The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-12-16

oseding City years, and only on such terms
as tho legislator. should prescribe. The
state made no absolute surrender of its
fr lnchiss, or Of its power to regulate and
C ntrol it. A general supervisory power
W Is lodged in board Of state commits
sio lers, to which all the transactions of
the companies were annually submitted,
d all questions, not strictly Of judicial
ch rscter, referred for determination and
so Element.
Under this general law, most Of the rail-
r)ads Of Illinois--s state second to none in
rilroad influence and power--wcre organ.
izel and put in successful operation. The
c,pital Of any Eve or more persons was
free to enter the state and seek investment
,der the law. and tho result is that no
orershadowing monopoly, like those aris-
'g from special or class legislation in
o her states, has sprung up to dominate over
public or private interests. In March last,
after twenty-threo years. experience under
the workings OF free railroad law, the
legislature of that state passed new gen.
cral law, in which it adhered to the more
salutary provisions Of the old, at the same
time that it embodied many Of tho princi-
piles Of legislation which were found essen
tal for the better operation o..
tho roads, and for the greater secu-
rity and protection Of the public
always the paramount object Of the law in
prescribing the duties and limiting the
powers Of these corporations.
Next to Illinois, the great State Of Ohio
has, perhsps, been foremost in legislative
enactment on this subject. AS early as
1882, she saw tho necessity Of some gene
raj law, of entire uniformity in its opera
tons, to encourage outside capital into the
state for permanent railroad investment.
This law was framed with the same wise
provisions that characterized the Illinois
law, giving to the Same number Of
persons the same general powers and priv
ileges,. under like limitations and restric-
tons. Under its provisions most of the
railroads of that state have been success
fully organized and operated, and no two
states in the Union can boast Of greater rail-
road facilities than those attained under the
operation Of these general laws. Millions
of capital has flowed into the state. en-
HANGING the value Of property many mil
lions moro, and there is scarcely village
Of any size, or commercial or manufacture
ing importance, which has not felt the
quickening power Of foreign capital under
this law. By prohibiting the consolidation
Of competing lines Of road. the state has
avoided the oyershadowng power of mono
poly, and the collective public interest bsen
unendangered BY 1t.
What we want in this State ID substan-
TALLY such legislation as has secured these
great advantages in the Northwest. Mary
land and North Carolina, our near neigh
bors, have just walked up to the import
ance of this subject, and the Law of Mary
land is thought to be one Of the best yet
framed. We are not called upon, there
lore, to enter upon any untried experiment,
or to lsgislate without precedent in this
| direction. A general railroad law will
| secure all the advantages of special char.
tiers, and be an immense saving to the
State, in time, money, aud legislative NOR
ais, when once enacted. Let us have such
law at an early day in the session, and
one of the most troublesome features oi
legislation--thas of doctoring special char
ters-will be effectually avoided.