Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-08-02
the RAILROADS SURRENDER.

The railroads in North Carolina have
surrendered and entered into the fol-
lowing agreement with the State:
/. The railroad puts the 24 cent rate
into effect not later that Aug. s, 1907.
2. The State to appeal from The or
der of Judge Pritchard discharging
parties in Asheville on writs of habeas
corpus.
8. The Southern Railway to appeal
to the Supreme Court of North Caro-
lima in the Wake county cases, and it
the case is decided against 1t to take
the case by writ of error to the Supreme
Court of the United States.
4. That both sides cooperate TO
have both of said cases advanced and
argued together and speedily deter
mined.
5. The State, at it's option, to indict
the Atlantic Coast Line in one case.
6. All indictments and prosecutions
now pending to be dismissed, and no
other Indictments or prosecutions to
be instituted for any alleged violations
of the law up to the time the new &c
rate is put into effect under this ar
rangement, SO far as the Governor can
control the same.
7. The Governor advises all persons
against bringing any penalty suits
pending final determination of the
question involved and asks the people
as a whole to acQuiesce in this arrange
ment.
s. The suit pending before Judge
Pritchard to be diligently prosecuted,
without the State, however, waving
any question of jurisdiction.
The Governor stated that Messrs.
Thorn and Humphrey, as counsel for
the Southern Railway, undertake 1t
will not inaugurate contempt proceed
iDgs because of anything heretofore
done by any of the State officers in
connection with this rate litigation,
and that the road will do what it can
to prevent the inauguration of any
such contempt proceedings.
This is most happy solution of a
question which was growing every
moment more and more vexatiOus, if
indeed it was not becoming frought
with dangerous results. 1t is possible
that bloodshed would have followed
because the State officials of North
Carolina were much incensed. The
action Of Judge Pritchard in declaring
an Act unconstitutional because ii
was confiscatory was regarded as going
very far. The Act may or may mol
have been confiscatory. 1t may have
been an act which would bankrupt
the railroads. but on the other hand il
may have been great money maker
for them. 1t is not always the higt
rate which produces returns. The low
one is often the more productive. fol
it is not agreed by any one that the
present tariffs are those which insure
the greatest revenues. A five cent ratt
on the elevated roads of New York
City yielded far greater revenues than
q ten cent rate. yet the wise and never
erring Cleveland when Governor Of
New York vetoed five cent rate bill
passed by the Legislature.
The railroads are now to experiment
with the n cent rate in North Carolina
and see whether or not it is confsca
tory, and it is safe to say that theil
books will show great loss, and give
visions Of bankruptcy. They have the
whip hand of the State in proving this
branch of the case because they Can
make their books show as many
strange things as they desire. So far
however, the State has the best of the
fight, but the signs of the times point
clearly to centralized government. with
the action of the railroads as the earli
est and most powerful factor In the
problem, occurring since the freeing Of
the negroes, unless it be the creation
of the National Guard.