The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-05-19

s''r'S - nave departed from the ra!lwa
. ccrued "'o '0i
"One Of the chief difficulties with thola
~ II stands to-day is that the punlsbmen
Ior private contracts and rebates Is on
uIe'y out or proportion 10 the offensc Tn
imprisonment cause was put in as n
amtndInc't 20 the Interstate commerc
Jaw. ana believe the commission an,
VN"iN'He VINO has watched It's working
w" agree with mo that II has been faii
uIe' more than failure. that Il has cause,
perhaps moro Generalization than any
thing Csc. Tho public has not believed ir
~ u has bcon impossible TO secure cOnylc
uOn: 1t has prevented the railway Of
7 hclaI VINO desired 10 he honest from com.
p'aiAlng oi his competitor whom he thought
/ was cishOucst. IN fact # has been vba,
every law is that f. not supported by pub.
p i.' ""'linent-a iaAUTc. What, in fact is
+ ~" maoIor Of conducting business to-day?
no railway official who desires 10 he hon
est AID ,aW-ab.ding secs traffic leave his
..ie ana finds the freight that he was car
fNing hauled tO the warehouse Of his rival.
the earnings Of bis line decreasing and
complaints from The management of loss Of
earnings, and .n the distance he secs loom
ift up Tho loss OF his position. At the same
7 ne. the shipper who desires 10 obey the
l1w s"o7 some rival selling merchandise to
mis- customer, at prices he cannot meet
ana be- knows very wen that he Is securing
concessions from some railway to enable
hm q do this. The railway agent and tho
shipper Who wish 20 obey the law sit down
together and look 4 over. What relief is
th"Ie lor them? They can complain Of
their rivals possibly convict them under
TIE Interstate commerce law and send
them to Tho pcntcnt.ary, but such action
would bring down upon them the con-
GeinrdNuu or the pubic. and would ruin
thcir business. fo-, rs ! stated before the
pubic does not believe In this severe fea-
ture Of the law. and Will not support any
or" who cnforccs t. The result is. these
men IA despair are driven to DO Just what
thor opponents are doing-thcv become
IaWbrcakcis themselves. | have drawn no
fancy picture; IT is what is occurring every
day around you. Boards Of trade. COM
morc!al bodies and conventions have re- |
peatod.y reported on H. and ali have come |
10 the same conclusion; and yet, for some |
ineNp.icable reason, congress has failed 10 !
act
There are two changes that should ie
made iu this present legislation which /
would aid in creating better condition ~
iHalrs than exists to-day. First. the tenth
'etiion or imprisonment clause, should 10
.tfickcn cut. and a row law should be en-
,ctcd Imposing a fine o. say $500 upon
no Offending corporation: make each and
very contract or h.li ~ lading a separate
H"n>e. Leave out tie shipper altogether:
'ou want his testimony. If be cheats by
lnd'l bling or fai-c Invoices. lie should he
punished hut his attempt to secure a lower
ate than his rival should not be iudictable
you then prevent getting testimony
'hiCh Hou Ic"d. With IN amendment pue
'to law every railway official will lie in
crested in prosecuting his rival for any
io.ation Of the law
To-day YOU cannot get any help that ,
'ay. because 70 ouc IS going TO try to send
+ competitor t) prison. Public scrti-
lent would not support Z. and over IL all !
the fear that he himself may have COM y
littof ;rarsgrcssi0us which, In turn. Will ,
4 discovered and prose cuted. and punish
ient Inflicted upon himself But II il was a >
'so Of hrc against tie corporation, there /
Ju,d be 30 Hesitation 10 these corpora n
oHs using the entire power which they &
ave % convict WrOrgdoing. You may
ink that some would pay these fines and d
} on, but l assure YOU that a few fines Is
5000 wOWd work wonders I'm reforming s
lWay corporations in thclr management. o
)oNe all. YOU viii have public opinion be-
rd YOU. and % VIII be easy TO enforce this .
W You can get all the testimony YOU "
ant no one can refuse TO produce his p
oks. You Wiii at least give those railway "a
icidls ana those shippers who sincerely -
Sire 10 he law-ab!dlng citizens a fair II
ance TO defend Themselves &c
Second. the law should be amended so fr
at railway corporations can contract ~
ID each ether for the maintenance OF '
tes CT the division Of business, ard I'm III
Sc of failure of either party to keep his IS
intact allow the other TO sue in tho tn
lrtS ana recover damages. This. ln part,
what Is called pooling. but It is more than
IS. 1t iccdlzcs contracts between rai.- va
81 corporations Il may be a contract an
maintenance Of rates with 10 division tn
business. To-day. If two railway cor ,,
'atloas contract that they viii maintain ~
same rate between Baltimore and New -
TX Ii is conspiracy, contrary 10 public p
.cN and cannot be enforced in the Fr
IUs. This Is an old law which is not nc
ptcI % modern business methods IL
~ up 10 project the pubic in old times.
u 81, 10 icrger necCs sarY. and should he 40
aged % legislation. The right to pool
ou all know provides that two or moro If
way corporations can agree to divide 80
business between competing points on | ="
IAN proportiors, and the line that car Ihe
moro than its share shall pay certain sin
as damages FOR It's failure TO keep ro,
contract. The objection t. allowing this -
been that excessive rates might bo -
iSei To project the public I'm this mat tr'
enact into Jaw that upon the complaint boa
ny ci'I@'1 such rate shah he subject to o1i
G Vo'i,''ti t,, Se to.'.,ls- sell
excessive they shah at once hc re- ~
"a u the bass fixed by the Interstate Athe
ih' Ete commlss. s.on' or else the agree the
~ ,'i'' ~ -, uto D'.Dv, hsvs ony ,,to.os. go. day
try. who desire It's prosperity. are in sec
itci in the solution of this great ques- the
10 IS not time for the GcmagOguc 10 ne
about corporations. II is not time ,o,l
AZ about TIC WrCngdoirgs Of railway "'>
ayers There are always some, IN any mer
ars,. who Wiz not Do right. ard here Mac
81 NIL Doe. bat the great mass Of rail- the
managers to-day, | assure you. are l.,
)Iestly seeking a solution Of this qucs- 80
as are You or any member Of the leg par'
Vc body. ! Lc!icNc | voice the belief Of SIGN
$ large majority Of them that the two rari
sions have mentioned are necessary IL;
siN .cdd 10 the settlement Of this qucs- '"'
II this body Will join and heartily In non
th.s course and work for IL. its ac- char
.i,"i'e't ,i,.ln' can ne atta4Ied, we nave volu
avs ihst :, was r~veT ,"icnJed sbonld port
,p.ied TO transportation compauics Of Will
.atUre We have gone back and taken ION
oI, ''a ,I,..,,' W1. VS. u"treu yeats inal
: hen the masses needed certain pro- War
n. and have endeaYOrcd 10 apply these
principles 10 tie great transporta don n,
sts Of modern times. The courts. un- -''
aatciy. have followed In that line. says
'ee OF you. gentlemen. TO take these ment
70 hedI' ~ the thoughts mat haFe Grca
sted are w!se and commend them
TO your judgment. then put them Ia
form as ; proper and present them 10 "
ess with your recommendations. and Nh
lot much doubt but that they Will be iiapa