The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-27
An Interview With Gov. Vance
on Railroad Monopoiies.
Correspondence OF the Go'd-boro Messenger
WASHINGTON. Octobrr Ii

on railroad MonoPoiies-
lCorrespondence OF the Go'd-boro Messenger I
WAsHINGTos, October Is,
When he had gotten inside the Sen
ator's quarters aud q fat black waiter
had brought ice water in place ofkIpd-
Ing . fire according TO orders. the ac-
ton began. | fired = question, and
the big Senat r chain shotted answer.
he said the last joke at his expense,
which have carefully labelled THE
Gangeway Anecdolr' was not d word
OF 1t true. but he had stopped denying
things. 1t die no good. Some editor
bad remarked, concerning his position
on railroad discrimination. that if he,
Gov. Vance. would show a case OF
we'll authenticated Discriminate he,
the edito-, would in il the war against
monopolies. He had shown case after
case, and was prepared to show many
others at the meeting arranged TO take
place between the Commissioners and
the railroad authorities. And yet this
editor had not '''rentcd himself" abit.
Still his paper day by day sail, show
US a well-detined instance Of discrimi-
nation against North Carolina towns
and it suffice:h u.s." The railroad war,
said Gov. Nance, was a necessity.
Those fellows had crept upon US inch
by inch. They were becoming more
and more insolent with the triumphs
they won. Like Oliver Twist they
wanted more, and like the horse-leech
mentioned by Solomon they cried,
Give" why, sir, there is not a
city or town in the State which can
afford to keep up a wholesale trade.
Charlotte, Concord, Asheville, Sails
bury, Greensboro, Raleigh, Goldsboro,
not to say Newbern and Wilmington,
are to be throttled by this Richmond
combination. Already the blow is de-
scending. | Can give you the name of
q big flour manufacturer and shipper
in the west whose business has been re
duced to retail proportions because the
freights to Charlotte and other points
in North Carolina are so much higher
than the transportation on the same
article from Richmond that competition
impossible. tell YOU the case is des-
perate. In what | have published |
r | have not eX .ggcrated the matter at
all, bu: rather have drawn the case
} mildly"
The Senator became much interested,
but as he is rot a gushing man be pre-
t served a calm exterior. He gave several
l instances of palpable crokedness in
railway changes; that is to say, the dis
elimination against North Carolina
Towns was unhlushing. He cited Bu-
> ford and Andrews AS saying in the face
Of publications. of inequalities that if they
existed they should be removed. Never
theless the machine ran on in the old
t way nothing was done, and it seemed
nothing would be dune unless public
t opinion forced action.
2 Governor, the press seems to be
against you.
"Yes, except a few papers. The
papers on the line OF the two roads are
, dead against our position" The names
3 Of the different journals were then call
} ed over.
"Well, how about the sensitiveEess
r to the charge of being subsidized which
you brought IN one of your recent let
} ters2'
;, Just about this: that editors hold
passes over the roads and while they
may not be conscious of influence, and
may regard the matter as purely one
! of business, the railroads look upon 1t
as 4 favor conferred that it operates
exactly in that way. The business men
f of Charlotte and other places are with
US in this fight"
Further on the Senator Railrc ad
Commissioner discussed the political
phase Of the war. He thought there
was no danger. But" he added,
There is always a possibility of the
railroad Understanding the Rich
mond & Danville interest-''combin-
ing with the republicans to elect a leg
isl2ture favorable to their views. Thi.
connection of monopolies with legisla-
ton and with politics Is one of the
. CRYING evils of the time" The Cover.
/ nor then expressed the conviction that
a North Carolins Legislature would be
!, impervious TO mercenary influence.
| The trouble with honest legislature is
2 that social il fuenccs are eXerted, and
they have their weight with public men
as with other men, | can tell you. 1t
is the dinner parties, the handsomely
courtesies that are to be feared in NORTH
Carolina, not the sale of the honor oil
. the Assembly members"
"'Thi. great overshadOwing power,
e Govcrnor-how is it to be reached 3
2 by the doctrine Of eminent domain.
think your
''Precisely that, sir. may be necessary
: in the end. Judge Black is right.
have Just had some communication
with the Anti Monopoly Leagueof New
York. They wish me to address then
some time, and 1 may do So
Beginning with pleasantly, we grave
:: " closed with Emerson. The Senator
: believe he is right in the railroad con
e troversy and thinks the people are gen
orally with HIM. He is not abusive o.
i his opponents, but thoroughly hates
r v hat he calls the volacions~ monopolies
E The Messenger was named pleasantly
among the papers against him on the
main question Of the Best transfer. II
came up, be says, with the argument o
Il told you So"
c.. w. H.
Mt. Airy Neus: The G.. F. 81 Y. V
u r r has been graded to a point TWEEN