The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-02-22
WHY THIS WARFARE9
Is There Just Cause for the AntaSo'
nisms which Exist Between the
Railroads and the People?

| the arbitrary ana dictatorlal manner IL
which the people OF this country are treateu
We presume that 1t will not be denied that
there does exist in the minds of some OF our
people dislike, Or even bitter hatrod'-oi
Admit the fact, do your II so, then there
must be cause Nothing exists without
cause. Can we not find that cause?
| In the first place, the people and the corpo-
ration get up an excitement on the subject OF
building railroad. The railroad folk come,
as sweet AS peaches and cream, asking FOR the
right Of way across the farms OF people aroaS oaG
| and are delighted with the politeness and
promises Of the seeker Of the rights OF way,
and under these circumstances, thousands OF
landowners In this State have yielded valua'
BILE franchise, without consideration, and CIV
en- the railroad an easement on their lano,
which gives the railroad every thing except
the right to pay taxes. Where the rlgnt n on o,
each side OF the track, a strip OF two hundred
feet Is cut through the land. or at the rate OF
twelve acres to the mile. In askin the right
| line In one place, when II is In fact located
elsewhere. When the contractors come
| along, they are in no way bound TO respect
the Obligations OF me man % r Wn9 ma maze 90 tbev
may either curse or Kick the grantor OF the
valuable franchise.
The grantor of the right of way virtually
gives titles TO the road, while leaving the pa
heirs and assigns, must pay taxes on the land
forever. II 1t runs for one mile through his
land, he has parted with twelve acres. ana
bound the remainder Of the inrm for the taxes
on that twelve acres for all time TO come:
/ 1t will thus be seen that the war with the
people begins as soon as the railroads nave Sc
small farm may have a "deep cut" or a ''big
ILL.," whereby his little farm is divided,
He and his stock must cross the road IN 60
ing from his house TO the other part OF the
farm aud be subjected to the constant fear OF
being killed by passing train:
| If his stock should get killed, how often DO
the roads refuse to pay for them? -.
going into law with claimants against the
road and often do not pay even simple de-
mand without going into Court: Our people
been at Abbevile, for nearly every term Of
the Court for years, and they, know whether
the roads pay the claims which are made
against them, and which claims the juries
have decided were just.
| Ask a railroad lawyer why simple ar plain
demands against the railroads are not paid,
and see II he doesn't say that 1t would estab-
| lish precedent.
Let the public say whether the railroads
pay for killed stock, lost freight, and damaged
goods In transit. Doesn't the records OF our
Courts and the verdlcts OF our juries prove
doesn't the verdicts Of the juries 60 TO show
that the railroads withheld money which
| they justly owed?
| we allow LQ6 T0aQ6T LO sHy uOW tuduy VI
how few cases the railroads win. The roads
have lawyers hired by the year. and If they
didn't resist somebody's claim where would
their occupation go?-
The Irritation goes on. The railroads are
less considerate and less obligiDg to the peo-
pie whom they now begin TO regard as enc
j mies The people begin TO chafe under the
recollection that either they or some ancestor
foolishly or wisely undertook 10 pay the taxes
ON the railroad land, and that they are sub
jected TO perpetual annoyance. The poor far.
mer sees the splendid train flying over the
lands upon which he pays taxes, and feels
that he Is subject 10 more or less contumacy
by the little railroad tyrants, each one OF
whom may regard himself as the owner Of
The railroads join combines by which indi-
vidual roads are excluded or denied the privi-
lege of granting even a trifling favor 10 little
Communities or to single individuals along
the line.
Long ago the owners OF the old roads found
pretexts for giving the peocie occasional free
rides over their lines. Stoc, holders had the
privilege Of al annual ridn, and special ar.
tion, and on special occa ,ions the people,
looking upon the roads as eng friendly, ask
ed and received favors OF the road, which
might be granted without expense.
Then suits against railroads were almost
unheard of. Unfriendly legislation did not
exist They were enabled TO get more favors
than any other corporation for the simple rea-
son that the railroads were owned by home
folk, who treated their neighbors with kind
ness and respect. -.
Then the officers of the road were liberal In
petitions for avors to the people
come about. The roads seem TO regard the
public as their enemy and they have treated
the people In such way as 10 create antago-
nisms which are Improbable 10 the people,
and ruinous to the roads.
| We all remember how the Greenville and
Columbia Railroad treated the people Of Alb
beville village for yea before the building of
p.,I-
We now see the altered condition OF things
since the new ruad has come. We get new
track. new cars. new depot, and q side track
10 the oil mill. But, bent OF all, we get reason.
We ali know more or less about the recent
higher assessment by the State officers, and
the refusal OF the railroads to pay their as
sessment Of taxes.
cases. and Without caring one cent one way or
the other, as to what the result may be, we
think we risk nothing in saying that the rail-
roads are primarily responsible for the war
fare which Is now being waged ON them.
| The railroads touch the people in so many
ways, and their officers have almost invaria-
bly, acted as agitatorS and promoters of strife
and stirrers up Of ill-feeling, that no other re-
And as far as our Information and impress
sion 60, the railroads have precious little
sympathy, whether their assessment OF taxes
Is just or not. 49,.
The railroads might Just as we'll be little
conciliatory TO the people. The people are
the masters of this country, and they inte nd
TO rule 1t, and the railroads, too.
| They will never consent for strangers and
aliens to rule them with an Iron rod, no mai
ter II they employ an army OF lawyers.
| With an array Of legal talent, and an inex-
haustible treasury TO support them, they may
defeat, beat down and crush out single indi-
viduals, as they may have done In the past,
but when they attack the State of South Caro-
lima, and propose TO trample under foot the
Government ITSELF they will find foeman
worthy Of their steel. :.
| If the Courts, as now organized, do not sus-
tain them, the people elect Legislators to en-
act laws, and they may takea notion TO elect
Judges who will not obstruct their enforce
ment.
Selfpreservation Is the first law OF nature,
and The railroads might Just as well under
stand the fact early as late, that even long.
suffering people will kick when trampled up.
on too long.
There is no reason based on common sense
or good Judgment, why the people and the
roads should not be friendly. 1t would be to
their mutual advantage, and II the railroads
would spend half the time and half the mon
ey In max ing friends of the people that they
now spend in trying to defeat the unfrIendly
legislation which their own acts have brought
about, they would make money, get along
more pleasantly with their customers, and
we would hear no more OF unjust taxes, un-
friendly laws, and no more distrust Of the
people. Great corporations. like great men,
ought to live in the hearts Of their country.
men. The people, as q rule, Will do right, II
they are not provoked TO do wrong, and they
will rectify wrong If proper presentations
are made to them.