The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1889-03-07
THE EDITORS CHAIR.
HOW THINGS LOOK FROM
OUR STAND POINT.
The Opinion Of the Caucasian and
the opinion OF others which we
Can Endorse on the Various
Topics Of the Day.
A GREAT MISTAKE.

There is now no hope for .
Railroad Commission till the
next Legislature meets. Many
of those Who contributed to the
failure Of such . measure this
time have misrspressntsd thoir
coustitue nts. Now since the
bill has been killed we will not
discuss It's merits or dement's.
AS to whether the bill was per-
feet or imperfect, wise or un-
wise, just or unjust, operative
or imperative, has nothing to
dc with the principles involved.
The people demand a commits
sion and the Legislature has
disobeyed the order. We don't
mean to say that the Legisla-
tura should vote against It's
judgement and conscience for q
measure in obedience to apOpu-
lar demand, but we do say that
il this bill was imperfect that
1t was purposely SO drawn or
purposaly allowed to 30 remain
after being drawn 10 insure its
defeat. The people demanded
the trial Of some regulating law
and they should have had 1t.
On the other hand, If the bill
had become law and proved
to be q success-secured results
satisfactory to the public and
at the same time not crippled
the growth or jeopardized the
legitimate prosperity Of the
Roads, then the members Of
the Legislature had made a
great mistake. If the bill
had become law and proved
to be imperative and q failure
from any cause, then the next
Legislature would have remov-
ed it from the statute books.
The people would have been
satisfied with the trial and the
corporations would have been
left in peace. Then both the
railroads aud the Legislature
have made q mistake.
But talking and writing will
do no good at present for the
bill Ia defeated; however, when
we come to ask "Why 1t vas de.
featsd" We strike an intricate,
delicate aud unpleasant ques-
tion. 1t is we'll known that
when the Legislature met, q
majority Of it's members and
newspapers that now oppose the
bill were In favor OF 1t. W.
don't mean to charge that these
members or papers have been
Influenced by any improper con.
siderations, but we do say tina,
1t was very unfortunate fol-
them that they should have
found it necessary to change
their views just when they did.
And we do think they should
give the remainder of us the
new information and facts
which they received to cause
their conversion. In fact they
will make great mistakes il
they fail to give such informa.
tion to those of us who are in
the dark. There are II few who
were opposed to the commission
when they went to the Legisla.
ture and fought it all the way
through. Among these we have
some personal friends. To them
We will say, you have made 6
great mistake from the begin.
ming and your action in the
matter we can not commend
But still ono cause remains By
which you can partially redeem
yourselves and at the same time
show you consist ency. You
opposition to the commission
was based on the ground that il
would bear heavily upon the
small and young lines, while II
would MT effect the strong ani
old lines. Now then tax the
old prosperous and wealthylines
which are paying no tax, ani
let them help the people and
new railroads, which are paying
tax, to bear the burden of sup
porting the government. This
we understand would bring 500,
VOO mora into Kho x