The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-02-05

d vi NM" kAg ANAHl Wa
nessee. The passage Of the bill would De
more serious in its consequences than during
the period OF doubt prevailing 10y reason u
the condition OF the state debt.
Mr.. Walter Sharp. Yce-presldent OF the
Business Mems Association Of Norfolk. and
the president Of the Real Estate Exchange
or Virginia, was the next speaker. tie SAID
that in these capacities he represented perhaps
100000 people IN this State. and among the
whole number not a person could De lOuld
VINO understood the provisions OF TINS on
who would not be utterly opposed on. ne
thought the people of Virginia y, I'D raJheS
20 without anything 70 eat for the balauce OF
their lives than without railroads. II he
was 10 analyze all the ODjecL)nable features
OF the bill he would have To- talN Tor 400
years, for lie thought IL was wrong from be-
ginning to end.
NOT A LAWYER.
Questioned by Mr.. Kent to point ont some
Of the differences between the provisions OF
the present law and the Kent Dll, Dir. sharp
said lie was not a lawyer and did not know
the law Sufficiently TO give % satisfactory re-
ply. Bir. Kent stated that the only differ
euce was in the fact that tho Kent ON made
provisions TO carry out the measures CON
tanned IN the existing law. blr. sharp ADDED
that one provision alone IN tile Dill coull not
BE- carried out even II al the brains OF Lhe
ueOple of Virginia were concentrated ~ one
AtlND44r NV AAtA l"A"NA 49, 1885,
the railroad commission, and THIS provision
was the carrying out OF a Uniform schedule
scheme.
Mr.. Washington Taylor was next intro
duced aud made a brief statement II. olND-
sltiOn 10 the bill, and took the ground t-~tl IL
would drive q nail into the CONN OK every
foreign dollar that had come into TINS state.
The bill WAS inlquitous and should nave
never been brought before tho people
sir. 81. 3. Baldwin. secretary Oh leal
Estate Exchange followed. who also entered
his protest against the passage OF the Dill
lie admitted that some of the provisions ot
tie bill were admirable, Uut the maJor.ty Oh
them was Objectionable.
Captain Charles G.. Elliott. the next speaker
stated that while a great demand Tor T~estrlc-
lions OF railroad companies lad existed years
AGO. intelligent public opinion had come 10
the conclusion that this was not 50 now. IN
other words. that the railroad commissions
had failed in their objects. Much progress
had been made IN late years by the managers
Of the railroads IN the Caroiinas aud IN Nlr-
pinia. and the present condition or affairs had
been accomplished by them. The railroad
companies themselves We're ia favor oi q rea
sOnabie reduction of rates, lecause tuey KNOW
that u would increase the tralhc o. the ROAD
aud benefit the country through which
the road passed. If the present law contain
ed substantially the same provisions as the
Kent bill why should 10 become necessary 10
create a new and more expensive
commission, In this bill salaries were pro-
vided for the members Of the commission.
which he felt confident no member or the
legislature would be willing to vote for If the
money was 10 come out of the pockets or the
people. While the bill only authorized the
regulation Of schedules on local trafnc. II
could not influence through schedules, and
vet the local schedules could not be separated
from through schedules. The present railroad
80 IL 1.I. ~nHNI Ia I4ff4Fs FIR
the people. ~ they had proven by the past.
The hour for the beginning q the session
of the House having arrived the committee
postponed the further consideration OF tie Dill
until 4 o'clock IN the afternoon when a dele
cation of business men from Lynchburs were
10 appear.
Afternoon Session.
Promptly at 4 o'clock the session Of the
committee was taken up again with Mr.. D. r..
Mason in the chair. Mr.. NJ. c. Thomas. OF
Roanoke, read "a lengthy letter from Mr..
Charles O.. Eddy. ylce-presidert OF the Nor
folk aud Western Railroad Company. who by
"A previous engagement was prevented 20 ap-
pear before the committee. Ar. Eudy says
that he submits his views a. O citizen and tax
payer of Virginia and not as a railroad Official.
lie adds that there are within the BORDERS of
the State from ten 20 fifteen millions Or acres
of untitled lanl. two thirds OF which Is capable
~ cultivation AS soon as cleared. valuable az
ricultural and grazing lands. There are mil
lionsof acres OF land that have heretofore been
TILED that have remalnedidle since 1860. every
acr. of which IS caUable of producing remun-
erative crops. The farmers Of Virginia can
nor afford to force the issue as presented IN
tine Kent bill ia the presence OF the present
Great industrial development within our
state. The prosperity oil the farmers OF W.
pluia is assured. and that. TOO. without the
need Of any restrictive railroad legislation;
The home markets or the new cities anu
rown.iu the Valley and Southwest Virginia,
viii the annual increase in population of the
leading cities east OF the Blue Ridge. are tur-
nishiuV the best Of all markets Tor the
farmer. u home market.
senator Mcdonald introduced Ar. Ed.
Franklin. secretary OF the Board or Trade OK
Roanoke. WHO read q set of resolutions adOp-
ted by that body strongly IN favor OF REJECT
mo the Kent bill. The resolutions were
stoned by Mr.. John w. CradOck president OF
the Board OF Trade, and Mr.. rankin. The
latter added that he and the other residents
of L~ynchburg had only come as business men
10 submit the resolutions. and not 70 MAKE
any set speeches. C.,
Slr Kent then introduced Mr.. Z. b.. Sub
laft member OF a committee from the CHAM
Ier of Commerce OH stanton. who submit
tad some resolutions IN favor Of the passage OF
fine iil. lie then stated som OF the prlncI-
nal complaints which are made against the
railroads. in his locality, and mentioned es-
neciallv the discrimination IN freight rates
tetwsen the Shenandoah Valley and BaltL
more and Ohio Railroad companies. lie
cited a number Of instances wnere the Shen-
sndoah Valley gave about hall as low rates as
the baltimore and Ohio and Chesapeake and
Ohio railroads. He concluded by saying that
these complaints were the cause OF his APP
nearing before the committee. and that the
! General desire in his locality was TO secure
Uniform freight rates.
CORRECTION.
Chairman James stated that Mr.. Warner
Moore Lad sent Il communicable TO the COM
mittee saving that he had been mistepre-
sented in one OF the daily papers, which made
him state when lie appeared before the CON-
mittee on Tuesday last that he came as repre-
sentative of the Chamber of whhe
he distinctly explained that he was present
| only as an individual member or that boiy.
MIR. Moore was correctly reported IN HE
lINEs.-td.l L.t.
Nr. Kent then made a statement on Dehsii
If a class OF people who had not appeared be,
Gro fine committee: not Il single farmer hAd
set forth The reasons why The Railroad CON-
mission bill should be passed. II had peen
minated before the committee tnat tho tsIIn'
ers were satisfied With the existing conditions;
II might be expected that the silence OF the
farmers gave Their consent, out ~ MS Juug-
ment this was not the case. Ihere was
scarcely a member in the Legislature who had
49, L. r. .snIAE q nIAn0A TnAI INA