The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-10-26
A LEADER LIKE CONFER NEEDED
IN EVERY STATE.

1t is a good piece of news that
comes from Alabama-that Hon. b.
B. Conner will be candidate for Gov
ernor. Here is an account of his an
nouncement in telegram from Tai
ladega in the Mobile Register:
"Mr. Conner began his speech by
referring to the cotton Spinners' as
ISOLATION and the Wall street crowd
who manipulated the price of cotton
at the expense of the products. He
spoke of the great power the farmers
had displayed in their association in
putting up the price of cotton, and
appealed to them to show the same
spirit in regard to their interests and
throw off the railroad yoke in Ala
bama, which had it's hand in every
mans pocket. Mr.. Conner said that
Alabama was completely dominated
by railroad interests and influence.
The conventions and the legislatures
have been composed of railroad law
yers Mr.. Conner said the people
should quarantine and screen railroad
lawyers so that they might not see to
read their influence. He said that
when he began his fight for lower
freight rates he would admit it was
for his own personal business; he was
a jobber in Admission and found out
he could not compete with Georgia
firms owing to difference in freight
rates. He went before one railroad
commission and found that nothing
could be done under present condi-
lions and then began his fight for low
err freight rates. He said the fight
had gone on and was growing warm
err. The people won great, Jim
Dandy" victory in the last election
and would do it again
Mr.. Conner wants the entire tick
ct for both county and State officers
made up of men IN sympathy with
the railroad rate movement. He said
that the Governor, Auditor and Treas
urer composed the board and passed
on railroad tax values, hence all
should be in sympathy with the move
ment, including the Attorney General.
The railroads pay taxes on fifty-six
million dollars property valuation,
while before the railroad commission
they fix the values at two hundred
and sixteen millions.
There is need for a Conner in every
State who will lead the fight for just
regulation of railroads. When he an
nounced his candidacy last year as
Chairman of the Railroad Commission
the folks who believe they ought to
genufiect whenever they hear freight
train blow (there are some of these
genufectors for revenue in North
Carolina), denounced him as dema-
gogue. but before the campaign end
ed they found that he had the people
behind him; that he had plenty of
brains and nerve The State of Ala
bama has been peculiarly under the
influence of the railroads and taxes
them at only one-third of their true
value.
We have no Governor to elect in
North Carolina next year, but Leg
islature is to be chosen, and the peo-
pie must be alert to see that men
chosen do not wear collar of a rail-
road or permit hope of reward to
muzzle them. They should be par
ticularly careful in naming Senators,
for that is the branch where the
railroads usually "get in their work
The hour has struck when the peo-
pie must be alert to see that men
refuse to elect men to office who are
so neutral that railroads wishing
special privilege or immunity can de-
pend upon them to betray the people
in order to serve them
Let the Corners come on and let
railroad tools and straddlers be given
a back-seat.