Newspapers / The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.) / April 22, 1897, edition 1 / Page 1
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-4 CAUCASIAN. VOL. XV. RALEIGH, N. 0., THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1897. NO. 2X fj -4, BRYAN ON MONOPOLY BEFORE THE SUPREUE COURT. TAKES A VERY STRONG AND ADVANCED POSITION IN A VERY IMPORTANT CASE. ir York World WAhHltfOTOV. I). C, April 6 William J. uryan, of Nebraska, the n-cLt and prospective candidate for the presidency on the anti mo- uopily platform, md his first ap- ot-ara nee before the baited states Mijr-me court to day as one of the wuDsel lor bis State in a suit against he railroads. The ana uncement that Mr. Bryan was to address the conrt attracted iuo of th largest crowds that have ,v-r taxed the limited seating ca tvi'vy of the court fom. At least t-o-tmrda were wiimn. After the court rom bad been filled two long liar (f people waited patiently . i . - - u it. r . U U 1 " ' 1 t . V. " I 41. - I J U f pr I applauded him heartily. ilr. Itryaa wore bis usual costume olncK suit with cutaway coat aui a Htanding colltr wide open in frouttiiid encircled by a black string tie. HldTORT OF THE CASC. 1'tiH case in which Mr. Bryan is in ttri"td arose out of an act pased (,y thy Nubrai-ka legislature in 18J3 tim a rate for freight charges by T ue rulroads sought by injunc tion Rud other methods to pr vent the S ate board of transportation from catr)iog out the law on the tfr .und that tbe State has no right toutict such legislalin; that the ra'e tstabliahed were not sufficient t uiniu'aiu ths road, and in the case of tbe Uuion Pacific, that, as the rvad was a creation of Congress, the State could not assume supervision ovr it. Justice Brewfr, who heard the ca d-nied all the points raised in th ujinction except that which tok tLe ground that the - State law m unconstitutional because it es tabhLi. d a rate wbioh was not suffi cieut to operate the roads and would di-pusifss the owners of their prep eny without due process of law. Bat Judtre Brewer left the case open for the KubmisBion of further evidence on the (i testion as to the established rate ou the revenues of the roads involved. Mr. Bryan to dy opened his argu ment iu a calm, ilow and deliberate wity, speaking cleatly and looking directly &t the dignified j istices. As he jroceed.d he spoke more rapid ly and at times with some vehe uieni'e. Mr. Bryan spoke for forty-five min utes. He had no notes, and stop Kd ot.lv to read references from w books. His address' as taken verbatim for the World follow?: " TIXT OF MR. BRYA' 'S A BO CM I NT. - "I fed somewhat embarrassed in the discus? i n of this case by the fact that it mty be necessary to es tablish a rule for the determination a basis upon which to calculate an inaome, as there is no light on that subjet to be gathered from the de cisions in this or any other court of last resort to which we bave access. "It mast be assumed that legisla tures, when they attempt to fix a rate which is at the tarns- time reas onable to the patron and reasonable to tb railroad, make the attempt in trood fsith. We must admit that the legislature desires to do justice to tba roads as well as the patrons, add we muit assume that the lower courts, to which the complainants mat go before they reach this court, desire to do justice between the con tending parties. Therefore, it is un fortunate that there is no establish ed rul for the guidance of the in ferior Judges when they come to act upon the case. "Tae interest of this case grows oat of the fact that the establish ment of a principle means a great deal of bo'her to patrons and the road. Before addressing myself to that particular question I want to cll the attention of the court to a point made in the brief of eonnsel for appellees to the tffact that there is a z me between reasonable rates and ut reasonable rates. "I believe Mr. Carter, in his brief, tries to fit a spaot between reasona ble and unreasonable rates, through which motive ran operate. Ia ohr word, he uvidea rates into reasona ble, not reasonable and unreasona ble. Ve insist that there is no such vmision, in that rates are either reasonable or unreasonable; that the court cannot go into h- uiout or the railroad compaoj; mat tnere is no latitude allowed thronh which motive can operate . A railroad is permitted to charge reasonable rates a railroad l not permitted to charge unreasonable ' rates and it mat ers not whether the charge is made intentionally or uniatention Ally, the court will not consider the motive; the conrt will c insider the &ct. It a railroad company erred unintentionally it mast at the same ume be subjected to restraint. COMPLtTIOX IJiSCFMCIIifT. "Another point. Counsel for ap pellees insist that competition will give to the public sufficient aid and relief from extortionate rates. A considerable portion of the brief or one of the counsel is devoted to bowing that competition, if lef c free to act, will protect the patrons of the road from extortion or unreason hle rates It would be sufficient answer to this to say that the court has held in evety ease which has come before it that a patron is not compelled to rely for protection upon com petition. Every decision of this court has oeen to the ffet that the legisla inienastbe right to fix reason abl rates either directly through act of me legislature or indirectly throne a comoauiion. That must be soffl etent answer; but 1 want to ask the court to consider the reason upon which ihat rale is founded. m A A . . a railroad is to a certain extent a monopoly and-the people cannot rely upon competition to protect them from the exactions of the mo nopoly. The very existence of a road between the points within cer tain limi's prohibits another road from building, because until the rates charged by the existing roads are sufficient to pay operating ex penses acd a reasonable income upon the total value of the roads a new road is almost absolutely pro hibited, beeanne if the new road is built tne traffic must be taxed to pay operating expenses and sona bie income upon two in ments, each equal to the cost road 4 Mr. Woolwnrth, in his brief even goes beyond that and, in di-cusi-iog the value of the srood will rfers to the cae of the New York Central rsilioad, in which he said a new road attempted to parallel the line, but because people had become accustomed to use the old road this new road was not able to compete. and finally became bankrupt and was bought in by its iival. JUSTICE BREWER QUOTED. "I ask the court to consider the language used by Mr. Justice Brewer in the case which is reported in the forty seventh Federal Repor 't, psgd 15. In that case the Uoion Pacifiu railroad and the Rek Inland railro'd and the Chicago Milwaukee & at fanl railroad had entered into a contract by which the I Union Pacific road agreed to let the other roads use the bridge across the Missouri river at Omaha, and after this contract bad been in operation a while the Union Pacific railroad attempted to .terminate the contract; and the language used by Mr. Jas tice Brewer in that case, I think, sets lorta an important economic prin ciple. 'The language used in" that case shows very plainly how partial, how insufficient i the remedy given by competition, and 1 ask the special attention of the court to that case. I will not read it. Mr. Justice Brewer pointed out that it the con tract was null. and these roads had to build a new bridge, then the traffic across the river mast necessarily pay an income npon an additional in vestment of some $2,000 000 or $3, 000 000 "And in the case of the roads be tween Pueblo and Denver, Colo.', there being three roads there, in the opinion rendered, be asserts that it is reasonable to believe that one road with a double track could have done the work of the three rods and that the one road could have been built for not more than halt the expense of the building of the three roads, and that, therefore, if that one road, with its double track, had been doing .all the work, it could have done that work at a less rate than must necessarily ba charg ed by tne three roads to do that work. UNION PACIFIC IS POINT. "There is the Uoion Pacifio rail road. It has built more than 400 miles through Nebraska. The tea imony shows that the building of ihat road can bi duplicated for something like $20 000 per mile, and f any person here has seen that val ey, which is perhaps the most fa vorable for railroad construction in the woild, for the same length, I think be will blieve that the testi mony in regard to the cost of dupli eating for $20,000 per mile. A ad yet that rod is burdened with stocks and bond to the amonnt of more than $100 COO a mile. "Now, if the road should attempt to charge rates sufficient to pay an income on that enormous capitalize tion it is probable that a new road would be built. Bat that would be an expensive means oi protecting those people, because if two roads were there instead of one it wonld require a larger freight rate to pay interest on two investments than it wonld to pay interest on the one in vestment of this one railroad is reg ulattd and the rates made reasona ble. "I want to call the attention of the conrt to this to show that the rule of the courts which gives protection to the patrons of a railroad is a rule oundedon justice. Now we may start with a cone ded rnle of law. "It hss been affirmed and reaf firmed by this oomt that the several states have the right to fix reason- able rates either through an act of the legislature direotly or indirectly through a railroad commission reasonable passenger and freight rates npon traffic wholly withia their bolder, mere is anoiner proposi tion that may be accepted as true, that as a general rnle the power of courts to suspend the enforcement of the schedule of rates fixed by sach legislature or railroad commission can only be invoked when such rates 1.J .n njuim an. am&ll mm tn la.mi absolutely notning above operating expense. That is the rnle which I think has been established by the de- ciaion of this conrt." (Mr. Bryan here quoted decisions bearing on this point ; QUESTION BT THE COURT. The Conrt Wonld cs pit alists ever consent to build a railroad under an act of the legislature which permit ted them only to earn operating ex penses! Mr. Bryan: "I do not know, your honor, bat I will speak of that in a moment. I want to address myself to that point a little farther on. 1 want to speak firt of this constitu tional limitation. "I desire to be heard for a mo ment in regard to tbe basis npon whieh rates or ineome should be cal culated, in ease the conrt should hold that either because of the con stitutional provision in Nebraska or for general reasons, the court is to DC a reasonable compensation and I protect the road in the seeming of I TW PRECEDENT AT BAVD. "In the discussion of this uaestion I siy we bave no light: so decisions can be pointed to to guide the court in the fixing of this basis. Mr. Ja tiee Brewer, in his deeWion in the conrt below, spates that it is an nn settled question, and eoes farther and adds that it is doubtful if a rol can be established of general appli cation in such eases. 'We contend that if the court can. under any circumstances, consider what is reasonable as a return to the roads, this income must be calculat ed, not upon the original cost of the roads, not upon the stocks and bonds issued by rads, but upon the pres ent value of the road. "I might refer to a legal principle. referred to in the opinion cf the court below to in the TVxss ease the Resgen case and I think in oiher cases, that if the legislature should afempt to take the road, in that case it would be necessary to allow to tne roads the present value that it would not be tqiittble to en tirely extinguish the indebtedness or the stock if it exceeded the actual present value of the r ad. "In deciding what is reasonable in this Cass it seem to me there can be but one role, and that is that that which is reasonable in other ocenpa tions is reasonable in this business; that basis wbii-h is reasonable in the ordinary business aff tirs of life must be reasonable when applied to cor poration f; that which is reasonable in the individual must be reasonable when applied to the corporation. "We contend that this court, if it assumes to calculate an income for these roads above operating ex penses, must calculate that income npon the present value and must only allow an income which is rea- sonable upon what those roads would cost today, when we assert that rule we simply apply to the railroad busi ness the rule that governs in every other occupation. "If, for instance, a farmer owns a farm, and the price of his land goes down, he has no way of raising the value or that land by charging ex cessive prices for his products. If a man is engaged in store-keeping and the prices of his goods go down on the shelf because he is not en gaged in a monopoly, he has no power to secure an income upon the original cost of his goods. Neither has the ordinary citizen an opportn nity to water stock and unite capi talization- He must calculate his iu come npon the actual presentrvalue of hi property. The fact that a new man can en ter into business side by side' with an existing store and bay a stock of goods at present prices, compels the man who owns the first stock to sell his goods in ccmpetition with those who are in business and who bought at present prices. I hia-js-ttiie every occupation except a monop oly. "It is only that person or that cor poration which has a monopoly that can lift itself ab3ve this general law, and I call attention of the court to the fact that if a few occupations can secure a monopoly, ard protect themselves from those roles which govern others, those who cannot avail themselves of monopoly are the helpless prey of every monopoly or ganized. "The conrt ia trying to do jishce between tbe railroad and the State must remember that the obligation npon the court to secure reasonable rates to the man who hauls goods. who uses the road, is as binding an obligation as the obligation to pro tect tbe man who invests his money in a railroad. "The law says that the railroad is a common carrier. Tne law says that a man who uses it is entitled to its use npon the paymennt of reason able rates, and his right to reason able rates is as sacred as the right of the road to reasonable- income. You cannot raise this corporation out of the ordinary rules. "Corporations are cteatf d by law. Lws are made by individuals, and the court cannot assume that the in dividuals of the nation would raise up in their midst fictitious persons and endow them with rights and privileges higher than the rights and privileges of those who created them. The court cannot assume without positive proof that the peo ple engaged in other occupations in tended to organize in tbeir midst, through the operation of the law, corporate persons and shield them from the rules that govern in tae other walks of life. "The court is iavited also to con sider this fact that there is no inno cent purchaser of Btocks or bonds as against the patron of ' the roads. The conrt can protect tbe innocent purchaser of a railroad bond from any action upon the part of the com pany which wonld destroy the right of that holder as against the road. The conrt may secure to the inno cent purchaser the legal title to the bond, bat the court is under no obli gation to secure the holder of a rail road bond a value in the property npon wbi h he has taken a bond. RIGHTS OF THE BONDHOLDER "What of the bondholder? I 1 1 J :,i ne(,e f investigating. If a man buys U bond of a road he can find out whether the road is worth thel Umnnnt nf thA twn1- TP bn fail to I inquire, or if, npon inquiry, he fiods tba bonds exceed the value of the road and still buys the bonds in snite of his knowlrdtre. is this court bound to protect him from his own - - neffliirencef lithe man who buvs either without icq niry or buys with the knowledge entitled to a higher nnitv tha.Ti th natron of the road I wno has the right to the use of the road, it being a common carrier, upon the payment of an equitable rate? - "In the discussion of this ease in the court below Mr. Jastiee Brewer in his opinion calls attention to the faet that the Union Pacific railroad eouli probablv be built for $2X000 mile. He refers to that evidence! and nointsout that the United States I Congress had permitted the issue of j bonds drawing, i thinJc. b per cent. and that th rnrrnmfit ituir yA then taken a second lieu. Toe two hens amoont to $22 000 a mile, and me court below referred to it as an irjastiee to fix rates that the road culd not earn enough to pay fixed i charges. "We insist, yonr Honois, that the right of the patron to reasona ble rates cannot be ignored, and if the Uoited State Government has taken a second mortgsge npon prop erty for more thn it is worth the United States Government cannot plce npon the patrons of that road the bmdeos of it mistake. "According to the calculation in the decision rendered below, the present rates uon local f eights yield an ieome to that road a pro portionate income ruffi-ient to pay the interest npon $20,000 a mil. and something besides, to the stock holders. According to the calcula tion made by the conrt noder the aer rates, the income from the lo cal freight trtffis, when eompared wi h the general income on the theory that they were all reduced alike, gives an income of 8 per bat, according to the calculation which associate counsel argue to be nnfair and in the interest of the road, on that calcula tion this law, against which the complainants complain, actually yields a profit of 8 per cent npon th Actual value of that road at $20,000 per mile. "Another point. Is there a dif ference between the rights of a bondholder, and the rights of a stockholder? Will the court say that if there were no bends a cer tain sum would be reasonable as compensition to the owners of the road, aid yet because the bonds have been issued the sum is not suf ficient compensation? Has the bjnd holder lights superior to the stock holder? I do not mean in a contest between stockholder and bond hold er, but 1 mean a contest between patron and stockholder, or patron and bondholder. "Suppose the road fails to pay in terest, suppose there is difficulty what is the remedy of the handhold- art? Simply to go into court and to put the road np at auction and to bid in the road if they' desire, to be come the owners. Tuat is the only remedy. It must be sold to some one else and the money applied to ibem, or they may take it them selves. "Can it be said that the right of the bondholder before he took pos session is greater than the right of the bondholder after he takes pos session and becomes a stockholdei? "It seems to me that any calcula tion which attempts to give to the road the advantage of suffi cient income to pay all its indeb ed nessor interest upon it, and then something to the stockholder be sides, is simply an encouragement to those who build railroads to make the stock and bonds sufficient to cover all possible incomes. "I might state here that another reason why the conrt could not pro tect the stockholder or bondholder in his demand ft ran income suffi cent to cover lLflated capitalization can be found in the fact that the S ates are attempting to protect themselves from over capitalization. "If you will look in our own State yon will find that we have a consti tutional provision, and it reads this way: 'No railroad corporation thaU issue any stocks or bonds except for money, labor or property actually received and applied to the purposes tor which said corporation was cre ated, and all stock dividends and other fictitious increase of the capi tal stock or indebtedness of any sach corporation shall be void.' "No one will question the wisdom of the legislatuie and of the people in trying to protect themselves fnm fictitious capitalization, and yet it the court pleases, if the courts of this country will protect tbe owners of railroads in their demands for in come upon fictitious stock, tbe States will be powerless to prevent fictitious capitalization. "If the decisions of the courts are such as to invite people to violate the constitutions of tae States, then those constitutions will be of little f orce. "If the court goes beyond the rules laid down in preceding cases; if the court assumes to determine what is reasonable, and npon bafeis the income must be calculated, all we insist tnat these corporations brought into operacon andex stence for public good, shill be treated like ail other people ; shall be made to take tbeir chances with other occu pations, so that they will be inter ested in these things which advance the general welfare "And I might say, in conclusion, my time, or the time I intended to occupy, has already expired I might call the attention of tne court to this fact, and I think it is proper for the court to consider it: Ia laying down a new pricciple, in es tablishing something which will be followed in the future, the court has the right to consider the effect of the rale npon the public welfare. "In a government like this, those svstems and policies are best which Q tie all the people together in such a I V&V that What IS 10UrV tO One 18 1ft- J "J J" " 1U "tu." vu """" my interested in remedying any- wrung. i "If there be some who can ex- J empt themselves from general con- I anions, it tnere be some wno can profit by conditions whieh arenn I fortunate for others, there is a on i . . . .. . stant temptation before tuem to ao what in them lies to continue that I unjust or unfortunate condition, or at -best they become ind.ffirent to the condition of the others. But if I they are measured by the rules J which measure other?; if the-r rights rest upon the same foundation as ine I rights of others; if the conditions which affect others n janously effect I them alit ; then they become inter I ested in acting with all others for the relief of b d conditions and for a the maintenance of good conditions "I beg the court tj remember that the people who give value to this ! road by using it are actually entitled I to the consideration or tne eours with those who give as the means of irarsprrtatios. "Will it be said that a com bob earner, who carriea a farcer's rro dnet to market, deserves a higher consideration than the farmer who rawes the crop whieh is carried to market? Will it be said that the common eatri r whieh Ukes the manufactured prod net at the mill and carries it to the consumer is en titled to a bicker consideration at the ban s of the legislature or at the hands of the courts than the manu facturer who produces that product? "Will the conrt ssy that a com mon carrier who carries the product of the mill or of the farmer from the producer to the consumer is entitled to a higher consideration than the producer and the consumer whose traffic acd whose product alone give value to that enterprise? "AH that we ssk is that the court shall consider the rights of the pa trons to reasonable charges for transportation. If the court assumes to take care of that part of the ques tion all that we ask is that the right of the patron to a reasonable charge when be uses the road shall be placed npon an eqnal ty with the daim of the bondholder or the atock holder. We inrit that the stock holder and bndbold-r eannot put forward any argument in favor of any different rule that commends itse f to the judgment of those who believe that in this country there is quality among those who come be fore legislatures and who come be fore courts." REPLIES TO THE COURT. The Court Oae question: As I understand yonr position, it is that if the conrt is competent to go into the question at all as to the reason ableness of the rate, that the present value of tbe property and not with regard to the amount t f money put into it wisely or nnwisely. Mr. Bryan "Yes sir." The Court You also spoke of it in another way. as the present cost to reproduce the road." Mr. Bryan "Yes, sir; what it wonld eost to reoroduce the road." The Court "There might be a little difference in that, because the property, its present value, if de cided by what it would sell for. mignt not bring ai maca as it cost to produce it. I asked the question to see if I understood jpu correctly. Yon mean the present amonnt of money that it would cost to produce the road?'' Mr. Bryan "Yes. sir; that is the calculation that his been made in this case. And the conrt in some cases already decided has suggested, as in the Reagan case, that the road might have been built.at a time when the cost of labor and material was highest, and Mr. Justice- Brewer, in this case, suggests that there might have been extravagance in the contracts, as of course every one nnderstardi there was extrava gance as well as fraud, in the con tracts of the Uoion Pacifio road. What we mean is the cost of repro ducing the road. 00' $1.00 $100 $1.00 $1.00 I Pays for THE CAUCASIAN I one year. I $100 $1.00 $1.00 LATEST FROM THE FLOOD. People Warned to Sack P1aea of Safety Great Peril In the LobUIui District. New Orlvaks, La., April l-LTbe river rose here today six-tenths of s foot, and at 1p.m. stood 18 9 afoot higher than tbe highest point ever reached. Tbe rise was so unexpected as to cause a very panicky feeling Tbe water stood -six inches over tbe top of tbe wharf at the foot of Oravier street, rendering it impossible to un load or load ireignt tnere. There is now a margin of only 18 inches be tween tue flitod level and the top of tbe levees at New Orleans, and most ot this is composed of sand bags. Tbe bad places in tbe levee at Algiers bave again developed themselves and the chances of a break there tonigbt are about even. There is little hope of holding tbe levee there throughout tbe flood which will continue at least three weeks longer at New Orleans. AH the reports of the last forty- eight hours prove that tbe wont ot tbe fl od is ovt-r in Arkansas and 11 is- sisMppi. Tbe Yazoo, Sunflower and other streams arefallingaud the bark water will rise no higher than it it now, but while the situation is more r running there, it is tbe contrary in Louisiana, whicb will have several weeks yet to fight a rising river. Vicksbcrg, Mis- April 14. Tbe crisis in tbe flood situation or the lower MiMisiipi valley is at land. ApteaM tor belp are beard on evey side and people are reported to be drowning on Davis island. Two steam era bave been dispatched to tbe rescue. At 10 o'clock tonigbt a storm is pre vailing here, and tbould it be general many miles of levees mut succumb and permit tbe vast sea of water to devastate a great and ricb valley. At 6 p.m. the river bad reached 51 6 on the gaug. At 10 p. m. tbe condi tions are such as to cause tbe greatest anxiety and alarm and each coming bour is dreaded. HUNTER IN01CTE0. Soya lilt i Ceaeptroey mi Vf llkdraw. FaaKxronT, Ky., April 17. Tbe grand jury bas indicted Dr. Hunter, senatorial candidate, former Con gressman John C. Wilson, . T, Kranks. Captain Noel Gaines and Thomas R. Tanner. Tbe cbarge is conspiracy to bribe. The investiga tion is not yet fioisned. Wben indict ments were returned today, tbe jury asked further time to consider other phases of tbe cause, and tbe end is not yet. Bencb warrants were at once is sued, and tbe men arrested were put unaer oina oi szou eacn. wuage ant- re U said tbat be would grant tmme- ditte trial if desired, otherwise be would assign the case for tbe Septem ber term. No decision has yet been reached by tbe defendants in tbe mat ter. Tbe indictment ensrges ail tbe men witb conspiracy to bribe W. Go- sam, George Clark and John H. Jones, members of the legislature, witb $3,000 each to induce them to vote for Dr. Hunter. Dr. Hunter is very much disturbed over tbe matter, bat be game. A reporter saw Hunter this I evening and asked him if be would! itbdrsw. Me said : The whole thinar ia a conaoiraev and will not in terfere with my candidacy. I will continue veoe a candidate." Th. Mlt n.mMf. mA hatl-SaaOa- publican believe a Republican Sena kuim ithivvi a. aau. wvib.uk mc- tor will be elected, but a trace has . been arranged until Tuesday. AGAINST A CONFERENCE. Ths National Committee of tbe PeopleiPtrtj Vottt Agticrt the Proposition Bj a Large Mjoritj- PACIFIC RAILROADS DP IS fee Soooio a litoio ( Mim Deateerota la Ik Mm A Cloa ! tweoo Bryoo o4 Ike lBramil Clok rfce LotlM Imm Am 44raa ! TorlV'a the Rr.i UhImi Ptoooclol Mo4r Utlmrmm Mom ate Kt to the Vroot-M .4 Loothl of the PooolWta lo the Hmm J r aioiBOOo ! Sreohor R4 Hha IkmhuI otter. Por The Caocanan. Wtsaixorux. D.C April 19b. 18J7 The IVtipIr Party now orrufire Roaimandiug pooitioo in the tluue ol Representative. Tbe Proplre Pori) Uoiigresamen, under the lendrrstiip o Simpson and Bell, bate practicoli aaeuiued tbe Iradrtabip of lb opposition. It luoaa vry much a if Mailer, tbe Democratic leadrr. ta in understanding with Speaker Ked akd Leader Diuglry on the Kepubli can aide. At any rate. !Ui:uiti uting tbat tbe lmcrat sball not uppoee tbe Republican do-nwibinK policy. As auon as tbio wa apparam. the Peoples Party marched sulidly l. he frwut, and demanded that Kpeakei Iteed appoint the committee and ait Cungreea a chance lo legulaie. Simp ion' arraignment of Iteed'a autocrat and despotic methods was one of the Quest and moat telling apeecbea tba baa been made in Congres for man months. VY hen Reed attempted tore ply, one of bis excuses for not appoint iogtbe committees wat that be had oot had time to familiarise bimael with tbe qualifications of the members of tbe llouse, stating tbat usually tb Speaker had from March 4th till De cember at tbe opening of the regular session to arrange bis commtiiee Simpson, in reply, aeked Keed bow be or anyone else knew tbat be would be Speaker until Coogress met to elect a Speaker, lie said tbat Speaker Reed's assumption was tbe moat glar lug piece of political "sooneripm" thai tbe country bad ever wiictsted. It was a palpable hit; everybody enjoy ed it, and Reed was ao completely floored tbat be did not attempt to re ply, but blushed deeply at his own inadvertence. A considerable element of silver Democrats are . rebelling against Bailey's position in approving the Re publican policy, and are openly back ing up tbe Peoples Party in the posi tion which it has taken. The Xe York Journal a few days ago publish ed a leading editorial commending the position taken by tbe Peoples Parti Congressmen, and raying that the silver Democrats ought to fall In line and take the i.me position. It is clar tbat it n ualley's purpose to bave Congress adj turn with noth ibg done ex ept tbe passage of the tariff bill, lie hopes by this means t give tbe Democratic party a chance to make opposition to tbe Dingiey bill tbe leading issuea in tbe next cam paign. We bave predicted this in for mer letters tnat there was a deep laid plan between certain leaders of be two old parties to sidetrark tbe fl nancial question with tbe tariff ques tion for tbe future. CSPKR WHICH KIJfG? In this connection it is important to note tbe difference between tbe ad dress put forard on Monday of last week by tbe National Association ot Democratic club, and ibe address de livered by lion. William J. Bryan on Tuesday night following at ibe cele- bravion or Jefferson's birthday. The address of the clubs is pitched dis tinctly in tbe key of the old. Demo cratic alogan of tariff reform. In hort, tbe addresss takes the Dingiey bill for its text and spends its force in arraigning it Tbe addrerr r-ads very much like a chapter of tbe Democratic cam pa gin book or 1892 wben Cleveland was tbe candidate ana larm was ine leaaing issue. It lays town afresh all of tbe old Democratic contentions on tbe tariff and magnifle them. The ad dress is important: 1st, because it i not hastily drawn and published; and id, because It ia issued at this time. The autborsbip is attributed to Hon Cbauncey F. Black, tbe president ot the Association of Clubs, and a man who ranks bigb in bis party. On tbe otter band, Mr. Bryan. in his address delivered tbe next dy after tbe address of the dubs wss pub lisbed. insists tbat tbe ficbt must b- continned on the line of the last cam paign. II is whole speech was pitched in the key or unsocial ana monopoly reforms. It resds like one of his perches in tbe last campaign. Ue lakes tbe position, pointed and clear cur, tbat no tariff legislation ran re store prosperity, and tbat tariff re form is oi aeconuarj conaiarraiion compared wi'b tbe great and over shadowing questions brought to tbe front in tbe last campaign. Tbe difference between this address of tbe clubs and Mr Bryan's speech is exactly tbe difference tbat now ap pears among tbe Democrats in tbe llouse of Representatives. Wbicb ele ment in tbe Democratic parry will triompb, it is impossible to say; bo: one thing is certain: tbe Peoples Party will see tbat financial and mo nopoly reforms sre the leading que tions for tbe future. WILL HOT CALL A COSrSKCKCB. Tbe National Committee of tbe Peo ples Party bas by a large majority voted against holding a general con ference of tbe party at this time. It ill be remembered tbat a committee was appointed at tbe Mempbia meet ing to request Chairman Butler to call such a conference. De promptly sub mitted tbe request to each member of tbe National Committee. Out of ninety-five answers received up to date, seventy-five are opposed to calling a conference, while some or tbe others I are not positively in favor of calling a conference. This certainly ought to settle the Question or a conference as far as every Populist is concerned who wsnts tbe party united and aggres sive. A Peoples Party State conven tion was held in Kentucky last week and tbe sentiment of tbe delegates there was overwhelmingly opposed to I calling a conference. Tbt's wou'd no doubt be tbe sentiment of the Popu- Hats everywhere if tbey eonld be beard I from directly at tbia time. A few may is I insist on continuing to clamor for a conference, but It is safe to ray tbat tbey wiil not be supported in tbeir I course by tbe rank and me oi tne par- - It v. As srood Populist a they ought to I fall in line and atard witb tbe majori l ty. Any ocner eourae wouia s-nspiyi - - I wmmA mmmmtm iHaMwa on if Ka nlar In I r-" w . -w. rw mrmS - 1 into the hands of tbe enemy. 'Mirmtn l Mvtl M I wim rnrnra k.iodb. poupuhwo iwei i iations Committee made an aaticoeaa - f-l effort to aeieg th Ar'atUo frea'y to a vol tj areea. II ao ' oolkrelkal BmviII akeeook er eff x darteg ifcia wk liUfeti ly to bo regretted lot;tlt lrei) r!4 not have be a der lo rp mmin, Tfco A rtrts rofte haw ol 1 1 tile roocepHoe how e Jatgrrooo a trap for the it bis irroiioe vfcirh u heleg peeo ed order tbe faloegvlseof pesxw bad Codwill. Tbe a -loos turtle la lb tweet hate Q4 yet beea at4e to rrarh St (reemeiit as to the org aaUatioa m bo rooiitiiu-e. A Is veil hoove, no party bas a saejnty and wbattt dobettol b srraegeo by a eo. Jerstandmg betweva tbe tertoo par lie. Nerator Marfan bas beea rrirx wilh tigor, ad eloquently. bi'obi reoolotioa. llebasgttea aotleo thai bo will press it to a voto darlag ta early part of tbe men leg wevfc. if p bio. The ewootry tsoold orrtait.lt like to aeo tbo hetiater pot osrrfxtc ia favor of or g'ttbi ry Jom sod patriotic re4wtion. rsciric raitaoaM so.ia. Tb Peoples Party Senator t determined to prevent the Preside nd At lorney-iieoersl. If roMtl. root disp sing of tbe Union aad I'm iral Pact flo railroad at a pritate to -ecree ale. 1 bey will demand Ibe ' be llxecbtif e take ao action os tbi important question witbottt tbe roe ent of 4ngree. It will be remembered tbat when ibe Huntington Fuidirg bll was be ore tbe HtMise at Ibe lat setMion tba t was generally understood tbat tlx till, which rpuaed to estend tb lebt of tbe Pacific rallrtad fr ot hundred yeara, would pa tbe llnus nd tbst Huntington and bl alle eere making a bard Bght to tersrst uijriiy for it in tbe Seoa'e. Lei ii. ey ascertained that tney could wi .as their measure through tbe Senate and reaiix.d the' in tMrtnpt to do, vwuld give tbe People Pry Sena ors id opportunity to ventilate tb gigantic steal ad corruption con nected with the Pari 0c railroad, anc to demand tbat it waa the duty of tbe fovernment to take charge of tbe Jetatiliing rads and run Item la tb interest f tbe Government, then sud Jenly Huntington and ba allies banged tbeir plan. Tbe bill was de feated in tbe iloua. to tbe urproel the general public It waa defeated because Congressmen who were known tube railroad attorneja and agents voted sgainst the bill tastead of tor it. as they no doubt originally intended 'odo. It was I ben given out tbst the President would attempt to settle the matter between tbe Government and these road. W her upon Ibe Hrnate promptly passed a resolution calling ipoo the President to inform tbe Seo ate of the action be bad taken and on tempi at ed. This Informal ion has just reach d the Nenate. It seems to indicate tbat there is a movement on foot to sell tbese road for !ea than i hey are worth, whicb will chest the Government out of part it tbe deb Iu. During the roming week a bill will be introduced in tbe Senate by ne of tbe Populist Senator direct ing tbe President and Attorney General to enforce tbe law ohich providea for the Govern ment to take charge of tbe road upon default of the payment tl the principle and interest due. This will bring tbe fight for Government ownership of railroad before the Senate, and tbe Ogbt and result will be watched with interest by ev-ry man ttbo I refer to aee the Government own the railroad rat her than bave tbe railroads to own tbe Government. We Are Not tbe Only Pbble on tbe Beacb, But THE CAUCASIAN I tbe Lksdkb of its Class. DECLARATiON OF WAR TorheyooAOrooeoWow Involved lo BIo Hi I lie. WasaieoTos. D C. April 17 Secre tary Sherman received a dispatch to day iron Minister Terrell, at Const an inople, containing an cffl-ial noti fi xation of war b-tween Tut key and Greece. Ilostilitiea between Turkey and Greece, said Secretary Sherman tonigbt would n-t affect tbe Uoited States. Tbe reofTda f Ibe State De partment abow tLat trade of tbe Uni ted States-and tbe two couotries It volved is too small to cause any tm ba'rassment to u. Low do , April 17. Tbe Observer ha a dispatrb from Constantinople -ayingthat the long threatened war between Turkey and Greece baa at Iset been officially declared by the port c. Woe looettahto. ViirA, April 14 Tbe best in formed diplomats here regard war as inevitable They say tbe strain can not much lger be baroe by either To rkey or Greece, and tbat tbe time bas passed for tbe powers to attempt to intervene. In view of th dan gsrons pot i tion assumed by Greece, the question is reiterated, whether she does not eonnt upon some power coming to b r support at tbe. eraetal moment. Tbe situation i regarded here as analogns to the time wben Servia attacked Turkey jB g?G when Russia ard Great Britain saved defeated Servia from annihilation. Hetlee to Allloooesoosw JammCitt,N C , April 16. T)7. Brethren of Craven county: As rour president I hereby call a meet ing to be held at tbe court bona ia Newbem, on -Thursday, Jlay 12th, at 12 o'clock for the purpose of re- a .o o m organising tne Aiuasee ox craven eountv. All persons who have evei been members cf tbe Alliance are earnestly requested to attend this meeting. Hakdv H- Pkkkt, President Craven Co. Farmers' Al lianee. Floe leek. New Oblbavs, April 15 One of tbe most picturesque bus ine strnetnres in tbe city, known at tbe Moresqee B'ock.owDed by Geoch A 8na,waa total! v destroyed by Ore this after- noon. The conflagration broke ot short I v after 1 o'clock, and In ao in- I ered biy anors space ouirat imwow I ouuamg a mass oi name tnai burnt with a velocity absolutely as tnnishtnr. At half past two tbe edifice had collapsed, and upward of SiOOjOOO bad gone up tn smoae. Waioto,D.C, April 17 It is rrtnrtd that C beat ham will be ap- I pointed Recorder of Deeds or tbe Di relet at Colombia. Daney will get tbe Collectorsbip of Customs at Wilmieg- tnn Tbia arrangement is sattoraetorr to all parties interested. Tbe Presi dent said this morning tbe appoint ment most go to tne ttecona awnc. - 1 nancy is entirely satisfied. r I f"LJ IT VOU UTW OJOw snactiberto O I a--- . M I Tn CAceiAX yoaji ? 1 sgbbor to an TuT TARIFF IS F0T1LB. Tfct Fool Sciesv ol Trjiaf u StmftUa v Ce&itr Cj WEAKSI5Q ITS PE0F1X ot Lot the Tort? oil ko f Teoaoo-So I ho foitpipd . Aeosoot It kt TWf CoaooS I ofheTwe vats a a. bt mob. joasrn r. ajtu.tr. or rut stLtania. lathe pre i tariff saesvaarw tre are again witaotag aastael ehae tattle. The tariff problem haw ktas aeaoltled for aboat oavo bee rl year, aid if the aitioaaaw way rave tkeir choir it will W aa esettlod pr WVoj for oo ba4e4 yeor more. I save never boloagvd to t sat school a have beltevod it oooeibl that oitfeer a ataa er natto. ootalJ bo las d kick eaeaak tw la- ro rmepenty. 1 keo vlwey bo loved ia a revesa tatif faily and aifors.y ajset4. eVeqaat to the snot so of a govern meat aranal rally admisistered. Dorirg ibe rr-at eampaignef ICS ia th.ir party platfoesa, tkrwagb tb eolas.ee of lb pnblte pro, and root tb tkroata of tea taa4 ratoe. b R puUieaa prty fledged t tb people of AsbOrioo aa unprecedented era of prosperity, ootmgoaf a loo apoa tbeir toliisaat ureeas, lb aaeene of pro terity was hedged a boot by a Jeabtsor roatisgeaeio. Tb pro- o teas diroet and aeqivl. Ouabtl otaay mad tb rrerata in good faith and tboaad roaele- d it ia good laitk. For ot, 1 prw- foaadly bop ihat tby may b abl tomekgid tbst prvati of prw peruy to all oar citiseaebip, wb by booet tff-rt ar atitlrd t aaar tbereia. If tbey ran iaaasrarat aa era or pro pen 'y tbey doaorv to bold control of tb fcovraasat org at that prosperity shall b aat- vena'ly esi-yed. Dearer t vry good eitisen tbaa tb ear sees of aay political party most b tb sartsat. srelfaro and bappiaeaaof all tb p pl. Hat when w eonsider tb method proposed to b rm ployed to ioaagurat ibis rign of proprity. it i permitted s t doebt Its eta esry. Already tb chairmaa f tb eommitte oa banking aad rrey bas lot rod aced a bill far the retir mebt of ib g rvosback and traaaary notes. Tb way atd meant a mitt bave reported, aad tb U adopted the DiogUy laiiff b ll. Tb situation may b briefly sammd ap aa follows: A man ia staggering nador hvy hardens. Tb doctors bar be op nisg bis veins aad depriving bit f tbat llf current which, chelat ing through bia system, afforded bimameasoro of strvbglh to sus tain tba burden. It is now eeri'va ly proposed to opea ht tiaa wasel -further, tak away mar cf bis cir culation, til mor burdens npoa his back, avlready bent, aad tha ia vit lhoaatry to rivet Jhir rye a poo tbia man and a tbefScay of tbeir treatment. Tbey a aaar aa tbat tb taking away a litil mor of tb life blord and heaping en aaot birdets in tb f rm cf iseressed tsi ation, will straighten his back, per mit bim to stand erect aad to walk with Arm and buoyant step, give the eolcT of lif to bis cbks and tb light of bop to his ey. W shall watch tb treat meat with Profonad Bterrtven though we doobt its sneceas. Tn2 ftepnbliean party promioad to poyl prosperity. TV Ameri- eaa people took l bets at tbir word. t ia tbat party do'y to mak good their promises, to fulfil their pldgs of prosperity. We ar powtlea to prevent tbam if we veoald; nor ahI4 w prevent them if wo ootid. Ia my jaegment, visum meaamra toy ongiaat baring for tbeir w4 and design propnfy to all oar ; pi abonld neither b blocked hindered by any factions or captions oppoaition. Oar duty will bo por- ormd wben w ptBt oat tb in- ad q taey aad iatiliy of aaeb oaotb- ods. ft aoems to me that tb daty of tb Democratic party, ailr Hepab- iesas. and tb People Part j repr- aentativea ia Longe ia to point oat tbo iaeonisteaeie of tbia ore and its abv1ot bmUmb as a remedy for t'aticg dissaass. They off -r it aa a paaae There fore, if a high tariff is bnefieot la its opera ias, a still higher aad higher tar ff mast bo saor benefi cent. Therefore, w womld aot thwart tJiom ia aay attempt to baild np a tanff ao high that its effects ill mao aatveTsal prspnty. If it fails to bring prosperity, tby can not then point to ns and aay. W conceived a manr faagbt with prosperity and bapomeos to all tba people, but tbo wicked oopotntoa or Democrats, Fro surer K'paWtcaM and Populists prrveabsdlh ms4oy ment of that propritv which sab a tariff mast bar afforded. Oa for all. I aLoald like to ae thoaa frame a tariff without lot or hind rance, and let i stand be for th people, until vn tbo dalleat iatol leet eonld comprbead a aimpl prob lem in dynamics, namely. tbimpoai bilirv of lif aog one's soli over th ae by th biot straps, wo assy give as many pomuvw demonstrati-jns of tb fallacy of a high protoetiv tariff as ws ehooac. Argnment and d-i tions will act count with thinking class. Asa boynat aebool. the eomprehetvnoa or a domowatra tion of a prtibleta ia Eaelid was al- waya a matter mor or lea diaalt. bat th dewon at ration by nimtU ml mitmrimm mi l b oaaUy oejprol od by tbo dalleat. iatollostst throo gh th Tt4.md.i6 mwwdmm it may b potnbls one for all to tak th tariff qaestion ttirlr eataid tbo domain of partisan polities "aad pr mitof its tratmwt la th famtw from a purely tmstagaa ataadaoiaL 11 any ot onr Kepablicaai frids aiav eercly belir tbat aa adeqaat tar iff is tb principal aaaa of staay vils thatsfl ct oar psspl. Thry so oasuy forgot taax taoa oowauiaow ... - V . it A.
The Caucasian (Clinton, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 22, 1897, edition 1
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