Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-15

haglng 1t just az we are doing for the
farmers now.
what has impressed US about the banner
bearers in the forefront of the railroad
army almost as much as their enthusiasm
is their ignorance. They either know Lit.
tie or nothing about the subject, or are I'M
willing to imrart it. In their hysterica
efforts to keep their banners aloft they are
vociferous in declaring that commission
composed OF inexperienced men will take
great railroad properties out of the hands
OF those who run them, and by their igno
rance wreck them. That has not been The
history of Railroad Commissions in othel
States where they hold much greater power
than that proposed for the Virginia Com
mission, and we venture to think thai
our State can furnish as competent Com
mlssioners as Georgia, OF Michigan, OF
Kansas, or Iowa. OF any other State. Sc
far from this being the case in other States
the Commissioners and Railroad companies
have gotten along very well together. AL
the railroad companies seem to have beel
waiting for, was to meet a man of thell
size, and having met him they have come
down quietly and reasonably to fair bust
ness rules. You have seen many men like
that, and after all the railroads are but
men. We have been reading the annual
| ,o1.tf or Of ha II
Railroad Commissioners. They publish
annually a list of all the complaints made
during the year and their action Oh them.
For the infor nation of our readers, and
especially for that OF ''the banner bearers
of the railroad army" who may feel DESTROYS
of having few moments of common sense
respite on their marcn i'll the forefront.
we give some of them. The complaints are
very like those we have in Virginia.
l. The Great Bend Extension of the
Chicago, Kansas and Western BY. gol
| Tinpkin township to subscribe SIT ,5UU
to the road OH the promise to build depot
in that township. The subscription WAS
made, the road built, The company built a
little depot and then with true railroad clev-
erness declined to keep an agent there. The
Commission heard both SIDES and required
the company to keep its promise in spirit
and keep its agent there. 1t was done.
Doesn It Staunton recollect $4,000 it lost on
d railroad promise of the q. Il o. III other
years, which a Railroad Commission would
have saved for it?
II. Beaver and Pleasant Valley town.
ships complained Of want of proper facili.
ties for shipping their stock, because OF the
A. L. and s. f. ky. putting no depot al
| Hackney. The Commission went TO the
spot, heard all parties, aud decided that the
company should put a good station and AL
agent at Hackney. 1t was done.
III. A merchant of Garnett complained
OF all overcnarge fol- d carload OF produce.
The Commission went TO the spot, heard
both parties, and decided III favor OF The
railroad company.
Nv. Tie citizens of Independence asked
That the same road be made to ouild d larger
to the spot, heard all parties, investigated
| the receipts of the road there, and the dis
: comforts Of travellers and shippers, and
ordered a new depot. 1t was erected.
V. Plymouth town complained that the
same road had obtained right Of way
through it On the promise Of putting up
depot and keeping up telegraph office
! there. After using its right Of way it re-
fused to do either. The Commission de-
| cided the company must do both, but also,
that Plymouth must give it additional
track room.
VI. A firm in Manchester complained
Of discrimination in the road putting sid
ing at competitor s elevator and refusing
to put one to it's own. The Commission
investigated and found that to put one to
the complainant S elevator would be unreal
sonably expensive, and decided for the
company.
All through the report we are struck
with the absolute impartiality and fairness
OF the Commission S decisions. The decis-
ions in favor of the roads are about as
numerous us those against them. In some
cases where the decision was adverse, the
companies got q second hearing and got it
modified. One of the decisions was on a
petition of the Farmers Alliance for re-
duction of local rates, and was adverse to
it. 1t WAS doubtless disappointing to the
Alliance men, and we expect good many
that woald lie made by a Virginia Com
mission, if established, would be uisappoint-
ing to The farmers, but the Kansas Com
mission gave strong reasons for their de-
ciSiOn, and with reasonable men reasons,
given by disinterested men, go a
long way in producing a cheerful acqui-
escense. Another decision, the Commission
made later, making a reduction in the long
distance tariff in the State was no doubt
more satisfactory to the Alliance, and as
in the other case, strong reasons were given
for it. We have referred to this Kansas
Commission S report at such length, simply
to show that Railroad Commission is not
for the destruction of the railroads, but to
equitably adjust their relations with the
| people. 1t is not to be feared even by the
"banner bearers Of the forefront of the
railroad army
| 4 NOVEL EXPERT OPINION.
In the Richmond Times of Friday there
appears communication on the subject of
wv omen Doctors in Insane ASvlnrnS ;;