The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1907-03-19

TO wake to action when the hour has
struck for still further reforms, and
for still needed progress
Wha, OF business Interestsc"
During the past session we heard
great deal Of the "dispositiOn to strike
z blow at the business interests"
me cry is still reSOunding, the argu-
ment still circulating The very fact
shows that what is relied upon is
that very "clamor" against which is
presumably unlimbered the batteries
of the parked artillery Towards the
beginning of the last session, the bus
mess interest cry brought many per-
turbed gentlemen to Raleigh They
left their busy desks, their humming
factories, bought their tickets and
came to view with alarm" After a
day or so at the capital, they came to
view themselves with cOmmiseration.
Some few Of them of Il Student-like
turn remained to examine closely into
legislation which had passed and
which was pending. They found that
not a bill which nterferred with
legitimate interest had passed or OBJ
tanned favorable cOmmitte report.
They found that everywhere there was
q dutiful even jealous, wish to guard
their interests. They found that what
their friends of the circuit had been
shouting in their ears had been said
for the purpose of creating u diver
sion, of establishing a spirit of unrest
and of masking the real issue. At the
end of the session it was significant
that the business interests had de-
parted and that the lobby, which had
been held in the background, was the
most formidable thing on view in Raj
eigh. lobby does not like to be con-
SpicuOuS and it dearly loVes-tO use
the business interests. When the husi-
ness men went back satisfied to BUSH
ness the lobby made q virtue Of neceS-
sity, brushed up their long coats, pol
ished their silk hats, and descended
in force and in person, where they
had hoped to be represented by proxy.
Now, as a matter of fact what was
done against the business interests? :?
The Basis of The Clamor.
Absolutely nothing, unless it shall
| be said that the modification Of the
! penalty laws respecting the delay in
1 delivery of freight, shall work to their
! hurt. Since the business interests con-
tended throughout that these laws
were too harsh and that they did not
I desire their continuance, this minor
fact cannot be laid to the door Of that
disposition to disorganiZe business :
4 Without any fear of successful contra
| dictiOn, it may be said broadly that
! the last Legislature did actually less
affecting the prevailing status Of bus
/ mess than any of its predecessors
within sixteen years. There was no
radical tax legislation, no tamperin;s
with banks, no interference with laws
/ of Incorporation, no change in the
machinery which governs business re-
! lations. What is the basis Of the clam
or? Where is the maui which has been
driven between the love of the bust
ness interests for the party and their
! love of right and Justice? Where IS
the split which must come in the
/ party because the business interests
see that their interests are not the
party's interests?
The question is resolved into two
| pieces of legislation, one the result Of
| popular demand. the other largely in
! response to the demand-mnd YOU
! OF the business interests themselves.
The Legislature reduced the railroad
fares from IA and 3-4 cents ,
2 IA cents per mile. In doing So
| they protected such interests as are
served by small roads. In doing 50,
! also they followed the explicit de-
! mand of the Democsatic platform,
over fierce opposition from Democrats
| Of the prOphecying sort who thought
proposed law would retard business:
and that what the business interests
wanted was freight rate reduction.
The Legislature passed the passen
ger rate bill and. again over violent
| opposition from the same men, passed
| the freight reduction bill in response
| to their own demands, and the real
demand of the interests for whom they
tprofessed to speak.
The Legislature also tried valiantly
to pass an antitrust law that was
| something more than a Fourth of
July Grafton and failed-faiIed be-
cause of the opposition of these pa
triOtS OF the minority, reinforced by
| the lobby of the Tobacco Trust and re
inforced again by certain good men
who were led to fear by much pro-
| testatiOn.
In this last fact alone lies the only
danger of any split, which is not q
real danger because the "buSinesS in
| terests'' Of the men who grow the to-
bacco must of necessity look once
more, and if necessary yet again, tC
the Democratic party alone for relief
The Republican party holds them out
no hope. 1t is identified with the
trusts with hooks that are stronger
than steel. The Intelligent ''business
interests that must still suffer with
out a fight the eXtortiOns of the trust
must of necessity look to the ma
jority of the party to win at length
over the minority that in this one
matter was succeSSful; that also
saved to their peculiar interests any
insurance legislation.
"RadicaI and Conservatives
! ct the cry is C1aC the 'cOnSerVd-
tive element of the Legislature has
been over-ridden and beaten down by
the Radical" element. Hence
danger damnation, disSenSion and de-
feat, Who is radical and conserva-
| tive?
On the one hand there were the
men who passed the passenger and
freight reduction bills; who fought fol
an antitrust bill; who insisted upOr
proper insurance legislation to re-
place competition in rates and to save
to the State the use of the yearly
drain upon its resources in policy pay
ments.
This is the class that is being term
Continued on Page Three)