The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1890-03-11
AND RATES.


Our people want light. The queS-
ton of a railroad commission will be
nrominent before them. We give a
speech on railroads, made in Georgia,
by Mr.. Hoke Smith, of Atlanta. Mr..
Smith, by the way, is a North Caro-
lima boy and is anephew OF Gen. Ro6t.
Hoke, of Raleigh. He is n OF the
leading young men of tho South.
MI. Smith stated substantially that
the population of DeKalb county con
sists largely of fairness, and that he
intended to call their attention to a
subject of vital importance to the agri-
cultural interests of that county and
to the entire State.
The farmer is the great consumer
as well as the great producer. A
large part of what he uses has been
shipped into Georgia. He pays but
little freight directly into the hands
of the agents of the railroads, but the
merchant or exchange, handling what
he consumes and produces, pays the
freight. When the merchant sells an
article to the farmer he adds to the
original cost the price of transports.
ton, and the farmer pays original
cost, together with freight charges
and profit to the merchant.
THE FARMER, HE PAYS H FREIGHT.
So that when the farmer buys from
the merchant he really pays the
freight which goes to tho railroad
company. For the cost of the article
produced is increased by reasOn of the
freight.
Again, when the farmer sells his
crop, it is largely shipped out ofrGeor.
gia. The merchant fixes the price
which he Is able to pay the farmer for
his cotton by the price in New York
where the cotton is to be sold, and
the merchant, to make anything him
self, must deduct from the New York
price of cotton the cost of Transports
ton, before he fixes the sum which he
can afford to pay the farmer.
No class of men, therefore, are more
deeply interested in railroad freight
charges than the farmers of our State.
For these charges lessen the price of
what they sell, and increase the cost
of what they buy.
The proposition being granted that
farmers are vitality interested in rail
road transportation charges, the ques
ton naturally arises, what al they do
towards looking after their interest ?
Mr.. Smith then said:
NOT FOR THE RICH ALONE.
"No one appreciates more than 1
do the wonderful power of the rail
roads to bring blessings to the human
race. OF all creations of genius none
stands higher than these of Watt and
Stevenson. I feel sure their minds
(were moved by that a1-wise infinite
Being who doeth all things well. But
l cannot render thanks for these bless
ings to those who are simply utilizing
for gain the inventions which were in
tended for the masses of the human
race. The best of Gods gifts have
not been sent for the rich alone"
These inventions, he said, could only
be utilized by resort to the States
right of eminent domain, the right to
take private property for public use,
and the exercise of this right by rail.
road companies was accompanied by a
right in the public to control the rail
roads for the good of the people. 1t
was to impress the importance of this
right that he intended to speak.
The railroad company has a double
duty, one to the stakeholder, whose
money is used to construct the enter.
prise, and another to the public, grow
ing out of the fact that the power of
the public had to be exercised for the
construction and preservation of the
railroads. They can run through
private lands without the consent OF
the owner. They can the streets
and roads belonging to the public.
They can exercise functions the use OF
which is only justified upon the ground
that they are public servants, and owe
public duty.
DIVIDENDS AND JUS RATES.
The public is interested in obtaining
cheap rates and good accommodations
and in preventing discrimination. The
stockholders on the other side, are
trying to obtain big dividends, and al
times favor particular localities and
particular enterprises in which they
may be interested. 1t is the right O
the public to see that these great
vehicles of commerce charge such
rates as give simply fair profits to the
stockholders, for every dollar comes
out of the shippers, and the greater
the profits to the stockholders, the
greater the burden placed upon those
whose goods are transported.
1t is true the railroads should be
greatly concerned for the welfare Of
the sections tributary to them. But il
B also true that the increased freight
rates will frequently place burdens
upon the people. at the same time thai