The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-07-27
GOV. RUSSELL HITS THEM HARD

SS SSSSASS SSSAS
Sore Places.
Below we give the unfinished reply
of Gov. Russell to the railroad lawyers.
It is a very spicy document, the Gov
ernor making use of his legal training
in a very fine manner. 1t explains it.
self and may make good reading for
our subscribers. The letter begins as
follow:
Yours received inviting me to ap-
pear before you and reply to the reil-
road lawyers. You began this by
making an order that they should argue
in writing. You invited Judge Clark
and Mr.. Daniels and myself to come
and present our views orally. We
elected to make our arguments in writ
ing; and I expressly wrote you that /
did this because it was fair that the
rule should apply to both sides. Aftsr
having made this order and entered it
on your records you allow these rail,
readers to u over you, to treat your
order with contempt, to come to Rel-
eigh in all their painted pomp to bonn
bard and batter you with their mouths,
to fling jibes and sneers at those whom
you had invited to represent the peo-
PIES side, to insinuate that we were
afraid to meet them in their mightiness
face to face, to talk about my firing a
letter and then running off to the sea
shore-all this and much more you
listened to and never said che word
about enforcing your own orders or in
explanation or defence Of your having
misled us by declaring that these rail
readers would be restricted to answer-
ing and arguing in writing, 1t will be
in order now for you to apologize to
them for ever having caused them to
leave the seashore and the mountains
to stoop down to such earthly affairs
as taxes and rates. Ole of them, who
belongs somewhere out Of the State,
did give you to understand that they
were getting tired Of being subjected 20
such petty annoyances. If you DO not
placate that fellow he may report
against you to his millionaire masters.
"Since I wrote the above I am in.
formed that you have actually passed
an order declaring that you will not
reduce railroad charges. On yester-
day you invited us to examine the re-
ported arguments of the railroad side.
We have not been able to g them.
They have not even been written up.
Not n of them has come into pos
session. So on yesterday you asked us
to make reply in favor Of the people.
Before we can see what we have to re-
ply to, you enter up judgment against
the people. This is rather an improve
ment upon ex post facto laws, bills of
attainGer and star chambers.
IT notice that Col. Elliott thinks he
has got . point on me by citing that I
told the legislature that while freight
rates should be cut, it was questionable
whether we should go into a policy Of
general reduction Of all passenger rates.
I am not advocating that. am only
insisting upon a reduction OF certain
roads that are amply able TO bear il. I
meant to intimate against a general
legislative cut, believing that the mat
ter OF special cuts applying only to a
few railroads could ba better determ
ined by the Railroad Commission.
There is no conflict between what I
! 49,. ~os5 81 blot Z mr. cd Cr01En
"Col. Elliott's argument speaking
comparatively was very strong and
convincing. He is reported as seying
in substance that the Virginia Board
of Appraisers, who it seems, unlike
yourselves, are disposed to make rail
roads pay taxes like other property.
are a set Of crazy people. In other
words, he says to us in answer to our
arguments, you are fools. In this as
sertion I find the strength, the logic,
the reasoning and the arguments Of
their case. When the Colonel said that,
it was more like an argument than any.
thing that was reported from the whole
lay out. It was the best point they
made.
"And I am inclined not to traverse
it. Why is it not true9 What are we
doing7 Weare advocating right against
against might, we are standing for the
weak and the wrongad against their
~oppressors, for the cause of humanity
hunted By the hounds of avaricsand
hate. This is just what John Hamp-
den did. And 80 did Cranmer and