Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-12-18
THE RAILROAD BILL.
Position of the Richmond Chamber Of
Commerce with Res pect TO II.
n, he EIifoy Of The Dfspdich.

II me EdttOT or nc OtsDdcl'
There Is, perhaps, no southern state IN
which the railroad question has been more
fully considered and discussed than in
Georgia, where the railroad commission act In
Vestlng the commission with the rate-Inaking
power was passed twelve years ago. IL may
therefore, be pertinent 20 our consideration OF
the question 20 refer 20 the situation In that Sec
ton.
In an argument before the Railroad Commit
tee Of the Georgia Legis ure Mr.. Patrick Cal
houn, the gifted and able attorney for the Term,
nal system, said, In reference 10 the hailroad
Commission Of that State:
"I think the commission tends 70 produce uni
formlty and st6adiness OF rates.
81 stand as the advocate Of the Railroad Com
mission.
az stand for governmental control, preventing
discrimination and attempting 20 produce uni
formity OF rates, and then stand for that vide
class Of competition among tho producers OF all
classes, which inures 20 the benefit Of the con-
sumner"
Ihe Georgia railroad commissioners have (or
Mt that time had arbitrary powers, among them
the power TO "hx rates from whose decision
there Ia no appeal Tho Kent bin as proposed
I'm our Legislature gives the commission power 10
"hx" rates. but from their derlsion the railroads
can appeal 70 the courts, ana the law requires
that the courts shall DO deemed 10 be always in
session. In order that the appeal may be heard
I'm tern-tine or vacation al once without delay
20 the railroads. IL Mr. Calhoun "stands for
the Georgia commission he ought 20" tumble" TO
this. Does this law thke lne ThllEOhl properly
out OF the hands Of GsoWners more than IL takes
the property Of any citizen out OF his hands I
Are We not oil amenable 70 tho courts, both III
our person and property? Is 10 incompatiDle
with railroad rights that the people sho1ld ap-
point a commission ae guardians TO the rights OF
ALL n the appeal 10 tho loyal tribunal Is not NJ
terfered with7
The point made by some railroads that tho
commissions should not have power 20 make
rates would be 70 deprive the bill Of LIS best iea-
ture.
There seoms 70 be but one difference between
| the rate-makinR power and the rate-apprCVng
power, and that is that In the first case the rail-
rOa IS must be the contestants IN case OF an un-
far rato, in the other tho people must contest.
| As to who Is the better able 20 contest let the
| people say They have been contesilng since
railroads were frat puilt without any redress tor
| their grievances.
Let il not be lost sight Of that this is no inter-
| ference by the people with private business or
prOperty They have granted extraordinary
rights and privileges TO corporations which from
their nature cannot be granted the indl7idual
citizen, and they have granted them under GER
| tain Well-dehned and Well-understOOd principles
chief among which Il the power OF the state 10
| regulate the operation Of thom. 20 that the
| rights OF the people may be preserved ana los
| tered.
Far DO It from us 20 DO ought that will In any
| degree cripple or iniure a single fairOad IN our
| State. We arc dependent upon them Tor our tu-
| ture prosperity, but let them remember that
they are equally dependent upon us.
Tho Richmond JnaInDef OF commerce mas dIl-
| proved OF this bill after long and abOrious work
! on tho pait Of its committees AMI they have
| investigated the laws Of other States and their
effect on the railroads of those Staios, They
have seen more miles o. neH road Dult IN
Georgia since the appointment Of d commission
than ever before Ihey have seen the Terminal
system buy up the Central OF Georgia after the
the passage and operation OF the Georgia law.
They have seen that Mr.. Inman and Mr. Cal
houn have praised that law, and We have shown
wherein II Is a harsh law compared 10 tho Kent
bill.
They have seen our State, whose unequalled
nberailty granted this Terminal charter, de-
prived OF every advantage that tho location OF
| It's general onices within her borders would have
afforded, and those same Advantages poured
like rich lbatiOn into the lap Of another State,
whose commission held tho most arbitrary and
despotic powers ever granted 10 railroad CON-
mission.
Tho Chamber Of Commerce Of this city has
| over been the friend OF the railroads, and more
| than once has stood between them and the pas
sage Of bill granting arbitrary powers to a
sOmmission.
They approve OF this one because IL contains
| the essential principle Of fairness and Justice
the same accorded 70 any Of its citizens. Let
the railroads beware. They may defeat this bill,
but the might and the right Of the people is but
dormant, and will yet arise In its majesty.
CITIZvN