The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-11-02

Russia has thrown off civil absolutism
and the Car has been forced to sur
render just rights to the people to
save his head. Mr.. Spencer sees that
absolutism by railway managers Is
threatened by the just demand OF the
American people, and, having no argu-
ment that answers the Raleigh speech
of Mr.. Roosevelt, he turns in to seek
to defeat the legislation by calling
names, and putting honorable and
patriotic men down as favoring Com
mercial lynch law" whereas the men
he thus traduces are standing merely
against the systematic robbery of the
people through excessive charges and
determinations, wishing no leglsld-
ton that will deny railroads FAIR
dividend upon the actual money In
vested, and demanding nothing but a
square DEAL which is now denied the
people by the great transportation
trust that mas throttled competition.
But, reprehensible as is the un-
warranted SANDER uttered in New Jer-
sey by Mr.. Spencer, even more to be
condemned is the Manufacturers
Records charge that the members OF
Congress apply the fatal torch ana
that the government regulation OF
rates ''wOuld be a case of commercial
whitecapping added to commercial
lynch law
There you have it, Mr.. Roosevelt
Mr.. John Sharpe Williams, Mr.. Mem
bers of Congress, Mr.. Business Man,
who wishes "a square deal'-you are
guilty of commercial whitecapping
added to commercial lynch law"
Samuel Spencer pronounces the sem
tence and the Manufacturers Record
records it. You will now, of course,
repent in sack-cloth and ashes, and
beg this mighty magnate and this
great journal to make the sentence
not more than solitary confinement
and hard labor for life. These crimes
are usually punishable by death, but
a promise to be good may secure a
reduction of the sentence.
AS to Mr.. Spencer's declaration, it
shows simply that he is beside him
self with rage because he sees the
sceptre of absolutism passing from
the transportation monopoly. His in
dignation is akin to that of Demetr1us,
the silver-smith, who sees personal
loss of power in the proposed legis-
lation. But why should the Manu-
facturers' Record lose it's head and
characterize thousands of the best
men of the country as commercial
whitecappers"- who defy law
and practice anarchy. What have Mr..
Roosevelt and Mr.. John Sharpe Will
Iiams and the National House OF Rep
resentatives done to deserve such UNI
paraileled criticism? The height of
their offending is that they favor gov
eminent regulation of railroad rates.
II the officials given that power should
make such reduction as would deny
fair return for the money invested
in railroads, the courts would not
permit such course. There can be no
injury to the railroad property. The
TRANSPORTATION trust would not be
permitted to charge high rates to en-
able them to keep pouring water into
the stock and earn dividends on the
water That would kill the business
of the J. Pierpont Morgans and the
like, but it would injure no legiti-
mate railroad property in the coun-
try In fact it would protect stock
holders and bondholders of railroads
against the manipulation of specula-
tive officers and be a blessing to every
railroad engaged in railroading, pure
and simple, as we'll as bring relief to
the American shipping and consuming
public
Perhaps the President and the rest
of the "whitecappers and lynchers'
will survive the wrath of Mr.. Spencer
and the Manufacturers Record.
When they get cool and see how far
they have gone in incendiary denun-
citation, they must see that they have
lost influence by going to extremes.