The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-03-16
4ittntond 1ispatth.
observation-disclosures.

,ioa that it is magic name, having
miraculous agency, that will do away With
MI injustice, all partiality and promote the
all prosperity of everybody and every cry
7rlctscr II be on he consolidated ""e O
not
Now. how can this be- Docs the mere
fact that n certain number OF roaos a''
MERGED into one road render its manage
mcnt incapable Of injustice Does sueh
consolidation -" necessarily deprive INC
management of any power to be unjust 10
!, community living fifty miles lfon' 'ne
line thus consolidated
These arc questions which We should IKE
10 have answered. They arc certainty
worthy Of the consideration OF those who
arc consolidation mad.
We >honli like to know whether there is
arv difference whatever between n line
made W Of two or more roads "consoli~
C,itcl " into one and single road remain
iu- rs originally Incorporated, working on
is own hook. under its own management:
Is there any greater safeguard against
~ Gus determinations in the "consoli-
dated" line than in the othcr' May VIC
not most appropriately ask whether the
more powerful consolidated line, being
Just as liable to yield to temptation and
selfish motives rs the other. is not more
dangerous, because more powerful and more
difficult to control In proportion to the
power of q corporation I'VE believe it has
always been found) is the difficulty Of sub
iccsinC ii TO rigid submission to law.
II appears 10 us that the error Of the
Grro.ecS Of consolidation at this time
i, admiration for the gallant gentleman
who now represents that idea. He has
displayed fairness, railroadwiSe, towards
this city, and it is faith in him more than
III any mysterious benefcence in the mere
name consolidation " that excites enthu-
sia>!n in its support.
But suppose this distinguished gentle
man should die, whatever faith We have in
him, can any man predict what man and
what policy will succeed him and his
1t is sought to prove that consolida-
ton" is 4 wonderfully good thing by its
fruits. What are they: Why, certain
freigh;s have come to this city which, it is
alleged, would not have come here but for
consolidation. When we ask why not,
the answer is they would have been carried
off by the Orange and Alexandria railroad
by tacit hut effective consolidation be-
tween that road and the Virginia and Ten
nessee railroad.
Exactly! And what is this answer but
n damaging confession that . consolida
tion may lie 'al2 BARE IRIS consolida-
zion is Observation-Disclosures is admira
hl"' The former would have ruined Rich
9an,id-thc latter has saved her. Had
General MAuoNE been President Of the
Grange and Alexandria railroad, We ask,
Would his " consolidation = on that line be
any better than Mr.. BARRorR'S?
Hu, the consolidationists 90 further, and
claim that consolidation has brought
u customers that We would not have had
without il. According to Richmond mer-
chants, this is not so. " Consolidation " is
not charged with losing us trade; but it is
Il truth We believe, that all the energy OF
General MALONE has been unable to restol e
t. Richmond that trade from Southwestern
Virginia which movements on the railroad
cil, board have deprived her of. These
movements left Richmond without the dl-
r>ct communication and the rapid convey
,t..c Which are indispensable in these days
to successful struggle in the field OF COM
ncrce. The alienation of her trade was a
natural consequence, and the magic of
consolidation > has been unable to battle
it. THIS IS he .tHct.
TO consolidation Richmond owes not
Tie value Of chincapin. To General
NtHoHE'S fairness it owes much ; but an
unfair man ruling the administration Of the
consolidated line could have done us far
more injury than the roads Of which it is
formed could have done working separately.
Ii the chief Of the line could be immortal.
then the principles awarded to "consolidu
non Hicfely might i've forever In us
rrlcr; hut that being impossible, they may
, die with him.
But even the present consolidation
Of management is accused Of uufairness.
To name one particular: 1t assesses
terminal tax" (mild phrase) of five
cents per hundred upon all freight destined
for the canal nj Lynchburg. This is in the
teeth OF the charter of the Virginia and
Tennessee railroad, which requires the de-
livery Of ight to and fro between the
railway and the canal without delay and
6 ka hup1ra6