The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-11-26

| oodiu Will continue as an lnOepenOen.
dent system gives the people of Balti,
more and Of the South an opportunity
to stand by this company and make
sure of its perpetual independence by
giving it their most liberal support.
"This need not be done with any
hostility toward the other companies.
The concentration Of ownership OF ex-
lstlng lines into one management
would for all time make Baltimore and
the territory from here 10 Atlanta de-
pendent upon one management. II
would be too late to fight; too late tc
complain of railroad domination, true
or imaginary, after that had been &C.
complished.
"There would be no room for an.
other line and none would be built.
This matter should be regarded with
out any question as to present manage
ment Of other lines than the Seaboard.
Their management might to-day be
as helpful to the South as that of the
Illinois Central now is (the Illinois
Central seems to be more perfect in
that respect than any other system)
but tomorrow there might come a
change that would be destructive to
trade between Baltimore and the
South, and the now rapidly developing
interests of that section. Baltimore
and the South must strive to maintain
independent systems, or else they
might invoke dangers that may prove
of untold injury. The Seaboard is in
dependent up to date and the deal has
evidently failed. Now let Baltimore
and the South make some vigorous ef-
forts to see that the independency OF
this system and the transfer of its own
ership to New York are forever impos-
slble. This way lies the safety of the
future business interests of the territory
between here and Atlanta. Every
business man, merchant, manufacturer
or property owner is vitality interested
In this. Moreover everyone interested
in Southern railroad securities is equal
ly concerned, ifhe would prefer not to
see legislation that would prove of in
jury to every business. Let the bust
ness people of the South see to it that
this section in the future as in the past
has the benefit of the competition of
indepenpent railroad system
"The failure of the New York peo-
pie to secure the controlling interest
in the Seaboard Air Line should cause
profound thanksgiving, not only
throughout the South, but in the inter.
est of the future of this section. That
Tic LUiiICutia.io.- ~' ~----t:r Ia
railroads in the central South in New
York hands would prove serious in
jury to this section, and eventually to
all Southern railroad securities, admits
of no question. In The first place, COM
petition is essential to the best interest
of the South; it is essential to the sue
cess of its merchants, manufacturers
and farmers; it is essential to the best
railroad work, to the upbuilding OF its
industrial resources and the encourage
ment of immigration. The Seaboard
Air Line has given this much-needed
competition. No railroad in the coun-
try has done better and broader work
for the material advancement of the
country tributary to it than has the
Sea5oard. In the second place, the
purchase of the Seaboard would have
been regarded by the South as the COB
bling up of the last independent line
north of Atlanta, and this would have
given the politicians of the Populist
party new fighting ground against
railroads. 1t is safe to say that under
such circumstances legislation would
have been enacted to the vast injury
of all Southern securities and thus to
all Southern business interests.