The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-11-16
na;,roed DETERMINATIONS.

interests Of the State, deserves cspoci"'
consideration. The General Assv'n'
should devote to Il their most careful -,
liberation. The Developments s'o"..s ~.
az the recent railroad qusrreis ama1eo wy
whole state and with one accord INC in.s.
xn..n,, ~ our domestic interests
were denounced as ao'o',.a. 80
nrincsplc Of state fsalty and justice.
! tn Legislature should take the matter
!. Nd with . determination to require
,hssc corporations TO be fair and reason
sn,c IN their tariffs and schedules, and IN
no case to subject the interests Of Virginia
70 detrimcnt by favoring those that are
rival and beyond her borders.
A project for the regulation Of local and
through frcights that has the APPEARANCE
Of fairness to the public and the railroads
has beon patiently considered by the Ex-
ecutive. It Is assumed that the rail-
road companies are subjected to expense
in handling freight that bears q greater
proportion to the charges upon it as the
distance It. Is transported is lessened.
Granting that assumption to be true, it
is proposed to arrive as nearly as may
be tothat relative increased expense, and to
assess 1t upon the freight as the distance
, Il is to be carried diminishcs. To accom-
plish this, it Is proposed to divide GER
tain lines into sections, and starting at
each terminus with certain charge
per ton per mile, to add to that nomi-
nal additional charge at each section
until the other terminus is reached.
The freight travelling the whole distance
would pay the tariff assessed where
taken ON for the whole distance, and the
freight put on at the first section would
pay, in addition to that, say one mill per
ton per mile, and so on each section having
its tariff that much higher than the last in
the route. The increase proposed would
he so small as not to justify complaint,
while it would be sufficient to compensate
the railroad company. The same regulation
will apply with equal facility and fairness
to passengers. The principle is just one,
J and tho only difficulty about it is as to the
mode Of putting it in operation. If the
Just ratio Of increase as the distance is
shortened-just to the railroads and the
public-can be arrived at, then all is plain
and satisfactory. --.-.--.-. -
Whatever be the plan, let us hope that
the Legislature will put an end to the fatal
determinations which have hung upon the
commerce and trade Of Virginia like an
incubus, and which has weighed down the
energies and INSTRUCTED the enterprise of
her men of business.
We recently conversed with gentleman
who had been long leading railroad
officer in this State, who discussed the
question of the cost of handling freight in
q very practical way. He stated that there
was much humbug in the argument about
the cost of handling. He said that when
company had its dep6ts and agents and
hands arranged to accommodate freight,
no matter how much freight there
might be, there was no increased expendi-
ture unless the amount of freight was so
large as to render the employment of extra
force necessary; and even in the emer-
gency Of that kind, the necessity for extra
force would be not only welcome, but find
its remuneration in the increase of bust
ness, without an increase Of charges. The
argument is practical and sensible, and
well sustains the view that there is great
deal Of humbug in the talk about cost for
handling freight after all. ..r
There are many subjects of reAec-
ton connected somewhat with this
matter of determinations against local
freights which are worthy Of the espe-
cial attention of railroad companies.
We are passing now through a transi-
tion state from the old system to the
new. Agriculture must be revolutionised
in Virginia. We cannot expect great
deal of thrift until the new one is nsta-
blished. The railroads have an important
part to perform in perfecting it. And We
say now what is the truth, that unless they
change their whole policy towards local in
terests-unless they assist by liberal mea-
sures In the matter Of distribution of ma
nures as well as cheap transportation to
: products that will not bear heavy charges
: unless they stimulate agricultural and
! manufacturing enterprise along their routes
by regulations and tariffs that viii accom-
modate the people and encourage indus
try-unless they become, indeed, what
they ought to be, the irregators of the
land they traverse, increasing its fruit
!. fulness and beauty, and multiplying
the rewards of labor--they win very
much retard the new order Of things
which must come, to the injury Of
the Commonwealth as well as to the seri-
Gus detriment Of their own revenues. Rail-
!, roads, if managed literally, can build up
towns and manufactures, and can increase
, production incidentally. No agent at all
comparable to them In power for these
objects is known in the world. If Virginia
railroads are true to the State, they may
. give an immense impetus to her improve
ment and restoration to prosperity. Theirs
seems TO be the plainest policy in the
: world because whatever they do that is
beneficial to the community and the State
is at the same time advantageous to them