Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-03-28

majority the railways which the Gene
raj Assembly has created, of your inability
to direct them, as you the representatives Of
the people in their interest might desire in
Ifurtherance of the purposes for which those
corporations were established, and to make
them bear their rightful share of the bur-
|dens of the people in that Government
from which they sprung and whose protec-
ton they enjoy.
THE EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF SUCH A
POLICY.
Mr.. Chairman, with the permission OF
the committee, shall ask further indul-
gence that may bring to your attention
some of the bearings of this PROPOSE
ton and expose the fallacy of the So
called advantages which the advocates of
this bill claim in its behalf. Let us exam
inc the consequences which are likely to
follow the adoption of measure like
this. 1t is claimed that to give to anybody
and everybody the privilege of building
railroads anywhere and everywhere will
give US more roads and more capital, but
how this is to result is not shown. Capital
seeks investment in railways as in other
enterprises with reference to profit, and in
railway enterprises profit is in great part
determined by the amount Of traffic to be
obtained at remunerative rates. | would
like to know where there are any two
points unconnected by railway in Virginia
which promise such results as would attract
capital, and if there are any such points, |
submit, that if to this General Assembly
application is made for the necessary pow
ers to construct such connecting works,
and it is proper that these should be
granted, what is there in the past legisla-
ton of the State to warrant the refusal of
the required franchise? Wherefore the
occasion of any mistrust of this tribunal,
the immediate representatives Of the peo-
pie whose rights are to be dealt with and
whose privilege is a hearing and voice upon
all questions SO directly and vitality affect
ing their interests? Is it because the spe-
cial promoters of the particular scheme de-
sire to obtain powers which they could not
reasonably ask or expect to be granted in
open court, that this new mode of proce-
dure is sought to be enacted? Is it be-
cause they would trcspass upon private
rights and invade other interests, whose
proper protection would be guaranteed by
the General Assembly? Is it because
their project is wanting in that public
policy whit h alone can authorize the exer-
else of the right Of eminent domain If
so, why should such powers be granted?
There are two motives which prompt
the construction of railways, one or the
other, or both of which, must obtain. The
one is where the enterprise promises such
profit to the investor that capital will en-
gage in the work. Wherever you can de-
monstrate that safe and profitable employ
ment for capital can be found, there it will
seek investment. The other motive is the
existence Of an interest, local and inherent
to the enterprise sufficient to justify the
expenditure necessary to its construction.
Let us suppose, by way of Illustration,
that there are two points in the Common
wealth unconnected by rail where the local
the material interest of the coun-
try now dormant is of sufficient magnitude
to Justify and stimulate the people to come
forward and to the full measure Of their
ability undertake the construction of the
particular work. There are such cases to-
Gay W1tulll IIly kloWituSe. ucH Jul wv IL
people, earnest and honest promoters of an
honest enterprise, shall have gone to work
and shall have contributed enough of their
own means to place their enterprise within
the reach of absolute certainty, what will
he their fate under the operation of this
bill? Well, about the time you had
marked out your proposed scheme, and all
the people, by townships and counties, had
come forward and contributed to the ex-
tent of their ability, your right of way had
been secured, your subscriptions made up,
and though there was yet an insufficiency
of means, you had enough to. provide a
basis of ample credit for the balance, and
were now in that condition which would
insure the completion of your road just as
you had completed this task and the enthu-
siasm of your people had been exhausted
for now they have done all which lay in
their power-the man on the mule would
come along the route of your proposed
work blazing the trees near by-for this is
the fashionable way for making surveys by
those who project roads which they never
intend to build, the plan of survey YOU
may anticipate under the operations OF this
hill, He meets your people as he rides