The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-06
MONDAY EVENING, JAN. 6, 1873.
GENERAL RAILROAD LAW.

GENERAL RAILROAD LAW.
We publish to-day the bill introduced
by Major Sutherlin, of the House Of Dele
gates, on Saturday last, providing that any
five or more persons may organize them
selves into a company for constructing and
operating lines of railroad in the State,
without applying to the Legislature for any
special legislation in their behalf. The bill
seems to have been preared with considera-
bic care and attention to details in its pro-
visions, and we give its full text that our
readers may see the practicability Of tho
measure, and the advantages that must
accrue to the State from the passage of such
a law at an early stage Of the session. The
time that is unavoidably spent during the
sessions of the General Assembly in con-
sidering special charters and grants of par
ticular franchises to railroad corporations,
has become such an incidental drain upon
the treasury that a general law, such as the
bill of Mr.. Sutherlin would give us,
would be a great blessing to the State if it
did nothing more than to save the time
thus needlessly expended in the considera-
ton of these private acts.
If this proposed law were an entirely
new feature in American legislation-an
untried experiment in the way of inducing
capital to flow into the State--there might
be some rational opposition to its pas
sage. But it is no new thing, and cannot
be considered IS an experimental VEN
ture in Virginia. The two great
States of Ohio and Illinois have derived
almost their entire railroad capital and en-
terprise from the operation Of general rail-
road laws, similar in their provisions to the
proposed law introduced by Major Suther-
in. AS early as 1910, Illinois passed a
more prospered in her railroad interests,
or more fortunate in securing cheap trans
portation for her products, than this great
and growing State of the West. The law
has secured to her not only the largest
amount of capital, but that most profta-
bly, expended, as the annual reports of her
numerous corporations abundantly show.
The dividends on her railroad stocks added
to the expenditures annually made by such
corporations to render their property more
valuable as well as serviceabie to the pub
lie, will show hat more care has been
exercised by capitalists in projecting, con-
structing and operating new lines of road
than where special grants have been sought
and obtained at the hands of state legisla-
lures. Under the general law capital has
sought the best possible expenditure, and
all parts Of the State have been success.
sively occupied mot m%onopolized) by this
great transit interest. Railroad enter.
prises have not been cramped, confined, OF
unnecessarily hampered with onerous pro.
visions, such as frequently required impos.
sible lines Of construction, or such as could
only be built at a ruinous sacrifice of the
companies interest, in order to meet the
requirements Of their special charters.
In Ohio, a state hardly second to any
other in the extent and Importance o.
her railroad facilities, they have had
a general law in operation since 1852.
and every railroad interest has been amply
cared for under it, while the people them.
selves have been subject to fewer railroad
sw1ndles than in almost any other state,
Their law provides against the consolida.
ton of competing lines, and fixes a limit
against excessive charges for both passage
and freight. Maryland, North Carolina,
and other states have followed the example
of Illinois and Ohio in the passage of {
general railroad law, and the re,
suit has been in every instance
to advance the value of railroad franchises
in such states.
The time has come for the Legislature o
Virginia TO follow in this well-tried path O
public progress, and to enter into tn,
spirit Of the new era upon which she il
entering. Open the rich fields and valley
of the State to the largest accession o
material strength that can possibly come t
them in the way Of industry and capital
Every mile of railway built in the State i
forty thousand dollars additional capital t
her grand list, while it gives an enhance,
value to real estate and the mineral wealt
that lies beneath the soil which can hardl
be oyerestimated in the general compute
ton of advantages conferred.
We have not had time to examine til
provisions Of Major Sutherlin's bi
with the scrutiny we should have bee
pleased to give it, had it come under OF
earlier observation. In its general featur,
it seems to be essentially the bill required
We may call more specific attention
some of its main provisions hereafter,
the hope that the bill may be speedil
perfected, and passed at as early a day
practicable in the session.
The designation of General Won Roc
a., - - IL - - L.