The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1897-12-23

EDITOR CAUCAk.AS.-Ifou Bill
No. 81, first section, provides for
the election OF the Railroad Com
missioners by the vote OF the peo-
pie. Section provides that no
railroad or steamboat company
should charge mere than two cents
for first-class fare and one and a
half cents for second-class fare be-
tween any two points In North Car
olina.
Sec. 3 provides that no telegraph
company should charge more than
fifteen cents for message OF ten
words or less, and one cent for each
additional word over ten words.
Sec. provides tina, no telephone
company should charge more than
Sl2 per annum for the rent OF tele-
phone at a residence, or SIS at a
store or place OF business.
Sec. 6 provides that the freight
rates should not yield to the rail-
road companies Laore than per ct.
after counting out all necessary ex-
penses, and salaries that exceeded
$500 per annum should not be
counted as necessary expenses.
Sect. Made it unlawful for any
railroad or steamboat to issue a
free pass to any State officer or any
one not in the direct employment
Of the company. This bill was sent
first to the committee on corpora
tons with my resolution" requir-
ing the Governor to call on all rail-
road companies and steamboat
companies doing business in this
State to report to the legislature
the number of officers receiving a
salary of over 81, 800 per annum.
AS soon as this was done, Mr.. Hen
ry Miller, Col. Andrews Secretary
tried to get me to recall the bills
and send them to the committee
on Railroads and Railroad Commits
sions which / refused to do, but
when the committee met Mr.. Miller,
with the assistance Of II. i. Brown,
of Jones county, got the bills re-
, ferred back to the committee on
, Railroads and Railroad Commits
sion. J. NJ. Brewer, of Surry county
was chairman of this committee.
stopped the resolution in the House
and Notwithstanding, the gentle
, man from Jones did all he could to
defer the resolution, it passed.
: 1t was at least two weeks before
/ could get the committee to act on
, the bill. They finally set the time
to act on it and notified railroad at
: torneys and telephone attorneys
and telegraph attorneys were all or
hand, with Railroad Commissions
S. O. Wilson to oppose and speal
: against the bill. The chairman
S agreed to allow me time to speal
t in the interest of the bill when those
who were opposed to it had thei
e say before they made their report
{ but no sir, as soon as the enemies o
. the bill got through the gentleman
= from Ashe, Mr.. Spencer Blackburn
: (this is the same man the Repub
2 licans and Democrats electet
r Speaker of the HOuse) made a mo
II ton that they report 1.-The bill d.
: not piss" which of course was cal
{ ried. II voted no, and gave motto
that Uwould file a minority repOr
v which l did. When the bill cam
}. up in the House, II. F. Brown mad
il a motion to table the bill, some on
It seconded the motion, l called 10
'e the ayes and noes, and on this vot
}. the clerks made a mistake whe
u they said the bill was tabled by on
- vote: it was tie vote, and the re'
ord so shows. l notice that TIL
caucasian and Progressive Farm
er both state that the bill failed
is pass the House by only one vot'
This is not correct, but is as 1 hay
B. above stated.
t. You see, Mr.. Editor, by what
n, have just stated, what a hard figl
n ! had to make to get the bill befo1
te the House. However, [ am glad tn;
;n l got along as we'll as did with
1.-The reforms advocated in my bi
will not down at the bidding
of railroad attorneys and railros
es Commissioners, but will be lii
It. issue in the next campaign, and
W. we can get the right men the ne
Legislature it will be settled in tt
a. interest of the people. This l hur
or bly, pray.
Isl Respectfully,
ID. E. p. HAUSER.
t. Dec. II, 1897.