The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-08-13
MONEY FIGHT IL STATE FIGHTS.
Railroads said \ Railroad Commits
sion Would Run Ihcm-Somc
EoIks said "A Six Per Cent
Law Would Drive Money
Out OF the State.
Broadway r. F. d No. l..

Broadway r. F. d No. l..
y. &, August 6, 1907
To the Eeditor.
Dear Sir: After my regards for
the days Of "Aul lang sine / wish
to express to you my high apprecia-
tion Of the heroic fight you have
made for the people through tho
olumns Of the News and Observer III
compelling the corporations to obey
the laws of the sovereign state OF
North Carolina. The events leading
up TO the surrender OF the Southern"
sounds like the mutterings OF the
storm that broke loose in red handed
revolution forty-six years ago when
the state OF North Carolina along
with her sister commemorative dared
to assert her sovereignty and for -four
years with her braves and best barred
her bosom to the storm that spent It's
fury at Appomattox.
States rights" in its appeal 70 the
sword lost when the curtain iell fol-
lowing the fail OF Richmond, but has
yielded nothing in the forum OF JUS
tice and logic ana the protest entered
then may not have been in vain.
Seems to me We have fallen on evil
times when a pretty Federal Judge
can set aside the VIII Of the sovereigns
OF this state, these cncroachments
have gone too far and thanks 10 the
public press and a courageous Gov
STHoI, anu the o4u JktildBiE Nlilat
raised the first note OF dedance) the
world has been made TO understand
the Commonwealth IS still vital rs
when her valiant sons when con-
tending with the Northern Country.
more than a century g dared TO
maintain their rights as freemen and
uphold the dignity Of the province.
The rank and file. the common people
are with you in this fight. and you
may not believe II, but Il is true, there
are lots Of men here in this commun-
ity who would boulder their mUskets
tomorrow in defense OF what they
conceive to be the reserved rights OF
the States. but we are all glad we
nave reached an amicable agreement
and North carolina, IS not 70 be
treated as q step-mother. Unfort-
unately for the South the Federal
Judges are too often .-e creatures ~
the corporations and IL is just "a true
today as when it was proclaimed in
the long ago-"The OK knoWeJh his
owner and the ass his masters CRIB
a severe indictment, but how true.
II was commended last winter In
Raleigh by railroads attorneys that
the reduced rates would ruin the rail-
roads
The same crowd twenty years ago
aid a Railroad Commissioner would
ruin the roads, bankrupt them and
stop construction and / listened 70
the song Of siren and voted against
the establishment of n counselor.
About the same time our old friend
Willis r. Wil1cus of PITT. was labor
ing with might and main 70 reduc
the legal rate of interest to six per
cent.
The same influence said II would
drive capital from the state and bring
diFaster on the heads of the people.
How people can be mistaken. rail-
roads have ~prospered as never be-
fore, under a commission. and tina,
shy and timid damsel capital-not
only willing. but anxious 70 coquet
with six per cent
II q come 70 this pass IN our leg
islature-let any asu be intro
duced 70 regulate a railroad or control
a tobacco trust and the cry IL raised
"confscation." ruin the people"
Some old cry every tine-"Cata-
line il at the gate, Rome ID to be de-
strovcG VERT. Cataline e. not al
gates and Rome VIII cot be DESTROYED
By compliance with that which ls not
unreasonable. neither Is ii unjust but
] forbear and please excuse This tres
pass on your time and patience.
With best wishes. I am yours.
T. ~