The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-02
RAILROADS
AND RAILROAD COMMISSIONS
No J..

preceulAg aTl}ClcS on LutS SUBJECT u
must be apparent that we need IN
North Carol Sa some Law by which.
l. All charges made for services
By railroad companies must be rea>
sonable AMI just.
.. Forbidding the charging OF
collecting for any service rendered s
grester OF less compensation from
any one than frcm any other for a
like and conteuporaneous service.
3. FOrbiddlng the giving Of any
undue or unreasonable preference p
~e,ween persons or localities, or
kinds Of traffic. or tie subjectiLg
any one Of item to undue or unrea-
sonablc prjudice or disadvantage.
4. Requiring reasonable. proper
and equal facilities for the inter~
change Of traffic between lines, and
for the receiving, forwarding and de.
livering of passengers and property
between connecting lines.
5. Forbidding discrimination in
rates and charges as between CON
netting lines.
6. Forbidding the charging or re>
ceiying any greater compensation
for the transportation Of passengers
or the like klnd Of property under
substantially similar circumstances
and conditions for a shorter than for
a longer distance over the same line
in the same drectio1, the shorter
b9irg included within the longer
distance.
7. Forhldding contracts, agree
ments or combinations for the pool
ing of freights of different and com
peting railroads, or dividing between
them the earnings of such railroads.
All charges made for services by
railroad companies should Se rea>
sonable and just.
The great difficulty which the peo-
pie have to contend with Is the idea
of the owners Of railroads that they
have the same right to control their
property that is accorded to other
people as to the management and
control Of what Is their own. There
never was greater fullaCY. Rails
roads are built for the beOefit of the
public. For and in consideration Of
the benefit which the people viii!
derive by way Of cheap and quick
transportation Of passengers and
property the people have from time
to time granted to ccrtSin persons
the exclusive right to carry freight
and passengers along certain lines
and to Condemn to their use what
ever private property may DO neces-
-sry for the purpose of building and
operating the different lines of rail-
road. Some person may own a piece
OF land along the line which perhaps
on account of its associations he
would not be willing to part with at
any price but because Of the benefit
arhjch 1t is Supposed lcW accrue to the
public he is compelled to give up
+L;o lad CO bo I0eoC b;r lad h.
is put to great expense and trouble
in protecting his cattle from danger :;
or perhaps his little farm is so dam,
aged that he has 10 seek some other
home and give up the associations Of
a life time.
And all this is proper, because
that should always be done which
will result in the greatest good to
the greatest number though few
should suffer in consequence.
A grist mill run by water is for
the same reason subject to the cons
troll OF the legislature, and no ore
has eyer complained because Of any
law regulating their tolls or the price
to be charged for grinding corn and
-four. TheIe was a lsw regulating
the prices of liquor, diet and lodging
at public taverns and the public at
least in some Of the sections in this
State, might be more comfortably
cared for if such law was still IN
/ force.
That TIE people have q right to
demand that all charges by railroads
! shall be reasonable and just there
can be no doubt, and that IN many
cases such charges are unreasonable
and unjust no man who is at all in
formed Will deny.
What is reasonable and just de-
peuds in great measure upon the
amount Of capital invested il the
railroad and the amount Of business
done by it; for while it is true that
the State has right to control and
regulate the railroad, it is also true