The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1889-09-17

case of Jones VS.. Smith. Tba.
plaintiff and defendant, parties
their readiness for trial. Tbau unced
their witnesses, had come man. With
and had been attending CON-; miles
days and they were anxious ~ many
to a close the expense and AM oflng
of this controversy; but this oya1ce
said no. "I cannot sit in ind Judge
on this case. In Ignorance osneat
fact that Mr.. Jones had a case VI the
before me | accepted the bosniEra l
OF his home last Sunday; and ,saltg
these circumstances, l copsi1a under
proper for me to hear his case. II In,
will therefore that the case andl
tinued to the next term of court Con-
it can be heard before SOM Wien
Judge" Mr.. Jones, as the Otasc
knows, was an excellent oert writer
and could not have been ipd,Oa5sI
even mention to the judge. wb;1o %
his home, that he had a case IN onne at
and it had not occurred to SoGfti
1ne Juoge oy accepting his hospitaIit"
would or could be influenced ~ ny
least in his favor, nor did tho me
have the remotess suspicion tbs !u1ge
Jones had so intended; but. for vi "
sake OF appearances, the Judge vo sne
properly declined to hear the very
yet, at that very moment, this "aSe'
judge had his pocket full of free r "~ue
over the railroads of the Stat F"o ~
had never hesitated to try anv sUd anu ~
cases which had come before biO. al
which these railroads were interaa,. u
and oftentimes to a very large amonrt
Some of our judges apparently W.
cognizing the impropriety of acco nc
ing free passes from railroads. nnS"
take to excuse it by saying that, unds,
our rotating system, they have TT
travel so much that if they had f. NV
for their transportation there woni3
not be enough left Of their salarv NJ
$4,000 to support the wife and chill
dren. The answer to this is if tbo
State is too niggardly to paw Won .
decent salary do not accept the Office.
and if you did not find this ont unt;i
you had tried the experiment of ridinp
the circuit, resign, and return to tho
place from which you came; there i
no law compelling you to accept orr t.
continue to hold this Office, and if vnr
cannot make a comfortable living ont
OF it without shocking what must he
your own sense of propriety, by all
means return to your former protes
sion.
| will here take the liberty of saw.
ing to that judge who may have in his
pocket one of these railroad passes
take it out and look at it, and as Won
gaze upon that pretty p~asteboard. ask
yourself: For what purpose was this
thing given to me =? If l did not sit
in judgment upon controversies in
which this railroad company was in.
terested, if l did not have it in nv
power to greatly injure or greatly
favor this corporation, would this free
pass have been given to me ? Does this
corporation deem it necessary to do
this for me In order that | may hold
the scales of justice even, or am | ex.
pected to let them tip in favor of the
railroad?
And when you have duly and ser.
OuslY considered and answered. these
questions, if that pretty pasteboard
does not burn your pocket, keep it
and make the most of it.
Why is it that whenever a plain,
hard working farmer, or country
lawyer, merchant, mechanic or doctor
is elected to the General Assembly be
suddenly becomes a man of such vast
learning and Importance in the eyes
of the railroad corporations ? and why
is it that whereas, before he was
elected, he had to pay full fare or be
put off the railroad train, so soon as
he becomes a member of the General
Assembly he is rendered a free pass
over every railroad in the State and
is treated with such distinguished con.
sideration by the various railroad
presidents and lobbyists ? For what
purpose is this free pass given ? What
is the motive which prompts the giver?
Is there any more reason why a mem
Der of the Legislature should ride
without pay over a line of railroad
than upon the omnibus or hack which
takes him from the depot to his hotsl2
Unlike the judge, he is paid by the
State ten cents per mile both while
coming to the seat of government and
while returning, a sum much more
than sufficient to defray his actual
travelling expenses, and there can be
no excuse or necessity for accepting
the free pass. Suppose the State Con
stitution was SO changed as to take
from the General Assembly all power
to repeal, modify, or make any law
relating directly, or indirectly, 70
railroad corporations; is there any
one so simple as to suppose that us
members would be given free passes
FOR rononorFo4;or o1or +bo VARIOUS