The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-02-17

WANT Q AND IL GENT RATES
Fifteen Gents Tor kilograms, Twelve
Dollars Per Annum for Telephone
Rental, Freights Down to 6 Per
Gent Earnings for Roads.
Mr. Hauscr's bill to reduce rates has
haen made a special order in the House
at noon to-day. 1t provides:
1. For the election of Railroad Com
missioner by the people
,. To make passenger rates : and lt2
cents per mile.
3. To make fifteen cents the charge for
kilograms of ten words.
4. To make So the rental for tele-
phones.
:. Freight rates should be fixed so that
roads shall make 6 per cent, and IN max
ing this calculation, no salary hlgher tnan
$500 shall be taken into consideration.
6. No free pass or frank shall be given
to any official.
There are provisions regulating THESE
sections.
Their are two reports that will be pre-
scented, majority opposed to the bill,
and it is as follows:
MAJORITY REPORT.
THE Committee on Railroads and Rail
road Commission, to whom ID. b. 3lI
was referred, make the following report:
We are of the opinion that it is to the
best interests of the State that no change
be made in the manner of electing Rail
road Commissioners
We have given full consideration to the
subject of reducing the rates charged
by railroads and steamboats, IN North
Carolina, and we are of the opinion
that existing rates, as fixed and super
vised by the Railroad Commission,
should not be interfered with. An exam
ination Of the report of the Railroad Com
missioners will show that they enter into
every detail Of tFansportation-f freight
and passenger. and that they have since
their organization, reduced adjusted,
and equalized rates in the interest of the
people until the work has reached point
where there is danger that further redue-
lions, especially Of a radical nature,
would 50 cripple the transportation COM
panies that service would be impaired
and reduced to such an extent as to make
the people the sufferers.
We are Of opinion there should be no
legislation upon telegrapIic rates. The
Railroad Commission has ample power
to deal with that subject, and the Com
missioners have made reduction in prices
and improved the telegraphic service
very materially. As with other subjects
coming under their jurisdiction. the Rail-
road Commissioners can deal intelligent
" with the details, and are prompt to
correct all abuses brought to their atten-
tion. They have dealt with the telegraph
companies in such a way as to give our
people a good service at what they con-
slider the lowest rates the companies can
do business and have a reasonable profit
for their work in the State.
Telephone companies obtain their fran
chises from local municipal organizations.
and are generally based upon individual
subscriptions to take q certain number of
phones at prices agreed upon between the
companies and the subscribers. We
think this business should not he inter
fered with by legislation. or the enact
ment OF law that might deprive the peo-
pie altogether Of the telephone service.
Conditions in the future may justify such
legislation, but at this time we think none
is called for.
The subject Of the effect of free passes,
telegraph and express franks upon State
officers has been discussed for many
years. We have to0 much re-
spect for the good people Of
North Carolina to favor a law
THAT would brand many Of their trusted
servants with suspicion Of liability to
Official corruption through The means of
a railroad pass or a telegIaphie frank
Any man whose honesty It's liable to
waFer in the presence Of q free pass,
can easily refuse it, Public corporations
willing to favor public officers, should not
be attempted Of bribery and corruption
nor should the recipients Of such favors
for a moment be suspected Of being i'm
fluenced thereby. In the history of North
Carolina we have no doubt that the list
of her noble sons who accepted free pass
Is and used them without doubling their
own honesty, would be to rebuke the
elamor that is raised on this subject.
Clergynen and others are accorded half
rates by railroad companies, which is
equivalent to q half pass, yet no one
ever fears that these worthy men are
bought by corporations, or that they feel
that Whey have sold themselves to do
unlawful work for railroads. We are not
willing to admit that members of the
Legislature or other persons who receive
railroad passes or franks are corrupted
or rendered unfaithful to their constit-
uents or oath of Office thereby, and there
fore, are opposed to that feature of the
bill.
We therefore recommend that this
bill do not pass.
BROWER, Chairman.
The minority report, which favors the
passage Of the bill, giving reasons for it,
is as follows: