Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-02-18
Vice President Keyser Before the Ju-
dietary Committee.

dietary COMMITTEES,
The speech of Vice President Keyser be>
fore the judiciary Committee yesterday,
demonstrates at least three things quite con-
clusively. And the first is, the folly of any
out practical acquaintance and experience in
any line of business, essaying to regulate
and prescribe in detail, just how that bust.
ness shall or shall not be conducted, upon
their own crude notions and preconceived
theories, never tested, and that do not con-
form to any known or established practice
among men.
Ii demonstrates secondly, we think beyond
controversy, that tho measures which have
been for some time maturing in the Legisla-
ture are the offspring of this same crude and
imperfect conception of the subjects with
which they deal; and that much of the zeal,
not to say ill-ieeling, which the discussion
of these measures seems to engender, is the
direct result of the confusion into which an
advocate naturally falls when met with de-
monstration that his premises are not well
founded; that the conclusions he is seeking
will not follow that his methods of reforma-
ton will not reform and that, in fact, he
has made mistake.
1t demonstrates, thirdly, that the manage
ment of the business of a great railroad .cor>
poration demands the most consummate skill,
the highest business talent, ard above all
very large experience. That in view of the
multiform interests, the minute details, and
the vast amount of capital that must be cared
for in its management together with the
fact that over S37 100000 of the company's
capital is invested in this State-in view Of
these facts, we say, it becomes no trifiing
j. Al Al
submit the conduct of its business to the
judgment and control of men who are con-
fessedly without experience, and who are
without any practical experience whatever
with the demands and contingencies which
enter into its management. The least, there
fore, that body of men upon whom such
responsibility falls, can do, is to give the
subject that calm, conscientious and patient
consideration which it deserves at their
hands. There is no occasion or propricty
for hostility or heat in dealing with the SUBJ
ject, or of forcing any character of extremes.
The man who desires to be fair and judi
cious will not thus approach matter of
business. Ignorance and tanatcsm are alone
compatible. They are parent and child. Aud
it is only when man sees one side of
question and is carried away by single idea,
that he becomes fanatical.
Mr.. Keysers exposition of the policy of
his company in the management of the road
is clear, frank and business like. There was
no interrogatory of the many propounded by
the committee to which he did not respond
with an explanation so comprehensive as to
convince the auditors that the company had
at least reason for its policy, and was not
actuated by mere caprice.
On no point was he more convincing and
forcible than in showing the falacy of a.
tempting to enforce rigid compliance with,
or establishing fixed and uualterable sched-
ule of rates-a schedule that should provide
moro than a maximum and minimum, and
should not at least be allowed to vary within
that limit to meet special cases. He showed
that railroad company was bound, alike
with every other bushes, to make dinctiou
between wholesale and retail rates. As
merchant will always favor special custo>
mer, and give him better terms upon a largo
than a small purchase, so also, when a rail-
road company finds man who would be will
ing to ship twenty cars Of particular COM
modify, provided be could get into market
with certain margin for profit, and would
not otherwise ship at all, the company will
rather give him special rates than lose the
opportunity entirely.
This, he claims, constitutes the basis of
all the complaint of discrimination, and yet
is the established usage of all railroads =; is
necessary to their success and that any 9TH
er policy would be oppressive and disastrous
to the interests of many kinds Of business
enterprise along the route. He illustrated
the point very clearly in the case of COMPETE
tive coal mines in the State.
Finally, Mr.. Keyscr affirmed that the
schedule of rates that the company has pre-
pared, and which will go into effect on the
18th inst. will be the same in all the seven
States through which the road passes as in
West Virginia. There is much in the
speech that is Instructive. 1t ought to be
read by the people of tho State, and by each
Legislator who has responsibility in this con-
ncction. Mr.. Keyser has pointed out the
fact that forty per cent. of the wealth of our
State is included in the eleven counties
through which the road passes. The inter-
ests of the road are the interests of the State
and rice versa. Therefore, it behooves the
Legislature to deal with it as with one OF the
institutions of the State, Mother giving it an
undue license, nor lettering it with unjust
restrictions. Wheeling Register, FEB. 12th.
bo