Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-02-22
THE RAILROAD WAR.
Senate, Dawson Of Preston Cosap Fires the
Fiat Saet-His Spsseh Upon the Bill
to Regulate Raihssd Freight aai
Pssssssef Tsri6 10 This
ctNta
An ABLE AND EXHAUSTIVE EFFORT.

The Senat Of the West Virginia lIesisis-
tare had un. ssr Consideration, yesterday. q
bill to provio . for the regulation ot RAILROAD
ireiehts and p sssenser tariff in this STATE :
to prevent uni. Sst discrimination and er.
tortion in the n 10 charged for trsasporta.
ton Of passenge. = and freishts. and 70 pro-
hibit railroad con spaRies, corporations and
le.sscs in this Stasr from charging oaher
than inst and nSsoaable rstes and to
punish the same. btoprescribe snsode of
procedure and rules OF evidence in rcta.
ton thereto: and to NpPotnt coamissioa-
ers aud to prescribe tlssir powers and dv-
ties in relation to the Snse.
Upon this bill Mr.. Dawson made sae only
speech OF the day. and in its delivery he
occupied the close attentioa of the senate
for over two hours.
lie advocated the passage Of the bill
principally upon the following >srOundi,
Because Of the growing power Of mUropo.
lies; the evil results Of unjust discrimins.
ton in the charges OF railways; aud tho
right and authority OF the State 70 tcyislaes
on this subj ect
The speech is an exhaustive research of
the subject from the standpoint taken. and
worthy OF perusal by all those interested
in the live and all-important railroad ques
ton. The RSGIsrrR presents 70 il rcaders.
a full synopsis Of the speech below. Sen
ator Dawson in opening said;
Mr.. PRESIDENT: am no fanatic upon
the railway question: am willing to
live and let live" Nor do deny that the
railways through this state have been ot.
iucalcuIable benefit To our commonwealth. !.
a. brineers OF prosperity and promoters OF
civil, alton. believe. Mr.. President, that
the true relation that exists between . nail
way and the people OF the country through
which il passes, Is like that which exists
between ca,.ital and labor-that neither
All Il. IN il. ced with impunity TO the Other.
! h q relation is one Of mutual dependence
W hat is good for the country Is good for
the railway. and rioc rcTh. And 10 10 TO b
r egrcted that railway managers 20 Often
refuse to see the matter in this light For
believe that that railway which, by
liberal policy towards those who live along
its line,
Develop, The res.tsy-
its manufactures, mineral aud timber
wealth. etc..-will in the end reap
the most abundant harvest Of dol-
lars and dimes, and secure the
GOOD villa no small item for even Q rail.
railways scompany--of its local customers.
While I have no desire 10 he classed -
"anti.ruilroad." do believe that some leg.
islation on the "railrosd problem Is ne
Ccssity:
l. Bccdrse ofthe groTing po'eer cf mo~ops-
lies Here the speaker quoted from Horace
Greeley. the report Of Congressional inves-
tigating committees, Judge David DsSts.
Judge Black, and leading newspapers at
length and with good effect.)
II. The sri r,,uhs of syust diserim'nafsSse ~
The charge Of raiiedy', is another reason for
some intelligent legislation upon the mai-
ter. In considering this division OF the sub-
ject, ! propose to go outside the stae, p
cause, iirsi, IL is often asserted that when
We get more railways In our 6tste nompe-
tition will regulate these charses : and ]
desire to kill two birds with one stone ~
showing that these evil results OF unjust dis
ordinations obtain In one OF the oldest
States In the Union, the State Of New fork,
with $3.50 miles Of railway; and second,
because the whole subject In New York
has been thoroughly investigated and
reported: and third, because
we are already familiar with the reports Of
our legislative committees upon the subIsct
in West Virginia.
In 1879 the Assembly of New York .ap-
pointed n committee Ito investigate the
condition of railway management In that
State" OF which committee the Hon. u.
Hepburn was chairman. The COMMITTEES 70
known rs the Hepburn Committee"
Here follows O long citation OF csses q
unjust determinations BY the New rost
railroads. as brought out by the invcstiss-
tions of the Hepburn Committee. and the
Senator showed by the testimony Of
VssaesssIs ssA yewess,
two leading railway kings. and also by .
long statement of Fink. that the carload V
the proper unit Of shipment; and ssid:D
Now. of my own kuowledge,I have case
in point Just here. In 1879. when the
railroad light was on In this Senate. .
gentleman with whom I am we'll scquaint-
ed, q manager OF q large furnace. came On
here. in obedience To telegram from tns
IS. 4 .. road saying that II certain legiAs-
tion yas had it would result In With:
drawal Of the special rate: on the output O
his furnace. he solicited me 70 use NJ
influence with the Senators and Delesstes
rom my district aud county against ssy
legislation on the subject. ] asked him
wby. He said because of the reasons j
have stated. frankly told him wss In
sympathy with the effort then being made
by Senator Jones resolution Of qso ssDsSse.
and that as far ~ ] was conoerned
\ desired TO know whether the b. a U.
company was greater than the State. 10
further conversation with him. ] asked u
his special rates we're very favorable. He
said not very but they could live at then
and keep going DO they change rates On
YOU often. ] asked7 "ies. somstimss.
- L. Sn fall sza
that the b. 4 o. Company seemed 70 kn1v
rs we'll what the furnace was getting Tor itS
metal as he did himself, and they raiss6
and lowered their rates 20 thst tlaa furnsne
could 60 but 20 that the railroad compeey
always got the lions share Of the proAt.
What the traffic can bear, and notpvhas
the cost Of service H." was. and. evideney
is. the policy OF the company. lis viesoos.
hnotbsr case Of my ovn. .knovisdes: u
used 10 be thought tbst wheat could net
be profitably grown on the thin soil q
nv county Of Preston: but Of late years,
our farmers have learnt 70 make uas of the
immense deposits Of lime nature hes oe0
penssted us with; and by the epp!Sesssea
of this fertilizer To our soil, wheat 10 ~.
most a sure crop. Last autumn 0 .ffla- -
Nevburg was offered good deal of wheal
from our fsrmers; and The firm .oonostvsa
the idea oi shipping East u smell ~
duction In the freight charges % Belumeee
could be secured, tie firm would b ensele4
TO nav what our farmsrs cotVidsssd q liy-
jps price for their product, and u could -
rh2pped At small profit 70 the hm. Thel
ycry small bat necesealy redue4toA could
no, be bsd; though if.ft hsd. bssn msde.
ti,e price even then frpm yewbpfY " HAltir
more ness thsn 30 rsiIes) would heve beea
more per busbei thAn thst vhicA. .ths.nsae
conpany charges iron Chicsgp. y Haau'
more. However, the hrm sbipped tee -
Load OF wheat. nj . saalI loess ~ ths eH-
change in Bsltirzpre, ths ..beaA stssncesd
the attention Of dealers. Who. pfcaOpnEs1
il first-ciass. aad we're suFpftsed N heo1
that Il VAS gro9n In yrestOn. county.
II our merchants ceuld get - hsoeahs1
rates for the transportation % Efcn tfoN
Preston cousfy-less thsn ID m3iss no
BaI.imore-to thss city, - tAe wessSes
farmer gess Tor hIs pno1ucts 70 tse sAmI
place, our dealers could afford - pay o.
iarmsrs ltsing price Sos tlssss csops -
\ ship it East - . profif to thsDaDlreA -
/ thereby enooarsse The growing a
0sais - Oas Hano1aGa eoaaA0.
| IL costs more To raise bushei Of wfe.t i'
| our county than Il does On The PRIMES q
| the West. BCt natufs haS co.. oee9ossd o
| in that she has placed a. bundyeds q
r,;ic. ,,>~ rsr the vnarket Hut enta Rig