The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-03-01
The Railroad Question In West virginia
-The Wilson Bill.

fAltOhu CuAI kea 0'o AAN sH
try. The various legislatures Of the land
abound with discussions in regard to
them. The courts are constantly called 70
pass upon the enacEments in these legia'
latures for the regulation Of freight and
passenger charges. There ia seemlngIy
an irrepreasible conflict between the rail-
roads and the public. Two years ago the
New York Legislature raised special
committee to examine into great public
grievance growing out Of special rates. in
which It was shown that certain shippers
received decided advantages over other
shippers in the same localities. Inc reVe'
lations made were oil the most astonshinS
character,
The Ohio Legislature has been lFulI'
pltheatre OF railroad legislation, and some
Of the Judges Of that State have been in
clined to 90 to the length almost oil Judge
Blacks remarkable letter 10 the New YORK
Chamber Of Commerce touching the indis-
tructlbillty Of the power Of a legislature TO
regulate traffic on the railroads OF that
State, anything in their charters 10 the
contrary Notwithstanding, 1t was held in
one instance that no one generation Of
legislators can forever bind posterity TO
it's injury by IN unwise and unguarded
charter granted in the infancy oil great
system Of commerce such as the railroad
system Of the country. II was laid down
that there must be remedial power some
where adequate to the development Of the
system, and the Necessities and rights oil
succeeding generations under the system !
That otherwise one generation could
mortgage posteritY to the very verge oil
destruction, by binding 1t hand and loot
and rendering it forever helpless.
In all this conflict there has as yet been
no settled and accepted legislation evol.
we'd in the Western States where legts'
lation has been more carefully guarded,
because Of the experience Of the older
States, the railroads have been made to
feel the power Of what are known as
Granger restrictions. These restrictions
have resulted in notifications and equities
in the way OF reduced local charges
on the railroads that have sensibly re-
lleved and diminished the friction be-
tween the public and the carrier corpora
tons. Still, there Is great Clamor all
over the West Tor interstate commerce
legislation at the hands Of Congress. lThIs
Clamor will never die out until Congress
asserts its authority under the Constitu'
ton to regulate the great and growing
railroad commerce oil the country. Our
country 10 80 vast, It's productions go i'm.
mense, and It's domestic and foreign com.
petitions In all branches Of industry 80
multiiarlous and 80 severe, that the necess'
lily for some central and controlling power
to regulate charges on the far reaching
railroad system Of the nation Is seen and
acknowledged by oil intelligent
and disinterested persons. When men
like Jay Gould, Vanderbilt, Scott,
Garrett and others, can, by the mere
power OF their millions, secure the control
OF thousands OF miles Of railroad, and put
the trade OF the country under tribute by
single act Of their caprice or cupidity,
growing out perhaps Of their interests in
the stock market, the whole country may
well be alarmed at the exercise Of such
autoCratic and despotc authority. The
power Is felt to be too absolute and irres'
ponsible 10 be exercised by one man or a
combination OF men. There must be
check on such triAing with the public In
terests, and where else but in the law.
making power Of the nation, among the
representatives Of the whole body Of the
people, can such check be safely lodged.
We refer 10 this subject at this time be-
cause in our own State there Is great
deal Of agitation In regard TO the right oil
the Legislature to deal with the railroads
Of the Commonwealth in the matter 81
local charges. Two years ago q large por.
ton Of the session OF the Legislature was
taken up with this same agitation. Then II
was the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad that
was arraigned before the bar OF the repre-.
sontatives Of the people, to answer for al.
legged grievances inflicted on the local in
terests along It's extensive railway line in
this State. We need not 90 into q state.
ment Of the complaints preferred against
thecompany. They were made thoroughly
familiar to the public at the time, and were
mainly comprehended in the one charge
otexcessive local rates, aud while II did
not appear from the comparative tables
submitted by the company that their rates
were materially, II indeed at all, higher
than the average local rates on certain
other lines, yet the discrepancies as be.
tween these rates, and the through rates Of
the road were so wide that the public de.
manded that there should be such changes
as would at least diminish these disCrep.
anCies, and thus give the towns and vii.
lagos and various private industries along
the line better show for development In
the great competitive struggle Of the times
for business.
This agitation two years ago had its
uses, and while 1t was inclined to 60 TO un.
warrantable and impraCtiCable lengths, yet
1t resulted in good to the general interests
OF the public, as also to the best interests
Of the Baltimore 4 Ohio Company. No
one can fail to recognize that there has
been better feeling towards that com.
pauy all along lie line than formerly. The
road, mainly through the efforts Of the
Second Vice President, overhauled and
modified its local rates, and femedied Ger.