The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-04-07

court. thas ny fsfaaa Mr.. CsilVeil
sbcui vote TO RS Gre The passenees
eateA.
-Mr. Cald seii knows that 10 "a.
trTs- On sAe contrary, vheeever he
has co0useaed With me. have ad-
vised him IN stick TO the reducsiaa.
Il 10 true that was willing, In order
70 save, or make for the state what I
considered from three TO four hes.
dFe6 thousand dollars, tor ifs tseasury
in the h.aftes OF the Atlantic Raiieuad.
to advise the Commissioo 10 ssssoee
the rates until the mat ~ should b
submitted to the people and passed
upon By the Legislature remitfing the
whole natter TO the people, in the
coming campaign. This, the South
ern Railway sefused 10 accept, aud de-
cNned 70 take the Atlantic road, ex.
pressly saying that IL wrote such q
letter and thereby RENTED the mat.
ter to the peopl :, they would not take
the lease OF the Atlantic: theseupon
the negotiation for the lease Of the AT
iantic were terminated. Since then,
have urged that the rate reduction b.
maintained, and fought out 10 the
courts.
~Ar. Caldwell says in his letter to
me, that there Was no evidence of cred
before Jour Board, for the reduction
Of passenger rates; while for main
tanning them the evidence Was con-
troyerted, and il Was overwhelming.
II want to say IL, that this 10 not .
satisfactory reason for going back on
the reduction. Ii the Commission
must wait, or 60 around hunting fos
evidence Ia these rsilroad reduction
cases, and must take everything IS
true that Is said BY the railroads, then
there never will be any reduction.
"Unf0Ftu nsteIy, the Commission has
no counsel to get up evidence, and all
the hearings 10 these rs;lroad matters,
are substantially ex p&rte. I hat il.
the only part in the whole business IL
the part Of the railroads. They make
their answers, they bring up their own
retsiners and witnesses, they put in
what evidence they please, they have
their own counsel; and on the side OF
the people, there are neither counsel
nor witnesses. do not think that
there IL any rule OF law or right that
requires the board to believe all they
say;
point that M. Caldwell makes, 10 to
the ruling Of the Supreme Court Of the
United States, in the Nebraska case.
He takes the ground that that ruling
is binding upon him. and that he must
obey it, until it is over-ruled. At
least, that is the way l understand
him. This Nebraska case, believe to
be q premeditated decision rendered
Tor the express purpose Of emssoulat-
ing the Railroad Commissions of the
United States. 1t is not q mere repe-
tition OF preceding decisions. but it
introduces new doctrine that is simp-
ly monstrous in its attempt to take the
railroad corporations of the country
powers of the State. 1t decides that
IN fixing the rates on domestic COM
merce, the Commission must look at
the value Of the plant, that il, the in
vestment, either in whole, or such part
of it as may be devoted to domestic COM
merce; and then must 80 fix the rates
as to leave a reasonable profit to the
railroads upon such domestic COM
merce, excluding entirely their inter.
state business.
"This Is ruling that the most in
telligent railroad men Of the country,
in my opinion, never seriously hoped
for. think that our Commission and
our courts ought to give to that ruling
the same kind of respect and obedience
that was rendered by the Republican
party and the anti slavery men of the
North, to the bred Scott decision. In
this case, before 1 would submit to
such judicial despotism and usurpati0n
and aggression upon the rights of the
State, they should have q chance to de.
eide it again and then again, and 80 on
and while that was going on in the
courts, possibly we could see whether
the people of this country can be
brought to . realization of their con-
dition of the slavery with which they
are threatened.
81 want to say one word further. AL
though fully realize the difficulties
of beating back an Injunction in the
Federal courts, which know the rail-
roads will grind out for themselves, /
had come to the conclusion that per-
haps it was better to back up the Com
mission by giving them counsel, and
paying them out of the State Treasury.
As the Southern Railway Company has
agreed to settle the ninety mine year
lease case, and pay back into the State
Treasury the money which has been
paid out for lawyers, ! had about con-
cluded that we could afford to take that
much of their money, and fight them
with it, in this passenger rates reduce
ton.
II want to say. in conclusion, that
while greatly regret Mr.. Caldwell's
conclusions, and was never more aston
ished in my life, than was within the
last sixty minutes, to hear that he had
given such vote believe that he is
entirely conscientious, and above the
cslumnies and calum niatOrs that will
be attempted to be hurled at him."
At the conclusion of the Governors
statement Mr.. Caldwell said he also
would like to add few words:
My vote upon the rate question had
no connection whatever with the nine
ty-nine year lease, and the Governor
action in settling that lease, the settle
| ment of which heartily endorse. And
the Governor in no sense at all, either
by word or action, intimated, or asked
me to be party to that settlement.
know that what he has done has been
done for the best interests of the State
and that the future will 80 disclose it.
What have done has been done guild.
ed BY q sense of right or WrODg with
me. l assume the responsibility of my
vote, and say that its results should in
no way reflect upon the Governor OF
the State"
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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