The news & observer., 1897-02-06
WHY RATES SHOULD Re REDUC.
I'D.


To listen 10 the trained lawyers and
high salaried officials of rhe railroais,
telegraph and telephone, rates ought not
to be reduced They are satisfied with
them and they see no reason why those
who pay them should not be. Many
members of the legislature, who really
desire to do right will be suppressed with
their plausible and fluent arguments.
These members not being posted may
take the bold statements of these gentle
men as being fair and true. To such we
would say that these lawyers and of
ficiaIs are talking in their own interest,
they are skilled in putting the best foot
foremost" by stating what makes for
Faeun and omitting all that makes against
them; and if they shall even misstate
hgurps, they know there is no one to re-
ply % them for '.the people have mo
hobby and they calculate on the COM
Insttee not being sufficiently posted to
detect their inaccuracies, or suppress
sions in statement of fact.
But to the pIainest and most unsophis-
ticated members we will recall some
things they do know and which the soph-
istry of the pleaders for high rates can
not answer.
Every member knows that railroad
owners and high officials are all get
ting richer while their constituents who
pay the fares and freights to make them
rich are getting poorer.
They know that the adoption of the
gold standard, largely brought about by
the nonresident millionaire owners of
these corporations has i'm effect doubled
the rates of passenger, freight, telegraph
and telephone charges by reducing the
prices of produce. They know that these
gigantic corporations get every dollar
they receive, out of the public, and that
they are high enough, here in North Car
olina, to pay dividends and interest on
S94, 100000 of stock and bonds while
they pay taxes ON IAN actual value" Of
$26,000,00O, thus getting interest on
nearly four times the value of the prop
erty, and THAT, in addition to this, out of
these high rates they pay numerous fan
cy salaries from $4,000 up, including
two salaries of $4,000 each (the Presi-
dent Of the Southern Railroad and the
President of the Bell Telephone Com
pany) and even 100000 per year to the
President of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. They know too that
every effort to ascertain a list of these
fancy salaries has been vigorously OPP
posed by the corporation lobby.
They know that the corporations insist
on issuing free passes and franks TO
public officials and yiciously lobby a.
gainst amy bill to forbid free passes and
that there must be an object in attempt
ing to influence Legislators by those ''fa-
yors"
They know the people are faring hard
and demanding relief, that the officials
of these corporations who collect all their
money out of the people are faring sump-
tuously and that this legislature has am
ole authority to reduce the corporation
charges.
Let members look at the results, the
unprosperous condition of those who bear
tIhe burden of corporation charges and the
'full to oYerfowing" prosperity of those
who profit by them, and who insist on
not abating them zone jot or TITLE" Let
the members consider this, and the soph-
istrieal, one sided statements of the law
yers retained against the people win have
no weight.