The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-26
WHAT is THE MOTIVE or IIif
RAILROADS?

n public was at the
news that the railroads wished TO re-
omen the question Of passenger rates
and there has been an inquiry
What is the motive?"
The railroad may not
have intended deception by thelr
statement TO the Governor. but II was
not in accordance with the agree
ment when the Legislature settled the
rate question at the extra session
Here is the substance q their state
ment as given out by the pilN"t'
secretary of the Governor:
THE railroad representatives stated
that the present passenger 1ares were
unremunerative, that when they We're
| agreed uDOn il was with the under
standing with Governor Glenn tnat
they should be tried for one year
| and if such trial showed that the
rates wen not just and r~easonapie ,he
matter would be re-opened. and that
the Governor would try to have the
CORPORATION Commission empowered
to near the matter and fix the rates.
1t was true that Governor Glefli
did agree to recommend that the new
rate be given a trial for one year
and then heard by the Corporation
Commission but the Legislature re-
fusing to agree to any provision look
liz 10 lit lc@optlIiS -
the Corporation Commission, the Gov
ernor conferred with the railroad man
ayers and they declared their WHINE
ness to abandon the clause cooking 10
action by the Corporation COMMISSION
by the end of the year.
In his speech in the Senate, at the
Extra Session, advocating the com
promise, Major John w. Graham was
thus reported by the News and OBJ
server. January 29th:
Major Graham stated hat the pro-
vision referring the matter 60 the
Corporation Commission after one
year had been left from the Dill pc
cause he did not believe 1t should De
left in; he thought in the
the charge would be made that the
railroads had something up their
sleeve by citing the Corporation
Commission have control of the mat
ter; this something being Il raise in
passenger rates. He had submitted
the matter to the Governor. who had
consented to the omission of the pro-
vision, and he Mr. Graham) assumed
the responsibility for having held up
Mr.. Finley"
This shows that the railroads agreed
to recede from the demand Ior re-
opening at the end of a yea and their
agreement then does not warrant the
claim made by them in the confer
cnc0 Will IoNtIIlOI h1lCi1IH. IL lIlC
Legislature had passed the bill as
originally drafted by Governor Glenn's
attorney, the State would be bound
to reopen the question as requested
by the railroad men, but
the Whole fight in the Extra Session
hinged on the question of whether the
Corporation Commission at the end
of a years trial should be empowered
to fix the rate different from that fixed
in the legislative act. The railroads
then agreed to the bill that excluded
any ~re-Opening. They are, therefore,
estopped from making the request
they made to Governor Kitchin. II
the rate is to be re-opened, the Gen
eral Assembly is the body to whom
the railroads should appeal, and the
claim that they were promised a re-
opening at the close of the year is
not borne out by the facts.
What is the motive for the demand
5 for re-opening? Nobody has been
found who believes the rate will be
reduced. At the time that North
Carolina reduced rates, Georgia and
t Virginia did likewise. When the com
: promise was effected with the North
t Carolina Legislature. the railroads
put into effect the same rates given
to North Carolina and Georgia to
Tennessee and South Carolina which
had passed no law loOking to rate
reduction. AS to Virginia, the rail
roads sought to effect a compromise
with that State, but Virginia refused
any compromise and is today get
: ting the tWo-cent rate fixed by the
Commission. The matter is still in
litigation between the State of Nir-
: ginia and the railroads..
5 What is the motive for securing a
re-Opening in North Carolina? Has
: it not occurred to all thoughtful men
d that it is for the effect it will have
2 in other States? Would it not heir
e the railroads to be able to say in
9 other States: North Carolina ha
{ seen it's mistake. Two years ago il
: fixed the passenger rate at 2 Ia
cents: one year ago it held an extra
: session of the Legislature and par.
r TALLY corrected it's mistake by in
creasing the rate to 2 IL cents; ant
: at the 1909 Legislature it opened tn,
q way for a return to the Old three
& or three and a quarter-cent rate b,
authorizing the Corporation commits
sion after the first of April. to re
hear the matter and fix the rate high
err
in the backward step as to rate resu
a latlon the motive of the applicatio,
to Governor kitchin? OF course tn
railroads would like to receive
higher passenger rate in North Caro-
lima, but is not the desire to help ii
sofHs, back 10 che pvfrcy4 -~eIr ra1r
n roads did as they pleased the mair
n \ recent issue of the Southerr
printer contains a fine pOrtrait O.
e Col. William II. Bernard. the oldes
editor OF a daily paper in North Caro-.
lima, and a sketch of the life of tina.