The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-16

road for special rates to ship furniture
for his associate commissioner at less
than regular rates; or to be a partner
in the ownership of railway eating
house the value of which depended upon
the stopping of the trains there for din
ner. In opposition to this, it ought
be said that Maj. Wilson and Col. An
drews have long been personal friends
and some of these transactions antedated
Major Wilson's selection as Commission
err, and when advised that the Governo
considered that the fact of his co
ownership of the eating house with Col
Andrews disqualified him to act as Com
missioner, he Immediately disposed of
his interest in the hotel.
As to s.. Ohio Wilson. his connection
with the Round Knob eating house can
not be viewed in any light that is no
unfavorable to him. Let us state the
case. He went on the Commission as
II blatant advocate of low rates and
strict railroad regulation. He was
chosen for Il term of six years. The
railroads needed him in their business.
Some of them thought that he could be
made favorable to their views of what
a Railroad Commission ought to do in
the matter of regulation. The Southern
Railway stopped for dinner at Asheville
Col. Andrews had hotel at Round
Knob. Otho Wilson's mother wanted
to run hotel. Why not rent it to S.
Ohio Wilson and make it in the dinner
house ''a-coining and a-gwine?" That
might have been the argument. At any
rate, S. Ohio Wilson's mother was given
lease ON the hotel. Simultaneously
eating house and all the trains stopped
at Round Knob for dinner. 1t may be
that this was wholly accidental, and
that the stopping of the trains was not
an especial favor to Railroad Commits
sioner S. Ohio Wilson. Some suspicious
people have believed and will always
believe that there was some understand
ing between the railroad authorities and
the Railroad Commissioner. They allege
in support of such suspicious that about
that time S. Ohio Wilson began to OPP
pose a reduction of passenger fares.
There came then a falling out between
him and Governor Russell They had
been boon companions, and together had
brought the State to its lowest ebb. Be
tween them, there is no difference. In
1897 Russell swore at Ohio because he
would not reduce passenger rates. In
1898 he almost got down on his knees
and begged the Railroad Commission not
to reduce rates. He had declared that
S. Ohio had sold out to the railroads"
in 1897, when Ohio opposed reduction.
If that charge is true, didn't Governor
Russell sell out to them in 1898, when
he stood in Otho's shoes?
We have never alleged that s. Ohio
Wilson sold out to the railroads. He
may be innocent of that. There is not
evidence to prove it, but the fact that
after he began keeping the Round Knob
hotel, belonging to a railroad officer, he
opposed the reduction of passenger rates,
is strong circumstantial evidence that
ought to go before jury that he was
influenced by his new association. The
him and cast him into outer darkness,
charging him with corruption. Their
testimony is worthless and, with all
his unfitness, we do not hesitate to say
that Ohio Wilson is not one whit worse
than Russell, and it is orr conviction
that the impeachment of both together
would be just retribution for their politi-
cal wrongs. a
The action of the Legislature will be
far-reaching i'll its consequences. It's
decision, if it cannot even now be re-
mitted to the courts, will be watched
with deep interest all over the State. In
this plain review of the situation, it has
been our desire to state the facts as they
appear to us fairly and impartially in
the hope that it may induce every mem
Der of the Legislature to study the mat
ter in all its bearings before reaching a
decision.
A BEAUTIFUL MEMORIAL.