The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-02-20
FRANK HARRIS
PROGRESSIVENESS,

Some weeks ago the Palatka News
made bold to state that the veteran
and erudite editor of the Ocala Ban
ner, Frank Harris, was a progressive
with big P. Here is more evidence
Of that fact taken from his paper Of
last week:
Express companies and railroads,
like our public servants, seems always
playing TO the galleries, and seem al
ways endeavoring to throw dust into
the eyes of the people in order to
blind them.
We have had a railroad commission
for-how many years, please? Will
some producer, some shipper, tell US
of any benefit he has derived from it,,
even to penny?
Freight determinations are ranker
today than before its establishment,
ten to one.
For how many years have we had
an interstate railway commission?
In what measure of respect has it
been beneficial to the shippers?
Will some one rise up IN any por-
ton of this southern country and say
that it has been beneficial to him? We
would like to get glimpse of him,
to see what manner of man he is.
See what a Chicago consignee said
before that high tribunal just the
other day!
Listen please. Put your ear close
to the ground, SO as not to lose word
or a sentence.
This man said that he could ship
a carload of stuff from Chicago to
Jacksonville for $54.32.
Presto, change!
That if he were to ship the same
car back again, over the same route,
loaded with identically the same stuff,
pound for pound, it would cost the
enormous sum of 1926.
Yet, as outrageous as this discrimi-
nation is, it is not as discriminatory
as it is after it gets to Jacksonville,
and is continued on to any interior
point.
We are tied hand and foot.
Paul may plant and Apollos may
water, but unless we can have fair
and equitable freight rates, we can
do nothing.
Our efforts are vain. We are talk
ing to the winds. All is vanity and
vexation of spirit.
Why do not our senator's and con-
gressmen join hands with all the 9TH
er southern senators and congressman
and march in a body before the inter-
state commerce tribunal and demand
in thunder tones, as if they meant it,
that these determinations must be
rectified?
Unless they heed their demands,
then go before President Wilson, and
demand their removal from office.
If no attention is paid to this de-
mand, then let impeachment proceed
ings follow.
1t is all right to have the cotton
tax refunded-but it is a far cry. 1t
is fifty years, lacking only a few years
since the imposition of that tax.
1t is all right also to have pay for
the manumisSion of the slaves.
Slaves as property was recognized
in the constitution, and by the courts |
of last resort. Their manumission
without compensation to their ownera
was in violation of the organic law,
and John Beard has shown qul'e con-
that the fifteenth amendment |
to the constitution was never regular
~ nor constitutionally adopt@d-Uut |
that is far, far cry.
AS rule, the slave owners and the |
beneficiaries of the cotton tax have
ong since passed to their reward, and
the restoration to their constitutional |
right, and the restitution of that Of
which they have been wronged is 9
long time in the future.
But here is something live and tan
gible that needs immediate remedial
egislation-it is strangling us to
DEATH
Why are we not given relief?
Of our senators and representatives
n congress Claude L'Engle alone
seems to have any spunk about him,
and we regret that he is hampered
~ living in a city that is the bene-
iciary of system in order that it
may become Syracuse or Carthage
S extracting the life-blood of an en-
oire-but perhaps he is broad enough
and courageous enough to rise supe-
'ior to his local environments and re-
move the milestone from about our
lecks and prevent our total exiting
ion.