The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-20
4NOTABLE DAY IN RALEIGH.

SectlOn OF the state ana were !ep4c-
sentative of all that is best in North
Carolina. 1t pleased Mr.. Roosevelt
greatly A private telegram from
Charlotte last night from d gentle
man who travelled through the State
with the President says he was i'm
pressed with The warmth of the re-
ception at the State Capital and other
towns where his train stopped for Il
few minutes. The crowd in Raleigh
was much larger than he had sup
posed would street. him in a city with
comparatively SO snail a population.
He liked the reception because il was
free from ostentation, because it was
dignified and simple as becomes the
people tf this good State.
The speech of the President, as had
ant that he will make on his South
ern tour. His warm endorsement of
the Appalachian Forest Reserve was
hailed with great satisfaction. 1t
should serve to arouse Southern Con-
gressmen to a new zeal in securing
the necessary legislation. 1t is we'll
to strike while the iron is hot and
while there is a President in the White
House whose interest in this import
ant matter is practical and sincere.
The speech of the President was an
|argumerp for government regulation
of railroad rates. He paid splendid
tributes to the past courage OF North
Carolinians, to the valor of our SOL
diers in every war from Kings Noun
tain to the Spanish American war,
touched happily upon our present edu-
cational and Industrial progress and
preached a brief and pointed sermon
upon the essentials of good citizenship
all these things won applause ana
approval. But they We're the prelude to
the serious discussion of the day.
When he came to talk of the rate reg
ulations he closely followed his man
uscript, and was frequently inter-
rupted by applause as he cllnched
point after point i'm demonstration OF
the need of that legislation. His dis
cussion was not elaborate, but evil
IDENTIFY every sentence had been care
fully considered and his manner ana
bearing was one of man intensely IN
earnest and sincerely determined 10
leave no stone unturned to secure real
and not sham legislation. He was APP
plauded when he said 81 do not be-
lieve in public ownership of anything
that may with propriety be left in
private hands, and the applause in
creased when, with emphasis, he made
this declarations:
"Actual experience has shown that
II is not possible to leave the railroads
uncontrolled. Such system. OF
rather such . lack of system. is fertue
i'm abuses OF every kind, and puts a
premium upon INSCRIPTIONS ana ruth
less cunning i'm railroad manaSenleid
for there are some big shippers ana
some railroad managers who are al
WAYS willing to take unfair advantage
Of their weaker competitors. ana they
thereby force other big shippers and
bic railroad men who would like to DO
decently into similar acts OF wrong
and Injustice. under penalty OF being
left behind i'm the race for success:
Government supervision is needed
quite as much i'm the interest OF the
who want to do right as in the in
terest of the small shipper and the
consumer.
Every word in this comprehensive
statement is as true as Holy Writ and
if was approved and cheered by
every man in the vast audience who
was able to hear him who believes
i'm "a square DEAL and in holding
common carriers to the responsibility
they owe to the public.
For many years the people of North
Carolina have longed to see the day
when the great men of the Republic
would look upon this transportation
monopoly in it's true light, as lmpos-
ing heavier taxes upon the industry OF
the people than the State and FED
erai governments. and imposing this
tax without any regulations and often
with little regard for anything except
to make the tax as heavy las the
traffic will allow Rebates and dis
ordinations have killed many towns
and Industries and made others by
favoritism. But the great evils nave
been the systematic Over-charge in
order to pay dividends on watered
stock and to control legislation and Sc
cure immunity for violation of law.
Thoughtful men and toiling mem
"those who think and those who suf-
fer'-are tired of the public men who
shut their eyes to the real evils of this
day of monopoly and cry out against
the little wrongs that exist. Mr.
Roosevelt has challenged popular APP
proval from real patriots by loading
his gun and going after the greatest
monopoly of all-the transportation
trust. He has behind him every DEM
ocrat i'm America who stands on the
ST. Louis platform adpoted in 1914
and every Republican who believes In
government that will protect the
people against monopoly. The only
lion in the path is the United States
Senate, which too largely represents
the men who are in such close touch
with monopoly as MOTTO represent the
real sentiment of the American peo-
pie. But i'm that body are great men