The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-08-02
of that conference.

which is expressly denied him by the
state constitution. hadsissued instruc-
tons to all the superior court judges
as to what their conduct should be
In the matter, requiring them to have
ali railroad agents selling tickets above
the rate named n The act indicted in
their courts. He reiterated his de-
termination to nave that order obey
ed. The consequence would have been
that for many months the railroads
would hive been harassed with
multitudinous prosecutions-really per-
secutions-and hundreds, perhaps
thousands Of civil suits for the penal
ty Of five hundred dollars in each case.
Furthermore, if such state OF a1airs
was Instituted there was danger Of
serious conflict between state and fed
eral judicial authorities.
While Governor Glenn was willing
to bring about this latter deplorabIe
condition the railroads wished to pre-
vent it and in order to do SO consent
ed to forego what they considered
their clearly established rights, aud
for this reason, consented to put the
new rates into effect pending the mi
tial suits, Notwithstanding the facC
that if successful in their suits they
will lose the one cent a mile for every
ticket their agents have sold between
ion in the cases, and the further tact
that should they continue to sell tick
cts at the old ate and the roads lose
the cases not a single purchaser OF a
ticket who saved his coupon would
lose a cent.
Furthermore had not the railroads
complied with the governors ultima
tum and he had carried out his de-
clared purpose to make the judges in
dict in all cases of violation of the al
legged law, which indictments would
have been accompanied by an infinite
number of civil suits for the penalty of
five hundred dollars in each case tie
railroads in case they were unsuccess-
full in the injunction suits against the
establishment of the new rate, would
have found them selves completely
bankrupt. The property Of all the
stockholders would have been swept
away and gone into the pockets OF the
thousands Of plaintiffs who had recOy-
cred five hundred dollar judgments
for the paying of a few cents over and
above the new rate on the tickets
bought.
1t must have been these two rea-
sons which Influenced the railroads to
yield to the ultra demand of Govern
Glenn. One a desire to prevent, if
possible-what Mr.. Glenn apparently
courted and hoped fora serious con-
fict between state and federal jhdicial
authorities; the other a determination
not to hazard the loss to their stock
holders of all the latter had invested
in these corporations.
Which side showed the more pa
triotic spirit and the greater regard
for the welfare of the people? Politics
the one side and on the other a
genuine desire to avoid a very serious
of affairs and purpose to pro-
tect the financial interests of thous-
ands of "the people, VINO owned stock
in the railroads and whose "all' in
many cases was jeopardized by the &C
ton of the governor.
Governor Glenn and his crowd cry
against the grasping disposition
and the lawlessness Of these W cor
p%oratiOns. Who compose these cor
rations? They are lot the high Of
ficials and the members of the boards
of directors. They are the people who
own the stock Many a widow and
many an orphan in the state have
been kept from perjury because they
owned a few shares of stock in the
Atlantic Coast Line. These latter are
the "bloted railroad magnates whom
Governor Glenn is trying to make the
people believe he is fighting in this
attempt to overthrow the sovereignty
of the great state of North Carolina.
He is fighting the men who by hard
work have saved up enough money
to buy a few shares of stock in that
company-laid away for a rainy day
and the many widows and orphans
estates have been invested in its
charor Eirhtino for the DeOnlei