The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-03

The Rail Roads have been given special
privileges by our law makers and they have
made millions for their owners north and
elsewhere. What have our farmers made :?
Have we not shown our friendship to these
Roads by voting hundreds of thousands OF
dollars for their construction Take for eX-
ample one county that of SparianburS, she
voted subscription of three hundred or
more thousand dollars, and other counties,
towns and townships have given large sub
ScripiiODS.
II had Il correct estimate of all that our
people have subscribed and given in the way
of right OF ways to railroads, II would be so
enormous that il would almost scare you.
Does this not prove that there is no unfriend-
lIneSS tn the railroads! How many farms III
our own county are not paying expenses.
much less dividends, and yet their owners
only ask that these roads bear the equal bur
den of the taxes. am Il friend to railroads,
and hid God speed f0 every industry in South
Carolina. We could not do well without
them, but legislation is necessary. ] want IL
distinctly understood that ! believe in pro-
gross and pnSh am proud to say that rail-
road accOmm0datiOnSa are such that we can go
far in Il day as our fathers use To 20 In two
weeks. That the great capitol OF the United
States Is but days journey away. weeK Is
sufficient TO visit either of the great cities
Philadelphia, New York. Boston or New Or
leans. Who would not he proud OF such ac-
accomplishments and such institutions: Ihe
people may suffer from neglect, but these
great railroad syndicatcS are able anu ever
loOki ing after their own interests. They are
growing So powerful that legislation ana IL
close watch are necessary to keep them from
expressing the people. IL has been SAID that
corporations have no souls, and when we con-
slider The movements OF these great combln;l-
tiuns, their greed for money, not satisfied ny
hurrying their great engines with their
wcighty burdens to and fro for day and night
through the six days allotted to man for work
they have taken the holy sabbath day OF
resi-. and the keen shrek of whistles are made
tlh.lS h
and country. Where shall it, end?
Now as to banks. The Alliance Is RESPONSE
bile for the existence Of the Farmers Bank at
Abbcville, and they have been the means 0t
bringing into existence banks at other places.
Now they compose the bulk of the refOrnerS
aud wonld ask, does this look like hostility
to banks:
similar facts could be produced to show
that they oppose no institution or industry IN
the State. They tell you that the administers
ton is running the state, and they cite you 10
the CoCSaw case, attempting to show that the
State lost heavily by the loss Of royalty.
Well, what are the f;Icts i'm the case? The
CO0saw Company would not pay the royalty
demanded by the State. and as soon as the
Phosphate Commissioners licensed other
companies to dredGe in the COosaw River,
tins company claimed they had an indefinite
:eaSe and they appealed from our Courts To
the United StateS Court and got out an in
Junction 10 stop or prevent other companies
from dredging in the Coosaw River. Now.
what was TO be done? Must South Carolina
lay down her dignity and bow to Il little cor
poration? / say never, and our authorities
did right To fight IL out In the Courts and to
snow that favored corporations must bow TO
the laws of the State.
Would IL be wrong I'm me 10 say here that a
large element in tie opposing faction would
have sounded n note Of rejoicing, had the
Slate lost this case, as we'll as a majority Of
the press.
Would not this same element rejoice to see
South Carolina deeper in debt, and If poSsi-
bile disgrnced in order to lnjure the present
administration
Where were their sympathics and when did
they offer a word Of encouragement?
Have they not done all in their power to
full as they might have been, had they given
their sympathp in the stead Of abuse and crit
iciSm, as was their Christian duty.
We are told by some who want to rule that
the leading lawyers knew the Coosaw lease
had expired. What a pity these men did not
speak out before the courts said so, that their
wisdom might profit them some. But alas,
their sympathy was against the State and the
following facts stand out as true; the COoSaw
Company, the lawyers who defended IL and
those who were In sympathy with 1t. either
did not know the lease had expired or else
they wanted the State cheated out Of her
rights
Ii the State did lose little royalty for one
year the rocks are there and a chance for the
state TO make more yet than she lost. They
tell us the State will lose by her bonds going
mi abstraction.
There are several reasons and natural rca.
sons too why those bonds would go down.
One is, all bonds decrease in value as they ma
ture and all business men know this; anoth-
er is, men whom the people have honored and
given high positions in the ~tlte, have array
ed themselves against the administration
and have proclaimed H. far and near that the
State credit Is being ruined, these men are
responsible for any decrease III the value Oi
bonds II any one is responsible Gov. Tillman
knew before he took the reins of government
that he was goirg To meet opposition. in ad
ministering the affairs OF the State He knew
there were matters To be looked into that had
been allowed to stand SO long and that when
he touched the interests OF these bonds, they
would give Il bitter fight.
II there Is Il class Oi people on the face OF the
earth who need sympathy and encourage
.nent IL is the farmers. Upon his shoulders
rest the corner stones OF every industry In
the land, and when over production comes
where are the protective laws? 4 brighter
day is dawning upon them, they are demand
ing their rights and wilt get them us soon as
they will have quelcd the terrible opposition
that is trying TO force them out OF politics.
The bitterness of two years ago was caused
by the struggle to break down The refOrmerS
movement, and the bitter fight going on In
the State today Is for the same purpose. !
would not advocate any one class ruling the
government. nor would | arraign one class
against another, but that this old ring or club
way OF dniug things be ever done away with,
and every man, no matter what his calling,
have an equal saying.
This is fife and death struggle with them to
get in and rule again. DO your duty from now
until :Dth OF August and then every man of
you east your vote Tor the Tilman electors
and for good representatives and two years
hence the opposition Will have no where To
go. but with You.
They tel you they are your friends. but
they promise you nothing. They tell you Of
the faults of your rulers, bat they fail TO show
you n single thing they could better. They
tell you they would let railroads and other
corporations doas they please, at least that is
the inference. They say they would induce
capital 10 come into the Stale, but they do
not tell you what inducements they have to
OFFER. II may be they would exempt them
from taxation for Il series OF years and then
yon would have their taxes to pay.
Now my fellow citizens. am before you n
canddaic Tor the Legislature. If you think l
have NJ heart the interest of South Carolina
and Abbeville county, and that a." cOmpe-
tent la meet the responsibilities of the Office.
would thank you for your support, If you
decide to the contrary and think hat would
not represent the whole people, ] will stay
ut home and 20 to work with as mnch grace
fulness as you ever saw.
Speech of Hon. T. a. Graham.