Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1902-05-15

r-espondence shows I was simply acting
as a sworn officer of the law, giving to
him, as 1 did to his predecessors, any
data or information that would aid in
the impartial execution of the laws.
BY reason of the high freights and
fares in this State, one railroad in North
Carolina has issued to its stockholders
fourteen hundred dollars for every
forty dollars it paid the State for the
stock Cor 80 for u, and some of those
shares are now worth $3.50. Another is
sued mortgage bonds and stocks SIG 900
per mile on property they got for 81. 600
or S., 900 per mile and AVE taxed the
public freights and fares to pay interest
on $40, 900 per mile. No Chemical Rank
in New York, no Virginia Lode, South
African Diamond Fields, or Golconda
mine pays like the ownership Of rail
roads in North Carolina. Even Page
has a bonanza, earning so per cent a
year on the sworn tax valuation of his
little railroad as shown in his report to
the Railroad Commission quoted in my
note to Gov. Russell above. and which
angered him so. The real owners Of
these great railroads who live mostly in
London and New York, manage their
properties through overseers called
presidents, etc. To keep up these high
rates and the exemption of two-thirds
of the value of their property, they
have established and run newspapers to
attack and besmirch or ~intimidate any
man who may inform the people how
they are kept in poverty by eXhorbitant
rates and the exemption of the roalroad
property from taxation.
Their proscriptive spirit was shown,
but recently when a railroad organ re
moved from it's head an able, aimahle
and patriotic North Carolinian. DR..
Theodore B. Kingsbury, simply because
he asked that it might be stated in re-
gard to a vile and false attack upon
me in its editorial column. that it ha6
not been written by him.
[ have necessarily taken more space
than I had intended. But I am a Nortt
Caro1inian talking to North Caroiin-
ianS about a matter which concerns
them nearly, and their posterity, too, FOL
all time. My people have been Nortl
Carolinians from the early coIonia
times. 1 have been born here. and ex-
poet to die here. My highest aspira-
items have been for the good of the PEG
pie of my native State. I wish to see
every boy and girl given a better
chance in life. I wish to see the cor.
porations treated fairly and justly, bu
10 PAY d IdlI SHARE OIL ldN0tIun duG u
charge the public reasonable rates in re.
turn for the franchises the public ha!
given them without charge.
I nave made mistakes, l have commit
ted errors. but God knows I have never
done a dishOnorable act. The charge
that l have done so, made by corporation
agents. has surprised the public orl!
less than it has myself.
The masses are shrewd Observers ant
arc generally accurate in penetrating
the true character and motives of thei
public servants. In conclusion 7 vii
give out of tho many letters I havo re
ceived the following from r mountaineer
who lives among the coves in Yancey
He may be i1literate, but he has hart
mountain common sense. lie writes:
"Judg Clark. l have heern tell of yol
but never seen you. Mr.. Wilson sen
me one of his pamhets about you ant
l red it. If all he and them other rail
rode fellars SEES about you was SO, | Sc
the railroadcs would have had you FL
tier man, long ago, sure pep, SO I Sc
its all a string of lies.
Yours til death,'