Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-01
ic Paper. Established in 1910
TON, Projectors.
FRIDAY MORNING, JAN. |, 1892.

we are uoG oppOSeu 10 Tie AenUJ DILL, Out
to that provision of it which gives to the COM
mission the authority to originate rates. It is
easy to amend the bill and give to the COM
mission adequate powers in less objectiona-
bic form. Let the companies make their own
rates and schedules, and then let the commits
sion, either upon its own motion or at the in
stance of any person agrrieved, say whether
the rate OF schedule in question is fair and
just one. Nine times out of ten the company
will abide the decision of the commission
But if the company will not accept the judy
ment of the commission we would have the
commission bring it into court. there to show
cause why it should not be compelled to make
different rate or schedule. The commission
Will relieve the shipper from nearly all trou-
BILE in the premises. 1t will be its province
/. to furnish expert evidence and counsel 1t
will take upon itself the duty of Fighting"
the company and relieving the shipper from
all the worry and annoyance of litigation
where he has to depend upon himself alone to
maintain his cause.-Rjct0aond Dispatch.
To permit the change in the bill sug-
gested above, would simple license the con-
tinuance of the harrassment which the
farmers and shippers have undergone, and
to put an end to which is one of the several
good objects Of this bill. The position Of
petitioners to the throne with it's compli-
cations, its delays, its red tape reference
from one officer to another, has fairly worn
the suppliants out, and they now propose
to reverse it and let this be done by the
railroad companies who are fully equipped
to do it. The railroad companies have
their rates and schedules poW and it is
against those rates and schedules that the
Kent bill is directed as beginning. The
first work of the Railroad Commission will
be to change what is existing to-day, and
what will continue to exist if that commits
sion is not given power to change it. The
Dispatch conveys the impression that upon
the establishment Of the commission the
railroads may make a fresh deal of rates
and schedules which the commission
''on it's own motion OF at the instance Of
any person aggrieved," Shall take cogni-
zance of. But we hardly think it will find
the railroads ready to assent to the view
that they have been running oppressive
rates OF inconvenient schedules, and are now
ready to make a more fair deal for the pub
lie. Their contention is that they are
doing the best they can in both, now. 1t is
against this best that the public has
already taken the place of ''the person ag-
grieved' y and its complaints are already i'll.
1t is this situation that demands the rene
DIV of power in the hands of the Commits
sioners to originate rates.
Our contemporary thinks that when the
bill is up in the legislative committees it
will appear that the Chamber of Commerce
of Richmond is nearer to the Dispatch s
view than the INDICATOR thinks. We
cannot say much about what will appear
in the committees, but we Shall be very
much surprised if, after the action of the
Chamber, it should endorse any modifica-
ton of the Kent bill in this resi- ect. But
however that may be, we should rot like to
be the country member representing a
farming community who gives his consent
to such modification. We believe tbaaT
four-fifths Of the members Of the>-egisla-
ture elected last November were. directly
OF indirectly, sent thereon the belief of
their constltue9]abnat they would pass a
bill taklnI5l their hands this long and
WeaIlSlloille contest with the railroad officers,
: I'd putting it in the hands OF a commits
sion armed with power to make the fight
for them fairly in their interest. 1t they
leave any opening for further worry like
that suggested by the Dispatch, and throw
again on the farmers tie burden OF making
complaints, there will be q day OF reckon
ING for them at home. That is so III this
county and, it is not unreasonable to as
sumo, i'll all the agricultural counties OF