The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-09-30
NORTH CAROLINA JUST
FREIGHT RATE ASSOCIATION
It's Origin, Purpose and Future Discussed BY Its Organ
izing Secretary, With a Dissertation On Organnza-
tons In General-"Some Live, Many Die. Why?"

and giving nothing. only where the
stern law forces the issue. The trouble
with our people is that we are too
l~ong-sufering and kind; in other
words we spare the rod and spoil the
child" The railroads are but the in
fants Of any State, and the truth OF
the whole matter is that they have
not yet reasoned with the faith
enough to take their first feeble step
in progressive walking.
Who created a charter to allow their
construction? Who by sternly break
ing down the prejudice Of people own
ing land allowed them to cOnfiscate
whittier SO ever they woul to reach a
certain destination? The echo re-
turns-The people. This infant OF
| ours now Sterly defies the authority OF
a sovereign State because they oper-
ate in other States as we'll. Thus was
| the origin and the spirit Of this assO-
citation which denounced in unmis-
taxable terms the negligence Of the
railroad officials III defy cOnserva-
tive North Carolina.
The Purpose.
1t was intended to gather into this
association and band together men OF
every vocation and from everywhere
in the State for the purpose of study
ing nov the rates affected us, and at
last, by some means, to force a salts
factory settlement. There were form
Gu III Inc Sldtc ScNcHty COuHty UIdIlCI
associations Of the State organization,
located at each county seat.
The determinations have been very
we'll set out through the newspapers
and it Is plain to the mind of even a
child that our rate structure is at least
double that of the Virginia cities m
in many cases three times the rate
into Virginia. AS an illustration, a
barrel Of flour travels eight hundred
, miles from the riddle west into the
, gateway Of Virginia for twenty-five
cents per barrel, while the rate from
the Virginia city to any point in Caro-
[ lima is approximately fifty cents-or
double this amount while the distance
\ is only two or three hundred miles.
This basis applies not only on flour
: and grain from the West, but on all
g classes Of freight either from the
. instances the freight rolls over a
Southern line through North Carolina
n into Virginia and back at the higher
: rate.
S The of forcing a solution is
0 very -apparent-they are three-fold
The first would be In q spirit of CO.
operation displayed by North Caro-
lima in conferences, but if this mean:
# is exhausted. the Legislature con.
e venes now to look into the rate basi:
d within the State which has nevel
been studied. Many maintain tina
81 l AASOS 60
le old as to have been in existence sine
the days when the railroads figured
their tariff on the basis Of ago
trains and in competition with same
ig Heavy taxes may also be levied an
re conveniences in keeping with tn
Of enormous profit made out of this Stat
should be exacted. 1t is understood
to however, that the final forcing Of a
i adjustment on rates from out tn
State to within cur borders must com
ne Commission at Washington. This, a
of cited before, will take money, but tn
Id Legislature should appropriate stuff
r. cient funds to meet the need, and tn
dy matter should be forced rapidly t
u conclusion. The business interests al
Of seriously effected and our p%Opulatio
to will not increase until we have revise
and lowered the freightS and hand
N our tax situation SO that our wOnde
of full resources can be developed an
at we can advertise to the world OF
a correct basis.
ed The Future.
on If this organization shall effect eitl
on er directly, or by its indirect inf1uenc
rty a reduction on interstate rates, not
ed single one of the county branches
Tor the State Association should be di
an landed. The same reason Whit
err brought it into life will keep it ali
he in the future. These reasons are n
lad far to see.
to The corporations are "sOulless
ar Just as at twilight before the Nigh
vi %throbbing Moeul SPECIFICS in CO
templating the enormous power loo
err ed within those mighty plstonS.
lp- appears harmless standing IN the st
ton shed. but in a few hours ma
lives may be crushed out in the dar
Of ness as it speeds on toward its des
err nation. The railroad mar IS IKE
erS. engine. and if uncontrolled, Will L
every means, both fair and otherwi
)rt- to forward his selfish ends.
age Engineers. firemen and conduCt
the met one day and forced a meas
ach raise in wages which then was a me
ord pittanCe for men who toll at such I,
en- rifle risk of life. Their nizati
en- stands today as a monument to Anne
i'm can progress. and has ever grown CO
not Stantly stronger instead of being d
tier banded-Why? The same selfish d
and position Of capital that made it nee
lore say. has Kept II alive.