Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-12

duced TO pass laws IN CHclr interest,", In
counties the population had been
diminished during the past ten years, and
even one of the most fertile counties in the
State (Loudoun county, had in the same time
lost about half million in the valuation of
taxable propert.', and its population had also
diminished II the wealth of the cities was
increasing and that of the country districts
decreasing, no man could say that the rail
roads were favoring agricultural develop
ment In twenty mine States out of the forty
two, railroad commissions were in existence.
In sixteen of these States, and five of them
were Southern States, more railroads had been
built under the commissions than before.
This fact showed that commissions would not
retard the building of roads, nor would they
keep capital out, but would have the opposite
effect. The bill should at least be reported,
and its passage would be good policy on the
part of members of the General Assembly
and Of the party in supremacy in this State.
THE SENATOR FROM LOUDOUN REPLIES.
Senator Fairfax, Of Loudoun and Fauquier,
said that he was present by mere accident,
the questions which Mr.. Kent had PROFOUND
ed. He was farmer and in no way interested
in the railroads; he represented two of the
best agricultural counties in the State, and
during his canvass he had positively declared
that he would net vote for any railroad COM
mission bill. On this issue he had won his
canvass, and he had carried every one of the
twelve precincts in his district but two, and
one of the latter Leesburg, was the home OF
his opponent. With reference to Mr.. Kent
remarks as to the decrease Of prosperity in
Loudoun he could say that the people there,
seeing their property assessed higher than
elsewhere had brought down their valuations
because they could not bring up the other val.
uations. The population had Slightly dimin.
ished because quite number of residents had
removed to Southwestern Virginia. - /;
WHAT A RAILROAD MAN THOUGHT ABOUT
IT.
Mr.. NJ G. Thomas of Roanoke, read a
lengthy letter from Mr.. Charles e. Eddy
Vice President of the Norfolk & Western
Railroad Company, who by previous en-,
the committee. Mr.. Eddy says that he sub
mits his views as citizen and taxpayer OF
Virginia and not as a railroad official. He
adds that there are within the borders of the
State from ten to fifteen millions of acres OF
untitled land, two-thirds of which is capable
of cultivation as soon as cleared, valuable ag-
ricultural and grazing lands. There are mil
lions of acres of land that have heretofore
been titled that have remained idle since 1865,
every acre of which is capable Of producing
remunerative crops. The farmers Of Virginia
n oOnOt afford tO fOrpn no cd
in the Kent bill, in the presence of the present
great Industrial development within our
State. The prosperity of the farmers of Viz
ginia is assured, and that, too, without the
need of any restrictive railroad legislation.
The home markets of the new cities and
towns in the Valley and Southwest Virginia,
with the annual increase in population of the
leading cities east of the Blue Ridge, are fur
nishing the best of all markets for the farm
er, a home market
COMING TO VOTE.
Mr.. j. Thompson Brown read letter from
Hon. L. N. Trammell, chairman of the Rail
road Commission of the State of Georgia,
favoring railroad commissions and setting
forth the advantages to be derived from Them.
After some further discussion the vote of
the committee was taken and resulted as
follows-Those in favor of the measure were
Messrs. Kent, J. Thompson Brown and With
row, while the dissenting votes were cast by
Messrs. Ryan, Mason, Anderson, Pitcher,
John Jackson, Mallet, Thomas, Berkeley and
Miller.
Mr.. Shepperson, the other member of the
committee, was absent.
TUB TO THAT ANGRY WHALE THE
PEOPLE.
MI. j. E. Mason of King George, has since
introduced in the House, bill to amend Sec.
1900 of that remarkable collection of sections
called the Virginia Railroad Law, SO as to
make it read as follows:
Whenever in the Judgment of said commits
siOner, upon complaint made to him, or on his
own knowledge, it shall appear that any such
company has violated any law OF neglected in
any respect or particular to comply with the
terms of its charter or with the provisions OF
any of the laws of this Commonwealth eSpe
cially in regard to the connections with other
railroads, the rates of toll and the time Sche-
dulles, he shall IN writing request the said
rect the cause of complaint. If after ten days
the said company neglectS or refuses, the said
commissioner shall in the name of the Com
monwealth proceed to have a ii matters OF cause
OI COLIlpldluG duJuSbcu ny Vic ClICulG COulG, VI
the judge thereof in vacation, of the county
wherein the cause of complaint arose, having
first given the said company or person opera
ting the same * days notice, which notice
shall contain the cause Of complaint. The
case shall be heard by the said circuit court,
pleadings shall be required. The said court,
or Judge thereof in vacation, ii its decision is
in favor of the Commonwealth, shall enter an
order restraining the company or person COM
To lat
the law or the terms of its charter, or may
order the injury complained of to he correc-
ted, and shall also see that the penalties are
imposed which are prescribed by law for any
violation OF law OF its charter, injury done or
neglect, as may be set out in the notice.
And it shall also be the duty of commits
sioner to require every such company, or per
son operating the same, to post and keep pos
ted conspicuously in every passenger and
freight depot of the company copy of this
in which shall also be stated the name OF the
commissioner and the location of his Office,
and to that end the commissioner shall furn-
ish sufficient number OF copies.
Second. The notice required in the preced-
ing section shall be served and returned in
the manner now prescribed by law for the
service of notice on corporations, or on truS-
tee, lessee or receiver of corporation, and
the return thereof.
Third. 1t shall be the duty Of the Common
wealth's Attorney OF any county in Whlch
proceedings are instituted under this act, to
represent the State, and such proceedings shall
have precedence on the docket.
CLEANED FROM THE MAILS.
The Warrenton Virglnan summing up a
non-official statement of an examination into
the failure of Rosenberger& Spindle's ''bank'
there, says that Tin addition to the salaries
mentioned and all other costs and expense:
incident to the running Of the bank there has
been taken therefrom in excess of the capital
stock, reserve fund and total profits, ths
LEI Al,GG