The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-03-23

In the matter of travel over the rail
roads, there has now been established
four distinct classes of travel. The
public should notice this closely for this
tavoritism will be extended to other
matters if the Southern" a succeed
in getting complete ownership and
control of North Carolina.
1st. There is the ''palace car" travel.
By means of high freight rates and
high passenger fares the railroads not
only wiring out of the people salaries
of $50, 900 to $40, 600 a year for the
higher railroad overseers, but enough to
build each one of them an expensive
palace car and supply him with ser
wants and private secretaries. All this
comes out of the excessive rates paid
by the shipping and travelling public.
There is no other place from which it
can come, yet it takes piles OF money
to pay for all this luxury and style,
and the exactions will increase If it is
found that the people will stand it.
Not one of these bosses will ride 90
miles in a car witr common folks. He
must have his palace car hitched up
and his servants and secretaries, all
paid for by the public. Nay, more:
When they go fishing or hunting, they
must take q lot of their New York
friends along and must be given right
of way" and all other trains, carrying
L---Sw1S~ "a tho nN~ornAr ~nNNHn n~@
the United States mail for the public
must stand aside and wait till the
lordly train sweeps by. This happened
as late as last month when Pierpont
/ Morgan and his ''pals" went down to
South Carolina hunting and fishing.
ThRt special train cost many thou
sands of dollars not to Pierpont
Morgan, who did not pay a cent-but
to the people of North Carolina and
South Carolina, who paid for it all in
excessive railroad charges. However
what are the people for if they are not
to toll and work to pay thousands and
millions of dollars to maintain the rail
road bosses in luxury and splendor.
2nd. The second class is a little
lower. They are the public officials,
especially members of the legislature,
influential citizens, and the fatterers
and personal favorites of the railroad
bosses. These ride free-of expense
to themselves or to the railroad-upon
free passes. Their fare, however, lik g
that of the ''palace car" crowd is paid
by adding the cost to the price of the
tickets of those who pay, i. e , the 'com-
mon people" who are ne ither railroad
bosses, nor their favorites who
have no legislative votes or official
favors to exchange for passes. So
numerous are these '~'favors" that the
Railroad Commission Report shows
that while the general public have 81
cents per mile exactsd from them, the
railroads receive on al average 2 8
cents per mile from each traveller.
This shows, roughly speaking, that
for every four men riding on the rail
road, one rides free by grace Of favor
itism, and the other three pay fer the
riding of the fourth, the cost of his
riding being added in the price of their
tickets.
3rd. The third class are those
who are rich enough to invest $40
at a time in railroad tickets. These
are allowed to buy 1000 miles,
tickets at two cents per mile. Being
rich enough to kick at high rates, but
without legislative votes or other
special pull" they r simply accorded
q fair rate of two cents. But why
should a man with $40 in his pocket
be allowed to pay 2 cents while the
poorer ones who need the reduction
still more be charged st cents and
thus saddled with the whole burden of
paying for the palace car rides" and
the free pass" brigadeH
45h. Then lastly, there are the "plain,
common people," as Lincoln loved to
call them. They are pscuniariIy less
able to pay than any of the first
three classes, but the whole burden falls
upon them. The natural and just order
reversed, the high salaried men with lit
tie work ride free in palace cars with
servants to wait on them; their favor
ties and those who can serve them with
Influence or legislative votes, ride
on free passes. Those who are not up
to this, but who have $40 to spare
and whose kicking would be incon.
venient ride at 2 cents per mile.
while the poorer and less influential
pay 81 cents per mile Cor q cents in a
End class car with the negroee).