The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-11
TWO STRONG SPEECHES
THE FORMER CLOSES FOR THE
SOUTHERN RAILROAD.
The LATTER FOR THE GOVERNOR
Many Facts and Figures Presentation Both
Sides mo Decision Until June 18th
When the Other Case will
be Argued.


yesterday at $50 o'clock. There We're
several matters on the calendar that
were to come up Mt this meeting of the
Board, so the argument in the rate ques-
ton was suspended for an hour or so
that the Board might hear some petitions
from the Wilmington Tariff Associa-
ton, Mr.. James Kyle, the manager of
the association, being present.
The mileage ticket matter was taken
up and the petition filed.
Another petition asking the Board to
reduce rates on molasses from Whining
ton to points in North Carolina on Il
basis with the mileage rates charged on
the Georgia railroad with argument by
Mr.. Kyle was presented.
A third petition was filed asking that
rates on bacon shipped in sacks be made
the same as if shipped in boxes.
The fourth request of Wilmington Tar
Tiff Association was that u general class
rate be required from Wilmington to
points in North Carolina to compare
with class rates given to Norfolk and
other Virginia points.
Greensboro presented petition asking
that rates on coal from CumnOck mines
be adjusted on a lower basis between
the roads leading from the mines and
roads leading ont of Greensboro.
All these petitions were filed with the
Commission, answers will be sub
mitted by the railroads, and the decisions
will be rendered later.
Argument was then resumed in the
rate case against the North Carolina
Railroad Company.
Colonel w. A. Anderson closed for the
defendant company. He made very
forcible and powerful speech thoroughly
and completely defending every item in
detail presented in the answer filed by
the railroad company. He spoke for
nearly two hours, and while the weather
was excessively warm. the members Of
the Commission and all those present
gave him the closest attention. He is a
very fluent, easy and impressive speaker
and when he had concluded he had left
little that could be said in defense of his
side of the question.
II approach the argument" he began,
with high appreciation of the serious
questions involved, questions that involve
the financial life or death of the com
paily in whose interest | appear before
this Commission"
He recognized the fact that so far as
one of the railroad companies (the s. A.
L.) in this controversy was concerned.
the petitioners were entitled to a judg-
ment by default, but he was glad to
know that counsel on the other side had
agreed to wave their rights and let the
matter proceed until each of the other
roads had been heard
He was here TO answer for his client
the complaint that had been filed alleg
ing that the North Carolina railroad was
making Is per cent. and that this
amount was too much.
1--WE travel along together to certain
points in this contention and there we
separate. fsE %g@E#
I'VE agree that if we are making 10
per cent, that is too much.
I'VE agree as to the Southern railroad
operating a railroad line in North Caro-
lima. HbNEM
I'VE divide at the point where it is
proposed to cut the Southern railroad in
two, for we maintain that the Southern
railroad is an entirety in North Carolina
''We agree that this railroad has the
legal right to charge rates and fares and
that it is entitled to reasonable profit
on the value of its property.
VIZ WV lut VA tHt DIOpOSIiluil w IL.
its actual value at its assessed value.
THE law and the courts recognize two
values of property-the assessed or tax
value and the real market value.
"The idea of taxation is not to estab-
lsh actual value, but to distribute the
burden Of taxes equitable so that it shall
fall on all alike
II know that it is popular now and
then for man to rise up and fight rail
road companies. 1t breaks out like
measles, but it soon dies out again, and
no-man Of that sort will ever be a hero
long at the time, because the people will
never agree that the railroads shall be
thwarted or destroyed
The money and energy and labor en-
ployed in the construction Of a railroad
is private money individual interest pre-
sumed to be honestly and legitimately
employed.
Big railroad arrangements have be-
come necessary that they may. nv com
bined energy, by increasing the efficiency
and decreasing the expenses. take nm
small non-paying roads and rehabitilat
them and make them Of convenience and
service TO the people
I'VE believe that the Southern railroad
is furnishing the people of the South n
quicker, better and safer service than il
ever had before.
"The PENNSYLVANIA railroad is recog
nized as the finest railroad in America
or in the world. the best service, the hest
equipment. and yet we are running two
daily trains through North Carolina as
fine as any the Pennsylvania ever oper-
ated. 7T~ww
Il am sorry my friend Douglass is not
here: he has such an abhorance for
cushioned seats and first-class accom-
modations, / have few retorts for him
hut retorts are like pan cakes-only good
when hot
Il had hoped that this question had
been settled: it has been up before this
honorable Commission and. as I thought
had been definitely settled until some
thing new. some now conditions. facts
and arguments could he presented.
Somebody is showing lack Of con
[fdence in this Board. and they seem to
THINK that they can come before it every