Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-07
NATIONAL NOTES.
West Virginia Railroads and Re-
strictiYel llsgislatlon. =
Agricuture-TYing to Elevate DR.. loring-
The Chinese Biil-The Proposed
RuIes-A Bitter Fight Looked
Notwithstanding,
POINTS, PERSONAL AND POLITICAL.
RAILROADS.
what Has been Done In West Virginia
Railroad Legislstion-The Dfhicuf-
ties OF the ProbIem-Adams' PROPOSE
tion-PersonAlitie

W max ~ bfen DOuG III "CSt
Railroad Legislstion-The Difficult
tion-PersonAlities-
Special Dispatch 10 ne Register.
WASHINGTON, March Cool W. II. Hoge-
man, of Charleston, counsel for the Chesa-
peake and Ohio Railroad, has been here
looking after the interests OF that company
/ endeayored to get his views on the recent
movement in YOUR legislature to prevent
the issuing of passes by railroads to mem
bers of the two Houses, delegates to politi-
cal conventions, etc, but he intimated that
the railroads or representatives had moth
ing 10 say so long as the restrictions sought
to be imposedgwere in. this direction.
Speaking of railroad restrictions would
not be surprised if the threatened visit oil
your two Senators this week was intended
10 bring about a more liberal feeling with
regard 10 the treatment Of railroads desir-
ing to run through your State than has re-
Gently prevailed. Senator Davis has lot
of figures, taken from recent reports, which
illustrate that while railroad building has
progressed with unprecedented rapidity in
the four States which surround
yours, but sixty-si1 miles have
been built in West Virginia within
the period covered by the reports, and this
in State whose coal fields alone are more
than one-fifth larger than those OF Pennsyl-
yania.
Railroad Legislation.
After all. these railroad questions de-
/ serve better consideration than they get as
a rule. When corporations who build them
are harshly treated by the State authori-
ties, it has the tendency to drive away
/ similar enterprises from that locality, and
/ when railroad exactions are unchecked
they multiply until further forbearance
! ceases to he q virtue. Some OF the recent
| discussions before the House Commerce
| Committee as reported by Mr.. Ramsden,
| go to show that many questions connected
! with railroad management are clear beyond
! the comprehension Of the public, and can
| only he settled intelligently and justly by
! experts For instance, the principle OF
Mr. Reagans bill to regulate commerce be-
tween the States, /. E. that railroad COM
pany shall not charge a greater amount
! for a short haul than a long one, seems
to be so plain that no argument
is needed to defend il; and yet the
trunk lines. competing with each other for
transportation OF produce from Chicago to
| the scaboard, demonstrated before the COM
mittee that, while some Of them were able
TO take advantage OF the. cheaper facilities
ofFeredby lake navigation, and with the
Canadian lines taking part in the contest,
it wa, inevitable that the freightS on this
through traffic should be low. and their
very chcapucss Is in the interest OF the pub
lie at large
on the other Hand,
the railroad companies that compete Tor
this through traffic must, for their local
trade (where they meet no such competi-
tionl establish rates which. while fair and
reasonable. may be higher than the through
rates Ii the principle Of the Reagan bill
prevailed, some, ii not all Oi these railroad
companies, would b. compelled, in order
t. keep up their local raleS, to abandon
their through traffic, and this while preju-
dicial to the grain producers OF
the West. and the grain consumers
OF the East and of Europe, would work no
relief to local shippers, but would be quite
likely. on the contrary, to cause an increase
OF freight rates.
The proposition made BY Mr.. Charles
! Francis Adams, Jr., for the appointment OF
| Railroad Commissioners. to whose arbitra-
ton all complaints should he submitted,
seemed to strike the Committee as the
best means of establishing good feeling and
fair dealing between the public and the
| railroad corporations
| PerSOnaIia-
Among other West NiFginians who r'S-
istered here to-day are ev Senator Hereto |,
| Judge Jackson, and Delegates MOdctt ami
| List
1t has has been advised that your Legis-
| lature, at its present session, contribute
| the statue of representative West Vir-
| ginia citizen which it is entitled to place
il, the collection of stasuary now gathered
| in the smaller rotunda. ! beg leave to sug-
seSt that q full length statue OF Col. Pres
| ton Pew, clad in a togG ririliS or Gilmer
county night-shirt, with sandals to match,
| and armed with a glIdius or short Roman
| corncutter, would down anything in the
| present collection. LAS.