Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-08
Spectator,
WEDNESDAY. FEB. 8, 1883.
TRANSFORMATION Rates.

: discussion III relaIlOn TO transportation
charges on the railroads, and it was assert
ed that they were not regulated at equita-
BILE rates, and that the Interstate Com
merce law passed by Congress did not
secure the ends it was intended to accom-
pllsh IN these respects. Most of the candi-
dates and speakers who entertained these
views maintained that it was incumbent on
the Legislature to review the question, and
pass such laws as would ensure rates of
charges on the railroads upon a different
basis than the one governing what was
known as long and short-hauls. The rail
roads and the commercial progress and the
prosperity of the agricultural interests of
the country should not be at variance, nor
should the railroads seek to make their
local traffic bear more than fair charges for
moving it; but it is charged that the policy
generally pursued is the reverse.
Senator Koiner has introduced resolu-
ton in the Senate which will bring this
whole question up, and it is hoped that the
investigation by the committee will bring
this subject before the Legislature in all its
true relations, and that laws will be en-
acted settling the difficulty on just princi-
pies. This controversy ought to end, and
Senator Koiner has made an early move
ment to investigate it with that view. The
people desire it, and the Legislature is the
proper authority to do it,
The above article appeared in the Spec
TAToR the 14th of December. Senator
Koiner's proposition asked for a special
committee. The resolution came up in due
time for consideration, but the Special
Committee was not ordered, and the reso-
luton was sent to one of the Standing Com
mittees, and if there has been report, it
has escaped our observation.
This is matter of chief concern to all
the interests named, and in view of the i'm
portance it occupied in the canvass and
since, the action taken was unexpected,
unless the Senate had insisted on an early
report. Senator Koiner and other men,
bers of the Legislature had doubtless given
the question careful thought, and if an in
vestigation is not the result, there will be
no small amount of disappointment in the
districts of the State exporting agricultural
products.
Take the case of the Augusta product in
hay to illustrate the situation. The culture
of the cereals has not been profitable for
several years, but in growing them uNder
judicious rotation system, hay has lecene
large product, and from this source re-
munerative compensation has been difusing
its brighter realization, and lighting despon-
dency to more hopeful future. Clothing
the soil in the grasses brings new fertility,
and the annually increasing surplus of our
exports, with advancing prices for hay, has
given Augusta county and our section Of
the Valley an enviable reputation in the
widening markets for that product in the
South Atlantic States. Especially has this
been the case during the past and the pres
ent seasons as we were called upon to fill
the diminished stocks which previously
reached those localities from the western
States. Not only in the Carolinas and
Georgia, but also in the mining and manu-
featuring districts of Alabama, Virginia
Valley hay and the names of our dealers,
are becoming factors in this new Inter
State Commerce.
We feel that we are entitled to a voice in
this matter. In 1884, when the exports Of
hay from Augusta county we're only 6,34S
tons, and many of our farmers producing
wheat at loss, and casting about in searcl
of new systems of culture, we maintained
in the State Agricultural Convention, helt
that year in Charlottesville, and continually
in the SPECTATOR since, that the culture
of wheat should be enlarged, if anything
with increased grass production, looking tt
hay to pass US over the bridge where loss
occurred, and with profits in the end
That system requiring wheat as part has
been pushed, and annually our exports o.
hay have increased, and when we come to
print the statistics of the crop of 1887, it
will be found that the export is not less
than fifteen thousand tons, and it may
reach twenty thousand. This crop COM
menced to go out of the county early after
harvest, and still the demand at fine prices
exists in the States south of Virginia, and
our surplus is not exhausted.
Now we have reached the point where
the investigation demanded by the people
and so promptly proposed by Senator
Koiner should take place. Our dealers in
hay say that the rates of transportation
made since the Interstate Commerce law
has gone into effect, are higher than pre-
viously, aud bear with severity upon the
surplus shipped from this section of Vir-
GINA. We do not know of our own knowl-
edge what the rates were, when, in 1884
's5 and 'S6, our dealers were building up
this new and important source of supply to
meet the demands in the Southern States,
nor do we know what they are now, except
as informed by the.shippers, and in view OF
The positive assertion of the dealers, the
railroad managers themselves should de-
sire the investigation, and cause this ele,
ment of trouble to cease to exist. In oul
efforts to build up our producing interests,
it would be an unnatural, indeed unreason.
able, conclusion to suppose that the rail.
roads we're sitting and undermining the
sources of profitable support which exist
for them in well-cultivated agricultural
districts. We cannot suppose that they are
willing to cause such adversely in the land,
and turn the sources of profit to the people
and their own interests into ashes.
We know We speak in behalf Of the val
liable interests, the mainstay of the peo-
pie, Senator Koiner SO ably and SO faithful
~ represents, when we express regret that
his timely and most judicious proposition
failed to take the course he desired, fol
had that been the case, this trouble would
have been corrected. We hops he will call
for report from the Committee which has
the subject in hand.
We are not ortnat ciass-of which there
are too many-that make general COM
plant of the oppression of the railroads,
and believe that in the case now in hand
in which it is said there are determinations
against us,-a correction can be reached,
and to make the adjustment of it just to
all parties, the Senate ought to carry out
the proposition made by Mr.. KoineT. The
hay-crop will continue to be an important