The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-05-03
HOLD THEM TO THE ISSUE.

! ne 49,
with reference to its business ana
manufacturing deVeiopmenl' IL Q
question Of just railroad rates. AS
long as Lynchburg, ana
Richmond and other Virginia towns
can have goods hauled through North
Carolina to them, and then Feshlp
them into North Carolina to"hs
cheaper than North Carolina mer-
chants can have them delivered-]us'
so long must North Carolina business
men work under a big handicap. II
is impossible for them to build UP a
wholesale business except in a re-
stricted area and even in tnat snlall
territory they do not have a TAR
chance. Nobody has ever pretended
that sncb discrimination could be de-
tended. When President Finley is
asked about it, he goes TO some ChaH1-
Der of Commerce meeting n makes
a good speech on Good Roads, SCUM
ern development, the South's Pace III
the New Industrial Life, or some kim
dred subject. And he doe it well,
but fine speeches do not suffice when
Qay Dy DAY COujISIH u L ASA
pered and impeded by the freight
rates that discriminate against North
Carolina. AS TO the presidents OF the
Atlantic Coast Line, Seaboard Ar
Line and Norfolk and Western which
are equally guilty with the Southern,
they go on practising extoruon upon
North Carolina shippers without even
making them q Fourth Of July ora
ton or telling them at a banquet what
a great and glorious State they have.
North Carolina towns have made pro-
gTess, but it has been in spite OF this
freight discrimination against them.
The railroad men should be held to
the issue. Talk about how to farm.
how TO work, how to grow by railroad
officials is not needed as long as they
make it impossible to get the best re
suits from farming and labor by i'm
posing a heavier discrimination than
the State, county and city government
imposes.
The need OF holding railroad men
10 the supreme issue Of this unjust
discrimination is emphasized by a let
ter recently written by Hon. +. J.
Justice, ex-Speaker Of the House.
whose virile leadership In pressing
fo~ right treatment from the rail
roads, has won for him the gratitude
of every man who demands fair play
from public service corporations. 1t
that President Finley sem one
Of his excellent letters on diversified
farming and intensive culture Of cot
ton to Mr.. Justice, who is president
OF the Chamber Of Commerce. Mr..
Justice replied TO the letter, and
commencing President Finley
for his solicitude for the farming in
terests, courtcously suggested TO him
that it would be appreciated in North
Carolina il the president of the South
ern would do something to relieve
business men Of the eNoFbitant freight
rates which they have to pay. PreSl-
dent Finley replied in "a wise, suave
letter which didn't ven promise to
try to find a way to give North Caro-
lima equal treatment to that given to
Virginia cities, w~hereupon the States
Vile Landmark sensibly says:
Why, certainly 1t is all right for
the Southern to ham freight TO Vir-
GINA points, several hundred miles
further. for q lower rate thar to
North Carolina points. This NAV
seem just and reasonable to President
Finley but he will have a hard time
convincing North Carolina people
that such discrimination can be iusti-
fed. Some months & M !. j. Hill.
the noted railroad man, gave out a
unbe Of interviews advising farm
ers how to farm and telling the public
generally how TO live and conduct
business. The Landmark suggested at
he time that while Nj. Hills advice
was good he could benefit the public
much more by making it q point to
conduct railroad business q little more
in their interest; that he could at
least make an effort to give Just and
equitable rates. President Finley is
given to taking his pen in hand and
writing long letters to the
in which he e how the corrtr,-