The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-01-27
why HAVE TRvIGHT RATES HEES
iSEHEAGEDy


why HAVE TRpIGHT RATES HEES
IsCREasEUY
We call attention To very sensible
and timely editorial in another col
una, clipped from the StatesViiie
Mascot, on the question Of freight
rates. The Mascot quotes facts and
figures furnished by merchants along
the line Of the Southern Railway 10
show that many freight rates have
been greatly increased during the
past ten years. II also calls attention
To the radical increase in freight rates
in the last few years, Among other
cases mentioned it shows that the
freight rate on cotton from States
willie to Asheville in 1893 was ID cents;
mt that time cotton was selling at ten
cents per pound. The freight rate
from Statesville to Asheville has been
increased to twenty-seven cents, while
cotton is now selling for five cents
per pound. That is, while cotton has
fallen from ten cents pound to five
cents n pound, freight rates have been
increased nearly fifty per cent. This
was done not only without any pro-
test from the old railroad commissions
but was actually done with their
knowledge and probably with their
assistance. 1t is safe TO say that the
new commission will lose no time in
correcting these glaring injustices
and robberies and hundreds Of others
of similar kind. The freight rate in
stead of being increased should be
much lower now than it was ten years
ago. That is it would be great IN
Justice to the people to allow the
roads to charge as much freight TO
haul cotton now when it is five cents
a pound as they were allowed TO charge
when cotton was ten cents per pound
that is, brought the farmer twice as
much money. TO illustrate: when
a bale of cotton sold for fifty dollars
IL the freight on that cotton to the
shipping point or TO the fl Glory
was five dollars, then the rail
roads levied tax on the farmer Of
ten per cent. or the value of this cot
ton to carry it to market for him. To-
day when the same bale of cotton sell'
for only twenty-five dollars, If the rail
roads are permitted to charge the same
freight, that is five dollars per bale, il
would be taxing the farmer twent!
DER cent of the value of his cotton fol
freight. This would be manifest in
Justice, and clearly equity between TIT
people and the roads would demand
that the freight rates be scaled down
But the injustice put upon our people
to-day IS even greater than this. Tn
roads not only charge as much now a
they did ten years ago but have act
uallv increased their freight rates
How could any honest railroad com
mission, sworn to see that equity wa
done between the railroads and tn
people, permit such thing to be done
The taxing power is very great an
damaging one. The people have al
ways guarded it jealousy in the hand
of their legislatures and Congress, bu
the railroads are levying taxation uI
on the people twice as large as tn
taxation levied by the State. Tn
poorer the people the higher the raj
roads increase their taxes on the put
lie, and thus we have the strange spec
tacle that while farmers, merchant
and every other industrial eGterpris
are struggling to make 5oth ends NEE
and many of them losing money, tt
railroad lines, one of the greatest il
struments of commerce, which shoul
be run in the interest of the public, al
permitted to levy excessive tribu
and increase their profits while ever.
body else's profits are diminishing. "
want to see the railroads prosper, b
we want to see them prosper when ii
people prosper, and when evil cond
tions force the remainder of the pc
pie to suffer hard times the railroa
should suffer with them, or at least n
be allowed to take that occasion
levy greater tribute and increase the
profits. In short, whenever the ra
roads are made to understand that tn
can only prosper when the peoI
prosper, then they will stand by t
people for free silver and more mon
and not with the gold-bug Rothschil
WHO are trying to enslave mankind
making the dollar scarce and dear.