The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-05-24

among the most poisonous md ne
tive weapons to corrupt politics and
defeat the will Of the people in legisla-
tive halls. Therefore we favor q law
not only forbidding the giving OF free
passes and other favoritisms and dis
examinations, but also ~forbidding any
any except the actual employees OF
said corporations from receiving the
same.
ELECTION OF RAILROAD COMMISSIONERS
By THE PEOPLE,
Nc State has q better railroad com
mission law than North Carolina; but
the public has not received the benefit
the law was designed to produce on
account of the failure of railroad
commissioners to do their duty under
the law. As one remedy for this evil
we are in favor Of the election of rail
road commissioners by a direct vote of
the people.
REDUCTION OF FREIGHT AND PASSENGER
RATES.
We favor q reduction of freight, ex
express and passenger rates, telegraph
and telephone tariffs to the same level
to which the general re Ige of prices
of products has fallen under the gold
standard. If the railroad commission
continues to refuse to do it's duty i'm
this respect, Weare In favor of such re-
duction being made directly by the
next legislature.
NORTH CAROLINA RAILROAD LEASE.
We condemn the lease of the North
Carolina Railroad to the Southern
Railway Company for ninety-nine
years, not only as a bad business trans
actionin which the interest of the State
amounting to the large sum of s.. 600,
600 invested in good paying property
yielding an income were sacrificed;
but we also, in most emphatic terms,
condemn the hasty and secret manner
in which it was done several years be-
fore the former thirty years lease, by
it's terms, would have expired. We
call the attention of the people of the
State to the fact that the mysterious
power of a strong railroad lobby pre-
vented the last legislature from enact
ing the necessary legislation to enable
the State to make an investigation
Through the proper legal channels, of
the transaction, which was so univer-
sally condemned by the press of the
State and all classes of citizens, when
it fret became known. We therefore
demand that the next General Assem-
bly, fully investigate this transaction,
and to the end that the interest Of the
State may be fully protected as far as
it can be done, such legislative action
shall be taken as TO counterfeit, as far
as possible, this unwise and secret
transaction.
REMOVAL OF oAsFs
The removal of Cases from the State
c1urGs to the Federal courts for trial
and especially wherein the plaintiffs
are poor persons and the defendants
are rich foreign corporations, on ap.
pllcation OF defendants, is a growing
evil in North Carolina, and in it's prac
teal operation frt quently amounts to a
denial OF justice TO poor suitors, and
therefore should be condemned. We
demand, therefore, that the next Gen
eral Assembly shall pass such a gen
eral statute on this subjs ct including
an alien law similar to the Wisconsin
statute, so as to take from such cor.
porations doing business in this State
the privileges Of carrying on businC So
in North Carolina and Withdrawing
the protection Of the State extended to
their business, if they persist in escap
ing the jurisdiction of our courts when
ecGions are brought against them. We
also recommend a constitutional pro
hibition OF the purchase, lease or rental
OF parallel or competing railway lines.
A JUS DISTRIBUTION OF THE BURDENS
OF TAXATION.
We advocate such legislation as will
insure q just listing andEaxation of all
evidences of debt, and make an tuuit
able az adjustment Of the burden of aka
ton between the debtor and a creditor
REDUCTION OF SALARIES
In order to keep public servants
in thorough touch and sympathy with
the oppressed masses, and to check to
some extent the scramble for cffc9, we
demand a reduction Of salaries until
such time as through an increase of
the currency the price of property and
products will justify the present rates.
THE RULE OF n PEOPLE.
We favor the principle of direct
Ia-:aIoNSo- Ion-~ - %ho ToSGsG:-o-