The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-08-02

ing made to the government of Ger
many for certain adjustment of rates,
the delay attending these applica-
tions was so great that generations
might die before the decision of the
government bad been obtained. In
the meantime the town itself bad
1anguished and probaly passed. out of
existence, or certainly the need of that
rate bad gone by.
This, then, is TO be the disorder
created for our country, but acting
injuriously, as I see it, upon the
South more than upon any other
section of the country, because the
South, more than any other section.
is now developing more rapidly
and needs more encourag ement from
railroads than ever before. All OF
this retardation to be The outcome
of the present legislation which
was before the last congress, and
which will doubtless be smorg the
first bills presented for attention OF
the next congress.
You are all doubtless familiar
with the present interstate com
merce law and regulations, but
fear very few of you really under
stand what is proposed ss the out
come Of the agitation which has re-
Gently been created and cultivated
throughout the land, which agitation
finds its expression in the Esch-
Townsend bill, commonly referred TO
as the Townsend bill. This proposed
legislation is what we consider most
harmful to the whole country, and
especially so to the South. In the
subtlety of this bill is much that
would hamper the development ofthe
South.
Preside mt spencrr's Views.
Upon the important subject of the
Esch- Tow nsend bill, our honorable
President, Mr.. Samuel Spencer, began
recent address with these quotations:
"There is no liberty if the power of
judging be not separated from the legis
lative and executive power. "-Montes-
quieu.
agriculture, manufactures, COM
merce, and navigation, the four pillar
of our national prosperity, are the
most thriving when left most free to
individual enterprise. ."-Thomas JEFF
ferson.
ut must not be forgotten that our
railways are the arteries through which
the commercial lifeblood of this nation
flows. Nothing could be more foolish
than the enactment of legislation
which would unnecessarily Interfere
with the development and operation
of those commercial agencies. ."-Presi-
dent Roosevelt's message to congress,
December 8, 1901.
Mr.. Spencer then continued in part
as follows
"If a tribunal which will answer the
description can be organized, or if
methods can be found-and believe
they can be without the necessity of an
additional and special tribunal for the
purpose-by which the great railway
questions of the day can be settled in
accordance with law and equity, and
in accordance with those fundamental
principals of government which are
guaranteed by the Constitution,
speak with aut horiry when / say that
substantially every railway manager
in the country will subscribe to that
view and aid in the accomplishment
of The desired results.
1.-The difficulties ofadjustment, there
fore, lie not, as has been 90 often claim
ed, in any obstructive or defiant atti-
tude of the railway manager. They
rest fundamentally in the anomalous
condition in which the carriers are
placed under the law; in those sugges-
tions Of remedy which, failing utterly
to reach the evils sought to be cured,