The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-07

AN OTHER LIKE EPITHETS AP-
Piled TO HIM.
THE cAUcASIAN'S scATHING EDITORIAL
Says Governor Should Accept CaldweIl's Resig'
nation and Appoint Some Man Who viii
Have the Courage to do his Duty.
Pearson Commended.

] committee are very severe on Choii
man Caldwell. of the Railroad Commas.
sionl Traitor Hopper trader
''dpserter" were favorite words with
them in describing him. Hardly a man
of Them had good word for him, eX-
cent TO say that while they didn't think
| HIM a corrupt man, his action was TO
he explained.
| Most of them seemed TO think the
Governor ought TO accept Mr.. Caidwef
resignation.
The Caucasian, Senator Buffers pa
per. this week has a scathing editorial
On Railroad Commissioner Caldwell
! and his famous flop. Under the head
| :ng. "The Commission Again Betrays
| the People" Senator Butler says:
I'VE are greatly surprised at his
course and deeply regret it. His con
duet is very peculiar. to say the least,
and is certainly not explainable. He
attempts to justify his strange and
| sudden conversion rs we understand
| him, an two grounds: first. by saying
that since the decision of the Supreme
court in the Nebraska case. that the
commission has no power, and that il
Il reduction in rates were made the SUI
preme court would override il, afte.
the State being put to great expense
IN maintaining IL suit. This may he 20.
But it was the duty of the commission
to do right. and to put the court to
the test Besides, we believe that the
Supreme court of the United States ur-
der the Nebraska decision would sus.
| tain the moderate reduction to , and 21h
cents in passenger rates. But, however
| that is. the Commission should have done
its duty and left the court TO take its
own responsibility.
Second, we understand Commission
Ter Caldwell to take the position that the
railroads made statements purporting TO
show that they could not make both
ends meet if this reduction in passen-
ger rates was put in force, and that
since no one denied these statements
of the railroad nor presented evidence
to refutc their claims, that he was fore
cd TO accept the statement of the roads.
This position is not only untenable. but
is absurd. The Legislature of 1894
could have reduced passenger rates it
self at that time. The legislature
knew and everybody knew that rates
were too high. but no one knew, unless
the facts could be ascerta:ned exactly
how much too high they We're and there
FORE how great a reduction jusice he
tween the people and the railroads de-
nandhd. Therefore the Il Ieglslature
created this Commission to ascertain
these very facts. Seven years has pass
cd. and the Commission has failed TO
make any reduction in railroad charges,
or to do any Of the other most impor-
tant duties it was created to perform.
This reduction in passenger rate should
have been made seven years ago. For
seven years the people have paid these
unreasonable high rates while the price
Of everything wise was going down:
and now we are told by Il Railroad
Commissioner that he could not reduce
rates tlcSluse no one answered the
statement made by tae railroads.
1T was the duty of the Commission
itself to answer the statements made
by the railroads. The Commission is
court of inquiry, given power to ex-
anime The books Of the corporation and
ascertain the facts.
but it is useless to discuss this
mater further. Everybody knows the
duty Of the Comm assion, and every
body knows it has not performed Els
duties. After Mr.. Caldwell's peculiar
conduct. Toe did have enough sense of
,propriety to tender his designation.
Let tae Governor promptly accept it
al appoint some man, and surely such
Il man can be found, who knows ris
duty as IL Railroad Commissioner and
has the courage 10 do it.
I'VE believe that the railroad com
missioner should he elected by tue
people. Let the Peoples party and
every other party that is not controlled
by corporation influence at their next
State convention nominate Railroad
Commissioners and let them go on
the stump and discuss these questions
and let the people know where they
are before they are elected.
commissioner Pearson has done his
duty like n man and patriot. Let the
Popilist State Convention nominate
MIR. Uearson and a Poprtlist as his
running mate made out of the same
kind of stuff. let the people not lose
hope. Men can be found who will stand
for justice and right in spite of the
corporations influence
Elsewhere in his paper Mr.. Butler
endorses Mr.. pcarson's proposition ia
regard TO mileage books. He says:
The railroads now Issue one thou
sand mile mileage hooks for twenty-five
dollars. which is 2H cents per mile for
frst-class fare. They ALSO issue two
thousand mile mileage books for forty
dollars. which is = cents per mile for
trst-class fare. Thus we see that ans
one who is able TO buy a two thousand
mile mileage book can now ride on The
railroads for , cents mile frst-class
fare. This is lower rate than that
made by the Commission and recently
rescinded by the flop of Mr.. Caldwell.
Commissioner Pearson has now moved
40 mako These mica 90 books transfer
able: that is. when a man buys II two
thousand mile book he can either Use
lit himself or transfer il TO somebody
else. This is em:nently proper, for it can
make no difference 10 the railroads
whether 4 or Il rides on such mileage
book after they have sold il and gotten
the money for it. We call attention to
| this matter. however, to show how I'M
inst it is to force the poor man to pay
| 3H cents per mile while permitting those
ifnty