Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-09

s ,' change may be made. and proceed.
''eo may De mad to ASCERTAIN what ,,,ti,
c Just compensation for the larss
"pon any such new location. ana The
,he may DC constructed upon or through
,asA '"ane' ana the title to such
4, ,,, ouse'neu IN like manner, as n
y were the hrst location. II IL not nor
ceived that any conditions exlsf which
make Y proper to confer such sweenip o
anu INDEFINITE powers upon the railway
bin. '''pia'eo ny 'his
IT'S POWERS TOO BROAD.
apparently II Is intended TO cover those
cases in which the companies may i'm
prove their road-beds by inconsiderable
S"anSes or location. and II the bill went
+, .ner IL would be unobjectionabie.
IN the State there may be found grades
ana curves, due 10 bad engineering. or
some conditions which may have existed
"' me time or the construction OF the
Ioao winch may be readily avoided by n
new location. but the bin confers the
power OF making much more extensive
Vn""ees under the guse OF improving
tAe track. Long detours might be made
winch would seriously affect villages or
even towns, which had been built with
reverence TO the permanence OF the
iahroads operations. Industrial plants
ana mining enterprises may have been
established whose continued existence
Is dependent upon the facilities for trans
portation afforded by the existing roads.
To put II In the power OF a corporation
10 cripple and overthrow these enter
prises by changing the location of its
line, either for the purpose OF develo vez,;
other enterprises in which the corpora
ton or Its officers are interested. or in
order 10 promote speculative operations
at other places. Is contrary to a sound
public policy. Since the power is given
TO change any portion Of the track which
VIII shorten the distance between the
termini, IL is readily seen that in the case
OF long line these changes might as
sumo very large proportions. and take
directions which would be forbidden by
the Legislature If the application for an
enlargement of charter privileges was
made in a way to reveal the changes pro-
posed
EACH CASE ON IT'S MERITS.
The Legislature is now and has been
in session for some time. If any of the
roads OF the State are contemplating ex-
tensive changes in the location OF their
lines. application may be made to the
General Assembly for a special grant of
power With the facts before them that
body can determine whether it will allow
the request. Opportunity would thus be
given for localities and interests likely
10 be affected 70 be heard.
While il is not presumed that this bill
ia intended TO be used for the purposes
indicated. yet IL must be clear that II
may be used in this manner. and 1t is
the part Of prudent legislation to antici-
pate an abuse of power. and to render
such an abuse impossible by throwing
proper limitations around a grant Of
special privileges. An indefinite grant of
power is always Objectionable. If. for in
stance. a bill was offered to charter a
company to build a road between Bristol
and Norfolk without designating its
course, and limiting it only with respect
TO the two points designated as termi-
nails, it would meet with the strongest
opposition in the General Assembly, and
would be amenable to objections spring
ing from the souhdest considerations OF
public policy. And yet, by the bill under
consideration. the existing Norfolk and
Western Railway Company could con-
struct an entirely new track between
these points, and abandon any and all
portions of the present location. So also
might shorter lines be adopted on any
through line in the State. which would
work great injury TO localities. and might
seriously affect the States interest In
road which now yields a handsome IN
come Such powers might enable rail-
road to dictate to cities and towns the
granting Of dangerous and injurious iran
chises.
can see no objection to the apparent
objects Of the bill. To shorten curves
would insure greater safety and lessen
the time of travel. and the bill might
serve a good purpose If restrictions shouid
be imposed as TO the length of the
Improvement to be made, and the de-
parture from the old line be forbidden
beyond a certain distance. Depots, vii
lagos, or manufacturing enterprises that
have been established should certainly
not be ignored in making such changes
The possibilities of abuse connected win
mis- act are too great for 1t to receive
Executive sanction. Respectfully,
j. HOGE TYLER, Governor.