The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-03-06
RAILROADS
AND RAILROAD COMMISSIONS
No. ia.

No. IL.
This article wTf, cTaee ~ha. nave
to say on this subject. If what /
have said has not convinced the
readers Of TIE DEMOCRAT OF the
necessity Of such q commission. aud
is legal constitutional power to
regulate the tariff and freights OF
roads acting under charters granted
ny the state they would not be con
vinced if mo:c fo-c,blo Arguments
were used.
10 this discussion, | have attempt
ed to do justice to the railroads and
the people. have eldeavored to
show the wrongs committed by the
corporations against the people, and
wrongs by the public against the
corporations and a. the same IL me
to point out, go far as | was able, the
surest remedy and the most equlta
BILE.
Tue corporations are rich and
powerful, fully able TO defend their
rights. The individual patrons of
these corporations are comparatively
poor and helpless, and ought TO be
protected from oppression by the
state, which granted these corpora
tons the special and exclusive priv
ileges.
No single individual can afrofd to
coutend with these corporations
single handed; and the laws are
such that the people can not CON 5ine
10 suits. Ia nine csses out of ten,
he who goes to Law with ralroad
loses ten dollars for every one col
lected out of them. So people sub
nit to the wrongs rather than incur
the expense Of 3 suit. 1t is nonsense
TO tell the shipper, who has paid too
much freight, that the courts are
oyen to him. He knows that as
we'll as any one, and he knows, too,
that if he sues and wins his case be
is still defeated in obtaining justice,
and is the loser in the end. If he
has collected his fifty cents or FIVE
dollars, he has paid lawyers fees and
lost time and money besides. |
believe an honest railroad CommIs-
sion would remedy all these wrongs.
At all events, we ought 10 try the
experiment. If commission can
CO no good it certainly can do no
harm. If it prove a blessing. it can
be continued. II it prove a curse it
can be abolished.
TO get q commission you must
convince the roads that you mean
business and mean to assert and
maintaia your rights, and that you
do not intend to longer submit to
their dictation, nor do you intend to
lDfict, or | ermit to be inflicted any
wrongs upon them, but that you will
have Justice at all hazards and at
any cost.
Ii order to get commission that
will be worth anything to the people,
You must teach the demagOgue, the
trickster. and the political "thimble-
ri3gcr" some lessons. He must be
taught that you have no confidence
in lis public declarations; that you
have 10 faith in his political integri>
ty; and that his calling is gone meyer
to return. You must elect men TO
the next Legislature who can not be
approached, much less corrupted, by
free passes, railroad wines, cigars,
and money.
4 man 10 represent the people
ought to be above suspicion ; he
ought to be weighed in the scales
and found not wanting. remember
to have heard the strongest opponent
Of railroad commission in the last
Legislature say be would vote fo1 g
commission if one was offered with
out power to interfere with the
railroads. So do not be deceived 10
the coming contest. Be sure you
know what sort of a commission
your men will vote for before you
vote for him. A commission with
out power to regulate freigtts would
be an expensive nuisance. and a
valuable aid to the roads. A weak
corrupt commission would be of
invaluable service to the corpora
tons, and would help them, if they
50 desired. TO rob the people, and
Justify tue robbery and give legal
countenance TO the wrong.
The farmers have it in their pow.
er 10y combination and unity in
action 20 accomplish great good fol
the country. They have been the
bearers of burdens, tie hewers OIL