The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-01-22
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Ass A &saAE 2A H~sfa f"-a@
policy their Examination such 49,
~ n-gafiv- tne theory ,aa their 4et-
are prompted - caprice. Ii ;te ip~~s
ne OF the nord. railroad policy has
been growing constantly IN f~ck.cs
ness. but 1t : the rcckle@>ae~> 81 pr
meditation ana 4oi oT foiIy
The ~railroad- bull upon j ma~. ~
fictitious value dependent solely ~
On the credi, that the public wlll com
tinue TO submit, u iouE-practiced eN-
tortion in charges combined With long
neglect in service. haze realized thAt
the times are no longer satisfied with
the stock subterfuge and ~ophIstry of
past years.
shifts from onc 81 excuse and promise
and justification. 10 the converse of
defiance. II is the reflection and the adj
mission Of a public advance In intel
l~igence.
Seeing that the public Intelligence
canno longer be suppressed. the rail-
roads. apparently reckless, have turn
ed TO make a frontal attack on the
public courage.
Ii Is az though they seek = stun
II paralyZe by the sheer audacliy
f, with which they declare their def
! ance. II is an audacity that i meant
to battle and dismay: that hints At a
card that has not been played. that
presupposes an influence and z power
). held IN reserve.
The question Is. Will the peopi"
meet the new issue face to face or
will they permit that a threat shall
b. potent to put them - flight With
out the test OF battle?
1t is the last alternative that forms
I the basis of the railroad logic in the
face of the new intelligence and the
/ new information.
1t would have been thought that
on the eve Of the meeting Of 4 Cen
eral Assembly fresh from the people,
the railroads would have been slow 20
| give offenec. would have hesitated u
draw the issue more clearly. That
was the old policy. which has been
abandoned. Under the terms Of the
!! new campaign the meeting of the Gen
eral Assembly is made the occasion for
calculated contempt and defiance OF
the things which are the subjects Of
| public demand. The legislators were
! met on the threshold with the delib-
crate breaking Of the Selma connec-
! ton III defiance of the order of the
Corporation Commission and OF the
Supreme court. Since they have con-
yened, they nave realized that no
measure loOking to corporate control
would escape Il vigorous fight upon
its passage, no matter how reasonable
or unO~bjectionable such measure
might be upon examination of its mel
its. In the Senate. a railroad repre-
sentative made q declaration rejecting
upon the House which could have had
no motive save the deliberate one Of
mourning the enmity Of that body. >
The railroads are more than militant.
their attitude is defiant, bold, care
fully irritating.
Naturally this state of facts has
raised the question, what does il
mean"
The railroads have intended
that the question should he
asked. And they have answered
it through their agents with
Amos insulting confidence. Their at
- 49, "' pa - - 49, 49,
among the members of the LeGisla-
ture and laughed and said with COM
passionate Indifference as to this and
that measure pending: Pass it; we
viii go to the courts" And they ave
spoken with an i~ll-concealed, o. with
a careful, appearance of authority.
Almost they have said in words, what !
their actions and their attitude has
said more plainly than words, w !,
have the Courts, you have the Leg
islature! Crack YOU whip"
No can it be denied that his inn
preston has been lodged n that it
has had. partially at least, its intend
ed effect. In some quarters it has
brought the desired fear. the hoped
for uncertainty. the intended timidity. !
1t has raised doubts. 1t has caused
members to say with respect To leg
islation proposed: The railroads will
fight it, And it has caused them to
lean towards legislation which the all
pervasive, yet silent, voice of the rail-
road interests has said; we will not
fight
Indeed, more than one member of
the Legislature has openly stated his
advocacy of the two ana q half cent |
passenger rate as opposed 10 the two
cent rate demanded, upon the ground
that the railroads would not oppose
such 4 bill.
All this creates a DANGEROUS situa-
ton. a situation that holds the germ
of deep nopular disappointment; that
invites to the old vacilla zion which
would put off the thing that ought to
be done because of q fear TO do it.
that would continue injustice as the
price Of timid compromise; that would
continue unrest in form more and
more acute as the result of a failure
to come TO the obvious and inevitable
settlement. If the railroads are will
ing to permit the passage of q law.
il might as Well be understood that
ii Is a measure which fails to meet
the requirements 1t is a measure
which Will not tend more euuitablv to
Il ict pilltp 6iN-i6ardS ord NO .orr