Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1907-01-31
THE N. c. LEGISLATURE
What Cur State Lawmakers are Do
ing Raleigh.
Railroad Hearing.

Railroad Hearing.
Intese interest was shown IN the
hearing on the railway regulation and
rate bill by the Senate and House
committee. The Senate chamber was
packed with people. The following
railway officials: President of the
Southern Railway W. w. Finley;
Vice Presidents A. B. Andrews and
Culp, and General Manager Ackert,
General Counsel Thomas, Passenger
Traffic Manager Hardwick, Freight
Claim Agent Hooper, and Comptrol-
ler Plant-all Of the Southern, were
! present. Second Vice President Sc
vier. General Counsel Watts, Gener-
al superintendent Hix, Of the Sea-
! board; General Passenger Agent
Craig, General Superintendent An.
derson, Assistant General Counsel
Elliott. of the Atlantic Coast Line /;
Vice President Stagg, Traffic Man.
ager Cheatham, Treasurer Duke, Cen
eral Counsel Fuller, Of the Durham
| & Southern; General Manager Mich
OILS, General Passenger Agent Reid,
Of the Carolina s: North Western; OF
the Aberdeen Il Asheboro, President
Henry Page, Of the Norfolk & West
ern, William A Guthrie; of the Raj
eigh & Southport, President Mills
were also there.
Senator Graham presided, Chair
man Yount, of the House committee
sitting with him. Speaker Justice
sat near Chairman Graham and actee
as grand inquisitor. Chairman Ora
ham said the question to be discuss
ed this afternoon was whether thu
passenger rate should be reduced ant
to what extent.
Mr.. Finley Speaks.
, President Finley, Of the Southern
| was the first speaker, and made al
, excellent impression. Speaker Jus
{ tice piled him with questions. H
said that if the Legislature woul
make the passenger rate 3 cent
straight, with no second-class fare
the Southern was willing to accep
it. He. declared he could see no res
! son for reducing the rate to 2 l.
o cents here. He did not oppose th
: regulation Of railways by the Legis
lature, but he did not believe in Les
islatures administering railway a.
fairs. The present trouble, he sait
is not Of rates but Of lack of facil
J. ties for the business man or the PR
}. ducer to reach his market. He sal
the Southern had no financial COZ
nection with the South & Western
5, General Passenger Agent Ryan, {
d the Seaboard, was the next speake
v He was loaded with figures abo,
9 the passenger rates III various State
= 10 show that in States where redu
4 tions had been made ths increase
E. travel was not so great as had bee
le expected and that the loss to Il
rs companies was not made up.
a House Committee Endorses AM
Pass Bills.
This same committee held hea
ing on two bills. Graham s and Ju
tees regarding newspaper pass,
), Graham says his bill is not inten
u ed to affect newspapers. JUST
is says his bill puts newspaper peoI
pc on the same footing as other foil
n His bill is the one mainly considers
u Graham's bill is the Interstate co
he merce bill with the provision tt
D. this shall not conflict with the Sts
at law.
nd Speeches were made by Messrs.
lis A. london, John M. Julian, W.
Dowd, Rev. 10. Atkinson, Arc
bald johnson and Representative .
! -cobspn in favor Of the yamendmt
offered by the Press Associate
lal Speaker Justice was present, ash
!. numerous questions and insisted /,
he on the endorsement of his posit
OF by the committee. Several memb
IL, Of the House committee took a k,
of interest in propounding questions
T. Press Association representatives.
- the conclusion of the argument
ms committees went into executive {
on sion. The result was that Justice ,
ov- sustained by a vote of 6 to 5 by
,n., House committee. The Senate ct
mittee unanimously decided not