The news & observer., 1897-01-29

| taxation at SlZ,oZl, IU4; Dy Une OomInls-
sion at 500, 141, 760; showing an increase
OF So, ,S20,056; making an increased reye-
| nue. to the State and counties of about
saventy-fiye thousand dollars ($75,000),
&nd Indirectly the much larger sum, as
! shown above, in the saving by passenger,
freight and telegraph reductions
Governor Carr, who gave to the work
Of the Commission his closest scrutiny, i'm
his message to the Legislature of 1895,
said
1.-The fact that there is tribunal to
. which the people cam appeal from the
/ railroads, and to which the railroads can
i appeal ais against each other, often pre-
vents that wrong and injustice which
makes an appeal necessary.
'NTany new depots and improved facili-
ties have been established along the diff
ferent roads of the State. The Commits
sioners state that it was found, ms Il rule,
great inequality and differences existed
at non-competitiye points i'm freight rates;
THAT excessive charges were made for
short hauls, and that determinations We're
made at almost every intermediate sta
tion. A standard tariff of rates adjust
I ing all these matters upon fair basis
was made This led to a reduction and
saving to the people upon freight charges
of about One-quarter of a million dollars
per annum; passenger charges over two
hundred thousand dollars per annun. Elk
press rates have been modified. Tele-
graphing has been simplified and rates
reduced at least fifty per cent
THE tax returns In the Auditors of
fee upon the establishment of the Gem
mission show the railroad property re-
turned for taxation to have been about
S12,O00,000; the present taxable value is
about S25, 900, 000-mOre than double.
The Commission has been active tn see
ing THAT every species of property liable
to taxation coming under it's jurisdiction
! was placed upon the taX-books. Many
steamboats, heretofore untaxed and even
the Pullman cars running through the
State are now taxed. Notwithstanding
these sweeping reductions lin rates and
increased value placed ON the property
for taxation the railroad officials do not
hesitate 10 say the Commission has dealt
fairly with them.
| '1The people have enjoyed the adyan-
tage of lower rates, and were relieved
from the evils of unjust determinations;
so the course of the Commission while
/ highly beneficial to the people has not
/ been unjust to the railroads, and did
not prove injurious to them"
We may go into details later ON if the
proposition to abolish the Commission be-
comes formidable
The Legislature ought to realize that
the very fact that there is a court to
which The people cam appeal and have
| justice done them is one of the best de-
torrents of over-dharges and the like.
There is not a railroad officer i'm the
State who is mot more careful to be ac-
curate and just because failure to do so
involves being tried before the Commis-
sion.
Instead Of repeating the law, dhis Leg
islature should amend it by enacting a
law to reduce freight and passenger
charges compel it to keep hands off when
railroad wars reduce rates giving better
methods of procedure; and clothing it
with all necessary power to make it as
largely useful to the people as is posi-
BILE. If the railroads once get it repealed,
it will never be re-established. 1t is bet
ter to reform than to destroy
The election of Commissioners by the
Legislature ought to be abolished, and
the Commissioners should be elected by a
vote of the people. 1t is probably true
that the Commissioner to be chosen now
will have to be elected by the Legisla-
ture but provision ought to be made for
their election hereafter, beginning in
1898. If judges ought to be elected by
the popular vote (and there is no way
so good 1T is even more desirable that
the Railroad Commissioners should owe
their selection TO the votes of the people.
This Legislature ought also to see to
it that strong, able and true man is
selected to fill the vacancy ON the Com
mission-one who believes that the peo-
pie have a right to regulate rates, and
who cannot be influenced or controlled
by the railroads He ought not to be a
wealaling who, in the hope OF securing
the place, has already been receiving
passes from the railroads. Such man
| is unworthy OF the position. There is
need of man who will not take favors
from railroads; who will hold himself a.
loot from their courtesies as we'll as their
;nfuerces; who viii go into me WORK re-
solved that the people shall have as low
rates as the conditions Of the roads will
/ justify.