The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-14
For the Farmer and Mechanic.
A Railroad Commission.
BY A LAWYER.

run on Sunday nor at any time faster
han a fixed speed, that it shall not be
lawful 10 charge one person higher prices
tor carrying freight than another, or TO
receive freight from one person and re
fuse to receive it from another Upon
these points the sailing is plain; beyond
the advocates Of reform are met with oh
iections countless In number. Nay more;
the distinguished President Of one of the
roads has undertaken the job of fright
ening our people by declaring, virtually
that If the Railroad Commission bill
passes. there viii come into this State no
more foreign capital. BE it 50. Ii cap
ital can only be induced to come here
upon conditions that shall place it above
all law, the less II ii we have the better.
The objections 10 the proposed leCisls
ton with which the papers are beginning
to be filed have Tor the most part beer
raised and determined elsewhere.
In those States where similar l~egisia-
ton obtains. | TAI it to tie clearly cstab-
lished that Legislature las the right
| either direct or through a com mission to
do these things
! lst. Fix a maximum rate per mile for
freight.
2ud Fix a maximum rate per mile for
carrying passengers.
2rd. Compel close connection between
, train, Oh different lines.
II is impossible in a thinly settled
country like ours To build railroads run
ming from the same point - The same
point, Within at least seventy miles Of
each other.
There will not be for instance another
| -O.l l,,.l, t,, L.9-. Nh .
fifty years. The oac now IL existence i,
a monopoly without the fear OF a rival
1t Is a monstTous proposition, that that
road is above the control Of the people Of
North Carolina. Yet that is virtually the
truth. Last summer a person leaving
Henderson 20 go to Greensboro was l.nd
cd by the Raleigh & Castor Railroad at
Raleigh about ) . clock p. u upon in
quiry for the Western train. he was told
it had lett about. say hall an hour before
the arriva! Of the Raleigh & CASTOR tram
lie was then compelled to 20 to the Var
boro House, or somewhere else and stay
twenty four hours before le could get a
train 10 Greensboro. Why was this =:
WHY did the Western train leave Raleigh
halt an hour too soon or the Raleigh &
Castor train arrive haitian hour too late
as the case may be, forcing passengers
to stay over in Raleigh wen two
hours: Again; one wishing 10 90 from
Winston to Chapel Hill. leaves Winston
at & -. M, goes 10 Durham, stops all
night, and until about I O'Clock the next
day when the train comes along for
Chapel Hill. 1t takes twenty-four hours
to 90 by rail from Winston to Chapel
Hill. Is it possible that evils Ike these
cannot be corrected except at the pleas
ure of the Railroads?
Again, freights are so high that nearly
every shipper sends his goods marked,
Released value limited TO SIS per cwt in
F, case Of total loss" BY SO doing he
gets tolerably fair rates.
But if the goods are badly damaged
| lie gets nothing, iftotally lost he is paid
IS per cwt. To ship without releasing
requires the wealth of Astor. To re-
leas is TO relinquish almost the right
| of property. Is it possible that this
| cannot be remedied by law?
Again, in case of suit the money and
power of the road are omnipotent to
cause endless delay and expense. Is
this also beyond remedy?
1t is not TO discuss the necessity for
a Railroad Commission nor to enter
infinitely into the subject matters that
need correcting in the railroad system
that tins article is written.
The object is to maintain that the
Commission for the next two years
should be to thoroughly examine into
the whole railroad system by personal
, inspection and the taking of testimony
and report the result to the next Gen.
eral Assembly. Such was the scope of
the late Tariff Commission. This matter
is very grave. There are thousands of
dollars invested in Railroads in North
Carolina. These dollars are entitled to
the same right as if invested in lands or
! any other species of property. Hasty
action Mill result in 40 good. A Rail-
road Commission elected with power to
summon witnesses and take testimony
would be able by the next session of the
General Assembly to make such a re-
port as would be the proper basis for
| future and wise legislation. Doubtless
many abuses which they would discover
! would be voluntarily corrected by the
roads. Nor should the Commission
be elected for a longer term thar two
wears. lit should consist of three mem
bers. The pay of each one should not
be more Il an fifteen hundred dollars a
year. This should be paid directly by
the State. Such a Commission would If
the Railroads have not lost all their
sense. be allowed the largest liberty in
investigating all that pertains to the
Railroads. Such n Com. mission could
tell to n mill what per centage local
| traffic and freights should bear to through
! traffic and freights: also whether the
| failure to connect with competing roads
was the result of wisdom or of rivalrieS.
! and whether the insurance risk for car
rving frei@hts justify the enormous diff
| ference between charges for goods mark
! ed Released and those not so marked
| To Jump right into the middle of the
business and pass a bill to regulate this
| that and the other, without mature
examination and careful consideration
would insure nothing but veXation and
confusion.
The end of the whole matter is.
lst Here are the people.
2ud. Here are the Railroads.
3rd. They cannot agree.
Remedy:-appoint three honest sensi-
BILE men to examine into the questions
in dispute. and let them report TO the
next General Assembly what legislation
is necessary to correct existing abuses
and evils.
Then let that General Assembly act.
Meantime would it not be wise for a gen
tlemen like Mr.. Robinson to wait and
see if there IS honesty enough i'll North
Carolina to settle these questions fairly
before he finally compels capital to de.
Sprt us : OF one thinu he may he sure
the people of North Carolina intend tc
set these matters straight.
The only danger is in going too fast