The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-07-13

tax and even in Pennsylvania, whose
government openly belongs to them,
they pay $3,500,000. In New York
the railroads in one way or
another pay over SS,00O,00O taxes an
nually. Wisconsin, which has our popu-
lation, collects over S12OO.OOO taxes
from railroads. In Minnesota the tax on
railroad gross earnings is one 100000
and the railroads in the little State of
New Jersey pays over a million dollars
taxes. In North Carolina all the rail
roads combined pay the State little
'over 100000 on their S26,OO0,000 of
property, and not one cent on their
nearly S10,O00,000 of annual gross earn
ings or on their 1925, 900 of net earn
in. The three great railroads of the
State earn ID per cent usury on their
investment and pay the State back less
than 100000 in taxes.
But should your Honorable Commits
sion think it wise to increase the yaIua-
ton for taxation by some millions for
valuation of the franchise, as has been
suggested, | earnestly ask you, in justice
to the public, not to overlook the fact
that in fixing rates they should not be
high enough to give the railroads or 6
per cent net on the franchise valuation
They are only entitled to 4 or 6 per
cent (as you may grant on the value
of the plant, i. e. on their investment.
If that is S26,0OO,0O then the net earn
ings should be calculated to be earned
on that. The franchise valuation is
simply the wind" the water added
by reason Of the excessive profits and
this wind having cost them nothing to
allow them n net earning on that would
be the very matter against which our
people have most earnestly protested
Our people have no hostility to rail-
roads. The charge is an old device of
their officials whenever justice is de-
manded in regard to them. There is
hostility against the methods of some of
their managers and against the free pass
system, which in many instances is a
thin veil for corruption; and against the
enormous sums in excess of reasonable
net earnings which are being exacted by
the present high rates and sent out of
the State never to return, to the perma-
nent lmpOverishment of this common
wealth. 1t is these abuses, not the proper
uses, Of railroads which are repugnant
to us.
You are North Carolinians entrusted
with great and sacred responsibility.
You have it in your power to render
long delayed justice to a long suffering
people. You can tighten the load which
q blind and eXacting avarice has bound
on their shoulders and makes heavier
and heavier with the passing years; for
money is still enhancing in value and
hence the rates for freight and passengers
are increasing in effect, though not in
nominal amount, each year, and almost
each month. L pray you grant the peo-
pie that justice and that relief in the
confident hope of which your commission
was created In your wisdom you have
thought proper to defer it till now. Six
years is long time for a whole people
to suffer. The facts and figures | have
laid before you are taken from your own
reports. They tell sad tale of insatia-
BILE avarice on the one hand and of pa
tent endurance on the other.
| thank you for the compliment of ask
ing me to present the cause of the people
in this matter Nothing is nearer to my
heart than their welfare. Nothing will
be higher honor than to be able to Sc
cure at your hands some alienation of
them. / would that / possessed elo-
Iquence that 1 might present their cause
with the force its justice and its import
Iance demands.
AS plainly and as clearly as l could, in
my humble way, have called this mat
ter to your attention. In the name of
100000 voters in North Carolina, l ask
that YOU hearken to their cause. How
ever arrogant, however domineering,
however omnipotent in our government
the railroad kings seem to be, the real
Isovereigns, when they arouse themselves.
are the patient burden-b bearers, the vot-
ers of the State. They have been very
patient, they have been patient a long
time. but they may be patient no longer.
Two and quarter millions Of dollars of
illegal exactions each year is too heavy
a burden to carry much longer anu our
history tells us that when these toll
worn and sun-burned men of North
Carolina have been moved by tyrannical
eXactions and justice too long delayed,
they know how to assert their sovereign
ty. Into your hands l now commit their
prayer for relief. Most respectfully,
WALTER CLARK.