The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-31

true or not, decision from the Supreme
court, settling the question once for all,
would have been welcomed by the peo-
pie. To abandon such a straightforward
method of permanent settlement in or
der TO save a few hundred or few
ing the 100000 per annum of savings
in passenger rates TO travellers, not to
speak of the other provisions of the
deal is method of denying and
selling" justice that ought not to be
tolerated
There seems now to be some doubt
about carrying out the lease of the At
lantic and North Carolina railroad. If
the lease of the North Carolina rail-
road was good thing, would not also
the lease of the Atlantic and North
Carolina Railroad be good? Gov. Russell
violentl V attacked Governor Carr
i'm his inaugural address for the North
Carolina Railroad lease. He has walked
in his footsteps in trying to lease the
Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad in
the same way that Governor Carr made
the 99-year lease in his message to the
Legislature of February 9th, conveying
the offer of the Seaboard Air Line to
pay ten per cent rental for the North
Carolina road, Governor Russell closed
by saying:
1T is entirely practicable TO compel
the lesses or purchasers of the North
Carolina Railroad to take the States
interests in the Atlantic Railroad PRO
yIDED THE GENERAL ASSEM-
bly, WILL AUTHORIZE THE
LEASE OR. SALE OF THE ATTAIN
TIC AND NORTH CAROLINA
RAILROAD AND PASS THE MEAS
URES NECESSARY TO ENABLE
THE STATE TO GET VALUE FOR
IT'S PROPERTY
This shows that the Governor at that
time thought the Legislature would
have to authorize the lease. Now he
proposes TO make it If he can and let
the Legislature be called upon to ratify.
That is putting the cart before the
horse. And the man who seeks thus
to effect this lease assailed the character
of other men for doing the identical
thing he now proposes to do!
In his stump speech before the Rail-
road Commission, Governor Russell
says he was 'astounded" at Caldwell's
vote to restore rates, and that he
deeply regrets his course" and that he
advised him to stick to the reduction.
That is in one paragraphs. In the follow
ing aragraph he says:
1T is true that j was willing, in
order to save or make for the State
what / considered from 100000 TO
100000 for the treasury of the State
in the matter of the Atlantic and
North Carolina Railroad TO AID
WISE THE COMMISSION TO RE
STORE THE RATES until the
matter could be submitted to the
people and voted upon by the Legis-
lature. remitting the whole matter in
the coming campaign to the voters
Of the State"
And he did so advise the Commits
sion The Governor will hardly deny
that at some time, since they made the
| order reducing rates, he advised a
back down. 1t may be that after tine
cure the valuation of the lease, annul
the passenger rate reduction, and get
everything else they wanted without the
Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad
lease, with undesirable conditions at
tached, the Governor advised Mr.. Cald-
well to stick But Mr.. Caldwell had
quit listening to ''the clamor of politi-
| clans" and wouldn't heed the Govern
or's earnest entreaties. 1T is too sad
to contemplate the Governor, who had
been blowing hot and cold, beseeching
Mr.. caldwell ito stick" and Mr. Cald-
| we'll turning coldly to him and saying
in defiant tones: II have my eyes open
now. | will not yield to the clamor of
politicians longer" Does anybody real
ly suppose that there is any estrange-
ment between Mr.. Caldwell and the
Governor? Is ct not possible that
the Governors speech, Caldwells vote,
and the whole affair is spectacular
play to the galleries?
The Governor is too publicly commit
ted to low passenger rates to back
down in the public eye. 1t may be that
after he was willing to advise the
Commission to restore rates." lie thought
of his record and did The Shiras-act
himself He wrote a letter 20 the
Commission in July 1897, III which lie
said: fta
81 believe that your Commission
should fix passenger rate OF two or
perhaps two and half cents a mile
for first class, and say one and three
| quarter cents per mile for second
| class fares-bnt that this should an
1 n1Iy only % cgsf.l1 1.ailroa1c