The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-03-04
RATES and RAILROADS.
SOME INTERESTING FACTS SHOWN
BY SENATOR GEORGE BUILERIN
THE LEGISLATURE.

How Free Pass Users Increase the Cost
eff Travel to Others-1he High Average
Salaries Paid to Railroad Officials
Ninety-Four Million Dollars Tax for
Only Twenty Six Million.
The bill before the legislature to
provide for the election of the Rail.
road Commissioners by the people,
and to reduce passenger rates on rail-
roads to 2 cents and II cents per
mile, to abolish franks and free passes
and to provide for the reduction of the
high salaries of railroad officials was
made special order in the Senate on
last Tuesday at II o'clock.
Senator George E. Butler in his
speech before the Senate advocating
the bill spoke in substance as follows !:
He quoted from the decision of the
L. S. Supreme Court in Williams
case showing that State legislature
had the constitutional right to regu-
late and reduce passenger and
freight rates to TWO and two
and one-half cents per mile
as the bill contemplated, and in SO
doing need not consider under the
head of Operating expences," eXtrav-
agant salaries of fifty to one hundred
thousand dollars to the president and
like proportion to subordinate officers.
He showed by the report of the Rail-
road Commission for 1896 that the
standard passenger tariff is now %,
and 81 cents per mile for passenger
rates, but the same reports shows that
the average receipts for passen-
gers is only 2 ) cents per mile
! thereby illustrating the fact that ev-
cry three persons who ride on trains
and pay fare are at the same time pay
ing for the fare of another person
the other person being dead beat
riding on a,free pass at other peoples
expense; that if free passes were abol.
ished and every person placed upor
the same footing the railroads cOulC
reduce their passenger fare to l.:
cents and receive the same incOm,
they do now without any increase il
travel; but such reduction in rates viii
not only insure as many passengers a.
we now have, but will greatly increas,
passenger travel, and thereby increas
the receipts, as did the reduction o
postage from 3 cents to 2 cents in
crease the revenue to the L. S. Post
office Department. He further illus
trated, by referring to the rate war
between the Seaboard and the South
ern that the reduction of rates increas
ed the receipts.
In speaking of the abuse of fire
passes he declared that it was no. onl
hardship upon those who pay thei
fare, but at the same time has a ten
: dency to bias public sentiment and in
!, fluence or suppress legislation. Tha
legislators were offered free passe
:, while in the legislature but at n
other times; that many accepted then
:, and may or may not be unconscious
: influenced thereby on legislation e.
= fecting railroad corporations.
= That judges of the courts almost il
variably refuse cOurtesies from partis
, who are litigants in court, and the
are not less honorable and pure tina
n members of the General Assembly {
other people. That the duties of men
bers of the General Assembly are
many respects similar to those of judd
and jury-for jury to take tea or a
cept any other courtesy from Ii
lgant in court when they were to
called upon to pass upon the matter
= controversy between said litigan
n would not only be considered suspic
Gus conduct, but would be just groun,
for a new trial.
Mr.. Butler showed by the report
?. the Railroad Commission that ii
p taxable value of the railroad proper
IL in the State is $26,0O0.OOO, but thu
y draw dividends or interest on $94 ,OOt
lie 600. That the difference in the tv
sums is watered stock and bonds Al
IS, they should pay tax upon the amour
they draw dividends and intere
g. upon, or should draw interest Al
dividends only upon the amount tn
D. pay taxes upon. He showed that Il
I'd average amount paid each officer
n. the Southern Railway is $5.s17OO p
g annum. Average to each officer of t
Atlantic Coast Line is $2,SO9OO o
annum and to each officer of the Sc