The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1908-01-23
late CASE COMPRSM!SE
'DVernor Glenn Also Recommends
the Enactment of a State Prohibi-
tion Law at this Special Session.

6IOU Law Gt tulS OpOSId1 OCSo-Ou'
% the Honorable, the General AS
sembly of North Carolina.
8 GentIemen:-Under no c:rcumstan-
81 IL it a pleasant duty TO convene
the General Assembly in extra ses-
kIbn; still the Constitution, Article
III, section 0, provides that "The
Governor shall have power on extra
occasions, by and with the
1dvice of the Council Of State, to
c4nvene the General Assembly in ex-
tfh session by his proclamation, stat
ii,g therein the purpose or purposes
f6r which they are thus cOnvened.'
To me it seems plain that such an
Extraordinary occasion has arisen, and
50, by and with the consent Of the
lpuncil Of State, | have felt it my
dhty to call you together to consider
nc question Of an adjustment Of the
and freight rates charged
by the various railroads doing bust
ness as common carriers in the State
In order that you may have
proper understanding of the
pfeSent conditions Of affairs, it
I'll be necessary to revert to
the past and give a brief his
toPy of all matters appertaining to
fhe rate controversy from the time
pf your last session up to the terms
uBered BY me as Governor and ac-
opted by the railroads, subject, Of
course, to your approval and ratii-
cation.
In my message to your honorable
bpdy at your regular session [ used
the language: 4 would urge upon
II he General Assembly to carefully ex-
mime the whole matter of railroads,
and, while doing everything the law
allows IN protecting the people
against unjust determinations, heavy
rates and unnecessary hardships, at
he same time to treat the railroads
wth perfect fairness and give them
eScry legal right which belongs to
tnem. Railroads are the great artcr-
les of commerce. and have been the
neans of building up our resurces as
no other factor, and. therefore, should
be looked upon, not as hostile. but
as one of the States most helpful
ssPncies. > I then recommended a
Hat rate of 1-2 cents per mile for
pessenger fare and mileage book Of
2 centS; also, that railroads be re-
am red to remedy delays of their
fEalns have limit set to hours of
sefvIce of their employees, keep their
Ioa d-beds IL good condition and pay
their fair proportion of all taxes, and
tisen should be protected against i'll
1utice. such as is often practiced on
Ten by trcspassers and unjust liti-
lion. With what suggestions I
conld offer, and with the sworn re-
port of the railroads before you,
afIer a full and able discussion of
the bill in both houses, no joint con-
eINsion could be reached, and a con-
fefence committee had to be ordered
I1S committee reported fiat rate
Of 2 IA cents per mile, which report
vas ratified and became the law OF
The State. After the law was enacted
I tried TO induce the railroads tC
aeauiesce until a fair test would de,
monStrate whether the new rate was
eonfscatory, or, on account of in
creased travel, was remunerative
some Of the railroads at once agreed
to put the law into operation, but
others refused, and, prior to July l
19o7, when the law became opera
tlVe, went before a Circuit Judge OF
the United States for the Eastern
District of North Carolina and OBJ
taIned temporary injunction agains
tte Corporation Commission and At
foraey- General, forbidding them from
pnfting the law into effect. At the
pfeliminary hearing, without finding
the rate confscatory, and not needing
the plea made to the jurisdiction OF
the court, the Circuit Judge continu
ed Ehe injunction to the final hearing
and ordered the Standing Master tt
take evidence and make a report a.
e whether the rate fixed was confs
cafery Of the property of the rail
rods.
on July 1, 1907, certain railroad
rsfh sing to recognize the rate fixed
superior Court Judge instructed
the grand jury to indict their agent
for selling tickets at higher rat
tEan that fixed by the statute. Feel
ing it my sworn duty to uphold tn
Ian passed by your honorable body
rega rdless of the amount fixed, I ad
dfss ssed a letter to all State Judges
asang them ''to properly charge tn
grand juries and to direct the Solici
<61 to send bills against the agent