The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-02-23

MAJORITY REPORT.
The Committee on Railroads and
Railroad Commission to whom Fl. B.
81 was referred, make the following
report:
We are of opinion that it is to the
best interests of the State that no
change be made in the manner of cleo
ing Railroad Commissioners.
We have given full consideration to
the sub?e Of reducing the rates
charged by railroads and steamboats, in
North Carolina, and we are OF opinion
that existing rates al fixed and super
vlsed by the Railroad Commission,
should not be interfered with. An ex-
animation of the report Of the railroad
commissioners will show that they
enter into every detail of ~transporta-
ton freight and passenger-and that
5hey have since their organization,
reduced, adjusted, and cquelizad rates
in the interest of the people. until the
work has reached a point where there
is danger that further reductions, es
pecialgy OF a radical nature, would SO
cripple the transportation companies
that service would be impaired and re
duced to such an extent as to make the
people the sufferers.
We are Of opinion there should be
no legislation upon telegraph rates.
The Railroad Commission has ample
power to deal with that subject, and
the commissioners have made reduc-
ton in prices and improved the tele-
graphic service very materially. AS
with other subjects coming under their
Jurisdiction, the railroad commission
ers can deal intelligently with the de.
tails and are prompt to correct all
abuses brought to their attention.
They have dealt with the telegraph
companies in such a way as to give
our people a good service at what they
consider the lowest rates the compa-
lies can do business and have a rea-
sonable profit for their work in the
State.
Telephone companies obtain their
franchises from local municipal organi-
cations, and are generally based upon
individual subscriptions to take a Ger
tain number of phones at prices agreed
upon between the companies and the
subscribers. We think this business
should not be interfered with by legis-
lation, or the enactment of a law that
might deprive the people altogether of
the telephone service. Conditions in
the future may justify such interior
ence, 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 too much
respect 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 e of q
railroad pass or a ~telegraphic frank.
Any man whose honesty is liable to
wave in the presence of a free pass,
can easily refuse it. Public corpora
tions willing to favor public officers,
should not be suspected Of attempting
bribery and corruption, nor should the
recipients of such favors for a moment
be suspected of being Influenced there
by. In the history Of North Carolina
we have no doubt that the list of her
noble SONS who accepted free passes
and used them without doubling their
own honesty, would be a rebuke to the
clamor that is raised on this subject.
Clergymen and others are accorded
half-rates by railroad companies.
which is equivalent to half Of a pass,
yet no one ever fears that these worthy
men are bought by corporations, or
that they feel that they have sold
themselves to do unlawful work for
railroads. We are not willing to ad-
NIT that members of the legislature or
other persons who receive railroad
passes or franks are corrupted or rem.
dered unfaithful to their constituents
or oath of Office thereby, and, there
fore, r opposed to that feature of the
bill.