Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-01-22

Ioads, but has no penalty affixed. Some of
the sections are quite ferocious, for instance
$1,000 fine Oh the company not making
Its annual report to the Board of Public
Works IN 90 days after the year expires.
This must have been, we take it, sort of
Christmas bomb to explode for the ears of
the farmers. And lastly, We have the Sec
ton requiring ian approved spark arrester
on locomotives" to save the barus, with nc
body designated to approve it, and no
penalty if it is not put on.
After reading this law, we naturally
turn to find the power to enforce it and
look to the Railroad Commissioner of the
State. We find his powers defined in eec.
1900. 1t reads that whenever in his judg-
ment this was later amended by the legis-
lature SO as to make 1t read COZ from his
own observatory any railroad company
has violated, OF neglected to comply with
the law he shall notify the company in
writing. If the violation OF neglect is con-
tinued he shall report it to the Board OF
Public Works. The Board of Pubic
Works shall investigate and If they deem
it proper OF necessary shall s'diIect SAID
Railroad Commissioner to make application
by a bill in equity for an Injunction to re-
strain the company OF persons complained
of, from further continuing TO violate Jne
law OF the terms of its charter" In Sec
1901 the Railroad Commissioner if he deems
repairs, modification of freight and passen-
ger rates, more rolling stock, better depols,
&C., needed he can notify the company ami
if it does not comply he must report to
the Board of Public w orks for sucn action
as they deem expedient.
When one after reading lays down the
present railroad law of Virginia, he callnOt
help the feeling that many of its PROVISIONS
have been adopted from time to time to
meet general and long standing complaints
of the people, aud that they have been so
adroitly worded as to keep the promise to
the ear ana break it TO the hope. The
general tenor OF Its ostensible purpose IS
precisely similar with the Kent uIll-lt
fixes the maximum OF rates for freight and
passengers, it requires railroads to exhibit
annually Il statement OF their business. 1t
regulates connections, time tables, hours
for keeping depots open for ticket selling,
rolling stock to he everything that a
protest is raised against the Kent bill do
ing, but somehow it is SO cumbersome, SO
slow, so left handed, SO far from locating
anywhere power that CAN be promptly and
swiftly exercised in behalf Of the people,
that it amounts to literally nothing. 1t is
not surprising that the railroads want the
present excellent railroad law Of the State
to stand as it is" After reading it, one
can sympathize with State Railroad Com
missioner Hill who has been as much de-
nounced by the farmers as the railroads
the legislature has given him the bricks to
make and no straw to make them with.
The difference between his case and that of
a Kent Railroad Commissioner is that the
bill proposes to give the latter both bricks
and straw.
We see that Mr.. Kent has accepted an
amendment to his bill by which the COM
panies fix the rates and submit them to the
Commission, which has the power to change
them, and if they change them their change
stands until the railroads get it reversed i'll
the courts. If there is to be any change i'll
the bill, we should think this would be about
the least Objectionable that could be offer
ed. 1t still keeps the power in the hands
of the Commission, and that is all the PEG
pie want-they don't want any railroad in
iurad Or crinnlaI