The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-03-04

standpoint. To prevent = rccur-
renee Of impressions thus conveyed,
the editorials written hereafter BY
Senator Butler will be signed M. b. d"
MORE ABOUT THE 90 yEARLEAsE.
II looks az though the Southern
Railway has won the fight. Men
who bolted the people in the Sena
torial fight, bolt the people in fight
between the people and big corpora
tions, and this is why the
Southern Railway has the fight won
up to date.
The bill which was originally in
troduced in the legislature concern
ing this lease question was one
which would have annulled the 90
year lease, il it could have been
passed. This bill was referred to a
committee. The committee heard
many arguments, pro and con, from
all sorts OF people, but especi tally
from high saiaried railroad attor
neys, and from some other attorney Us
who did not appear for the railroads,
but who thought they could see a
great case Of litigation in which
there would DO some big "fees", and
also thought they saw good chance
TO get ut some of,hose aforesaid fees.
Well, these lawyers. and others
managed to get some features Of the
original bill changed, and the final
outcome was that the committee did
not report the original bill back to
the legislature, but brought in a
Substitute" This Substitute"
passed the House two weeks ago. 1t
effected nothing-it meant nothing
but the certainty of a big suit in the
courts; and this suit was what the
lawyers were working to get up.
And this was the status of the mat
ter up to last Friday.
On Friday the bill as passed by the
House came up in the Senate as a
special order. The lawyers thought
they had tho thing fixed up all right.
There was nothing in a suit, how
ever, for the railroad, and not much
if anything, for railroad lawyers, for
they are usually paid regular sala-
rles. A suit meant for them mere
work for about the same pay they
always get Thus it can be seen,
they were not especially anxious for
any suit. Besides being trouble
some, it might go against them if
it could ever be brought to an end
SO the railroad corporation began
talking about a compromise. and
sent men to and fro who said that
something must be done to settle
this matter; and after they had so
talked for awhile, they had a bill
drawn up making the time for the
lease THIRTY YEARS instead of nine
ty nine years. This was the only
change of any conse quence. There
was no offer to pay any more for the
lease, although there is a standing
bid Of $lOO,O per year for the N
e Road, while the price agreed on
by the lease as it now stands is $3.50
900.
When the bill which passed the
House was taken up in the Senate.
the new substitute making the time
THIRTY YEARS was offered, ard il
passed. And this is what the rail
road corporation and its friends
called a COMPROMISE. Thev
wouldn'ttake the road for 90 years
They admitted that was too long q
time, after they thought about it
awhile. They would take ,hs road
for Just THIRTY YEARS, that's all.
but they would not pay but $3.50 900
a year to the State, although an
other corporation was Offering $780,
ooo a year for the same property
And this is COMPROMISE,
And the State Senate seemed to
think it was a COMPROMISES,
The very essence of this fight
Is that the State wants to oct &c
near the full worth of the rental of
this property as possible, while the
southern Railway corporation wants
ING use or the property fer the small
est rent 1T can make or induce the
state to accept. There's NOTHING
else in the fight. And vet the
southern can SO hypnotizs the State
Senate, or enough of it, TO make il
think it is getting a COMPROMISES nv
accepting the very terms on which
the fight was mad; and these terms
were proposed by-whomi Not nv
the people! Not by the legislature :,
BUT BY THE SOUTHERN RAILROAD ",
Umph! 1t is quite astonishing
isn't it, to see the Southern 80 will.
ns to COMPROMISE, when the com.
promise includes the terms which
1t voluntarily proposes.
This thirty year lease bill as pas..
ed by the Senate is now in the Houa..
An effort Is being made to pass Il