The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-02-14

CoPDOraelo0g a the Sougns h6 sa40
that with. the people Of North Carolina
now in control, he did not believe that
they ought to be confronted BY such
bills as the one proposed, etc. He did
not believe that the great political or
gan,zation now in control should
brighten" people by even go much aa
an introduction of such bills much
less a serious consideration ST them.
He declared that the idea ct one CON Jon
or element Of people being more
able to bear taxation than another
should never be considered. and he
was. sorry that the bill had been lptFe9
duoed,. zas,., IRA ssts nl,s, .a,s1.,
Populist opponent in 1895 came next.
As. modest as Mr.. WATSON, he stated
that he was also the rePTesentatlve Of
a small branch, road. but It appears
that this branch is also q connection of
the Norfolk and Western. He
said that he and his friend Watson
we're not so far apart in 1859; hat they
were a little closer togetner in 1898
and that now they, we're altogether to
gether. HIS arguent was one based
upon a fear that the legislature might
set it's coulter too deep. That Jim
Grow" cars, separate waiting rooms,
etc., were all burdensome to the rail
roads, and asked if it was not time 70
call a halt" A great many Demo
Gratis, however, have decided that the
jam Grow car is a thing Of che past
campaign. ...s
Mel Guthrie. was, followed by Mr..
T. 81. Busbee, counsel for the Southern
Railway. ne ,aa.
He regretted that such a movement
as taxing railroad receipts had been
made by this legislature. He declared
tnat during the last campaign the
business interests" we're aroused and
united as never before. Then he re
ferred to these business interests" as
the PEOPLE, and said that by their re
cent vote they intended to put their
foot down on certain tendencies that
had been apparent for the last two
years." That they, <again referring to
the business i~nteresss"). were very
much disappointed that such a meas
ure could even come forward. He
then quoted some lines to the effect
that an eagle once droppeda feather
from his wing, al an ornament for
some person, which u~ngrateful wretch,
took the feather, stuck it on an arrow
and shot With il the eagle that gave i
him. ~
This Was beautiful and pathetic. But
while bowling calamity az q +rate~that
would astonish q Kansas Populist the
railrOad.magnates' by somesuversight
did not refer 70 the fact that the Viii
mington 6 Weldon railroad or the
Atlantic Coast Line declared q divi-
dend Of over 1Os per cent. in one year.
They did not refer to the fact that
the Southern Railway was STOCKED and
bonded at $40 600 a mile, and pays
tax on only SI7. 900 or SIS, 900 per mile.
They did not refer to the fact that a
syndicate recently bought the Seabosri
Air Line by paying 5000 per share for
shares Of 500 par value, and that the
same syndicate bought three thousand
more,t than was necessary to o
troll the road at the same price, viz
5000 per share, for shares whose face
value was 500.
They did not refer to the fact that
the O. r & Y v. R. r was recently
cold under the hammar for $1,O45, 600
more than it was listed for taxation at
it's true value"
The amount of gall exhibited by the
railroad attorney g is surprising. Il
seems that there were on the commit
tee q few unsophisticated legislators
who imagined that they sent here
to serve the people, To be d. I'D and
dictated to by a set of railroad attor
neys must have astonished them.
But it was nothing new to the rail
road magnates who have bossed our
(or their) legislatures for several years
Just whether the legislature Of 1899
will be an exception is yet to be seen,
but in the meantime We pray, "Logd,
increase our faith e.,s III
P. 6.-Tho following Thursday the
committee met again and Willard, of
New Hanover; Brown, of, Columbus;
Thompson, of Onslow, and Fields, of
Allegheny, strongly, supported tina
proposed tax. Then it was that
BoushatI, of Wake. opened up, and
theu g erything became clear. He ad
raitred that the nrinninle of the nro