The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-09-08
TARIFF FOR COTTON.
IMPORTANT ACTION OF THE RAIL-
ROAD COMMISSION.

Short and Long Haul on the south Caro-
lima and c., N. s L. Roads "A Fertilizer
Tariff Conference Called.
COLUMBIA, S. G., Sept. 3.-The
State Board of Railroad Commissioners
was in session all day yesterday and
again last night and the meeting was
certainly the most important that the
board has held in some months. Among
the results of the meeting was the fix
ing of standard tariff on cotton and a
call for conference with the phosphate
manufacturers In regard to fertilizer tar
IFS for next season.
The board met at their office in this
city yesterday morning and at once be-
gau a hard days work. The frat mat
ter considered was that of the freight
tariff of the South Carolina and Co,um-
bia, Newbcrry and Laurens railroad.
BY invitation President w. G. Childs,
of the Columbia, Ncwberry and I.aurens
road, and General Manager g. M. Ward,
of the South Carolina, and their attor-
ney, Joseph w. Barnwell, Esq, were
present, as was also Attorney General
Pope, IN behalf Of the commission. The
question was as to the requirements of
-SSSioh Ito Va UilS al CluJulCS III
reference to the leasing of railroads and
providing that when two roads COM
bined the shOrter.and longer hauls were
regulated by law. That Is, to say, the
leasing road had authority to make the
tariff uniform. Through Mr.. Barnwell
the railroad men admitted that this was
correct Interpretation of the law, but
asked the commission to so construe the
YNrnUion nf l,n r>y 10 ,>la
the matter in their discretion conjointly
separate tariffs for the roads. In other
words, the South Carolina officials
wanted to retain the tariff already fixed
by them on the Columbia, Newberry
and Laurens Road.
The Attorney Ger al orally an
nounccd his oplnion,S nich Is embodied
in the following opinion he subsequently
handed to the commission.
The opinion is addressed to "Messrs.
ID. L. Duncan, chairman; e. =. Jervey
and II. II. Thomas. composing the rail-
road commission of South Carolina, Co.
lumbia, S. CO., and reads as follows:
GENTLEMEN: l herewith give you
my opinion on two questions submitted
to your commissions:
l. What Is the effect of the lease of
the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens
Railroad by the South Carolina Rail-
way, in view of Section 1443 of the GEN
eral Statutes, SO far as the regulation of
freight on leased roads is concerned?
Unquestionably the section in ques-
ton requires that leased road shall be
operated and controlled so that it shall
charge or receive no greater compensa-
ton for carrying, receiving, storing, tor
warding or handling articles of the same
character or description for shorter
Than a longer distance tor one continu.
Gus carriage; and such construction Of
the section in question is admitted by
the railroad authorities here concerned.
2. Does the proviso appended to Sec
tion l443 OF the General Statutes by act
OF 1887, amendatory thereof, authorize
the railroad commission of this State,
in their discretion, conformity with the
SAID corporations, to liX different rates
of toll in compensation for freight traffic
on each of said hitherto independent
lines or divisions?
In my answer to this question | state
that this section of the general railroad
law of the State deals with the subject
ofrates freight traffic on one continuous
line, so as to prevent greater charge or
compensation for shorter than a longer
distance, and directs that contract by
lease or otherwise by one railroad of
another, shall so operate as to make the
two or more railroads one continuous
line; and the Section as found In the
General Statues remained without altcra-
ton frort 1882 TO 1887. But during the
latter year the general assembly added
Il prOvisO to that section that reads as
follows:
Provided, further, That if one cor
poration shall use, operate or otherwise
control, wholly or IN part, several lines
or divisions of hitherto independent
railroads, within the State, the commits
sion may, in their discretion, fix differ
ent rates of toll or compensation for
freight traffic on each Of the said hitherto
independent lines or divisions"
BY this amendment the general as-
sembly of this State have so changed
the powers of your commission that it
is perfectly legitimate for you to so act,
bearing in mind, however, that the pro-
viso does not direct your commission to
so act, but simply vests you with dis
cretionary powers in the premises. Very
respectfully, vi. POPE,
Attorney General.
No final action was taken by the
board.
STANDARD COTTON TARIFF ADOPTED.
The matter of fixing standard tariff
on cotton which shall govern all the
railroads in the State was discussed all
tho afoS""Oon, and in the evening the
board adjOuried without having reached
any conclusion\pn the matter, being of
80 much Importance. Last night, how
ever, another meeting was he'd, and it
was decided so fix standard ratc in
order to adjust the cotton croD for the
present season. AT the conclusion Of
the meeting last night Chairman Dun
can, OF the board, said: ~ have de-
cided that we will adopt Il standard
tariff far all roads doing BIZ IL as In the
State, but cannot yet say what it will
be. Heretofore there has been separate
tariff for each road, and the adoption
of this means the equalizing of the rates
to all points in the State-thc putting
of all on an equal basis. 1t will reduce
the tariff on some roads very consider
ably"
a FERTILIZER TARIFF CONFERENCE.
During the morning the matter of
Phosphate or fer ,ilzer and cotton tariffs
was taken up. A committee from the
Globe Phosphate Company consisting of
President IIuiet, Superintendent Robert
n, l,tn ta1