The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-12-08
M'BEE AS AN ORATOR.
A Strong Speech Against Confiscation
of the Railroads.


of the Railroads.
COLUMBIA, s. c., Dec. ". E. McBee,
superintendent Of the Charlotte. Columbia
and Augusta, Western North Carolina and
Columbia and Greenville divisions of the
Richmond and Danville system made SEN
sationaI speech before the Senate railroad
committee tonight against Senator Will
sons railroad bill. The bill requires sched-
ules to be made and operated, depots and
warehouses to be designed and built, freight
and passenger rates to be fixed,
moneys to be apportioned and
contracts between roads to be approved by
the commission. 1t gives entire control of
all railroad property and the Interpretation
and the enforcement Of the law to three
commissioners.
Col. McBee said it looked as IL we were
coming to point where the legislature is
to say that the only regulation is by con-
1scation, and the only protection for the
people is in the persecution of those who
try to serve them. The railroads have fol-
lowed policy of silence and patient SUBJ
mission, but it seems as IL this has not
secured for them even the mercy OF decent
respect for their rights. The bill is filed
with explosives; andpoisons. Dynamite
with fixed fuses and arsenic in the bread
pan are mild mixtures and harmless COM
pared with the principal provisions in this
measure.
THE ESSENCE OF COMMUNISM.
They are the very essence Of communism,
taking property from she control of its
owners by main force. But the communism
does not propose to benefit the public by
division OF the property seized. This legis-
larion contemplates, not division for the
general good bus destruction. 10 Is more
like anarchy. My God, my friends, l ap-
peal to you in behalf Of bankrupt institu-
tions not to give your approval TO this
act" He asked that the roads be given q
living chance. II the bill passed il would
cause CONSERVATION In financial circles, fol-
lowed by endless litigation for the state
and the people. He sketohed the condition
of the southern roads. showing that for years
they had been barely able to survive.
''Nearly every railroad in the state is now
in the hands Of a receiver. This bill lie
closely modelled on the Georgia law and we
may reasonably expect that under it all of
our roads will soon be in the same fix as
those of Georgia, for the last one In the
state has Just Succombed and fallen into the
waiting arms of the United State courts.
ORIGIN OF THE COMMISSION.
This whole railroad commission business
was started as q part Of political provender,
but 1t has grown into q machine for prop
erty oppression, and now you are asked to
make it an instrument of c0nfscation It 10
suits Of all we have done may be destroyed
as completely by our own people as IL Gen.
Sherman himself was again al work. You
expose as as far as you eau 60 lynch law
without the possibility of a trial, or even
the satisfaction of a coroner's inquest over
the remains If that bill passes and be-
comes law it will drive one more blade
into the credit OF our state, and Just nov
while her credit is lettering, l ask you 30
pause, think and stop class legislation and
factional politics and let every true South
Carolinian rise 30 the Importance Of the
hour and stand by Gov. Tillmsn and his
administration In his efforts to refund the
state debt, for any South Carolinian who
would undertake to repudiate or prevent an
honorable extension OF ner outstanding
bonds should be branded as . bastard TO her
SOIL"
Maj. Ganahl Of Augusta spoke against
the bill as being unconstitutional.
Maj. Ganahl hit the bill some hard ticks.
He said the powers it contemplated giving
the railroad commission were inquisitorial
and tyrannical. Il was unconstitutional 20
deny the railroads the right Of appeal 70 the
circuit courts and he intimated that II
goaded too far the roads would resork to the
federal courts.
TO BE REPORTED FAvoRABLY.
COLUMBIA, 8. c., Dec. 8, l A. M-The
committee after midnight decided to make
a favorable report on the bill and recon-
mended elimination Of the power of the
railroad commissioners TO make schedules.