The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-01-21
Editer;x Intcili1encer::

Edtt0TS LHtetttgenceT:
Paying for myself, and the parties
represent, perhaps the largest tax in
the State upon real property, and never
having had n dollar released AS yet by
the various releusements by the Con-
vention and Legislature heretofore
mHde, which have operated almost eX-
CluSively in favor of rebels and sqat-
ters-you will pardon me for the inter
est feel in the action the Legislature
shall take in relation to this mammoth
corporation. For If rebel squatters are
to be the exclusive recipients of its gra-
ciOuS favOrs, and this mammoth cor
porUtiou is to DEFY successfully its
legitimate power, IL is time for honest
men to be getting out of the way. OF
course, the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road stands upon its legal rights as in
dividuals stand upon theirs. This com
pany is seeking its own interest, and
has been ever since it was created, and
not the interest OF Virginia, or WestVir-
ginin. All its chartered rights, never
theleSs, should be cheerfully accorded,
and at the same time, all the duties
aud obligations its charter and the law
impose should be rigidIy and fearlessly
| eXacted. 1t is a Baltimore institution,
! and owes its birth TO the Legislature of
Maryland. The great purpose ofits pro-
jectors was to tap the coal fields about
Cumberland, and the Great West mt the
Baltimore-imitating in this respect the
l great cities ut the North. Unless they
could tap the Cumberland coal fields,
and the ohio river, they could not have
found half business enough to have
/ supported road. And now they talk
! largely about the profits of tine east end
| OF the road! What would these be if il
! was not Tor the west end that puts them
IN easy communication with their coal
/ helds aud the west? After going
n6out eighty miles they found il
convenient, II not absolutely neces-
Snry, 10 leave Mary land at Harper'S
/ Ferry, and from thence nearly all
| the way to the ohio river, to use V-ir-
/ Einia (now West Nirgiuia) soft For
/ this privilege, without " hich the road
would have been VHlueleSs, the Mother
State was careful to impose certain OBJ
legations and duties, all which oblipp-
uOns aud duties have Injured and be-
come due TO West Virginia; and it is
her right and duty to iearlessly exact
their performance. fairly and Justly, in
order that she may give to her own
citizens the protection she owes.
What are these duties aud obliCa-
tons? These, SO far as they relate to
taxation and the exaction of fare and
freight from our citizens, are contained
in the 9Th, 9Th tbeing the one you
copied, and Sth sections oCan act pass
ed by The Legislature of Virginia,
March 9th lSi1, Session Acts 46-7, page
-. These sections contain the sub
stance OF an act passed February l9th
10, which subjects the Baltimore Com
pany to the general rules and recltia-
lions established by the Legislature of
Virginia, in 1857, for governing her
own Railroad corporaIions-makin
them subject 10 taxation, and requiring
uniform fare and freight per mule with
out regard 10 person or distance: and
the act 3mendatory thereof, passed the
18th February, 1916, relieving the Com-
pany from taxation until its net in
come should exceed six per cent on the
capital invested.
The letter and spirit or this Legisia-
ton shows 1t to have been the intention
OF the Mother State, rs n consideration
foT ihe Important privilege granted, TO
found or accruinG within her jurisiic,