The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-11-25
THE. S.. AL.
The country Ia Congratulated on lis
Escape From the Mouth of the
GObbler.

From the Manu- facturers' Record. Baltimore,
Nd, November 18th, 1851
The failure of the New York people to Sc,
cure a controlling interest in the Seaboard
profound Thanksgiving. not only throughout
the South, but wherever there exists any In
terest in the future Of this section. That the
concentration OF ownership Of all railroads
In the central South in New York hands
would prove serious injury to this section,
and evantually to all Southern railroad Sc
curties, admits of no question. In the frst
place, competition Is essential to the best In
terests of the South: 1t Is essential to the sue.
cess of Its merchants, manufacturers and
farmers; II is essential to the best railroad
work for the upbuilding Of its Industrial re.
sources and the eneouragement OF linn im'gbai, fgbis
much needed competition. No railroad com,
pany In the country has done better ana
| broader work for the material adVancemeht
of the country tributary to it than mas ree
Seaboard II has, in fact, during the ,asG @ lnree
years. accomplished more along lts i,Voo niIrs it
! of territory than many roads have done VIII
| double or treble the milage: Unuer lts Pres-
ent management II mas as pe5e s5e Manufactur.
ers' Record has regarded 1ts prooaoG sa'e s,' Dc
menace to the prosperity of this section, even
,he nnrchase OF the Seaboard would have
heen regarded by the South as the gobnilng
| up of the last independent line north OF Al
ianta, and this would have given the polltl-
%
fighting-ground against railroads. 1t is safe
10 say that under such circumstances legisla.
tion would have been enacted In the centra!
South of vast Injury to all Southern railroad
securities and thus to all Southern business
interests. ~ H.
control, the Manufacturers Record has moth.
ately be said that the record OF the present
administration during the last three years OF
probably unequaled business depression Is
one Of which any company might be proud.
In that time this company has shown most
roads traffic, wonderful development OF
passenger service by the establish ment OF
through Pullman trains between washington
and Portsmouth and Atlanta, (Whereas ihree
years ago there were only local trains ana no
through passenger service) the establishment
OF Atlanta terminals, the enlargement OF
Portsmouth facilities with new warehouses;,
Raising of the standard OF the rolling stock
from a very nferior condition TO It's present t
| high grade with the best locomotives and
good cars, All these things have been done,
not. as is often necessary, at the expense OF
net earnings. On the contrary, during this
three year period the gross earnings nave
largely Increased, but better by lar than tnat
| is the fact that, Notwithstanding TINS very
great advance In the physical condition con
dition OF the road, the net earnings nave
made very large gain also.
| With the an louncement that the Seaboard
will continue as an Independent system, the
people of Baltimore and Of the South have
an opportunity to stand by this company ard
| make sure Of its perpetual independence py
giving 1t the most liberal tility 70 any other
company, nor out Of any hostility TO any
other company. nor out OF any senunnental t
consideration. but purely in self.detense for
the future. IL Is scarcely possible that any
other great railroad system between Baltl'
more and the central South will ever De
built The territory is practically occupied.
The concentration OF ownership OF exltlng
lines into one management would lor an tlme
make Baltimore and the territory from mere
| TO Atlanta dependent upon one management.
| It would be too late to fight, too late 10 com
plain of railroad domination, true or imagl-
nary, after that had been accomplished;
| There would be no room 1or announcer line anu
regarded without any question as 10 present
management OF other lines than the sea-
| boar. Their management might To-Day pe ae
helpful 10 the South as that OF she ssems aso 10
be more nearly perfect In that respect than
any other great systemD but tomorrow there
might come q change that would be destruc
tive TO trade between Baltimore ana tne
South and TO the now rapidly developing in
baltimore and the South must strive to
maintain Independent systems, or else they
| invoke dangers that may prove OF uutoid IN
| Jury. The Seaboard is independent up to
date, and the deal has evidently lalieu. NOW
| let Baltimore and the South make some Vlgo.
rous efforts TO see that the lndepenoeney oi
| this system and the transfer OF It's ownership
| to New York are forever impossible. This
way lies the safety offuture business Interests
of the territory between here and Atlanta.
Every bust ess man, merchant manufacturer
or property owner is vitality interested IN
this. Moreover, everyone interested IN
Southern railroad securities is equally con-
cerned, If he would perfer not to see legisla.
lation that would prove of injury TO every
business. Let the business people OF the
South see to 1t that this section In the future
as in the past has the benefit OF the compeu-
tion of independent railroad systems.