The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-01-06
THE sEABOARD AIR LINES
TROUBLES.

the standpoint of sentiment than
a similar misfortune to any other
road would occasion. 1t is re-
garded as more or less of a fami-
ly affair in the sections through
which it operates, and this feel
ing toward it is due to the fact
that it has done fewer things TO
arouse resentment than any other
road, We earnestly hope that its
affairs may be speedily readjust-
q ed and placed upon satisfactory
basis. AS to t he causes of its
misfortune, we quote from The
observer; ss~ ,-.. /
e.s:@:The causes? Highly unfaypr-
able financial conditions for. rail.
roads have prevailed during a
long time Gpast-the country was
busy. Z financing more profitable
renternRises-and while the gen.
,eyal reaction has brought relief
within sight, roads already hard
messed are in the meantime
worse off than before. Possibly
the Seaboard could not by any
permissible device tide itself
along a single week further.
Witheits revenues falling of as
business contracted, and still I'M
able,- Ito borrow money on
, remotely reasonable terms,
it may have had no re-
course Left AS an enormously
aggravating. factor in the trouble
there was, of course, the reck-
less passenger fare reduction en-
coentered 'at the hands of Vir-
ginia, North Carolina, Georgia
and Alabama Legislatures last
winter, for roads face to face
With pc resolution at home-ape
sssHtion3 advertised everywhere
by the exciting court develop
ments which ensued-were
placed under hopeless disad
vantage in a money market very
,dif1cultat the best, We believe
s81at had Speaker Justice and
other radicals of the better sort
- in the last Legislature foreseer
what no one could then fully fore
see the PA cent fare law in thi:
State would never have beer
e. born; indeed. natural desire tt
avoid a political blunder woule
have interviewed. The poor Sea
beard has certainly had to con
4tend with great deal" ~; rs.
An enormously aggravatini
3 6scforA \ .kepta1nly, was the radi
cal reduction of pass niger fare
in several Southern States las
winter. Those who are respon
sibls fprt such legislation Sc
their mistake now, but the won
der is that they were so muc
longer in seeing it than the dea
.,s--peopls-who dressed then In
little brief authority. In y
Z S6lden time the approved metho
u fetornfng people who advanc
ned. strange doctrines or wander
't0 Alters strange gods in any wa
MAS to kill them, but this metho
ceased to be popular some tin
agoa Some Legislators seem
have thought last winter th'
this method ought to be revive
in dealing with railroads, so the
did their possible to cripple Il
roads by enacting laws about pa
senger rates, which nobody care
three straws about. 1t seen
to be a hard matter for the m
jority Of the politicians, vi
fondly imagine that they Ike,
their hands upon the pulse
the people, to place the prop
estimate upon the popular int
! ligence. Ninety.nine times o
of the hundred they place tn
estimate too low, and do not 81
: the people credit for having sen
8 enough to- come in out of t
rain. If the legislators who me
keyed so recklessly with passe
4 ger rates had given the peoI
+ $ credit for having sense enou
to know what is good for the
there & would never have be
such radical legislation, aud
evils that have resulted. VIII
= sBhe average little politician, co
placently. smoking his aftessd
ner cigar and patting his paun,
patches up some fool bill VIII
be thinks will tickle the red-nec
and hill billies at home, it
hundred to one shot that he
placed the intelligence Of
voter he wants to please on I
plane of ,'intelIiEeGee that
pleased with only CANDY trink
and sounding brass and tinkli
:. cymbals. va ."s:
, 81 q Md it was Just about this "
with this passenger rate legis
ton. We do not mean to 6
.,-,s..that-itis. responsible for all
troubles the railroads have be
laboring under, but twas resp
Ill. L.. ..noa ALnn n-.Aos..