Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1897-03-11

it is reasonably certain that Bunccmbe
county. including AsheviIle. will. ere
the year IS out, be trying the virtues
of Tillmanism as applied to the drink
habit.
Another question that is agitating
the public mind of Tarheeldom is the
lease of the North Carolina Railroad
to the Southern Railway Company.
That road, owned in major part by
the State, was leased about ten years
ago to the Company named above, for
the term of fifteen years. About a
year ago, the FIRST lease was abrogated
by consent of all the parties to it, and
a new lease given to the Southern for
a term Of ninety-nine years, the terms
being that the Company pay a rental
equal TO per cent. on the $4,000, 900
at which the property was capitalized;
that is to say, $2S0,0O0 per annum.
The service of the public demanded
great increase in facilities. but the
Company reasonably held that if they
made extraordinary expenditure, a
longer tenure than remained to them
under the first lease would be neces-
sary TO requite it for the heavy outlay.
The matter was presented 10 the State
officials and directors acting upon the
part of the people and the stockhold-
ers, and. after due consideration, the
new lease for ninety-nine years was
cOnsummated. This was under the
Democratic State administration,
headed by Gov. Cara man whose
honorable fame the lightest breath of
calumny has never furnished. The
great rival of the Southern Railway in
this State is the Seaboard Air Line.
It HAD an opportunity TO bid for the
lease, for the transaction was not eff
fected in secret, but held It's peace.
Now, however, its bowls are ear-pierc-
ing, and the holy horror of its I'M
sophisticated innocence is anguishiug
to behold. And our Republican
brethren, now on top here, are amazed
and COMPOUNDED. and Gov. Russell and
his henchmen are causing the welkin
to ring with virtuous denunciation. A
bill is now before the Legislature to
empower the officials to take the lease
before the courts and demand its an
nulment. OF course, there is no pol
tiles in It's, nor anything but second
thought self-abnegation upon the part
els yearn for the poor, down-trodden
taxpayer. l know this is so, because
they now say they are anxious to pay
three per cent. more than their COM
petisors, and are making a whole lot
OF very fine promises for the future if
the Legislature and the courts will on
" ''knock out" their too, too self
seeking rivals. Is it possible such
magnanimity shall go unrewarded, and
the steam blasts of a wicked enemy be
blown incontiuent into the faces of the
virtuous? Forbid it, all ye gods in
unison! The present splendid equip
ment and service of the truculent
Southern are but snares for the I'M
wary, and an evidence of the Company's
ultimate wickedness. So it is not
singular that the travelling public, and
the people, generally, side with the
dominant road in this contest, and re-
fuse to credit the special ploddings of
its enemies. The lease, under these
circumstances, may be counted upon
to cover its full term-but what of
that? Virtue is its own reward, and
with this everlasting compensation
must the tender consciences of Gov.
Russell, the Pritchard Populists and
the Seaboard Air Line rest content.
The weather here is bright, balmy
and spring-like. How is it with you?
E. D. A.