The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-12-25
Railroad Legislation Again.


deal of money in property here.
Railroad Legislation Again.
Virginia has about as much use for
three railroad commissioners as wagon
has for fifth wheel. The principle duties
of such commissioners, if appointed,
would be to draw their salaries and ride
about the state OH free passes. They would
doubtless find time to make themselves
generally obnoxious to the men engaged
in the management of the railroads in the
state, but we fail to see what earthly
good would be accomplished by them.
The work Of the Interstate Commerce
Commission has not been such a brilliant
success as to encourage us in the belief
that state commission would accomplish
anv good The idea of establishing such
commission is the outcome Of desire to
pandcr to the Farmers Alliance. This
tendency to demagogy is lamcntable,
and unless halt is called much damage
will be done to the material interests OF
the Commonwealth. Railroad companies
in return for the peculiar privileges they
enjoy, should carry the products of the
country at reasonable rates, but, except
in most extreme cases tho fixing of rates
should be left in the hands of shippers
and carriers. The interest of these do
not conflict, and we believe that in most
cases an equitable adjustment is arrived
at. 1t is to the interest of the railroads
to encourage the shipment of the products
Of the territory which it occupies, and to
do this they must fix their rates so that
| the shipper will make fair profit when
| he gets his product into market. Rail-
road men are alive to this principle, and
we believe that if most of the complaints
of cxhorbitant charges by railroad com
panes were investigated, it would be seen
that the shipper is making a much larger
profit in proportion to the capital, time
and labor invested than is the railroad
company.
Virginia cannot afford to cripple her
railroads by adverse legislation. The
development Of vast stores of wealth within
her borders is dependent on the build
ing of new railroad lines. Men with
capital are not likely to invest their money
in railroads where the control Of their
property is practically in the hands of a
state commission; and if much Of the con-
| tcmplatcd railroad legislation is passed
| in the present session of the General AS
sembly, railroad building i'll this state
will experience set back from which it
| will not soon recover. 1t is a hard matter
to legislate a country int state of pros
pcrity, but it is comparatively easy mat
ter to enact such laws as will indefinitely
retard its development.
If there is any of the old independent,
patriotic spirit left in the General AS
semby Of Virginia, it should assert itself
in resisting the attempts of demagogucs
to delay the day when Virginia shall re-
sumo her old supremacy among the states.
The news that the bondholders nave &C
cepted the State Debt settlement will be
hailed with delight throughout Virginia.
No matter what the opinion of many as to
the justice of a large portion of the debt,
all who have the welfare of the state at
heart will be glad that the debt is at last
settled. For many years the debt ques-
ton has been the horse upon which dema-
gogues and scalawags have been able to
ride into power in the state government.
The settlement will have good effect
upon the material prosperity of Virginia,
for many capitalists, whether justly or
not, have heretofore refrained from in
vesting in Virginia securities. owing to
the unsettled condition of the State Debt
In the death of Senator Plumb the
United States Senate has lost one of its
| most useful members. He was not bril-
liant orator, but man of solid parts, q
clear thinker and one who had the cour-
age to stand by his convictions. On many
subjects he differed with the majority OF
his party and he never hesitatcd to boldly
declare his differences. Men like this
who are not mere party hacks can be ILL
spared in our Legislative councils ].
NJ Industrial Notes.
1.-THE fountains which we're given by the
|iiberalityof DIR. D. Whtridge, of Boston,
have been erscsed In the yard OF Che Exposi-
tion Ball, and add very much to its appear
slee. They are made Of cement and conglom-
crate stone piled up in q rustic fashion, The
water playing over the whole from spray
nozzle. There will be d number OF noEzles