The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-11-30

- @AS O@A@ "a
North Carolina transporting such fami-
lies OF such employees is subject to the
heavy penalty fixed by the statute.
This of course under a rigid eonstruc-
ton of the act of 1891. Ministers of the
gospel who have such passes, the poor
or disabled, not even excepting the
poor tramp who, run over by a loco
motive or train of the Southern Rail-
way, could be picked up and his bleed
ing and mutilated body hauled to the
next station, without an Infringement
of this law, il this rigid construction is
to be givea the statute. The act Of
1895 includes every street car company
which may operate lines outside the
corporate limits of a city or town linn
it's, or may haul freights within the
corporate limits, and under this con-
.s1ruction the Asheville Street Railway,
if 1t has given or should give to anyone,
v r it's lines by giving a five-cents
fare is subject to a S. 600 fine in each
and every instance. Every telegraph
company who should send a free mes
sage for any person, every express
company and both of these companies
are included in the act, who should
send a package tree to anyone issubiect
to this severe penalty. Not even the
editors Of newspapers, their agents o.
travelling correspondence could legally
wo0oSUn Rnno kwn no~AW&nkSA h4Nk To- hhn
fact that when a pass is given q news
paper company, it's agents or CORE
spondents, it is given on the basis Of q
contract. The newspapers in consid-
GRAFTON Of the passes given them agree
to publish the railroad schedules and
other business notices of the railway
companies, and only upon the distinct
understanding and agreement can such
passes be given to newspapers, their
agents or correspondents by the COM
non carriers of the State.
INDICTMENTS POSSIBLE.
It is needless for me to say that under
this rigid construction thousands of
indictments can be found against the
great railroad corporations of the State
for granting passes to almost without
exception every member of the General
Assembly since 1891. every State Off.
Ger. minister Of the gospel, lawyers,
Federal, State and county officers.
From time immemorial this courtesy
has been extended by the railroads Of
the country. am aware that much
DIFF 9rence of opinion exists as to the
propriety Of both the giving and receiv-
ing Of such courtesies. On one hand it
is insisted that a public official who
will accept a pass over the railroad in
directly accepts a bribe, and that the
pass is given him to influence his cHs
cial action, and that when he takes it
he accepts it with understanding. On
the other hand it is commended that if q
public official can be bribed by the
issuance of a pass to him which may be
worth an amount varying perhaps
from five to twenty dollars per annum,
that such an official in all probability
could be just as easily bribed by the
pay ment OF the same amount in money.
Il ia argued that these courtesies are
extended to certain officers and indi-
viduals merely by way of compliment,
just as they would transport to any
part of the State, were they visitors in
the State, such distinguished gentlemen
as ". J. Bryan, VIM. Mckinley, Ii
Hung Chang, or some other celebrity
without expecting from these digni-
taries the slightest compensation there
for, or the extension of any favors to
such corporation in any manner, shape
or form. Perhaps after all the discus
sion owe this matter, pro and con, it
narroWs down simply to a question Of
ethics, RnC each individual accepting
such a pass must ect upon his own
se0ss of propriety in the matter. Like
the matter of taste it is with the man,
and a great philosopher has said, de
gusGibus nOn dlsputandum," which in
plain English lean lover taste there
ia no dIsputing." Recently the Cover
nor of the State, who, whatever may
be said of him by partisans, or those
who differ with him radically on ques-
tions of public interest, all will admit
to be a Iawy er OF great prominence
and learning, has had this to say re-
Gently Of free passes, which 1 will read
to you as it throws come light upon the
matter on which l have been address
ing you.
I have endeavored to explain TO you
the logical effect of literal and rigid
construction of this statute. So far as