The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-12-18
TBE RAILROAD QUESTION.
Tho Proposition of tho Special Joint
Committee Analysed.
mr.. Ferguson ana his Plan Reviewed.



Editors TnteUigencer:
Nour editorial comments on the as.
tute bill which Mr.. Ferguson prepared,
are not only in good taste. but perfectly
logical. That gentleman has Il reputa-
ton which, to me, is as pleasant as the
spices OF "Araby, the best" and ex
tends back to old days. when he WAS
Il member OF the Legislature at Rich
mOnd. Ills talents are BILE.
He WAS the peer Of Robert G. Scott in
debate, who was cOnIe5sedly the leader
the brain man IN all legislative crea-
lions. In of hand discussion he was
the mate of Daniel NJ. EdSinEton. the
member from Ohio county, in all the
de bAjez-in regard to the Baltimore ana
Ohio railroad, i'll tie long protracied
controversy with the city of Wheeling.
The experience thus acquired has Civ
en- him great prominence in the legtSla-
ton of this State. He deserves ii. Long
ns his experience has been lie has never
Yet iuHuSnrated one measure for the
benefit vi the common people. All his
talents have been spent for - favored
few. for companies or for banks. With
these anteCedentS, as man, and re-
calling the fact, (made on the floor OF
the House, AND SoT DENIED ny HIM,
so far as the reports state, that he had
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for n
or substitute. which he has reported,
and which, if passed into "A law, irW
defeat The Republican party iI this State
ut the next election.
The reasons for this are pal pable, but
lei MS proceed 10 the subject matter ut
once.
We assert then, positively, and lenve
it to every unpTtjudiced man to say
whether or not, every section of this
bill. - not IN FAVOR OF the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company, and
against the people of this State.
LOOK AT IT!
lst. "Iu making up such statement,
and In making up the assessment OF the
property Of such Company for the pur-
pose of taxation, MS hereinafter provi-
ded, the FAIR value Of such property in
MONEY, shall be established with refer
ence to the net earnings of said Compa-
ny, THhtn tH'S State, as compared with
the cost OF It's property ,thsrefn.''
For, assert, and can prove, by the
published reports OF the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company, that IL this
clause passes, that Company will be, i'll
great measure, EXEMPTED FROM TAN
ALTON ALToGET ETHER. That is the plain
meaning OF the scheme, and those in
BfltimCrp, who suggested the same.
we'll know Its effect. Whether the
gentleman from Blltimore, who offer
ed it 10 tho House, knew its effect
or nO', matters but little. The publish
ed reports of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company show the cost OF
every. mile of road in this State, and
show the revenue from every paSseu.
ger and every pound of freight. The
Discrimination made against local
freight and travel only too truly dis
closes the facts. We reserve this branch
of the sU hiect for another cOmmunica-
tinn, and proceed to other parts of tn G
bill
by the bill, the statement which the
Railroad Company Itself proposes, Is to
he laid by the Auditor of the State be-
fore the Board of Pablo Works, and If
the said statements not salts factory,
the said Board shall appoint n board
''Of commissioners, consisting Of one
"diScTeGt and intelligent JrcehOfder from
"eUch congressional district of the State,
ITO assess the property OF tho company
''as herein required, but NO PERSON
SHALL DE APPOINTED AS SUCH COM
"MISsIoSEH, WHO RESIDES IN a COUNTY
"THRoUOH WHICH a RAILROAD RUNS"
Is not this in the interest OF the com
puny, and not of The ncOpleP Are those
%hO live in the rural districts, where
hoop poles and blackberTies are the
chief articles Of expectation, where
tue women dip snuff, and the men go
10 MIN With wheat in one end OF a beg
anu stone in the other to balance il,
better Jurors in such u case, than the |
people who live along the line OF the |
road. own land over which it passes, |
and travel on II every day7 Is intelli.
gencn tn be at II discount, and Ignorance |
and bHTDariHniSIn 70 be elevated into
positive powers? Are men who have |
been hitherto content with sled roads.
which run into horse roads, end in "a |
track. and then run mp n tree,
TO be the only impartial judges upon |
The millions involved IN rails, and |
uepoiS, hEd tuLGIels, and bridges, and |
Taiirond cars and establishments? I'll
Ignorance is u bliss, is 1t not folly to be |
Yet the penp!e taken from counties
', where no railroad runs, are ito con-
" N"he III some convenient point ON the
=, nae oil railroad to be assessed, to ex-
. anime all the taxable property of sncb
- railroad within this State. and nssas.
81 the fair value thereof IN MoNHY.U
If the Company does not itself fnr.
nish the statement to the said Commits.
then they "shaIl assess The
- value OF said property within each
= county of this State. from the best IN
= formation they can obtain"
ANY railroad company can aDpeal
rom the decision OF the said Commits
'iouer5 TO the Board OF Public Works,