The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-12-30

set the editor of the Co:toa Plaut to
bounding me? Why should it Offend
the Commission for me to quote our 9th
cial public record? These records belong
TO the people and are the ooly means by
which the people cau fairly Judge the
faithfuloess and loyalty of their public
servants
Editor Cant: says: "Commissloner
Evans plasters toe back of this mao
Who waots to tax US for the railroads .
Neither Commissioners Evans nor CAN'T
ever quoted any records TO show where
Thomas ever once entered ioto any
trade with the railroad or ever once
committed himself to any fertilizer
dealer, and defy them to do it.
My last speech forced the Commission
to obey the law on the Seabord Air
Line and to reduce the rate from $3.50
to s. 80 The S. A. Line has been
working the illegal rate Of S. so for
one season and the people along that
line have complained to the Coumls-
sion aud have been turned away with
ous satisfaction. We bad complaint
from the following gentlemen: Sim
mons Bros. Cross Hill, S. c.: R q
Wright, Clinton, S. c.: E. G. Briggs,
Lynn. S G.; Clinkscales. Kay & Co.,
Mt. Carmel. S. G.; LIB. Jeter, Santuc,
S. c.. W. C. Razer, Cross Hill, S. c.
The rates fixed by the Com mission
whether just or not are Law and should
be enforced. The people on the S. A.
Line haye been imposed on because that
road has been allowed to collect So go
all through the So 80 territory for one
whole season after the reduction of the
rate.
In Commissioners Evans's Congress
sional District territory the Atlantic
Coast Line records prove that be made
blanket rate where none existed be-
fore and the records of our Office show
that 20 such rate as be fixed could pos
sibly be figured by any rale ever adopt
ed 10 this Commission, to which be
made me party without my knoWl-
edge or consent My speech forced
the Commission to comply with the law
which Commissioners Evaos claims to
have had passed and which he allowed
to remain dead letter on the statute
book and allowed the Atlantic Coast
Line to work the $3.50 rate 10 that
territory for a whole season when the
Law fixed the rate as between 81 20
aud $3.50. This proves that the edi-
tor of the Cotton Plant knows some-
thing .of willful and malicious perver
sions CT truth :"
I am interested 10 the Cotton Plant
and want to see its pages devoted to
the farm aud not to boosting poli.i-
clans. The Commission degraded the
Cotton Plant from its high plane of
"equal rights to all and special privi-
leges to none" when it scot our secrc
tary to write 40 editorial commendiog
for the fertilizer reduction
and Mr.. Can't is degrading it when he
as its editor condescepds to personal
abuse aud converts what ought to be
the farmers paper Into the moa'hpiece
Of set of politicians. am an Ali
auce man and a stakeholder io the Cot
ton Plant. I therefore deem it 90 i'm
pertinence to inquire Of Editor CAN'T
to hold up his hand and tell US bow
much money has been contributed by
Messrs Evans. Wilborn aod Duncan
this year to the Cotton Plant The
people can see that all 'he "Simoo
pure" farmers are ous of it, and they
ought to koow if they are subscribing
to a farm journal or to sheet for
boosting politicians.
n r. THOMAS.