The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-09
Entered at the pestoffice at Raleigh,
n. O.. as second-class NATTER.
THURSDAY, September 9, 1897.
IT LOOKS LIKE LEGAL FRAUD. !"

~ 6VONS LINZ ee0sN6 sHNOos
Unless all signs fail the investigation
Before Hon. Kerr Craige will show tina,
the lease of the North Carolina Rail
road was procured by fraudulent rep
RESERVATIONS made by the Southern Rail
way Company. The directors, as we
stated at the time, were actuated by
threats to destroy the value Of the pro-
perty and by other representations with
as little foundation.
The people Of North Carolina were
anxious to have this lease, which they
believe was procured by legal fraud,
investigated in the orderly legal methods.
II this course had been pursued, there
would have been general acceptance of
the result because we are law-abiding
people. But, when at the instance of
the Southern Railway, an injunction was
issued to take the matter into the hands
Of the Federal court, there was universal
indignation. The people have learned
to distrust the Federal courts because
SO many of the Judges owe their appoint
ment to corporation influence, and be-
cause some Of them have prostituted
their positions to serve their creators.
Even where they trust the Federal
courts the people have learned from bit
ter experience that government by in
junction" is new and highly dangerous
form of oppression by which Federal
Judges in contempt of the laws of the
States and Of the rights of citizens, be-
come at once legislators and execution
ers." The legality Of the lease, the ques-
ton Of fraud, and the power of the direc-
tors were all matters to be passed upon
by State courts. No Federal question
was involved. The orderly process was
t0 let the State courts pass upon these
questions. But this did not suit the
Southern Railway. Having by threats,
which tthey could not exc
cute, and false representations,
obtained possession of con-
tract giving them profit Of nearly
half a million dollars a year for ninety
nine years, they elected to appeal to
judges they and other political roads
had helped to make, hoping to be Sc
cured in the bonanza their high-sound-
ing threats had extorted from the di-
rectors.
The report of Mr.. Craige will go before
Judge Simonton who will, doubtless,
decide with the railroad. An appeal will
he to the highest court Of the land, and
il the Supreme Court decides that the
lease is valid, there will be no redress.
If, however, it should hold that the di-
rectOrs had no right to execute a lease
for ninety-nine years three years before ii
was time to act at all, that the lease was
obtained by legal fraud or that ninety
ME year lease is equivalent to sale,
then the free gift of millions of dollars
belonging to the people to ]. Pierpont
Morgan and the Rothschilds will not
stand.
There is no length to which this paper
would not go to destroy the Ubiquitous
ninety-nine year lease. 1t not only takes
out Of the pockets of the people of this
generation at least $4,000 year, but
denies the chIidren's children a fair rent
al for THE best piece of railroad pro-
perty in the South" If the population
and manufacturing increase for the next
half century as it has during the first
fifty years of the existence Of the North
Carolina railroad, il Will be worth double
what the Southern Railway agree t.
pay for it. If the courts say it must
stand, there is no way during the frs
thirty years to change the decree.
The 99-year lease will not stand fo
30 years.
There never was wrong that coul(
not be righted soon or late.
The Wilmington and Weldon rail
road had In its charter provision givinl
it perpetual exemption from taxation.
way was found to put it on the tax-list
There Will be way 10 Qe1eat tn
09-year lease. but that way will not b
found by any dependence upon the negr
vote. Wrongs cannot be righted throug
ignorant suffrage. The only hope Of tn
people In all matter in North Carolin'
is in an appeal to the intelligence Of tn
white people. The man who depends o.
the negro vote is forever corporation-rid
den.