The news & observer., 1897-02-06

There nre rich mon Ia North Carolina
whose wealth docs not cause them 10 put
the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Of rich corporation
above the interests Of the people
one Of these is Mr. H. j Reynolds, Of
Winston. lie is one of tho wcnIthiest
tobacco manufacturers IN the United
States. "R. J. r." is known wherever
men "ehaw the weed"
Mr.. Reynolds is a business man known
all over the country
He knows the true value of the North
Carolina Railway,
Mr.. Reynolds knows that the ninety
nine year lease ought never TO have been
made, and that If it stands it robs the
taxpayers of $4,000 every year for the
next century and puts that much money
in the Golfers of the Southern Railway.
Mr.. Reynolds is indignant because the
lucky corporation seeks, not only to take
this large sum annually which ought to
go to the people, but To destroy any man
or any enterprise, daring to protest
against the wrong to the people of the
State.
Mr.. Reynolds truly says that he is one
of thousands who stand by this paper in
the fight it is making Not a day passes
but we have assurances from all over the
State that the people land some of them,
ike Mr.. Reynolds, are rich men, whose
wealth has not ruined them). are watch
ing the conflict going on in Raleigh pray
ing that the crime of IA century shall
not stand. But they have no lobby.
Those interested in keeping the $120,000
a year excessive lease money extorted in
1895, have the strongest railroad lobby
seen in Raleigh since 1868 and 1869
Lawyers and others supposed to have
special influence with Legislators are
brought here from the mountains to the
seashore. Some of them are employed
to make legal arguments before commit
tees They are honorable and open.
Others are employed to visit members at
their rooms, or get the members to call
to see them, and urge them, if Democrats,
'.for the good of the party" (of course
with big fees to those giving the adyice),
to stand by the act Of the Democratic
Governor If they are Republicans, they
are told that now the Republican
party has the help of the
Southern Railway, but that if the lease
is annulled the Republicans win have
to meet it's hostile and unrelenting oppo-
sition.
The fight is on. The people, rich and
poor, who put the State above corporate
greed, will win this fight
Mr., Reynolds is right i'm saying that
our pass is withheld because we do not
see flt to hold it with the condition prece-
dent Of wearing the collar of the Vice
President of the Southern system.
The News and Observer with a daily
subscription list now passed the 5000
mark, is more prosperous than at any
time in its history, and we attribute this
good fortune to the fact that it is our
desire to stand for the people at all times
and THAT they are simply expressing
their endorsement of this desire.
We thank them, and we thank Mr.
Reynolds, for we, were deeply impressed
by the noble motives that impeIled him to
his generous act. He must not think
us less grateful if we say, that though
we cannot see our way toward cashing
his check, yet we win do better-we will
frame it to the end that it may ever
keep in mind to us the words of greatest
price: "a good name is rather to be chos-
en- than great riches"