al moncy-lcnder that might I've found heTeHho
| there. has he'd the cti.c' of reducing the value
of our farming lands, while it has Increased
the cost of credit. These two facts, the lcgitl
mate effect of q high interest for money, is
working the ruin OF tic agricultural interest
of the country. Our people know that when
interest was hi"h the price of ourlandS was re
duccd to Il mere song. When the legal rate OF
interest, seven per cent. was established, tho
price of land was fully trcblcd in price in
this county. Everybody knows that the price
of lands has reccdcd since it has become law
full to charge ten per cent. If any kcpreScn'
tative from Charleston opposed this calamity
to the farming interests we failed to note tho
fact. The law was clearly in favorof the CAPT
talists to the great injury of the farmers.
TIE R.A1LEoA COMMISSION.
7. If VIC CIT not, the city Of Charleston is re-
sponsiblc for the Railroad Commission, which
it seems to us had for its object the suppress
sion of railroad building in the up-country.
If we are not mistaken it was chiefly through
Charlcston's influence that Robinson was de-
MED a charter for a railroad which was TO run
entirely across the State without asking oul
people for ond cent of money. Thus the poo
pie of the State were denied the great benefits
of a needed railroad. merely because it was
proposed to run it to q Georgia city, instead of
heading it toward the city Of Charleston. The
story of the dog in the manger comes in here.
TIE NEW COUNTY MOVEMENT.
s. While we are not in the secrets of the
birth of the new county movement, several
years ago, yet we believe it originated in
Charleston, and the wording of the first pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution was
such as to give Charleston many Senators, but
that amendment was atterward so amended
as to give Charleston a fewer number than
it was first proposed to give to the pet city,
but still Il greater number than she now
has. The unaninlity with which Charleston
supported the measure ut least gives assurance
that Charleston was to get some advantage
only ten men in all that great city voted
against this radical change of our system of
government.
ANOTHER MATTER WHICH SHOULD MAKE Us
JEALOUS OF II CITY OF CHARLESTON.
0. BY some means or through some intlu-
cnce, or through the apparent justice of every
cause which favors Charleston, no matter how
much il may hurt the up.country, it is the al
most unanimity and regularity with which
the surrounding counties of Charleston vote
with that city is a wonder to an up
countryman. Docs any reader remember
of n single instance when Berkcly, and Bean
fort did not vote Tor any measure which was
advocated by Charleston? In the general
chapter Of accidents, it would seem that
Beaufort, and Bcrlely, and Georgetown, and
Collcton, might reasonably he expected to vote
at least once in Il life time for measures which
might benefit the up-cOuntry, even though
Charleston might protest. We do not say,
that an isolated instance cannot be found
where all these delegates did not vCtc with
Charleston, but VIC think it susceptible of
proof that these delegations in all important
us in nearly all closely contested questions.
This too when there are protcStationS Of 4 dis
position to ublitcratcal feeling Of low-cOnhtry
and up-country. AS long as the l0w-country
votes as Il unit with Charleston this feeling Of
4 sense Of wrong inflicted upon us by the low
country will exist. Are we 4 set of aliens and
foreigners not having an equal interest in the
state with Charleston? Does Charleston
claim q divine right to override common JUS
tice and equity that she may rule the State?
In the matter OF a fair and equitable az dust
mcnt of disappointment of Representatives
principle, honor, and high integrity arc in
volvcd, and any Representative in the Gcncr-
al Assembly should spurn the act of lending
his aid or countcnance to the aid Of those who
would take advantage Of any county in the
State, in order that any other county might
fill seats in the General Assembly to which it
was not entitled. The act is so Outrageously
unjust and wicked that we are surprised that
even the Nens and Courier does not protest.
That paper certainly does not desire to cheat
another county, that Charleston may have
double representation.
THE COUNTRY las ANOTHER CAUSE OF ON
PLANT.
10. The iniGuity of the school tax is
seen at an instant. The farms, no matter how
remote from the towns, are compelled to pay
to keep up public schools for The townsfolk.
4 grcal multitude of country people live SO
far from these school centres that they get no
good of the school taxes. AS long as the town
people can get the schools for which the coun-
try people pay, everything is lovely, and the
always find their chief advocates in
the cities and towns. 1t is Il good thing for
city and townfolk. What good does 4 school
in town do a farmer who lives three miles dis
tant: As Il rule all taxation is for the benefit
of the towns and result in injury to the coun-
try. All propositions to increase the rate Of
taxation, or to increase the appropriations OF
public money, wcbclicYe, comes from the cities
and towns.
REASONABLE Conclusions.
From q review of the above matters we
think The most reasonable conclusion for all
up-country people is to look with suspicion
upon What originates in Charleston, and that
il would be wise to favor any measure which
that city opposes. The country delegate who
has not disccrnmcnt enough to know when he
is doing TAG wrong should therefore watch the
wishes Of Charleston, and vote the other way.
BY following this rule, they Will be right in 4
minority Of cases. People from The country
may safely fear propositions to levy taxes
which come from The cities. 1t is scarcely pos
siblc for country people to be benefited by
taxing their lands to build up II
We d.sclaim any iil-Wiil for Charleston or