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STATE AID TO COUNTIES. flow Shall the Comity Railroad Debts be Paid? SPAIrrANBURG, July 24. IElitor News and Courier: In the News and Courier ot Ju lY 22 the question is asked, "Shall t he State help to pay the railroad debts of the couinties?" In com menting editorially upon this query, but two objections ars sug gested: First, that it is unconsti tutional; and second, that as the counties who incurred the indebt. (Idness are principally benefitted, t hey sihould bear the entire burden. To be ufflicted with a, burden some debt is almost as bad as at pestilential plague or any visita. tion which inflicts loss of proper ty. Now if there be any prohibi I ion in the Constitution which de nies to the General Assembly the right to appropriate money to the relief of the people for any cause whatever I fail to find it. The on ly inhibition is that there be no increase of the public debt with mut popular vote, &c. There is here no question of taxation, but the sole issue is, when the railroads built by these counties pay their taxes .to the county treasurers is it competent for the General Assem bly to say to the counties. You may retain the proportion of the taxes due to the State for the pur pose of helping you pay the debts incurred in creating the property.' To illustrate, suppose Charleston should be destroyed by a great eonflagration. The peop)le are powerless to do anything without public assistance. The City Coun cil of Charleston undertakes to help them with its own credit and burdens the city with a large debt. Would there be anything wrong or unconstitutional if the General Assembly should say to the City Council,'The State taxes on the in provements made by you may go to relieve, in part, your indebted ness." Charleston has a debt somewhat of this character, and if you r city had no security for it, b)ut had made the improvements (lirect, where would there be any violation of the law if the State should choose to help her pay this debt and could do so without any increase of its own debt? Now as to the case in point, what are the facts? The up-Qountry was without ad equate railroad facilities; it had nodlirect connection with the WVest. Corn and other provisions were at an enormous high price. The whole system of agriculture had changed; cotton had become the great staple, all other crops were neglected. The State was in no condition then to assist. From stress of circumstances it was com pened to abandon its railroad pol icy, adopted before the war, of ex tendling direct credit to such pub lic enterprises. In this dilemma certain counties undertake on their own credit to build certain rail roads. The Air-Line Road was commenced without capital. It never would have been commenc. edI without the aid of the counties and cities through which it ran. The subscription of thesae, soT have been told, built the road to Gainesville, Ga., about fifty miles. Outside capitalists then took hold of it and completed it. So this road was built by these counties. The result is, so far as this State is concerned, that Spl.artanburg, Greenville and Pickens have built in this State over 100 miles of road running through five counties and worth at least $1,500.000. and ill so doilig have pllaced an enor Imous debt upon their people, for which they have no security what ever. The Asheille Railroad, which certainly will be finished at no d'istant time, is a creation en tirely ot two counties in this State and two in North Carolina-a road which ultimately will be of the greatest benefit to the whole State and to no section more than the City of Charleston. The Green wood Road is being built entirely by the Counties of Spartanburg and Laurens, they being the only stockholders of consequence. I have not information sufficient to speak authoritatively of other roads, but I am told that the nar row guage roads were also built the same way. Then if the coun ties have created this propert is it not fair and just that they should be entitled to all the reve nues in the shape of taxes derived from it until they are relieved of their great burdens? The public know what the railroad policy of the State and also of the City of Charleston was before the war. Now, if the State and the City or Charleston were able financially to continue this policy is it not a good one? But they have not been able to continue it. The plan pro posed is the best substitute for it I know of, and it would be a good idea not to restrict the operations of the Act, but to make it apply to all future cases and encourage all sections of the State by the general policy of giving the coun ties the full benefit of their own property. Simply from the fact that it takes nothing from the rev enues of the States only in the pr'ospectivye, and encourages tile counties to do( that which tile State is not able to (do. The State has no readly money to build roads, its means will not justify issuing bonds to (10 so, and~ if it is to hlave any system of internal improve ments whlat better one can it find than tile one proposed1? It r~quires no credit from the State, no immeQ diate cash and no loss of revenue except that which the State at some future time may expect from tihe very objects which it shlould be so solicitous to lpromote. To show the great equity of the coun ties in thlis matter. The State niev er expected the Air Line Road to pay any taxes for thirty-six years, when that road was chartered it had the same rights, privileges and~ immunities of the Greenville & Columbia Roadl, which was ex empt for thirty-six years. This then was the policy of the State. It expected nothing from the road. The fortuitous ciectimstance of' a sale, under foreclosure, of the road changed all this. Tile State saw its advantage of a techlnicality. The United States Supreme CJourt held that exemntion from tame was no part of a franchise passing under the sale. The counties by this sante proceediig lost every dollar of their mohey, and the State reaps a windfall out of this great misfortune. Now, where is the injustice in the counties ask ing the State to give them what it never expected to get, and which arose from direct loss toQthem? The antithesis cannot be made too strong. Ifthe Menphis & Charles ton and the Blue Ridge Roads were in Charlest-n there is not a man in the State who would ob ject that the relief should extend to that big-hearted but unfortu nate people, whose greatest mis fortune has been their unselfish, uncomplaining liberality. Now one word as to the second objection and I am (lone. Tle counties building these roads are, of course, greatly benefited more than any other section, but the present prosperity of the town and county of Spartanbu rg has al rea(ly been of great benefit to the State. Does not the State derive much revenue from this prosperity? M uch more. I think, than it does from the tax on the Air Line Road. York and Oconee did not aid the road. Are they not benefitted by it? When it becomes a question of benefit it will be found that the little leaven leaveneth the whole. The time has now come for South Carolina to be something ,above a police court. The object of government is higher and nobler than simply to collect and pay out taxes, than to support an insane asylun and pay penitentiary guards. One Might suppose that the State had but two classes, lu uatics and criminals. Already a new beginning has been made. Elucation and manufacturing are being properly encouraged, and what is needed is a judicious rail road policy, not born of timidity but of caution, (learly learned by experience, gentle and timely en couragement to local and individ ual effort, a symp-athetic 1ft ofn the back, a premium to thrift and energy, which (toes not necessairi ly mean a raid upon the treasury, but simplly go and sow, and the reaping shall be without tithes. JOHN B. (hL~EELAN). 3.G ULAVE, Corner Main and Broad Streets, GREENVILLE, S. C. G ENUINE Wmn. Rowers Cutlery. Set of Kntives and 'orks $8.50. General asso'rmer~ t of goodI Jewel ry carefu lly selected. 'Best family a specialty, andl at close figures. R~epairing watches and .iewel ry promntaly donE . Pfa 9'L. Estabiished 186. No Patent No Pay. PAT ENTS Obtain)ed for Mecha nical Devic?s, Comn All preliminfary ehxaminatiOnsg as to patentability of invetions, Free. Our "'GuIde for Obtaining Patenits,"~ is sent free every where. A ddress, LOUIS 1DAGG ER & CO. Solieitors of P'atents, May 30 tf Washington, D. C BOWEN'S MILLS! AV [NG been recently overhauled, are now in first Iate order. Per sons coming from a distance will get their grinding done at night. They will find a house to stay in and stalls for their horses. Give us a trial. All persons wishing their GINS filed by the O'NIEIL SAW FILING MACHINE, can have it done at Easley, by Mr. MaLrion Dal, or if you will notify me at Briggs Postoffice, S. C., I will send a mani to your Gin and do the work. It is better than all oth er Mnchines. Try it and be convinced. july 25 tf R. E. BOWEN. L01 01TI0 W:E STIL L HAVE A Small Lot COODS, WICH~ WE YWil sell CHIEAP FOR CASHI! HUDGENS & HUOGENS. Easley, S. (2. July 11--5mn Furniture House EASLEY, S. C. COME ON E, COM E ALL AND) furnish your lionses in elegant A.style for the Suimmer with a nice Lin ofBedsteads,Mates, . re'an s, Tlesl~C, Stands, C hai rs, Rockers, &c ,&c.A general atssortmemi, oif Landsbcapet chromios in 22x80 inch f'rmes, chord, &c.. all ready for ha~ng ing on the walls. Also, on hand, a line of cabinet, promenade, panel and card size p~hotograph frames, all in artistic style. Always on hand a full line of UND)ERTAKER'S SUPPLIES. Caskts anid collins, ailsizes anid stylJes. Buirial Robes for'each sex, all qualities and prices. Ready at all hours to wait upon01 enstomners. Coffins trimmewd in any style, andl when so desired, will be trimmedw~ al)(I shipped to any point onm Rail road free of ex tra charge. Tihmnikinug you .for past. favors. anet solicitinig your further patronage, I am Respectfully vonrs, fb A. M. RUJNION. fe8-8mn