The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-11-18

lum ota "HnouC asS'g0lug any Vallu rea-
son aud without considering the CON-
para'ive costs Of production at the two
points arbitrarily created diferentlal
of II per cent 10 favor of tbe interior
mills At ooe of our conferences the
secretary of our Board stated that he
sold so or 60 thousand dollars worth Of
fertilizers. [ asked him from what
point lie replied from Columbia.
referred you to Section 1926 G. s..
which forbids Railroad Commissioners
from owning any stock or bocds of any
railroad aod then make rates for that
road |. stated that | saw our secretary
u.ake this rate aod that it was certainly
against the spirit of the law for the
secretary to make rates to enable him to
sell fertilizer at profit Of l I per cent
above his competitors. Tbs Charleston
manufacturers have come before US with
just complaint The discrimin asive
rate made b. this Board have shut
these complaiuauts out of the most de-
sirahle territory 10 this State, and have
closed up some Of their mills.
The most offensive aod dangerous Of
all discrimin atious 10 transportation is
the preferential rate, that is. a rate
that will destroy the business Of one
community aud build up another.
That one community should be given an
arbitrary advantage over another in the
supply Of common necessity like fer
tilizer is repuguant to every notion of
equality, is offensive to the rudest con-
ceptons of justice. and above all it is
diametricaliJ opposed by the laws Of
our State.
The II per cent advantage which
this rate has given Columbia and An
derson will ultimately close every one
of the Charleston mills aud transfer the
fertilizer business into the interior or
into some other (
The Charleston lDa.afaeturers have
spent millions of dollars 10 develop
ing the fertilizer industry and have paid
great sums of royalty iuto the State
treasury. In theiuteress Of the State, 10
the interest Of fair play and in obedience
to law their plant should be protected
from these unjust and discriminative
rates. Equal rights should be accorded
them and no special privileges be grant,
ed their competitors.
OF what avail are industry, enter
prise. integrity or any Of the qualities
which lead to success if one competitor
is given II per cent. advantage over
another? In such case the race is not
to the swift nor the battle to the strong,
but to the one whose freight rates are
lowest. I hope my resolution will meet
the approval Of the Board sud that
you will join me in the endeavor to fix
''just aud reasonable" rate that will
be Just alike to the railroads. the ferti-
| lizer manufacturers AID to the farmers.
Chairman Evans offered the follow
ing. which being adopted. made the
resolution read:
Il move that Board of Railroad
Com missoneas invite the traffic man
ayers Of the several railroads and the
fertilizer men from each of the mills 10
the State and representatives of all or
ganized bodies of farmers as we'll as
individual consumers whe are interest
ed in this important question to assist
US in fixing a just and reasona-
BILE rate, if the present rate IS
found to be unjust and unreasonable,
making such adjustment as commercial
changes require, if such adjustment
aud changes be found necessary to pre-
serve cur territory to our factories and
our mines, and to give the people the
beud6t of healthy and equitable COM
petition. /"
Mr.. Wilborn offered the following
amendment, which was, however, re-
jected:
Resolved. That the said investi.
CATION on fertilizers be held With a
view Of reducing the joint rates north of
Columbia. S. G.