Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-08
#iseella &eaaina.
JUMPING THE RAILROADS.

JUMPING THE RAILROADS.
Senator Tilimsn Issues Address Or
ma. Mileage Question.
Fellow Citizens: .'
I have q grievance and / want t
tell you all about II and ask you to ex.
ert your influence to help correct 1t
It concerns every citizen.
The night I left Washington
bought two mileage books over the
Southern railway for my wife and self
two cents q mile. They are in
Interchangeable and can be exchang-
ed for tickets over 55 railroads operat-
i ing In the south. I exchanged this
mileage for tickets to Calhoun, 8. c..
but could not exchange 1t for tickets
from Anderson to Greenwood, or from
Greenwood to Columbia. I note on the
inside Of the back cover this condi-
ton: Coupons from this book will
not be accepted on trains. nor on and
after May 1, 1912, in exchange for
tickets for journey wholly within
the state Of South Carolina" 7.
The Southern railway has my $40
for these two books, and yet can not
lima, I call this Infamous and down.
right robbery. Why? Because north
Of the Potomac and Ohio rivers and
westward to the great plains each sys-
tenn Of roads like the Southern sells
mileage at two cents per mile. No
signature Of the purchaser is required.
| One may use mileage to carry his
whole family as well as his neighbors
and friends All the railroads want or
require Is q coupon for every mile
travelled by every passenger. Why
this discrimination? Are the northern
people any more civilized or better
Christians than the southern people?
| / do not think anybody claims 1t, but
all the same the people Of South Caro-
lima are treated as though they are
cause they have not sense enough, 1t
seems, to elect men to the legislature
who will compel the railroads to treat
them fairly and justly like the citi-
zens Of other states are treated.
Investigation will show that large
number Of the members Of the legis-
lature are lawyers in the employ OF
the railroads. Many Of them are trav-
cling on free passes in South Carolina
because the railroad rate bill, which
engineered through the United States
senate, expressly provides In terms
that no free passes shall be granted
by the railroads. except to their en-
ployes, attorneys" etc. 1t Is through
this loophole that the legislators who
are venal can be debauched. In every
court house town In the state some
lawyer represents the railroads, some
times more than one, and these law
yers are often elected to the legtsla-
ture who Is not already railroad at
torney, he soon becomes one, II the
railroad wants his vote.
I want It, distinctly understood that
/ am friend of the railroads and rec
ognize their, great function in advanc-
ing the welfare Of any community.
But South Carolina has been very
liberal in dealing with these people
and they have shown very little ap-
probation. .-.v
A great hurrah was made when the
legislature met and great indignation
was expressed because had critics.
ed members of the general assembly
about their subserviency to the rail-
roads. The house passed the Rem
bert resolution demanding an explain
alton, and I waited patiently for the
senate to pass 1t also In order that
might tell the people why I made the
charge. But no opportunity came. as
the senate pigeon-holed 1t. I would
have been glad to have shown the rec
ords from the house and senate jour
nails of certain men in South Carolina
public life, among them Governor
Blease, who cast the deciding vote on
one occasion which defeated the mile
age bill. -a 80,
Now fellow citizens. this is not only
wrong, but It is indecent Such cor
ruption and cowardice ought not to be
tolerated by the people. A shaking
up is needed and some men retired to
private life to cogitate and ponder
over the fate Df those who betray the
trust the people have reposed in them
This is q day and time In which the
masses are more aroused than they
have ever been In my lifetime. But
while the people are wide awake else
where, in South Carolina they seem
to be asleep or Indifferent to their
rights.
I do not advocate or believe 1t is
right to require the railroads to sell
interchangeable mileage, but each sys-
tenn like the Southern, the Seaboard.
the Atlantic Coast Line should be
compelled by law or by public opin-
ion or by whatever instrumentality Is
necessary to treat their southern pa
irons the same as they treat their
northern patrons. If / had the same
strength once had I would make 1t
my special business to campaign this
state, county by county II necessary,
to see that fewer railroad lawyers are
elected to the legislature and honest
and sensible men sent In their stead.
I know the South Carolina legisla-
ture has no power or control over In
terstate commerce, but the South Car
Gina legislature has the power over
taxation and other regulations and 1t
can make these railroads come to taW
and, behave decently and fairly to-
wards the people by putting on the
screws whenever 1t Is possible to DO
80. Thank God, all the lawyers In the
state are not IN the employ Of the
railroads or venal enough to be sub
sidized by them.
/ will do all I can In Washington
with the interstate commerce commits
sion, but the press Of the state and
the public men in 1t ought to have the
railroads understand that the people
of South Carolina are not to be dis.
criminsted against in this way, and
will not tolerate being robbed as they
have been. II we demand justice and
our rights we will get them; II we do
not, we do not deserve them. What
are the people Of South Carolina going
to do about it? B. R Tillman.
nv