The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-22
EFFECTIVE MARCH 23rd
CUT MADE ONLY UN THE ROADS
THAT PAY.
SOUTHERN WILL GET OUT INJUNCTION
Commissioners Pearson and Caldwell Voted
for the Reduction. Abbott Wanted to
Reduce Rate on Freight
Instead.

The Railroad Commission wasn't i'll
session so long yesterday and it didn't
make so much fuss about what it was
doing as has been the case ON some other
occasions, but it did more.
1t was work, too, that counts.
True to the prediction matlel in the
News and Observer several days ago,
the passenger rates on the best paying
roads of the State were clipped about
% per cent at one fell swoop.
The passenger business in North Car
olina must hereafter be conducted on a
pay-or-you-don't-go basis. The free pass
regime must perforce end, for under the
present rates a railroad cannot live I'M
less It receives a revenue from all those
whom it carries.
The hailroad Commission yesterday
ordered reduction in rates, beginning
March 23rd, of u of cent mile.
for both first and second class pas
sengers.
The present rates are 314 and 2A cents,
the new ones are = and 21a cents
1.-The hearing on the rate question,
which resulted in this reduction, was
held "a month ago.
Commissioner Pearson yesterday pre-
scented the resolution ordering the reduc-
ton. 1t was passed by a vote of
to l.. Commissioners Pearson and
Caldwell voted for it and DIR. Abbott
voted against it. At was as follows:
Resolved. That on and after the 23rd
of March. 1898, the fares for the
transportation of passengers shall be as
follows: z1o cents per mile for first
class tickets and 2 cents per mile for sec
ond class tickets, ON the following rail-
roads in North Carolina, to-wit:
''The Wilmington and Weldon Rail
road, from Wilmington to Weldon, and
that part of the Wilmington and Well
don road from Contentnea to the South
Carolina State line; the Petersburg road
from Weldon to the Virginia State
line; that part of the Tarboro branch
from Rocky Mount to Tarboro, and the
Norfolk and Carolina Railroad from
Tarboro to the Virginia State line.
1.-The Raleigh and CASTOR Railroad,
from Weldon to Raleigh; the Seaboard
and Roanoke Railroad from Weldon to
Virginia State line. and the Raleigh and
Augusta Air Line from Raleigh to
Gibson.
1.-The North Carolina Railroad from
Goldsboro to Charlotte; the Piedmont
Railroad from Greensboro to the Vir-
ginia State line; that part of the North
Carolina Railroad from Greensboro to
Winston: the Western North Carolina
Railroad from Salisbury to Paint Rock;
the Atlantic Tennessee and Ohio Rail-
road from Charlotte to Statesvllle; the
Atlantic and Charlotte Air Line Rail
road from Charlotte TO the South Caro-
lima State line, and the Charlotte, Col
unrbia and Augusta Railroad from Char
lotte TO South Carolina State Line"
DIR. Abbott presented "a resolution as
n substitute for Mr.. Pearson's. His OBJ
iect being to reduce freight instead
of passenger rates. The substitute was
defeated by the same vote as that by
which Nh. Parsons resolution was
adopted In presenting his substitute,
DIR. Abbott said:
..In the matter of reducing the pas
senger tariff it is pertinent hrst TO de-
eide in what capacity we are acting.
| start out upon the assumption thai
we are acting as a court of justice.
blackstone says that il takes three
Things to make a court, to wit: a plain
tiff. defendant, and a judge. In TINS
case the people are presumed TO be the
plaintiff. the railroads the defendant.
and the Railroad Commission the judge.
Having reached this conclusion, l natur-
ally desire to examine the complaint,
but fail to find any. If any COM
plaint has been made | have not been
advised. OF the six or seven hundred
complaints made to the Railroad Com
mission of North Carolina since its or
ganization, no one of them asks re-
duction of passenger rates; but as the
people are supposed to desire it, | have
right to look outside the records, and
turn to the platforms of the different
political parties in this State. as giving
the clearest expression of the wishes Of
the people, but I find there no plank
asking or recommending reduction of
passenger rates There being, then, no
plaintiff we lack one of the three things,
according to Blackstone. to constitute a
court. Then the situation is this: The
Railroad Commission having authority
10 regulate passenger rates, and desiring
information with q view to determine
whether a reduction can be made. order
ed the officials of the railroads doing
business in North Carolina to appear
before it and show cause why a reduc-
ton should not be made Said officials
having appeared, made their argument,
and filed their sworn statements, we
must, although not court of justice.
or law, consider these cases upon their
merits The railroads must show that
existing passenger rates are not 1rnrea-
sonably high. Have they done this
The sworn statements of the officials of
the three great lines doing business in
our State show:
'.1st. That the volume of passenger
traffic in North Carolina in proportion
TO the length of road operated is smaller
than that Of other sections of the
South, or of the United States gener-
ally.
''2nd. In proportion to the volume Of
passenger traffiee handled, the passenger
rates in North Carolina are lower than