Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1879-01-25
EDIToHs FREE PREss:

/ regret That want OF space prevents
you, as you inform me, from publishing the
majority and minority reports Of the commit
tee appointed by the legislature 10 Investigate
the affairs Of the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad,
in its relation to the State o. West Virginia,
with regard especially 70 It's charges for thro'
and local freight. The reports, taken togeth-
er, present full and interesting history OF
the road, and are written 10 a spirit OF fair
ness that is highly commentaries. Should the
legislature exhibit the same spirit-the same
good sense aud we have no d0ub: on the SUI
iectl We can readily anticipate an arrange
meut that viii be satisfactory, at cnce % the
Compa6y and TO the State
lu dealing with this Interesting and impor-
taut question. IL viii be as we'll 10 bear in
mind one or two matters, as guides 10 reliec-
ton and action. ltwill be admitted that Rail
road extension through the United States, and
the beneficial results arising from it, has been
as unantcipaied Is 1t has been immense. It
The time, Tor instance, that the laws were
passed by the Virginia Assembly, by virtue Of
which the Baltimore aud Ohio Railroad was
permitted 10 ran through the State, did any
one dream-egen the widest enthusiast-that
that road to-day would be almost spanning
the continent, with connections that are litter
ally too numerous 90 mention, tapping II,
on the ri sht hanl anl left, all along It's way
Well then. can it not be readily understood
that considerable notifications Of carly Rail-
road laws may have become necessary SO as to
harmonizs them with the greatly altered. and
existing state Of Railroad facts. For instance:
granting aud il may be that it is the law,
properly cuustrued.l that tie Baltimore and
Oaio Railroad Company Is bound to carry out
the pro rata rule, as 70 through and local
freight. for long aud short distances. What
then? Why Though such 4 doctrine would
or sent no difficulties 20 men-eyeu the most
applicability years ago, yet, to-day, any
intelligent and unparalleled person can see,
that il is impmcticlb.e. Bat why impracti-
clbie TODAY, ID practicable theu Simply be-
cause then 40 one thought OF, and laws were
surely rot made, with a view tol routes iai-
mcnse 10 lcugth ~ best men hoped for, and
.egishtel f1r sho5, routes; aud for short routes
such a system Of charges was proper enough.
But with a Railroad and lis connections 500
OF 600 miles 10 length Il Is different thing
Whatever the charges may be, for freight OF
travel. from 81 Louis OF Chicago 10 Baltimore
apply the pl0 rata rue-aud the charge
from Earper's Ferry to Baltimore will be next
20 nothing, aud utterly Uuremuneatlre. II
would seem as if tie pro -J'c rule, that Is
$1,000 Tor 1000 niles for mile vas The
true rule. But is this seeming real. Ouior-
tuulfe,y 20. Numberless reasons aud expert
euccs prove ;his. The poor man purchasing
Jy retail pays more than the rich man who
can afford 90 purchase Ia large quuuties.-
D. n.. ffrsr n Ii
things can be changed, will, indeed, be ben
cfactor. To the mean time it is the necessary
result Of circumstances, and-what is TO be
done
The present status Of the State aud the Com
pauy clearly will not do. The present state
OF feeling must lead to the worst results all
round The shippers along the road-in
West Nirgina-Compiain % the Company
Public sentiment, 90 great extent, sympata.-
scs with them. The result is that the compa-
ny, for instance, is afraid TO 81 into Court Of
Justice, along the Inc, with the most merito-
rious case Coal is stolen from It's cars. Iron
Is stolen from its track, with no one IN nine
cases out Of ten 20 make the thieves afraid.
Under these circumstances, l repeat, what
should be done Why, simply, let the res
pcCi.ve parties come together and IN spirit
Of iair play reason over tue whole mat
ter lie, all The charges aud counter char
ges be made aud Investigated. Let
laws be made that will at once
protect the interests Of the State, and be Just
% the company. Admitting as It may wei!
be doue that the Acts of 1927, 1887 and 1877
cannot now be enforced without running the
chance Of bankruptius the company, on the
one baud ana en- the other, that tae great dis