Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-19
COL. CHEW'S BILL.
The Senate Committee on Railroads VIII
Report it Favorably.

Report it Favorably.
Special Telegram 10 ne Register
CHARLESTON, February 1S.-Ths Senate
Committee on Railroads heard argument
on Col. CheW's commerce bill this morn
ing. The argument consumed the greater
part of the forenoon. Hon. John A.
Hutchinson, of Parkersburg, counsel for
the B. & o. railroad, spoke against the
bill aud Col. Chew for it. Hutchinson's
argument, like the argument of the
other counsel On the same side was based
almcs. entirely on technical grounds.
The principle Of the bill was not seriously
attacked, but considerable criticism of al-
| Legged flaws in it's construction was indulg-
ed in. Mr.. Hutchinson said that il gave
! the proposed commission extraordinary
favors, in insiructiDg il to Inquire into
railroad accidents as well rs freight dis
examinations and the like. This was
feature that did not appear in the inter-
State bill and was clearly unwise. The
provision which required railroads to make
a report of their finances annually to the
committee was a hardship, because they
were already required TO report to the
Auditor, and two reports were unnecessary.
! Other sections Mr.. Hutchis0n objected TO
on similar gcounds, making a complete re-
view of the bill.
Col. Chew answered single handed all
the able gentlemen who opposed his bill,
aud made a forcible argument in its de-
tense, speaking for over an hour. He
spoke first of the intention Of the bill to se-
cure Just and reasonable rates and to pre-
vent freight DETERMINATIONS. He pointed
ont that 10 one had dared to oppose THE
principle, OF deny ths power Of the State
TO adopt such laws as would secure thor
ough application Of it to our railroad
svstem. IL was the principle at the
bottom of the Interstate Commerce
bill. and the action of the National
Government in adopting aud enforcing
that measure was sufficient justification II
justification were needed for West Virginia
In do the same. Several States OF the
Union had already passed such laws. As
a rule, they were the young and growing
States Of the West, aud in every one OF
them they had proven highly beneficial.
There YVES one clause IN the Interstate
Commerce bill of special Importance to
West Virginia, the long and short haul
clause. Since the Interstate bill became
a law. railroads in this State had forced np
local rates 10 an extortionate figure There
was no remedy except in such bill as was
before the committee.
Mr.. Chew then argued ct length that
the measure proposed would encourage
railroad building. Short branch lines had
frequently been built by local capital, and
the local corporations had by unjust dis
ordinations made their business un-
profitable, and finally swallowed them up.
This had been done time and time again.
The bill in hand if properly enforced
would make such transactions impossible.
Local railroad building and the conse-
queut development Of the State would be
encouraged, for men would have the as
surarce that their capital would be safe
when invested in such enterprises Ar
gument was concluded few minutes be-
fore noon. In the afternoon the commit
tee held a meeting and by clcse vote de-
iermined to report the bill unfavorable.