The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-05-27


Commensurate with the salary paid
him. Since your Excellency's name has
been mentioned in this connection we
would go into b case in detail. Re-
ferring to the evidence OF President
Bryan and Roadmasters Carlisle, it is
shown that you suggested the employ
ment of this man, provided there was
a place open hat he could satisfacto-
rily fill. and particularly stated that
you did not want a place made for
him nor for any one else. It appears
that he was employed at a salary Of
$50 per month as Soliciting Agent, and
proving unserviceable in this position
transferred to the Roadmasters
office as clerk, a position carrying very
light work, without change in salary.
and continued in this position up to
the time Mr.. McBee took charge as re-
ceiver. From h standpoint OF an
economical and business administra-
ton OF the road his employee should
not have been retained. 1t is shown
IN the evidence that he was an old
and feeble Confederate veteran. and
We are not disposed to too seriously
condemn a policy which seeks to pro
vide work for one of his class, even
though a ounge man might more
fully earn his salary. 1t does not ap-
pear that this appointment was made
for political r%easons. o is there a
suggestion that he was a politician,
broken down or otherwise.
The Charge With Reference to the
Proxy Committee.
The bylaws of the company provide
the the proxy committee shall be
composed of seven stockholders. We
find that the present committee num-
bers 50 members and that fourteen of
them are not stockholders. The men,
bership OF the proxy committee was
increased from seven to ten prior to
Mr.. Patrick's administration. During
his administrator it was increased
from ten to sixteen. At the meeting
of the stockholders in September, 1900,
it was increased from sixteen to twen-
ty; later to twenty-eight, n at the
last meeting to thirty-four, as shown
by the record. but according to Mr..
Bryan'S testimony to thirty-ive. The
pass book shows that annual passes
have been issued to these t~hirty-ive
gentlemen on account of their men,
bership in the proxy committee. Mr..
Bryan's testimony is to the effect that
1t was the purpose to elect all the large
shippers on the proxy committee, SO
that annual passes might be given
them. and in this way secure their
business for the road. 1t is not pre-
LA0S tAoN SdS ~
serve on the committee. They were to
receive annual passes and in return
therefore were expected to give the
road their business. 1t is claimed that
the resolutions adopted by the stock
holders at various meetings, electing
a large proxy committee than pro-
vided for by the bylaws, legally
amended the bylaw limiting the num-
Der to seven as really as if it had been
in the resolutions. In view of the adj
mitted fact that the purpose was not
to provide for a real need of more
help to verify proxies, but to put the
gentlemen in a position to receive
transportation and thereby secure their
businesS-a view confirmed by the ap-
pointment of fourteen non-stockhold-
ers-we a u say that the action
is certainly in violation of the spirit of
the law prohibiting the issue of free
transportation, whether technically
contrary to law or not. The large and
unnecessary membership in this COM
mittee certainly was not needed. and
they should not have been appointed.
Local Counsel.
The list of passes on account of local
counsel includes the names Of
thirty-four attorneys only thirteen OF
whom live on the line of the road. 1t
appears that while some Of these are
bona fide attorneys Of the company,
others are not. and were not intended
to be. 1t is shown by the evidence
that one of these local attorneys has
never appeared for the railroad COM
pany, n that he has appered
against it in practically every case it
has had in Craven county courts dur
ing Mr.. Bryan's administration. We
believe that the best interests of the
company would be promoted by reduc-
ton of the unyber of the proxy COM
mittee to the real needs of the COM
pany, and hat he has appeared
render real service to the legal de-
partment of the company should be
dropped. It would seem to be espec-
tally embarrassing to have attorneys
prosecuting suits against the o who
hold annual passes as local counsel OF
the
Free passes of all kinds. annual and
trip, including card tickets. have been
very generously distributed where it
was thought they would do the most
good in producing business for the
road, contrary to the bylaws of the
company and the laws Of the State.
With Reference to Oil Purchases.
1t is charged that oil has been
purchased from the National Oil
Company at prices largely in excess
Of what the same grades Of oil were
offered by other responsible bidders.
We attach but little Importance to
this charge in view of the long exper-
fence of one member of u commit
tee with lubricating oil. We do not
believe that one oil user out OF a
THOUSAND al tell by examination or
even by use for a short period wheth-
er a cylinder oil is intrinsically worth
thirty-one cents or seventy-five cents
a gallon. The oil people know this.
and exert themselves to convince the
purchaser that he needs a h~igh-grade
oil. Having succeeded, thev usuaii'
proceed to furnish him the lowest
grade which they believe viii an
swer the purpose, at the price Of the
higher grade. which they have con-
vinced him he needs 1t is shown IN
the evidence that President Patrick
first made n deal complained OF with
tho National n; Cnnenanv and We