Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1892-03-11
THE LAWMAKERS WORK
AID WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED.

ID,
The General Assembly of lS91-92
has been particularly marked rs
working body of men, and more sub.
jccts OF grave moment and more leg
islation CT II di,tinctively impol tnnt
character hive been effected than
that considered in any body tho past
two decades.
Al the very beginning of the ses
sion the General Assembly was call
ed upon TO elect the county judges
for each of the 100 counties of the
State. This was done with cure and
prudence and in all of the counties
men have been placed who are worthy
of all OF The confidence which judicial
positions demands.
a United States Senator was elect
ed (Sennior John w. Daniel), and
five circuit court judges were named
during the session. The full quota
Of State officers were also elected, be
ing almost entirely a reelection of
those then in office, the Snpcrintend-
ent of the Penitentinry being nota-
bic exception. The Senate also con-
frmel the appointment of'a number
OF boards to public institutions Which
were appointed by the Governor.
An apportionment Nas also made
both for Congress it'.n representa-
tion and for members Of the State
House and Senate.
The State debt question was, with
out doubt, the most complex and i'm
poriant subject presented for settle
ment. This, happily, was disposed
Of i'll Il manner which met the unani-
nous appreciation OF the entire AS
sembly, and which has been hailed as
II wise and judicious arrangement by
the people at large.
THE RAILROAD LAW.
The railroad legislation which was
adopted, while it was not the Kent
bill, which was generally considered
us being too extreme i'll its require.
ments, seems to meet the demends
of the people. The Mason bill, rs
tho measure was known, is framed
largely on tho outlines of the Inter
State Commerce law aid yet endows
the railroad commissioner with such
additional authority as greatly con,
duces to the efficacy of his Office.
The law seems to meet fully every
possible demand of the people and is
sufficiently equitable and just to
meet with no objection from the rail
roads.
Its first clause prohibits the rail
roads from charging more foy short
haul than for long one. It's second
and third prohibits the granting OF
special rights, drawbacks, rebates and
prevents unjust discrimination. The
fourth section provides the most con-
venient arrangements for the inter
change OF passenger and freight traf-
lic at crossing points. The fifth pro
vides for the publication OF the rates
charged for freight and passenger
traffic aud their publication at the
vnrious depots, 10 advance to be
made except after ten duys' notice,
and no variations allowed from the
published rates.
FALSE CLASSIFICATION.
The sixt, seventh and eighth claus
es prohibit false billing, false clhssi-
iication and requires duplicate bills
of lading and expense bills to be fur
nished. Fhe nintlY section requires
the establishment of telegraph Offices
and fixes regulations with reference
to notification by the train dispatch
Ell OF tue arrival and departure of
Trains. This section, like the tenth,
which requires the opening of the
ticket Office, and the seventh, which
requires annual reports from the
Commissioner, and the twelfth, which
requires the publication of the laws
and their posting at the several STA
tons, are but in effect copies of the
present statutes.
The most important sections in
the billis the fourteenth, which. pro-
vides that where any common carrier
has been guilty of any violation Of
the law, either with reference to it's
FREIGHT char0eS. IFS train connections.