The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-24

was that the manufacture and sale of
liquor in the country was a constant
menace to the peace, quiet and good
or der of the country. The towns and
cities maintain a police force and thus
are enabled to restrain and lessen the
evils flowing from drunkenness. There
is no police force in the country and
the State is not prepared to maintain
one. There is no greater menace to
the quiet and good order of any coun-
try community than a whiskey still
this.
We have entered upon an education.
al awakening in this State which is
seeking not only to open the door of
the school house to every child but to
persuade and influence every child to
enter that school house. There are
men who have seen q school flourish
in q town close by a bar room or a
still, but no man has ever yet seen
school grow up and prosper by the
side Of whiskey still Or a bar room
in the country. The Legislature, there
fore was confronted with the ques-
ton whether they should open and
maintain school houses in the coun-
try for children. or whiskey stills and
bars for the men. The Legislature
ratify it at the polls. In my judg-
ment this act is one OF the best ever
passed by any Legislature. The con-
ditionS justified it. The demands of
the people required it and the results
have proven beneficial. With the
passing OF the years it will be found
to have been a most effective agency
in the cause of temperance.
The A. & n. c. Railroad.
One other thing which the Republi-
cans attack is the management of the
Atlantic & North Carolina Railroad.
/ wish to say alphabetically in connec-
ton with this matter that the Atlantic
& North Carolina Railroad has been
better conducted under the present
administration and is in better condi-
ton than ever before in it's history.
The receipts of the road have nearly
doubled under the present manage
ment The road-bed is in excellent
repair. The rolling stock was never
in so good condition. The facilities
for transacting the business of the
road have been greatly increased. The
road earned last year SIS, 829.1I over
and above all operating expenses and
fixed charges. The earnings in excess
of these expenses and charges have
for several years been put into the
Detterment of tho road. III pursuing
this policy the management has been
aware that it was probably sowing
for other people to reap. but for the
final good of all has persevered in
the work The stock today is worth
and is selling for twice as much as
it was the day that / was inaugu-
rated as Governor of the State. 1t
was not bringing more than $500 at
that time, and is today selling readily
At $4,000. An investment of $1,000
three wears ago would today bring a
man $1,000. ;sn annual increase OF
80 1-3 per cent.
While the stock in the Southern,
the Atlantic Coast Line, and the
Pennsylvania Railroads has been
steadily declining, that of the Atlantic
md North Carolina has been steadily
Advancing While the interest of the
State and the private stockholders
has thus been subserved by doubling
the value of their stock, the service
% the people along the line and 20
those having occasion to use the road
has been in every way of the best
Every commercial traveller who has
been travelling in the State for the
asst ten years, will bear testimony to
he wonderful improvement of the At
mite and North Carolina Railroad
within the past four years. Every