Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1913-06-19
WHAT CAN BE DONE.

The Legislature Can Do Several
Things to the Railroads That
Are Neither Unjust Nor Unrea-
sonable.
Returning from a conference
with Gov. Craig on the freight rate
matter, Mr.. E. j. Justice, in an
terview with the Greensboro News,
said:
tThe Legislature, if it is called
to deal with the railroad problems
which have come to the front on
account of the recent discussion
and public interest, will be charg-
ed by the roads with being unjust
and retaliatory in whatever is
/ done or undertaken. If the peo-
pie accept this view it will be I'M
fortunate.
san accurate statement of the
situation is that the railroads have
cultivated and encouraged the idea
that any legislation adverse to
them lis unjust and proceeds from
prejudice. The people in the
State have been somewhat indif-
trent to the details Of government
and have not advised themselves
sufficiently as to where the truth
and the right of controversies are.
This is no less true of the questions
arising out of the efforts to regu-
late public service corporations,
than other public questions. | trust
the idea will not prevail that the
State can do nothing but engage
in unjust retaliation against the
railroads. If the General Assem-
bly, is convened in extra session
there are too many things that it
can do that are just in and of
themselves that will bring some
measures of relief, to make it nee
.essary to engage in retaliation that
cannot be justified on its own
merits. I am sure that a license
tax on the railroads that will put
into the treasury of the State a
large amount of money can be JUS
titled on the ground that their
earnings in this State are very
large in comparison with their
earnings elsewhere and in excess
of what is just. Legally this tax
can be levied. morally it ought to
be.
'eThe State of North Carolina
has been making a contribution
oe many lives in order to relieve
the railroads of the expense of
abolishing grade crossings. The
abolishing of dangerous crossings
IN the interest of public conven-
fence and safety would not be un-
Just retaliation.
"Our intra-State rates are so
high that in many cases they act
as barriers to trade between diff
farent sections of the State. Points
in the western part of the State
are forced by high intra-State
rates to trade with<Virginia points
rather than with points in central
and eastern sections of the State,
and the eastern cities are forced
to trade outside Of the State rath-
er than with nearer points In the
State on account of high intra-State
rates.
"Our seaport points are at a dis
advantage when compared with
the seaport cities and other points
I'm Virginia which do business IN
North Carolina.
HIf the rates are lowered from
North Carolina seaport to interior
points, as they should 'oe, aud IN
tra-State rates are reduced TO a
point which will still not confscate
the railroad property, there vii be
no unjust retaliation thereby done,
and yet more relief will be secured
than under any proposition the
railroads have made or suggested.
81 am not undertaking to enum-
crate all the things the General
Assembly can do, but am trying
to call attention to the danger OF
the public falling into the error OF
assuming that an effort to legislate
concerning the railroads would
have in it any element OF IN
justice"
PERSONS NEEDING TEETH FILLED