The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1890-05-22
WAS MR. MURRAY ''TAiIED ~
Andcrson's Senator Answers the Query for
Himself.
from the NaWs and Conric

From the Nips and Courier.
ANDERSON, May 9.-In conversation
to day with Senator L. B. Murray, l
asked him if be had seen The article at.
tacking hisyotes upon railroad legisla.
ton, published in the Prosperity Press
and Reporter, to which be replied that he
had seen the article, both in the Press
and Reporter and its republication in the
Aetus and Courier, but that an absence
from home and a pressure of business had
prevented him so far from making any
answer to it,
l then asked him if there YVES any.
thing be wished to say in reference to the
matter, and he replied That be had
intended writing q reply to it and asking
its publication both in the News aaa Cou.
rier and in the Press and Reporter, but
would be. pleased to avail himself Of
this opportunity to present the facts to
the public. He said
ITO begin with, the article signed
Democrat and headed Fair play de-
manded,' was written by some person un.
known to me, but evidently intended to
iniure me In the estimation of the public
for some ulterior object which the writer
had in view. That your readers may
understand it | will quote the portion OF
the article which refers to me, and
which is as follows:
"'I know nothing of the tanning pro-
cess, but few facts may be of interest to
the readers of the Press and Reporter.
Mr.. e. B.. Murray, of Anderson County,
was member Of the Legislature in 1882,
and WAS foremost in advocating the pass.
age of the bill creating a railroad COM
mission of three and giving them power
to protect the intetests of the people. at
tie session of 1883 this same gentleman
was leader in having the Act passed at
the previous session 80 amended as to
take away from the railroad commission
the power that had been granted them by
the Act of 1882. Some time in the early
part of 1883 Mr.. Murray had been elected
O director of the Columbia & Greenville
Railroad. don't pretend to say this
caused Mr.. Murray to make a flank
movement, but your readers can draw
their own conclusions
'"To put it in plain language, the writer
meanly insinuates that because was
elected director of the Columbia &
Greenville Railroad in 1883 ! changed
my vote as to the power of railroad conf
mission. This insinuation enlanates
either from ignorance or malice, as the
record will abundantly prove. In 1878 !
voted to establish the Office of railroad
commissioner. When it was proposed in
1872 to increase the commission to
three members moved and voted to
strike out the enacting words of the bill
(House Journal 1882, p. 939. In the
summer of 1882 the traffic managers Of
the railroads in this State met in Colum-
bia and raised the rates Of freight very
materially, and one of them assigned as
the reason that the State was making a
fine crop and tho people could afford
to pay more freight. This was Gn out
rageous principle, I thought, and I was
willing to meet such an aggression by the
experiment of extreme legislation. l
supported, in fact was charged with the
management of the bill in the House,
and made the best fight for it could.
The bill was passed.
"In the spring of 1888 l was requested
to accept the position of director OF the
Columbia g. Greenyille Railroad, and
after consulting several friends and
prominent business men in Anderson
(among them the Hon. B. f. Crayt ton,
Major P. K. McCully, Gen. w. W. Hum
phreys and the Hon. j. N. BROWN l
accepted the position. There was att that
time great rivalry between Anderson and
Greenville, and our railroad accommo
dations were very inferior to Greenyille's.
We had the mixed passenger and freight
trains, and our people were greatly dis
satisfied. The railroad commission gave
them no relief, and they expressed them
selves as glad 10 have an Anderson man
on the board, as Greenville had two
able gentlemen representing her interests
on the board. Shortly afterwards the
passenger and freight trains were aep.
Grated and the service on the Blue Ridge
division was considerably improved.
"In the following summer 1885, the
commission published their freight rates,
which increased greatly the rates OF
freight to all Of the up country towns, l
believe, except those towns along the Air
Line Railroad, certainly to all the towns
in the County | represented, from points
outside of the State. These rates were
injurious 10 our merchants, of course, but
they were especially injurious to all pro.
ducers and consumers. 1t knocked off
from every bale of cotton and added to
every pound of meat, barrel of flour, or
other commodities purchased either
North or West. When the Legislature
met in 1883 there was general demand
for the repeal of the law from nearly all
of the up country and interior towns.
The Anderson delegation consisted of
Senator John b. Moore and Representa-.
tives Clinkscales, Vandiver, Scudday and
Murray. The Anderson Board of Trade
sent to them the following preamble and
resolutions:
"Whereas the rates and regulations
established by the railroad com missioners
for tue State have resulted in incon ven.
ience and injury to our city and commu.
nifty at large; therefore, be it
Rcsolved That it is the sense of the
Board of Trade of Anderson, S. c., that
the said railroad commission should be
abolished, aud that our Senator aud Rep
resentatives be requested to advocate and
urge tue abolition of said commission,
aud, failing in this, then, that they advo
cate repeal of so much of the Act Great
ing said commission as authorizes them
to regulate freight and passenger rates !;
tbat
"Resolved farther, That copies of these
resolutions be- forwarded to our Senator
aud Representatives in Columbia, S. Q.
GA. 3. TOWERS,
"sPresident Board of Trade.
"See House Journal, 1883, p, IaS.
"The whole delegation, Senator and
Representatives, voted for the repeal of
the commissions power to fix raIes.
House Journal, 1883, PIP 240-251 Sen
ate Journal, p. 1861 I did not vote to
abolish the commission entirely, but did
favor taking away the power which had
proven injurious to my constituents
The commission fixed rates higher for
points in my section than wo had with.
out the commissions power. When it
was taken away our freights were lowered
by the railroads. In 1889 the Legislature
restored tho power to fix rates, and
freights here have not been reduced by
this power, so that it will be seen the
power has never benefited our people,
but injured them where it had any effect.
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