The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-16

There's no affirmative evidence on the
other side AT some point faith must
begin i'm human kind and human
things"
But it was the following brilliant
burst of eloquence from this servant
and creature of corporations that made
my heart rejoice:
1.-The history of North Carolina win
some day be written by some dispassion-
ate man, and when it lis, there are three
names that will shine brighter than thai
OF any politician the State has ever had
or ever will have until the crack OF
DOOM. Those names are Alex. b. An
drews, john c. Winder and r. r.
Bridgers. They have done more for the
| State than any other three persons
that have ever lived in at. They
will live when the name of every politi-
clan it has ever had Us forgotten"
! Vance is not in it, according to Capt.
Bill Day. No, nor Nathaniel Ma
con- not to mention q dozen others
scarcely less ilhustrious. Great is the
| pity.
The next speaker was Mr.. Warren G..
/ Elliott, president of the Atlantic Coast
Line. But for the present | pass over
/ his able argument to come to that gem
| by Col. Fabius BuSbee.
| Sticking his hands deep into the side
| pockets of II cut-away coat he pitched
in To beat Capt. Day mt his own game
| He referred to the new train recently
nut ON between Greensboro and Norfolk,
10 the congratulations of the News and
| Observer to it's subscribers that they
could now get good paper early on the
morning of its publication. Mr.. Bus
bee thought it now showed bad taste,
after this was done, to be asking Il re-
duction of rates.
"rhey get schedule favorable 10
them and then say, Damn 'em now re
! duce rates
! Mr.. Busbee also was astounded at the
/ News and Observers statement in re-
gard to that decision of the Supreme
court of the United States declaring 4
per cent on the true value to be rea-
sonable return on property.
| After Mr.. Busbee reads the two
cases above cited let him study Dow vs.
/ Beidetmam, 125 u. s., $50; or Reagan
VS.. Trust Co., 154 u. s., ALP. Perhaps
they'll save him from again falling init.
similar errorl.
He denounced the charge that the
ernor to make rates; said it was foul
SANDER and too vile for him to properly
characterize it.
The passenger business depends upon
the following three conditions: Density
of population, average wealth of the
/ population and the nature of the pur-
suits of the population North Carolina
has an agricultural population. n stay
t-home people, and the railroads in
North Carolina can't stand such re-
duction."
Mr. Elliott's discourse was on high
plane, free from nauseating compliment
or ignorant abuse. He said he had al
ways made it rule to adjust amicably
any matter he had before the Commits
sion if it were possible to do so.
but This is matter we have never
| been in a position TO compromise. To
compromise, both sides must be willing
10 give up something We have moth
| ing to give up. We are even now Opt-
rating at a loss.
He argued that the Nebraska case was
almost identical with the one now be-
fore the Commission.
Mr. Caldwell-'Do you think there Fs
any departure in that opinion from
what we have heretofore construed the
/ law to be-"
EHott-"No i do not. There is no
new law in it. 1T is only an application
of the law. It@is the fairest opinion
think | ever read. 1t is fair to both
sides and written by man who has
never been accused of being partial to
railroads or other corporations.
There has been no evidence that rates
are too high, but, on the other hand
there has been the most conclusive evil
dence adduced that on all the roads Of
the State the passenger business is con-
Quoted at an absolute loss.
Tell the average citizen that the pas
senger trains don't pay and they'll
laugh at You. They'll say why here's Il
freight that handles itself and that you
haul at a very high rate. It's a freight
that handles itself Takes itself off and
puts itself on. No negroes with cotton
books are necessary. don't make any
charges against anybody. The people
are honest in their clamor for lower
rates. They think rates are too high.
They think we make enormous profits.
Have you thought how little the reduc-
ton means to the average passenger?
] don't believe it would amount to so
cents apiece among the travelling public.
The man who stays at home and attends
to his business-plowing the fields and
sowing the seed-will never get any
benefit, for he doesn't travel.
You are attacking us ON both sides,
on the front and in the rear. You
make us operate at the lowest possible
figure-even at a loss. Then lefus b.,
negligent, let somebody be hurt. We
are yanked up before jury and mulcted
for damages. Gentlemen, this is not
l fair"
This completed the argument and Mr..
| Caldwell announced that the Commission
would take what had been said under
advisement and announce their decis-
ion later.
AMONG THE SICK.