The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-02
SAME OLD EXCUSE OFFERED AT
HIGH POINT.

With the furniture manufacturers
in High Point demanding legal RENE
dies for the injury caused because
the Southern Railway does not furnish
the right sort of cars, the whole public
has deep interest. The session of the
Corporation Commission at High Point
yesterday shows that The News and
Observer has been right all along in
merce Commission should be given the
same power over Interstate business
that North Carolina has given to the
Corporation Commission over intra-
State business. 1t is full, ample, quick
vindication Of the fight this paper was
MAKING in behalf of the manufacture
ers of High Point when its prominent
citizen was hurrying on free pass
GA or d, it doesn't matter which,, to
tell the world that High Point manu-
facturers had such implicit faith In
the wisdom and fairness of the South
ern Railway that they wished no leg
islation. Within a few weeks, the
manufacturers of High Point rehuke
that position by applying to the Cor
poration Commission to compel the
Southern Railway to furnish them cars
and cars of the right sort.
What is the answer? The same OLD
stereotype answer that 1.-The business
has out-grown the railway facilities.
h. a ra
of hearing. Why don't the railroads
increase their facilities to keep up
with the increasing business? BE-
cause they prefer to pay stock on wa
ter and use earnings to boom the price
Of stock than to spend it to give prop
er facilities to the public. The rail-
road that has a monopoly or high
Points business, last year earned over
twenty four per cent upon the STOCK,
and it ought to have been compelled TO
employ a. larger portion of such earn
irgs to provide for the increasing busl'
ness.
Last January, when the High Point
Manufacturers Club gave a grand
banquet at High Point, Mr.. Samuel
Spencer. president of the Southern
Railway. was present and made one
of the leading speeches. He showed
great familiarity with High Point
growing business and Dragged upon
the Southern's intimate relations with
it's manufacturing growth and took
most of the credit for High Points
growth to the Sc uthern hallway $
furnishing ample facilities, it beng the
only railroad at High Point. There
fore the old hackneyed phrase that
the business has outgrown the eX~
pectations of the railroad will not
work in this case. Mr.. spencer
speech and his presence in High FONT
are witnesses against such contention.
The truth is that in the cas-" of giant
railroads where the owners are more
concerned in bond selling and stock
manipulation than in the freight ana
passenger traffic, the only way Tor
shippers and consumers to receive talf
treatment is by appeal to the legally
constituted authorities which must Dc
invested with power to act. NOBODY
need never he afraid that they will err
in giving shippers more than they car
afford. Experience shows that eVch
the best commissioners are inclined
to err in giving the railroads the Ions
end, all the time having the side CT
the railroad dinned into their ears
while it is only in an exceptional case
the shippers and the people nave any
representative present to state the SIDE
of the people.