The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-19

that their interest is every mans in
terest."
Not only has Mr.. Bailey not taken the
part of the State in the contest to de-
termine whether the State of North Caro-
Lima or Judge Simonton can assess prop
erty in North Carolina, though the Dem
focratic platform demands that the State
shall hold to this sovereign right, but in
stead Of standing with his State, he has
gone out of his way to sing the praises
of McKinley's chief supporter in North
| Carolina, Vice President A. B. Andrews,
Of the Southern Railway.
On April 6, 1898, in announcing the
end of the North Carolina railroad lease
contest, Bailey piped the praises of the
Southern and "its first official in this
State" Among the blessings that these
two institutions (Col. Andrews and the
Southern Railway had, by the lease suit
compelled the State to accept, he named
these:
"The Southern Railway has improved
the North Carolina Railroad, both the
road and the service; the Southern Rail-
way has managed the North Carolina
Railroad better than the State ever did;
the Southern Railway pays the State Of
North Carolina more per year for the
lease of the North Carolina Railroad
than the State could make by running the
road itself. Let these facts be put down
because they are facts"
But they are not facts. AS a matter of
fact the North Carolina Railroad would
bring today, if put upon the market, seven
million dollars in cash, and the State
ought to have a rental upon that sum
which would give enough to run the
schools four months in every year. In
stead, this money has been given to the
Rothschilds that by right belong to the
tax payers of North Carolina.
So enamored is Bailey of Vice President
Andrews, that he burns incense to him
en- all possible occasions. When the Sea-
board was completed Bailey was invited
to its Richmond celebration, and went.
Writing of the event he thus injects his
favorite Colonel into the article, call
ing him king" even though he knew
Andrews road through Ryan, had done
all in it's power to defeat the Seaboards
plans.
''We saw this and thought. The world
honors itself when it honors the man who
can, as Old Carlyle says, the able man is
the king-'the canning man" We ad-
mired Virginia for her welcome. No sane
man would hold back his applause for a
man, young or old. who has fought to
victory. We see this, and felt sorry for
the men who had made it an object of
their lives to pull down the men who do
things, who when a man has risen to
power or built a great business, go about
whispering he is to be dreaded or hated.
We saw this, and thought of a railroad
man in North Carolina, who has lived all
his life in our State, who has a great part
in the making of one of the great rail-
way systems of the world, system that
reaches from Washington to Florida and
from Memphis to Norfolk and, in the
light of Virginia's royal treatment of her
sen, we felt constrained to come back
and tell North Carolinians not cnly of
VirginiaS honor to her sen, but their
debt to one Of their own fellow citizens,
whose life is an open book before them-
Colonel A. B. Andrews, First Vice Presi-
dent of the Southern Railway"
Who is it that has made it an object
TO their lives to pull down the men who
do things? 1t IS a figment of Bailey's
hypnotized Andrews imagination, and is
used here to prejudice men who say to
corporations: "You shall have every
right that the law allows, but you shall
net be permitted to escape your just
share cf taxation" That's his idea-to
gain the favor of powerful railroad mag
nate by flinging at such men as John B..
Holman and Martin S. willard who wish
ed to put an end to his tax-dodging. Here
is another slur-and at all people who
think the railroads ought not be allowed
to have their own sweet way. 1t is in
the issue of June 18th:
"If the people would take better care
Of public roads, they could make better
claim to running the railroads"
Referring to the Craig law introduced to
confine foreign corporations to our State
courts, he says: This bill failed before
the last General Assembly. 1t touches
dangerous ground" The next week,
after it had passed the House and there
was no opposition to it in the Senate and
his opposition could not avail, having
doubtless in view the intention of the
Southern Railway to refuse to obey the
law, he said: "Of course there are in
stances in which this cannot and should
not be prevented. On the whole, however
,, since the bill gives somewhat of definite
ness to our Statehood it is to be COM
mended."
In the issue of August 2, 1899, Bailey
ccmmends Simonton for granting nest
of railroad injunctions and deprecates the
violent prejudice manifest in some
quarters against injunctions.
He opposed the anti-free pass bill, ant
| said: ut does not prevent railroads
from giving masses to politicians