The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-01-26

IN
pie Are Not Expecting Such Agita-
ton. That lie Can Not Encourage
Any Such Procedure and That the
Rates, Said to Be Unremuncrative,
should BE Given II Fair Trial in IL
Normal Year Without Any Panic
Conditions.
Seeking to disturb existing condi-
tions, to repudiate legislative enact
mentS which have tended to mar
monte affairs. and to have undone
railroad rate regulations to which they
gave fun consent. the railroads doing
business in North Carolina are asking
q return to rates in excess of those
now paid by the people.
This matter became known after a
meeting held yesterday by a number
of railroad presidents and other rail
road officials with Governor w. w.
Kitchin which took place in the Exec
utive office, beginning at twelve and
lasting till about we O'Clock. 1t was
a meeting arranged for by Col. A. Il.
Andrews, first Vice-president OF the
Southern Railway. and from one and
all of the railroad men present there
went up a cry of "unremuneratiVe
rates and a desire to have higher
passenger rates.
The purpose of the visit and the
magnitude of the legislation and
changes sought were not known by
Governor Kitchin till the meeting be
gan. He says that Col. A. B.. Andrews
had arranged for him to meet a num-
Der of railroad men. but that the pur-
pose of their visit was not known till
the conversation began. Thinking that
perhaps there might be matters OF
public import discussed Governor Kit
chin invited TO be present with him
Speaker OF the House A. G.. Graham,
State Senator James s. Manning. OF
Durham. Acknowledgement I. W.
Beckett, and Chairman Franklin Me
Neiu, of the North Carolina Corpora
ton Commission.
The Alleged Cause.
The alleged cause of the gathering
of the railroad officials seeking to get
higher rates of passenger fare is the
statement made by Governor kitchin
in his inaugural address concerning
the present rates being Just and rea-
sonable and approved by the rail-
roads. That declaration which en-
bodies the belief of the great majority
of North Carolinians, but to which the
railroads evidently do not subscribe,
1.-THE last legislature reduced pas
Glg fares. The rates now in force.
which save thousands Of dollars annu-
uaily 10 the people from the Old rates.
have been approved by the railroads
as iust and r~easonable. Conditions
Justify us in anticipating no agitation
for any change in passenger fares
during the term OF the incoming adj
mini~tration.'
\ Blockade Of Private Cars.
The railroad delegation was a big
one. Some members had come To Raj
cigh on special trains. and some in
their private cars. the Union depot
looking as if there was an invasion OF
private cars. In it was q Southern
Railway private car, a Seaboard Air
Line private car. an Atlantic Coast
Line private car, and q Norfolk n
Western snecial train consisting Of a
Norfolk and Western engine, one pas
scnger car and a private ear. 1t was
. blockade of private cars that
struck Raleigh with the railroad off
icals aboard coming to ask that they
be allowed to charge the people
higher railroad rates.
ia the party that met the Governor
10 ask to nave the rates increased
were the following:
southern RailWay-President w. ".
Finley, First Nice-President a. r.
Andrews and General Couns A. +.
Thorn.
Atlantic Coast Line-President F.
N. Emerson. F.
Seaboard Air Line-President W. A.
Garrett, ViSe-President and Traffic
Manager T. Sewer. General Passenger
Agent C. =. Ryan. n General Coun- s
sci Leigh Watts. /
Norfolk and Southern-RecejgarL
InoInas FItzgera4d and Traffic Mana !
ger ID. S. Hutchings. ]
Raleigh and Southport-President d
John A. Mills. il
Norfolk ana Northumberland L. o
Johnson n General Manager Laher.
Aberdeen ana NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Henry A. Page.
Carolina and Northwestern-Gen-,
eTal Manager l.. T. Nichols.
With one accord the railroad Off J
Gals declared the present railroad :
rates are unremunerative as shown af-
ter eight months trial, and that they :
wanted suggestions from Governor !
hitchln as to how to get
relief without waiting for
IiiotnSr leSlSlature To assem-
bic; that they did not want litigation.
The suggestion that no litigation is
wanted may we'll be considered as an
intimaeion that if the railroads do
not get What they are after that they
VIII again disturb the State and en-
broil it in litigation in its duty to
stand for the interests of all the peo-
Ple.
The railroad visitors got no en-
eouragement from Governor Kitchin.
He told them that he had said in
his inaugural address that there would
probably be no agitation for change
OF passenger fares during his ad-
ministration, that the people were
not expecting it and that he could
not encourage any procedure, but
hoped that the railroads would try
the rates during a normal year, when
no panic conditions prevailed. He
stated, too, that the facts stated to
him did not convince him that the
present rates are confiscatory or nm
just.
After there had been statements
from the railroad officials and tbe
Governor, on the request of the rail
road presidents another conference
was arranged to be held on SATURDAY.
the 30th of January.
Ihere We're no newspaper reporters
concerning it was given ont last niah49
by Col. A. j. Field, he Govern0r's
private secretary: