The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-01-30

Il kStnAtoE S0uubon'h EkHllEotlu hlIN.
We epresume that Senator johnson has
really no expectation, and for that matter
no desire, that the legislature will adopt
his Baltimore & Ohio Railroad bill, and
for the very sufficient reason that 1t is not
only impracticable but destructive OF the
end proposed-viz-a radical reduction Of
tolls on the road. twill be remembered that
in Mr.Johnson's minority or Senate report,
he virtually conceded that the rate
of tolls that he now proposes might mot
be equitable or jus" but, said he, at is
the law as we find it expressed in the
charter Of the company" In other words,
aud as Shylock once said, at is so demon.
mated in the bond"
Now, that is the question, whether or
no it is so denominated in the bond, and
the one which the railroad company will
ofCourse be driven to testin the courts.
Perhaps the courts will read Mr.. John
sons minority report, and will take cog
nizance Of the following remark therein:
ave arc not instructed to enquire what
the law ought to be. II We were, we would
probably recommend that the law OF
March II, 1887, and the Act OF March %,
lS47, be so amended as to allow the COM
pany to charge a much higher rate for
transportation than the law permits them
to charge"
This language would certainly seem to
indicate that Mr. johnson regarded the
Interpretation put upon the law as it stands
by his report as harsh necessity, and
one that he would wish to see modified
by the Legislature. This Is a fair inference
from the language used. And yet the bill
that Mr.. Johnson has now proposed and
Submitted to the Senate provides that the
tolls from Chicago to Baltimore shall be
divided ut the Ohio river ratably be,
tween the line west Of the river and the
main stem of the road, and then,
after thus ascertaining the amount to be
charged between the river and Baltimore
that amount, whatever it may be, shall be
the standard by which freight shall be
charged to every point along the line, ac
cording to the mileage. That is to say, Il
wheat is carried f,om Chicago to Baltimore
for IS cents per hundred, then that rate
shall be divided at the Ohio river by allow,
ing say cents per hundred from the rivel
to Baltimore, and only pro rata OF 0 cents
according TO the mileage) to any point
between the river and Baltimore.
This standard Of tolls was shown to be
ridiculous by the majority report. The
following illustration in that report is what
the logicians call the reductiO ad absunlum
"The freight on grain from Chicago to
Baltimore we understand 10 be $40 per cal
OF 10000 pounds. The distance being 8SG
miles makes 81 70 per one hundred miles
orfour and three-quarter cents per mile,
This section, so construed, would compel
the company to transport car load oi
grain between stations five miles apart fol
231cents, and require them to load, trans
port and deliver 1000 pounds like dis
lance for q cents, and for loading, trans
porting uuudellNcEliS hNS Sh pSuh0s
would be entitled TO receive little mort
than one-hay cent"
We have no idea that the Legislature
will enact any suck -bill-as N JohnsOn's
We call public attention to 1t to show that
precious time is being fooled away in thil
j Legislature on subject in which the peo
pie have q deep interest Why is such
bill iutroduccd2 is 1t for buncombe
We must say that it squints that way yer!
decidedly Tho Baltimore & Ohio Com
pany will law the State Of West Virgini'
until doomsday before they will aecop
such an Interpretation Of lhOir charter
Why drive them into the Courts WhsI
they profess to be ready to compromis
on 4 fair basis9 Now that there is atleas
prospect Of getting important conces
slons why fool away tho time in consider
ing bill that its author virtually put
lished to the world as impracticable an
sL