The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-03

TO the Editor: The Caucasian. of
September Both editorialy discusses the
ABERDEEN and AShebOrO Railroad aud
this writer, and manages to put both in
IL very bad light. The old saying: IF
YOU play with Il puppy he will lick your
face is probably true saying, and
for this reason, would rather let the
article pass unnoticed. but il is us full
of falsehoOd as of malice. and the errors
demand correction, therefore, | beg suf-
ficient space to answer it.
| suppose very few intelligent people
read the Caucasian regularly, therefore,
in order to make myself understood, it
will be necessary to reprint the editor
ial here. 1t is as follows:
"A LITTLE RAILROAD PROBLEM.
The North Carolina Christian Advo-
cate of August 25th, 1897, has an edi-
torial in which its Editor tells about his
visit to Brother A. +. Page, of Aber-
deem, and makes statement of what he
was told as follows:
Il was told the entire plant of the
Aberdeen and Asheboro railroad, with
siXty-fouf miles of track, cost $3.50, 900,
and is carrying a bonded debt of only
$4,000, and has been u good paying
road from the beginning"
Now one of Mr.. Pages sons appeared
before the Railroad Commission, and
had much to say about the Governor
and Judge Clark, and their daring to
NEEDLE with the owners and operators
Of the railroads, and daring to urge
that railroads should be taxed like other
folks, according to what their property
was worth; and sought to become furious
by expressing great horror at the very
thought of anybody's questioning the
infallibility of the monopoly Federal
Judges. 1t was no fault of his if his
speech failed to win the affections of
Pierpont Morgan to such an extent that
Pierpont will buy his railroad at a big
profit, in the sweet bye and bye.
On page o, Railroad Commission Re-
port 1896, it appears that the above
road is rated for taxation at S113,000
So we have it that this road costing
$350,000. and paying well, is rated for
taxation at only $4,000.
On page 1913, it appears who are the
general officers" Then it appears that
the salaries of the general officers"
that is the Page family, amounts to
$4,000. Their track men are paid sixty
ishes not only muscle but brains, gets
$500 a day; their train men siXty-fve
cents day; their firemen $1.00 day.
Mr.. III. A. Page was reported in the
papers as telling the Commission that
the tax value of his railroad was high
enough. The people should be congrat
ulated that Mr.. Page was willing to
admit that he could be taxed at all.
Monopolies with countless soft snaps
are not here to be taxed, they are here
to tax other folks and comment on the
people when they complain.
Now some of the monopoly sheets may
say that we are attacking enterprise and
and thrift in the persons Of the Messrs.
Page. OF course that is not so. The
Messrs. Page are entitled to great credit
for having built their railroad, for hav-
ing shown industry and skill and good
business sense in acquiring wealth, In
doing so they have not only helped
themselves but have done good to their
fellowmen. We wish there were ten
thousand of them in the State. Nobody
wants to take away from them their
property. their rights, or the credit TO
which they are entitled, but we insist
that they shall be taxed like other peo-
pie, and that they shall not attempt to
he sarcastic or get gay whenever they
are reminded that railroads are Great
ures of the public and that the people
have reserved to themselves the right
TO control them, to tax them. TO fix rates
for them and to prevent their unlawful
impositions upon communities.
The great underlying truth that makes
monopolies and privileges so prevailing
and powerful is that as n general rule,
with some exceptions, as soon as a man
acquires wealth, especially if he gets it
by holding property in natural monopo-
lies, he intuitively stands in with his
class and regards himself and his class
as entitled to these special privileges
which the constitution prohibits and alb
hors."
The very first sentence contains a mis-
statement of fact The Editor of the
North Carolina Christian Advocate told
of visit to Aberdeen, and not to BROTH
er A. +. Rage at all. The Caucasian
twists in the Brother A. Il. Page" at
the right place to make it appear that he
gave the Advocate the information which
follows. The original article in the AID
vocate made no such impression. A. +
Page made no such statement, nor did
any Of his sons. Somebody told Broth
er Crawford certain, he is a preacher
and says che was told,"-that settles
it. The Caucasian infers that some
body authorized to speak gave the in
formation. Mr.. Crawford does not say
so. suppose it was one of those smart
Alexis familiar to everybody-probabl
they have been seen around the Cauca-
sian office, who love to discuss other
peoples business. Any way the state
ment was entirely unauthorized and I'm
true.
The statement that one of Mr.. Pages
sons appeared before the Commission
and chad much to say about the Gov
ernor and Judge Clark, because they dar
ed to urge that railroads should be tax
ed like other folks" is absolutely I'M
true; the burden of his argument was
they should be taxed exactly like other
folks" if ''folks," they be.
His next statement is false in fact
and construction. Sought to become
furious" That's terrible. If | did that,