The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1913-01-14

Keep il al @IILl4-L LittII ON l.! pOS!AIS'''
for. after all, it is their customers
money which is the foundation OF thzir
Prosperity; aud would urge upon YOU
.he wisdom Of reducin9 the legal rate
Of interest in this State from : to 6
per cent.
Exchange on Checks.
I also recommend that you pass an
act prohibiting any bank from charg-
ing its regular customers exchange on
any draft or cheek passing through
the bank. My reason for this, gentle
men, is simple and plain. a man
comes to Columbia from some other
point in the State; he does some trad
ing and gives >erfectly good check
on his home bank; the merchant who
accepts that check, or the hotel pro
prietor, or other person, carries it to
his regular bank and deposits it, and
the bank charges him for sending that
check to the home bark and getting
the money on it, when it doesn't cost
the bank a cent to do so, and when
that bank is getting the benefit Of the
deposit. They say, "Oh, but we are
in the clearing house, and have to do
it." Then, gentlemen, if the clearing
house is a merger of banks It is in
violation of our law, and the attorney
general should take steps to break it
up. But you should pass an act stop
ping the banks from taking money
from the pockets of the people on every
little pretense and preteXt. And I hope
that those Of you who own stock in
banks, or are attorneys for banks
will let that fact be known when you
argue against this proposition, so that
your fellow-members may know why
you are opposing it
Return Money on c. 0. d. Packages.
I also respectfully recommend that
you pass an act pcohiI ting express
companies from charging for returning
money collected On =. D. d. packages
Any of you can see the injustict Of
such charge by an express company.
A package comes to YOU G. D. D.; you
could send your check II payment Of
it; you could give the company the
money for it; but they require you to
pay an eXorbitant price for tAnni to
return your money, or they will refuse
to give you your package. 1t is simply
"hold-up," and you shonld not allow
it.
Flat TwO-Cents Passenger Rate.
I respectfully recommend, rs I have
done in my messages heratofor~, and
as I advocated on the floor Of the house
Of representatives when a m fmber Of
that body, and on the facr Of tile SEN
ate when member of the senate and
on the public rostrum as a candidate,
that you pass an act making a fat
rate of 2 cents per mile for passengers
on all railroads in this State. Nc
doubt some who have not heretofore
favored this position, who now thiHx
that it is popular, will be very vigorous
in their support of it-possibly want
ing to'be elected to some other office,
or re-eleced to what they have, and
having reached the conclusion that it
is a popular platform, they are now
ready to jump on it and say they did
it, as a matter of fact, many of US have
been working on it for years, and it
has simply come to the point now
where it is thought that it will Win
Whether the credit for it, be properly
placed or not, the main consideration
is what is best for the people of the
State. The railroads are making
money; they are prospering. Of that
I am glad. 7 would not, under any
circumstances or conditions, wish rn
injure railroad. Many of the en-
gineers, conductors, f1agmen, and other
employees Of the railroads are my best
friends, and I fully realize that if you
cripple the railroads financially it will
injure these men; but such an act
would not cripple the railroads. fully
realize also that it will be urged that
the railroads will say to these men,
ooh, yes, your legislature did thus and
so, Mr.. Engineer; we have to reduce
your salary" "Mr Conductor, Mr..
Flagman, we have to reduce your
salary" We do not want to do
anything that will injure these people.
But they are protected by their labor