The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-07
Wednesday, July 7, 1897.
South Cardinals Bad Faith.

South Carolina's Bad Faith.
E. B. Wester Of New York has gained the
Agricultural Hall case again, and 1t seems
that the State Of South Carolina stands in a
fair way to be made TO pay the honest debts
which were repudiated twenty years ago.
Before the war The State of South Carolina
engaged largely in public enterprises. The
State, to encourage internal improvements
guaranteed q number Of railroad bonds and
also commenced the construction Of the
State House, OF which our people are proud.
To raise money for the State House bonds
were issued. All this mind you. was before
the war.
Since the war the Republicans increased
the State debt.
The Republicans conceived the Idea of Is.
suing Blue Ridge Bond Scrip. With this
scrip the State OF South Carolina secured the
settlement OF her various obligations for the
different railroads.
When the settlement OF the States liability
TO the railroads had been effected by the use
Of Blue Ridge Scrip. suit was brought into the
Court testing the legality or constitutionality
of the Blue Ridge Scrip. The Court decided
that this Scrip was not valid, n 80 the
State of South Carolina paid her valid debt
with paper that was worthless. No effort ha
been made to keep faith with those who
trusted the States sincerity in the effort to
pay her debts.
About that time 1t was discovered that the
total debt of the State was eighteen millions
About one-tbird Of this sum was repudiated
outright, and as fraud was suspected in the
remaining twelve millions, the Legislature
determined to settle that debt at fifty cents on
the dollar.
In that settlement all the valid debts OF the
State were included, and shaved down..
Among other debts which were scaled were
the State House bonds, and all debts which
were due TO the Republican officers OF the
State.
In 1876 Judge Cook, left the ranks Of the Re.
publican party and joined the Democrats In
their efforts to overthrow the party which
had put him in Office. He first made the an.
nouncement OF the change OF his political
faith at Abbsville Court House before an Inn.
mense mass meeting. He te~legraphed to the
chairman Of the meeting to hold the meeting
until the arrival Of the three-o'clock train, so
that a Republican could be heard. His
opinions were not known. When he %announc-
ed himself for Hampton and Home Rule
every mouth answered with q yell that made
Secession Hill ring.
The Democrats were successful, as every
body knows. One of the first acts OF the De.
mocracts was to 90 TO recognized Supreme
Court and ask that the places OF the Circuit
Judges be declared vacant because Of inform.
ality In their election. The Courts put out
all OF the Circuit Judges. The Democratic
Legislature elected new Judges-relegating
Judge Cook TO private life. At that time the
State OF South Carolina owed Judge Cook q
large sum as salary for past services. The
great and proud State OF South Carolina re-.
fused to pay the salary OF Judge Cook. un-
less he would take fifty cents on the dollar for
his claim. This Judge Cook refused. and, we
are told. that the State Of South Carolina un-
der Democratic rule, has kept every cent of
the amount which was due to Cook.
The fine State House Of which the whole
people of South Carolina under different cir
c~nmstances would feel proud, should stand as
a monument to the dishonesty Of the people
OF the great State Of South Carolina. Fifty
per cent OF the bonds which were sold TO
3oaSo USaOy = ~ puilu i mClC q
padiated, and confiding citizens were robbed
under the forms of law. The officers OF the
sovereign State of South Carolina, so TO
speak, made the citizen stand and deliver.
The same sovereign State refuses TO let the
robbed citizen have an opportunity TO test
his right In the Courts.
In matters Of none we presume that no
State In the Union has q darker, or more
shameless stain on It's record than has South
Carolina, which cheated every creditor, and
which refuses to allow honest creditors to
60 into court.
1t is all right and proper for the State to de-
fend itself against any and all claims that
may be set up, but when it refuses to let
creditors test the validity OF their claims,
the act can be defended on no other principle
than that might makes right.
A State with as unsavory q record as
South Carolina has should be required to
divest itself OF its sovereignty as TO its future
bonds before they could to be listed in the
markets Of the world.
In every utterance which Senator Tillman
makes in reference to the Agricultural Hall
he expresses fears OF the result OF allowing
WV JAZZ Asiaso SSiiP " SeI luto CouTC. ne
knows that Wesley's claims are just, and he
is obliged 10 know that the people should be
made TO pay his claim.
Speaking for this newspaper. we are glad
that Wesley has gained that much, and we
hope to see the day when the integrity and
honesty Of South Carolina will be fully vindi-
Gated.
We haven't the records before US OF which
we speak, but we believe the statements
above are facts.