The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1922-05-08
A MATTER FOR THOUGHT

HldSdLlllSS VI CAS oeH
textile interests of the North are
finding it less and less profitable to
ccerate their manufacturing plants
in that section of the country, and
that in all probability there will be
in the future more and more textile
manufacturing plants located in the
South, with fewer of these plants in
operation in the New England states.
There is a disposition it seems to
move the cotton mills to the section
where the cotton is produced.
1t is also stated that this idea has
gained so much Roadway that the
textile people have begun to look
around for suitable locations in the
South for plants, and that they fav-
or the Piedmont section of North and
South Carolina, on account of our
fine climate and the healthful at
mosphere in which we live, as we'll
as the desirable people who seek en-
ployment in the cotton mills in this
section. But it is added that, while
the mill owners would like to locate
their mills in South Carolina, they
are deferred from so doing on &C
count of certain radical legislation
proposed in the legislature of this
state, and that probably the mills,
which might otherwise come here,
will 60 to some others of the states of
the South.
It would be very inadvisable to
adopt laws so unjust as to forbid the
material development of the state.
That radical and unjust legislation
has been oftentimes proposed in the
South Carolina legislature nobody
will dispute, but we are not advised
that we have had more of this species
of proposed legislation than other
states. However that may be, it will
be of interest to every mai living in
the state to see that legislators are
sent to Columbia qualified to repre-
sent the whole people of the state,
and to represent them in such manner
as at all times will promote the best
interests of the state.
But while we are doing this it
should not be forgotten that the big
corporations, and some small indi-
viduals, are always seeking special
legislation and special privileges, and
that any legislation which does not
give to them "breeches hold" on
every situation is considered radical
by them. The legislature at the re-
cent session attempted to pass GER
tain new revenue measures, some of
which we thought wise and some of
which we did not think so much of.
These matters are to come before the
legislature again, we imagine, and it
may be that some of those who seek
special favors in matters of legisla-
ton as we'll as in other matters are
disposed to display the red flag for
personal reasons only. If such be the
case, their complaints should go I'M
needed. Every law passed should in
the first instance be fair to all inter-
ests, and when it is thus fair, the
legislature should net consider wheth-
er Col. Fillingham, or Major Bob, will
build a cotton mill in South Carolina,
or not. W. cannot always cut the
patterns of legislation to suit the
ebay windows of a few peoples
wishes.
The truth is that South Carolina
has not always done the fair thing
by corporations. These artificial per-
sons have for years paid more than
their just proportion of the taxes.
But we do not think we have been
any worse in that respect than most
of the other Southern states. Per-
haps we have been better than any
of them. We think, perhaps, that all
the proposed legislation for new
sources of revenue, or something in
stead a good deal worse, is already
in operation in a good many other
states and that we are only worse
than the other states when the con-
~versation is with US.
Az any rate the LEGISLATURE should