The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-04-13

D., vOritiSm will be extended to other mat
tiers if the Southern" can succeed in
getting complete ownership and control
of North Carolina.
| LIST. There is the "palace car travel.
BY means of high freight rates and high
| passenger fares the railroads not only
wiring out of the people salaries of $780,
600 to $4,000 a year for the higher rail
road Overseers but enough to build each
one of them an expensive palace car and
supply him with servants and private
secretaries. All this comes out of the
excessive rates paid by the shipping
and travelling public. There is no other
place from which it can come, yet it
takes piles of money to pay for all this
| luxury and style, and the exactions will
increase if it is found that the people
! will stand it. Not one of these ''bOsses"
| will ride 20 miles in a car with common
| folks. He must have his palace car
| hitchcd up and his servants and secre-
taries, all paid for by the public. Nay,
more: When they go fishing or hunting,
| they must take lot of their New York
| friends along and must be given fright
of way" and all other trains, carrying
hundreds of the common people and the
United States mail for the public must
stand aside and wait till the lordly train
sweeps by. This happened as late as last
month when Pierpont Morgan and his
pals" went down to South Carolina
hunting and fishing. That special train
cost many thousands of dollars-nOt to
Pierpont Morgan, who did not pay a
cent-but to the people of North Caro-
lima and South Carolina, who paid for it
all in excessive railroad charges. How
ever what are the people for if they are
al 10 {ho,, 10,
and millions of dollars to maintain the
railroad bosses in luxury and splendor.
2nd. The second class is a little lower.
They are the public officials, especially
members of the Legislature influential
citizens. and the flatterers and personal
favorites of the railroad bosses. These
ride free-of expenses to themselves or
to the railroad-upon free passes. Their
fare, however, like that of the palace
car crowd is paid by adding the cost
to the price of the tickets of those who
pay, i. e., the common people," who
are neither railroad bosses, nor their
favorites who have no legislative votes
nor official fayors to eXchanbe for
passes. So numerous are these ''favors"
that the Railroad Commission Report
shows that while the general public
have 3A cents per mile eXacted from
them, the railroads receive ON an average
2 1-5 cents per mile from each traveller.
This shows, roughly speaking. that for
every four men riding on the railroad,
one rides free by grace Of favorftism, and
the other three pay for the riding of the
fourth, the cost of his riding being added
in the price of their tickets.
3rd. The third class are those who
are rich enough to invest $40 at a time
in railroad tickets. These are allowed
to buy 1000 miles tickets at cents
per mile. Being rich enough to kick at
high rates, but without legislative votes
or other special pull they are simply
accorded a fair rate of 2 cents. But
why should a man with $40 in his pocket
be allowed to pay cents while the
poorer ones who need the reduction still
more be charged 3H cents and thus
saddled with the whole burden of paying
for the palace car rides" and the free
pass" brigade?
4th Then lastly, there are the plain,
common people," as Lincoln loved to call
them. They are pecuniarily less able to
pay than any of the first three classes,
but the whole burdens falls upon them.
The natural and just order reversed, the
high salaried men with little work ride
free in palace cars with servants to wait
on them; their favorites and those who
can serve them with Influence" or legis-
lative votes, ride on free passes. Those
who are not up to this, but who have
$40 to spare and whose kikickink would
be inconvenient ride at cents per mile,
while the poorer and less influential pay
3l4 cents per mile (Or 2% cents in Il
second-class car with the negroes)
Equal and exact justice demands a
maximum rate of cents for all land
~ cents for second-class) with a re-
duction of enormous railroad salaries
and an abolition of palace cars. The
railroads would make more money by
such equal and just rates. The railroads
only exist by legislative grant. They take
other peoples land to build their tracks
over, without their consent, because it is
"for public use" The Legislature, there
fore, has power to make the above
changes. The bills to do so were de-
feated in the Legislature of 1897 by one
vote in each house. The Railroad Com
mission could, at any time, make the
above reforms.
Let us, in stentorian tones, say to the
mighty, lion-hearted people, Samson, the
Philistnes be upon thee. Arouse your
selves"