Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-11-28
The Terminal Deal

lfof INT UlSfALru-l
Much is being written about the deal
whereby the Terminal Company bls recently
acquired control OF the Georgia Central and
East Tennessee railroads. Tho-e friendly 10
the movement hail it AS a step very beneficial
10 the people Of the localities in which these
roads exist, and are graduating them upon
the increased facilities and general advantages
which must come from q connection with 50
extended system. On The other hand, from
one inspiration or another grave apprehen-
SONS are being expressed rs 10 the desrablli-
~ Of the scheme. Some Of these are OF
general nature adverse 10 the notion Of bring
| ing mauy small railroads under enc manage.
meut, the critics suggesting that the effect Is
to destroy competition snd 10 put the public
more At the mercy OF mOnopoisiic dictatiOn.
| Othcr objections are specific and sound the
alarm 0t the prospect OF having our virginia
ports subjected to unfair determinations in
/ favor Of the more southern outlets to COM
merce.
We have devoted some thought to this
| question in both It's bearings, and the result
/ OF our reflections is the conclusion that the
| adverse criticisms spring from rival and,
| perhaps, disappointed competitors OF the
! Terminal company rather than from any real
or healthy cause OF apprehension in the pub
| lie.
1t has for long time been manifest TO oh.
| servers Of the railroad situation m the South
| that the East Tennessee, Virginia AMI
Georgia railroad would ultimately become
| part of either the Richmond and DanVile or
! Norfolk and Western system. The tendency
| Of the railroad management all over this
| country for twenty years past has been TO-
| wards consolidation, and the day has passed
when the question OF the advantages Of con-
solidation in general is an open one.
While through ignorance or unfamiliarity
with the subject it may possess some novelty
! in the southern States, it Is no new problem
! in the North or West, or even IN Virginia.
The verdict has been rendered In favor OF
| consolidation IN all the communities who
have had practical experience Of It's work.
ngs, and that verdict has met The concur
renee Of many honest men who at the outset
were bitterly opposed to il, their judgments
having yielded to facts demonstrated by ex-
| perience against which their theories adj
! yanced al the outset could not stand. In
| our own state the bitter fight w2ged against
tue consolidation OF the Norfolk and Peters
| burg, the South side and the Virginia and
Tennessee railroads into the Atlantic, Missis-
! sippi and Ohio railroad are fresh in the memo
~ Of all. Yet every candid observer must adj
init that the present pr9speriiyand importance
OF the Norfolk and Western system and the
| territory il trsyerses was only rendered pos
sible by the amslgamaiion OF these fragment
aFv roads and their operation as one corpora
| ton. The Dgnyllle system has surely ac-
complished for :be State and for It's patrons
what neYes could have been attained II the
petty lines composing Il had continued TO
| FOUNDER along under their manifold admins
tratlons aud policies. The same may be said
~ tha a ard 0nfo railroad Whfeb
instead of remaining as a sort Of local con-
neciiou with Louisa Courthouse. now ex-
tends from the Mississippi Valley to the
ocean. With these instances Of our own
doors, OF the practical advantages Of COM
prehensive 81 stems Of railroad as opposed 10
crossroads and the court house tramways, II
Is unnecessary to draw illustrations from The
splendid Pennsylvania system, or others
whose qualifications extend from the sea-
board as far inland as ST. Louis aud Chicago
OF course with their increased power such
immense enterprises WELD great Influence,
and il Is not unlikely that their power for
evil is very gfett--that lisa corrolary Of their
power Tor good. Aud this immense power
has been. Is, and probably will continue TO
be q thing upon which politicians dwell with
emphasis and about which the people often
become greatly concerned. But pretty fair
system OF Federal and state Railroad Com
mi.si0ners has been provided TO hold the ten
denotes Of large railroads in check, aud
there Is ~ little fear Of them 10 the minds OF
intelligent and conservative thinking men as
there Is doubt OF their great advantages
among practical raiIroad-men and the bust
ness public. Tue contrast between these
widely extended systems, aud the short and
ineongruous railways OF the past, IN ee0no-
NV SnQed on transmission rates. and indeed
every essential, Is all in favor Of the former.
So much. then, upon the general policy Of
consolidation. Acqaieseeoeei In Il A. best for
universal in oar midst, and certainly The
Legislature. whether OF one complexion or
the other. has for years lent its sanction 10