The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-03-24

IL Iltt-ai I'll 4 "a y. CptlVH lIulI
TArb.ro u N,lfolk j. 81 81, from
Rocky Mount 10 Norfolk, 2O mile
nearer the ma ktt, the rate i g -
from BattlebOro, H. miles still nearer t,
Norfo K, S2.5O, Whitakers about tn,
same distance still nearer, - -. anJ
50 on-this discrimination In my owf
county. The same is the case on othel
roads in the State.
Mr.. Th jmas. the member of the
House from Davidson, in his excellent
speech advocating this bill before that
body and from which | have quoted il
this argument, says:
First class freight from New York
10 Thomasvile is $l.22 cents per hun
dred weight from New York to Char
lotte sevcnty-txo miles beyond, they
charge ninety cents per one hundred
pounds per car load; from Richmond to
Lexington, the freight is $47O0, on
such to Charlotte, sixty two miles fur
ther on $500 per car load, and 1t Is
actually cheaper to the shipper to let
his goods 90 beyond their destination
aud pay the local freight back, than it
is to ship the goods direct. This Is
discriminating between points and
4 towns, or depots on the line of the
road, and gives one place decided al
vantage over another
4 But these facts are but two well
4 known by our PEOPLE, and any candid
man who wishes to see the people pro
tccted will admit the necessity Of re
dressing such grievances.
. This bill proposes the law which is
necessary to correct these evils and is
/ fair both to the railroads and the peo
/ pie. aud to gentleman like the Senator
! from Wilkes, who watch so carefully
the Treasury, wish to say just here that
section | Of the bill raises revenue
enough from the railroads TO deiray the
expenses OF the commission.
Now, Mr.. President, railroad men
-ay slch bi.l as tn ore would be uncon
>titutlonal, but if | had the time could
show from decisions Of the l.. S. Su
| preme Court in the Granger cases, from
the decision of Judge Woods then OF
the L. S. Supreme Court in the Geor
| gia railroad commission suit that this
bill would be constitutional. and the re
mark able letter Of Judge Black, one OF
tie most eminent iurists in the United
State, to the New Iolk Chambers,, of Com
rlerct proves it conclusive3F. The Sen
ate is familiar with the decisions and
the doctlne IS clear, as enunclated by
Judge Black, that public Highway
cannot be private property and a rail
road laid out and built by the authori-
ty Of the State, for the purpose of
commerce. is as much public hig hway
as turnpike road, canal or navigable
! l. Of Il
! examinations carried on as between
arge communities is blighted by the
refusal Of railroads to carry the pro
duct, Of their farms, gardens and shops
unless they submit to payments OF rates
much larger than what are charged on
4 similar goods FROM other regions much
turt her away from the common market
and SAYS hat lt is as gross violation OF
| legal principles as can be conceived of.
IF the railroads belong to the people.
then the rights of all citizens are pre-
cisely equal, and all determinations are
unlawful Without reference to the pub
lie right Of property, they are SO shame
fully lmrerlous IN their general effect,
and IN their particular consequences
that no well governed State will endorse
them He says further: II maintain
that all the States have Gear and in
dcfeasible right to protect their people
against such wrongs, and to exercise
that power as sacred duty. When
that duty is properly performed, the
internal trade of each State will cease
to be enslaved and crippled as it is
now
But this substitute for this bill re-
ported by the Honorable Senator from
Wayne is nothing more nor less than
a clever man9uvre to dodge the inact
ment Of such law as the people de-
mand 1t is true it ri es a commission,
but no sooner than it does so, it emas
culates the commissioners and does not
90 fer sufhciel ut authority upon any per
son to stop the railroads IN their op
preston one moment. We want no
shit nor subtelfuge in our legislation
on this subject. The House of Repre-
sentativeS considered the bill they sent
Us. long and carefully. and they have
posed this bill now before the Senatey
/ in obedience 20 the will of the people
knowing it required such IA law to bring
railroad men to terms, and nothing
short OF this will answer
4 Now, Mr.. President, the presen,
General Assembly should po.s this bill
as it come from the House in its Gu
tirety We have but three mee
working days, and to night hope there
viii be vote taken on the merits oil
+ the question. The substitute should
not prevail.
Ibis matter concerns us all as North
Carolinans, men who have the interests
/ oi the people ut heart, aud courage
enough to defy the influence Of corpor-
atoms IN elections or otherwise !: and
there sholId be no disposition to let it
enter Into politics But if we fail to
give the relief demanded the noise
made by movers for Prohibition will be
nothing compared TO the voice Of the
outraged people OF the State against
those who fail To- check tie cor, ora
tiDts in heir unholy n selfish crusade
against the public, | am >a-i>ied the
Issue viii lie tie main ole in the next
campaign and the party which opposes
this measure will 90 under, and | am oi
the opinion that the Republican party
viii not he the enc to oppose it. bat on
the c,l tray will be its stern depender
and ad, ocate
\ railway hospital has been estab-
lisEed at Ellsworth, Kan. b, the Union