The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1907-02-07
With and OF the Legislature.

Charlotte observer.
One hears frequently in Raleigh
that the present Legislature iswilder
than the Populist Legislature OF
1895 and more dangerous to prop
erty rights. The injustice to the
statementl;es in this, that the Speak
er OF the House and the members who
are conspicuous for the radical, ruin
Gus bills they Introduce, and for
their much talk and violent language,
are not the Legislature. There are
members of the body, Il very few in
the Senate, several in the House,
the enactment of whose bills would
mean bankruptcy to some of the
gratest interests OF the State and
grave embarrassment to others: and
there are those whose views, if embOd-
led in the law of q considerable num-
Der OF the States through which they
run, would put the railroads which
traverse North CaOrOlina in the hands
Of receivers. 1t cannot be said,
because it cannot be proved, that
some OF the extremists would like to
see this come to pass. Others are
merely playing for popularity: and
are aware of the fact that the present
is a most suspicious time for them,
seeing that by reason of their failure
to give anything like adequate serv-
ice, railroads are, more than ever,
under popular disfavor. In the first
class are men who do not mean any
good to the public, to anybody
except possibly themselves-but are
simply out to hurt somebody. But
in the House are men, some OF them
leaders of it's thought, safe, conserv
ative right-melded and level headed
who appreciate the necessity for reg
uIating the railroads, for holding
them to their duties, but who believe
that this can be done and should be
done without destroying these
properties.
1t is hoped that the councils of this
class will prevail. Extremism is some
times u cure for itself, and it is COM
mon talk in Raleigh that bru-
tally of the treatment accorded to
President Finley. of the Southern
Railway, on the occasion of his APP
pearance before the committee on
public service corporations, resulted
in = reaction, in the minds of the
members of the Legislature and the
public present, in favor of the rail
road argument. The incivility
shown a nonresident and courteous
witness is resented as q reflection
on the good manners of the State.
To what extent passenger rates are
to be reduced may nOty be prOphe-
sled. They will be reduced, ofcourse.
but there is agood reason for saying
that they will not be cut to the profit
point with some roads and to en-
largement of the loss on passenger
business now sustained by Others
Meantime, Is to be noted with regret
that nobody seems to take any inter
est in the far more important, the
very vital question, of freight rates.
1t is OF small consequence to the
small proportion OF people who ride,
whether they pay 3H Or ~ cents per
mile; it is of large concern to all
that freight can be shipped through
North Carolina and backed from Vir-
ginia to North Carolina points
cheaper than to these Carolina points
direct aud that intra-State freight
rates are such. that North Carolinans
are prohibited from trading with
each other; that, for instance, apples
can be shipped more cheaply from
New York to Raleigh than from
Waynesvile. This statement is not
intended to be other than illustrative.