The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-04-01

t'ir- "bemOcracys defenders.
r.Ux CLASSES on rHE RAILROADS.
Prog essive Farmer
~Equxi rights to all and special
privileges 10 none" was the good old
doctrine laid down by Thomas Jeffer-
on under which this country grew
,rd pro-pered and Was . republic in
fact "a we'll As in name. But now
that PierpOnt MOrRan's railroad has
taken full charge of the legislature
and is kicking because they no longer
own the Governor also Gas Cnce upon >
time they did for several years., and
hence run to the Federal judges be-
cause they do not own the state courts,
all this is changed. Now it 10 special
privilege in everything. Under cor
pOratiOn rule, it is q government by
favOritism. Under the peoples rule
it was equal rights to all.
In the matter Of travel over the rail-
roads, there have now been established
four distinct classes of travel. The
public should notice this closely for
this favOritism will be extended to
other matters If the Southern" can
succeed in getting complete ownership
and control Of North Carolina.
1st. There is the "palace car" travel.
BY means of high freight rates and
high passenge. fares the railroads not
only wiring out Of the people salaries
of $4,000 to $4,000 q year for the
higher railroad Overseers, but enough
to build each one of them an expen-
sive palace car and supply him with
servants and private secretaries. All
this comes out of the excessive rates
noiH hv hn mi nd
public. There is no OF her place from
which it can come, yet It takes piles Of
money to pay for all this luxury and
sty lie, and the exactions will increase
if it is found that the people will stand
| IT.. Not one Of these "bOsses" will ride
| twenty miles in q car with common
folks. He must have his palace car
hitched up and his servants and Sec
r~iaries, all paid by the public. Nay
more: When they 20 fishing or hunt
ing, they must take lot Of their New
York friends along and must be given
right Of way," and all other trains,
carrying hundreds of common people
and the United States mail for the
public must stand aside ard wait till
the lordly train sweeps by. This hap
pened rs late as last month when Pier
pont Morgan and his "pals" went down
to South Carolina hunting and fish
ing. That special train cost many
thousands of do!lars-not to PIerpOnt
Morgan, who did not pay cent-but
to the people Of North Carolina, who
paid for it oil In excessive railroad
charges. However, what are the peo-
pie for ii they are not to toll and work
to pay thousands and millions of dol
Lars to maintain the railroad bosses in
.axury and splendOr.
/ and. The scOnd class is little lower.
They are the public officials, especial
ly members of the legislature, in fiuen-
tial citizens, and the fatterers and
personal favOrites of the railroad Dos.
see. These ride free-0f expense to
themselves or to the railroad-upOn
free passes. Their fare, however, like
that of the "palace car" crowd is paid
by adding the cost to the price of the
tickets of those who pay, i. e., the com.
mon people," who are neither railroad
bosses, nor their favorites who have
no legislative votes or official favors e
, exchange for passes. So numerous arr
these "favors" that the Railroad Com
mission Report shows that while tn,
general public have 13 I AGENTS Del
mile exacted from them, the railroad
receive on an average l-5 cents Del
mile from each traveller. This shows
roughly speaking, that for every fonl
men riding on the railroad, one ride
e free BY grace of favoritism. and tn,
, other three pay for the riding of tn,
fourth, the cost of his riding being I'D
, ded in the price of their tickets.
q 3rd. The third class are those VIII,
e are rich enough to invest $40 at q tim
in railroad tickets. These are Above,
to buy 1000 miles" tickets at tw,
cents per mile. Being rich enough L
e kick at high rates, but without leRisla
: tive votes or other special pull" the,
II are simply accorded q fair rate of tw
cents. But why should q man wit
$40 in his pocket be allowed to Day
cents while the poorer ones who nee,
(. the reduction still more be charged
IA cents, and thus saddled with til
whole burden of paying for the "pal
ace car rides and the "free pass" brig
, ade?
:. 4th. Then lastly, there are tn
"plain, common people," as Lincol
= loved to call them. They are peculiar
!. ly less able to pay than any OF the frs
- three classes, but the whole burde
y falls upon them. The natural and ius
- order reversed, the high salaried me
n with little work ride free in palac
cars with servants to wait on them
:. their favOrites and those who ca
serve them with "infuence" or leeisls
il, tive votes, ride on free passes. Thos
~ who are not up to this, but Who hay
$40 to spare and whose kicking wouI
, be incOnvenient ride at cents pe
"a mile, while the poorer and less iniic
20 entail pay IA cents per mile "a
81 cents in q second class car wit
-. negrOes.)
Equal and exact justice demands
70 maximum rate of cents for all Gan
= 1-2 cents for second-c!ass) with a n
a ductiOn Of enormous railroad salaris
70 and abolition OF palace cars. The raj
:. roads would make more money b
~ such equal and just rates. The raj
ia roads only exist by legislative gran
"a They take other peoples land to bull
!. tracks over without their consent. b.
- cause it is "for public use" The leei
% iature, therefore, has power to NAL
=. the above changes The bills to do
:. were defeated in the legislature
N 1897 by one vote in each house. TT
Railroad Commission could, at an
y, time. make the above reforms
Let us, in stent0rian tones, say I
~ the mighty, li0n-hearted> peOpl,
- sampson, the Philisfines be upon the