The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1914-02-25

possible. There has not been
the least effort on the part of
those antagonistic to the rail
roads to devise legislation which
will secure for the masses cheap
er freight rates, but the whole
fight is made to get a half cent
knowledge to master it. A man
who is qualified to make rates
for railroads is sought after by
these corporations at very en-
ticing salaries, this being true,
how can the ordinary laymen
hope to be in a position to know
anything about the subject, and
when he is sent to the legisla-
ture and undertakes this kind of
| regulation be must necessarily
resort to guess rather than to &C.
tual facts. I stand ready when
ever I am shown where the rail
roads are not treating the peo-
pie justly, either in their pas
senger or freight rates, to pro-
vide such legislation as is ne
cessary to remedy the trouble,
but I will not undertake blindly
to impair the earnings of these
public benefactors, merely to
crafty political ambition.
I am in a position to hear the
arguments pro and con on this
subject, and I ind the propon-
ents of these railroad measures
totally without any facts to sus.
tain their contention, they sim,
plv say the railroads are making
money and they should give up
their profits, on the other hand
the railroads show, not only from
their books, but their reports
sworn to before the Unite States
Commerce Commission as re-
|quired by congress, their earn
lngs, operating expenses, cost OF
construction, interest on bonds,
together with the cost of the
contemplated improvements as
required by law, and other data
that gives the thoughtful man
something to base a judgment
upon. If the evidence on file
with the railroad commissioners
| of the State and of the United
States, is to be respected or to
be regarded, then it is convlnc.
ing to my mind there is not a
railroad in South Carolina max
ing six per cent on it's invest.
ments, and besides, since con-
gress has undertaken to require
all of the trestles to be rebuilt OF
steel and concrete, and the
wooden cars replaced with steel
cars in the interest of safety,
the bonds and stock of all Of the
railroads have been greatly I'M
paired from the investment
viewpoint, in other words: they
are seriously hampered in dis
posing of the bonds on the'mark-
cts, because the returns from
these bonds are not as enticing as
other investments, therefore,
with this condition brought
about by congressional legisla-
ton, it is easy to see how much
more serious it is for the rail.
roads when the law undertakes
to affect their earnings.
The people of this State are
being favored with more rail-
road development at this time
in twenty five years, they do
not want anything to happen
which will tend to arrest this
development. Take the Bonsal
system of railroads recently be-
gun in this State; the projectors
of this enterprise are pleading
with the legislature not to pass
any legislation which will cause
the cold shoulder to be given
them when they go to the money
centers seeking the means to
carry on their work of develop
ment. Mr.. Bonsal, the head Of
what is commonly called the
Seaboard, who is considering
the developing Of this section,
says, "the passage of such leg
islation at this time would re-
tard the development for years
to come, and would be little
short of a calamity should the
bill for a two cent rate be passed"
Mr.. Bonsal further says, "the
proposed reduction Of the pass
enger rate to two cents. now
before the senate, would put a
quietus on any further railroad