The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-03-24

liesday, Governor Tillman last night sent
a letter embodying the views of the
board to the Coosaw Company. The
letter is as follows:
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER. }
| COLUMBIA, March 10, 1891.
Mr.. Robert Adger, Chief Manager of
ton, s. C.-DEAR SIR: Your letter of
March IL came duly to hand and was
submitted to the Board of Phosphate
Commissioners yesterday. We also held
a conference with Mr.. Smythe, your
representative, in which the questions
at issue were fully and freely discussed.
There are in this case two main objects
to which the Phosphate Commission
must direct its attention in order to
guard the States rights and interests.
The issue is not whether the Coosaw
right to exclusively occupy the territory
in Coosaw River" as you say, but:
First-Whether the State has now or
shall ever have power to raise the royal
ty on phosphate rock.
Second-Whether the monopoly which
would thus practically be given to the
Coosaw Company shall be continued. If
the Coosaw Company has Contract"
with the State ofSouth Carolina to per-
petually mine our richest deposits at one
dollar a ton, it is idle to think of
increasing the royalty as against the
miners outside of that river; and If the
monopoly hitherto possessed by the
Coosaw Company, by means of which it
has practically absorbed the Sea Island
Chemical Company and the Oak Point
Company, shall be allowed to continue,
it is only question Of time when the
other three companies will be forced to
suspend operations or be likewise alb
sorbed.
The main question is as to the right to
increase royalty; for our observation of
the mining around Beaufort has led us to
believe that exclusive rights are not
detrimental to the States interests, and
that it would be best for the State and
for the miners were all the mining done
by one company. / would call your at
allow us the use of one of your dredges
with which to test and make examina-
tion Of the territory hitherto occupied
by you could not be accepted, because
the offer involved the payment by the
State of the running expenses Of the
same, and promised SO little practical
knowledge that we did not feel author
lied to make such expenditure. Whether
there Is much or little rock in CoCsaw
ItlVer IL nOC at present matter Tor our
consideration; whether there is q varia-
tion in grade which requires the peculiar
skill possessed by your superintendent
to mine profitably is not the issue.
The rninous lawsuit which your Com
pany has inaugurated and the tenacity
with which 1t fights for their territory
will rather influence mems opinions as
to its value. 1t was our desire and hope
to have saved the company from such
loss and the State decrease of revenue.
But the question by your act has to be
decided by the courts, and neither the
dignity nor welfare of the State could be
maintained, as we see it, had we agreed
to the proposal you made.
Realizing how heavy must be the loss
to your Company In deterioration OF
plant aud disorganiZation of labor we
would further suggest that pending
the lawsuit you take a license to mine
outside of the disputed territory along
with the other companies which have
been driven out of Coosaw by the in.
junction of the United States Court, as
1T is possible that you may thus make
running expenses. This is not disin.
terested suggestion but 1t is made in
good faith. Yours respectfully,
B. r.. TILLMAN,
| Governor and Chairman of the Board OF
Phosphate Commissioners.