Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-02-08
loss which agriculture will have to bear,
because of odious Determinations.

Dabney, of Albemarle, Chairman of the
Committee on Roads and Internal Naviga-
ton, has reported bill to the House OF
Delegates, which, it is thought, will meet
the question, as it embodies the principles
of the Federal Interstate Commerce law
in its application.
The first section of the bill defines the
transportation lines which come under its
provisions, and declares that all charges by
them shall be reasonable and just, and
prohibits unreasonable and unjust charges.
The second relates to drawbacks, which
it prohibits.
The third and forth sections referring to
Determinations, and long and short-hauls,
are copied in their full text:
DETERMINATIONS.
That it shall be unlawful for any COM
mon carrier subject to the provisions of
this act to make or give any undue or IN
reasonable preference or advantage to any
particular person, company, firm, corpora
ton, or any particular description of traffic,
in any respect whatsoever, or to subject
any particular person, company, firm, cor
poration, or locality, or any particular de-
scription of traffic, or any undue OR I'M
reasonable prejudice or disadvantage in any
respect whatsoever. Every common car
rier subject to the provisions of this act
shall, according to their respective powers,
afford all reasonable, proper, and equal
| facilities for the interchange of traffic be-
tween their respective lines, and for the re-
ceiving, forwarding, and delivering of pas
sengers and property to and from their
several lines and those connecting there
with, and shall not discriminate in their
rates and charges between such connecting
lines: nor shall it be lawful for any corpo-
ration, company, or person subject to the
provisions of this act to charge or receive a
higher compensation for the carriage of
passengers or freight received from a con-
Meeting line than it charges or receives for
a like service in the carriage of passengers
or freight not received from another line
but this shall not be construed as requiring
any such common carrier to give the use OF
its tracks or terminal facilities to another
carrier engaged in like business.
LONG AND SHORT HAULs.
That it shall be unlawful for any COM
mon carrier subject to the provisions OF
this act to charge or receive any greater
compensation in the aggregate for the
transportation of passengers or of like kind
of property, under substantially similar
circumstances and conditions, for shorter
than for longer distance over the same
line, in the same direction, the shorter
being included within the longer distance
but this shall not be construed as author
izing any common carrier, within the terms
OF this act, to charge and receive as great
compensation for shorter as for longer
distance nor shall it be lawful for any
corporation, company, or person subject tC
the provisions of this act to charge or re-
ceive a higher compensation for the car
riage of any passenger or freight from any
point in this State to another point in the
same than is charged in the aggregate for a
like transportation from any point beyond
the limits of this State to point within
the State, the carriage being in the same
direction over the same line and the desti
nation being the same proUtded, hoi0ever,
that upon application to the railroad com.
mission created by this act, such common
carrier may, in special cases, after investi-
cation by the commission, be authorized te
charge less for longer than for shorter dis,
tances for the transportation of passengers
from time to time prescribe the extent to
which such designated common carrier may
be relieved from the operation Of this sec
ton of this act.
In all, the bill contains twenty-nine sec
tons in which the system Of enforcement
of it's provisions is provided for.
Instead of one Commissioner of Rail
roads, as under the present law, it provide
for Board Of three Commissioners ap
pointed by the Board Of Public Works.
The salary of the president Of the commits
sion is So, 900, and of the two associates
So, 800 each, and of the clerk 81, 500, to b,
paid out of the Treasury, but recovered
back from the railroad companies by assess
ment on taxes Of gross earnings.
1t was complaints against the railroads
similar to those we are now accustomed tx
hear which gave rise to the action of the
Legislature about twelve years ago wher
the Office of Railroad Commissioner was
engrafted as department III our State
government. It was maintained that the
Commissioner was clothed with sufficient
power to correct all Irregularities and
secure reasonable and just" freight-rates.
1t seems there has been general disap-
pointment in these respects.
Now we are to have Board of Com
missioners, three in number trebling the
expense of the Office as it is now. Well,
if the objects can be secured, namely salts
factory local freight-rates and no drawbacks
and determinations to counterfeit theil
benefits, then this increase of officers and
enlarged expenditure, to come at last
mainly from agriculture, may work well
if it secures also satisfactory stability Of
charges upon our local commerce, other
wise it will not.
This bill, which creates Board of Com
features that appertain TO the present Of
fee Of Railroad Commissioner, namely
the expense of maintaining it, is levied b.
the State upon the railroads, and they il
turn put it upon the people. Why no
give the Government it's true dignity in tn,
premises and have this chief department
established as the others are? If the STATE
intendsto take control and assume authorit,
in regulating freight-rates, let it do so il
no unmistakable manner, and not repeat
on more expensive system, the failures O
the first remedy to secure charges free
from complaint. It seems to US that il
assumes the power and than lodges the
propriety of maintaining it with Boart
of Commissioners. The whole question al
last comes back as one of conference ant
adjustment,-just what it is now. The
railroads have vested rights and whenever
the climax of the issue is reached they are
acknowledged.
Agriculture and our coal and iron-re
sources, chiefly, are increasing our inland
commerce. Some settled policy in trans
portation, upon which their full develop.
ment depends, ought to be reached, and
the dissatisfaction which exists should be
quieted. If the increased expenditure by
creating a Board of Commissioners will
secure the desired ends, why cannot the
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