The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-06-25
PEOPLE or STATE RESPONSIBLE
TuR DISCRIMINATION rtr
UTp> THESI.

WIN "A
The very able address q NJ J ;
s; The recsas Merchant
Convention In Greensboro viii - r"aa
~ ~. peoplc ~ tne state generally
NJ Manning. before and durinS tHe
session Of the legislature and Ter years
nAs given the question e G~anspoF'A-
,son conditions careful study from the
nogn, ~ vie~ ~ . mao aes!Fo1s =
bs.,~-tn= business conditions in b.
state what he says OF the saeieei
Is botA well said and accurate IN n
recent speech. however. he put certain
facts In a way - graphic that thss
VIII excite general COMMUNICATION, II
;erest and reflection
The DETERMINATIONS s. freigh; rates
exist n North Carolina They reiArd
business. keep the cities or the state
from attaining their reasonable
II. s,ine many limos OF indus
try
why asks Mr.. Manning aud an
$ err his own question with the
statement that the fault lies at the
door OF the people Of the State II
self. In their anxiety 10 do Justice -
the railroads.. they have been too
ready 10 lay down There has been
a timidftv about legislation. almost
more than timldity in the nshts that
have arisen in the courts over such
legislation as has been passed All too
frequently. at the nrst flutteT 81 ht-
CATION. at the hrst word II some sub
servient Federal Judge created IL not
actually paid by the railroads. the
State has quit AS "a result the dis
ordinations against North Carolina
cities. towns and Industries have
sprung UP as against a people who
have failed 10 tight for their rights.
MI. Manning picked up a copy OF
the Merchants Journal. the very or
gan OF the protesting association. and
turning its page showed that three
fourths OF its advertising patronage
came from Virginia merchants.
Nothing could have more eloquent
~ told the story of V~irginia's CONNER
cial supremacy In comparison with
North Carolina.
Ncr could anything have more clear
" eoitomised the effect in the case
Of the two States of the discrimina-
tons in freight charges themselves.
Proceeding Mr.. Manning showed
further that. although the two states
were alike in general characteristics
although North Carolina has ten cot
ton factories to Virginia's one, has
more cotton. more tobacco and an
- .~,,,I
Ing and in many lines or manufacture.
and also higher rates by fifty TO one
hundred per cent. the result OF the
operations of the railroads in the two
States showed:
That III gross earnings from freights
on a mileage OF 4.105 and with lower
rates. the returns from Virginia freight
business were s29,526.129 last year.
While from the 1899 miles Of North
Carolina roads. under higher tariffs.
the returns in gross freight business
were only s1s,725,1S4.
In other words, with less OF the
ordinarily basic foundations or
freights. Virginia with only ia more
miles Of road, with lower rates. did
more thar 60 per cent more business
than North Carolina,
h does that. in turn. mean?
Simply that the DETERMINATIONS
that this State has permitted the rail-
roads to put upon 1t nave resulted in
the wholesale establishments thai
should have been built up in North
Carolina in accordance with her ma
tural and her legitimate
business being diverted to irginia.
That owing TO these determinations.
the money Of North Carolian people
to support life IN the pur-
chase Of staples of food and clothing.
Is being sent in a constant stream TO
build up the State Of Virginia.,
In the teeth of this condition there
should be no further policy Of timidity
or Of "laissez faire." The fght should
be Joined. and it should be prosecuted
to the end.