The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-12-27
THOMAS MAKES
SERIOUS CHARGES.
The Ex-Railroad Commis-
siorer Begins a Book OF
Revelations.
Charges Of Incompesency and Ras-
cailty Against His Late Asso-
clates--Che Governor Called
on to Take a Hand.
cnarses Of Incompecency and Ras-
Wedge6eld, Dec Is, 1899.
on to Take a Hand.

the rallrOa0 commission 1Ol tue Te.
duction of the cotton rate. | was
surprised when l learned that the
article was written by one of Sum-
ter's moat Intelligent representatives
The argument used was rehash OF
what the commission had to say of
themselves. 1t was also somewhat
OF a rebuke to me, for | have repeat
edly declared that the Board of Rail
road Commissioners are an utterly
incompetent body, and believe /
can show this by the cotton rate
which so delighted "Sumter Farm
er" On page ~ railroad commits
sioners' report 1891, "Commissioner
Thomas advocated and tried to re
duce the cotton rate to which the
majority would not agree y At that
time the net income of all tie rail
roads was s2,23s,5 $40 u, and the
price of cotton was about 5 cents
This same majority reduced the cot
ton rate in 1899 when the net income
of all the railroads was S2.162.7lS
o4, aud the price of cotton is cents
Now, why refuse to reduce the rate
on cotton when the railroads could
better stand the reduction and the
people were more in need OF 1t
The answer is that one of the MAORI
tv is now a candidate for reelection
and desires to commend himself to
the people If this is fact, is it
not true, that the people have been
swindied out of two years reduced
rate on cotton to suit the political
convenience of the msjority faction
of the board !? 1t lie the duty of
"Sumter Farmer to find out the
facts from the records sent to the
legislature since he is the peoples
representative in that body.
The board fixed standard cotton
rate. that is, the same rate for every
road. The law says, "The board
shall make just aud reasonable rate
for each road doing business IN tie
State - The records of 1898 snow
that the S. C. & Ga railroad made
ret Income Of s39S. .S2S TO- white
another corporation, the Carolina
Midland, made net income of Sl4.-
92l 45 The S G & G bauied
1904 tons one mile, and the G
Midland hauled $3.50 tons one mile
Did the board execute the law when
they fixed the same rate for this
poor road as for the ricn one 1t
would be indeed instructive 20 know
how these widely different figures
could be made to produce the saEe
result OF rate What would "Sumter
Farmer" think of the taxing power
of this county If they ve:e TO :sz
every citizen of the county the same
regerdlees Of the diffaren, condi
tions !? This is what the Board CT
Railroad Commissioners have done,
for which assinity Sumter law
maker praises them
What is the result OF this rate
making (? 1t forces the stronger 10
gobbie up ali the weaker roads. 1t
destroys competition and forces CON-
bipation to the detriment of every
farmer and business man 10 the
State
Sometime ago Sumter felt the need
of competition, and the citizens
secured connection with the S G.
& G. railroad. before it's completion
the Southern railway owned both
of them, and the people who put ln
their time, rights of way, &c. are
lost in the shuttle, aud Sumter is
without competition, for nobody ls
green enough to suppose that the
Southern railway and the Atlantic
Coast Line would fight for frelghis
which they Can pool
All railroad intelligence agree that
Competition ia impossible where
combination is possible /" A stand.
ard cotton rate is illegal, injurious,
absolutely foolish and proof of in
competency
have taken advantage of "Sum
ter Farmers" communication for
personal privilege He said "lt IS
said that the railroad commissioners
do nothing but draw their salaries
I don concur in this view Nei
their do l. for know they occasion
ally draw sober b.eaths They d'd
draw 500 out of the treaeury and pay
the Alliance porter They did draw
500 and paid the expenses o; two
commissioners 10 Washington to at
tend two days convention. when
they had free passes to Washington
I west to Washington few weeks
afterwards i wen, and returned in
a sleeper, the trip cost me SO Tue
commissioners signed my name to
the report wi,hou, authority or ex
cuse and made me party to what
II