The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-03
THE RESOLUTIONS
VAS ADOP led.
Continued from First Page.) /

&gS(SOnLlnue0
Of freight from tho South and turn it over
to tho PENNSYLVANIA. The Pennsylvania
in return gathers large quantities Oh
freight in the North ana Middle est
and turns it over to the Richmond. Fred
ericksburE and Potomac and the ATLANTIC
Coast Line, 50 that the Seaboard Air Line
is rega rded in coming TO Richmond. as
an intruder, seeking to share in this bust
ness.
Tho Pennsylvania. it is true, says to the
Sea.board Air Line. give your business
from the South TO us and we Will handle
it for you. But when we ask thesf Penn
s,-lvania what they Will give US In re-
turn. their reply IS. YOU cannot expect US
to abandon our old-time friends and al
lies
MUST LOOK BEYOND.
We are, therefore, forced TO look be-
Sond and we find the Baltimore and
Ohio with all the necessary facilities for
handling the business beyond Washing
ton. It will be 4 good thing for the Sea-
board Air Line to have 4 connection with
the Pennsylvania, but we also want an
other connection. There appeared to be
another way Of reaching Washington.
The Chesapeake and Ohio now affords
a line between Richmond and Washing
ton in n round about way. but it runs due
north to Hanover Junction. and under its
privileges of building, branch lines fifty
miles in length. it could have reached
Quant1co, where the Baltimore and Ohio.
under its charter. could have built to
meet 1t. but the Pennsylvania turned up
as owner Of the Chesapeake and Ohio.
rendering that plan impracticable. Thus
the Pennsylvania Railroad is in posi-
ton TO dictate the terms and control
rates of freight. not only to New York.
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and
other Northern cities. but also to the
West and the Northwest. Tho question:
therefore. resolves itself simply into this:
Go YOU want competition AS q business
man and citizen of Richmond. always
having at heart the interest of this dear
Old city. do not believe that the LeGis-
lature could confer greater Coon upon
this great and progressive community
t1an by chartering competing line t7om
Richmond to the North.
WANT PERPETUAL MONOPOLY.
The Richmond. Fredericksburg. and
g J otomac stockholders offer to buy fIi n
tho state of Virginia perpetual monop-
oily of the business of the City of Rich
mond and other sections of the State for
about $4,000 per annum. Are We re-
turning to the dark ages when monop-
olics are sold By the Government? I trust
this>oner may recoil upon those who made
it and that this old State will never for
such a Consideration, foster such a mono
poly.
Maj. Dooley concluded his remarks with
an eloquent protest against this propo-
sition.
Mr. Isaac Digss said that he agreed
witt. Maj. Dooley, to whose elol cnt az
dress he had listened with profound inter-
est, but he said that he held before him
a printed proposition which had been
placed in the hand Of every membe. of
the Legislature, that it made a very fine
showing and was certainly a catching
proposition and that it had been followed
by Il bill offered in the Senate BY Mr..
Jeffress and in the House by Mr.. Parks.
providing that the revenue of the State
from it's interest in the Richmond
Fredericksburg and Potomac should be
so handled as ultimately to wipe out the
State debt
Mr.. Digss stated that he was not enough
of a. financier to deal with that state
ment himself, but he warned Maj. Dooley
that he and the friends of the Richmond
and Washington Air Line hallway Com
pany would be met by that paper
THE STATES INTEREST.
Mr.. Diggs further stated that the PAPER,
though credting the State with the
rcvt rue of S. 900 for the estimated tax to lie
derived from the Richmond ana Wash
ington Air Line, if built still showed that
it was the interest of the State not to sell
its holdings IN the Richmond, I'r,Iericks-
burg and Potomac the effect of this be-
ing to continue the State as a partner in
this railroad and to make her opposed to
any line paralleling that road, to per-
petuate it's exemption from taxes and to
enable the road to get what-it wanted
from the Legislature without such pro-.
visos as had been insisted upon with
other railroads.
In conclusion Mr.. DigSs said that al
most one of the first votes he cast in the
Legislature when he was a member was
to authorize the sale of the States in
terest =, the Richmond, Frel ri: ksb,lrS
and Potomac, and that he was proud OF
that vote. that if this was done and the
road in which Maj. Dooley was interested
was built and operated with the best
equipment. the Richmond, Fredercks
burg and Potomac would then have to
come to the State Legislature for adj
ditiona privileges when they could be
forced to give up their exemption from
taxes and the State would then not only
receive taxes from the new road esti-
mated at $1,000. but also taxes from the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
MIR. Diggs remarks were received with
much applause.
MR.. W. N. MITCHELL INTRODUCED.
Mr. Henry L. Cabell addressing the
chair. stated that Mr.. W. \. Mitchell, a
native of Richmond, but now residing at
Atlanta, was present and as he would be
able to tell the meeting how Atlanta felt
in regard to this question, he hoped the
privilege of the floor would be extended
to him. The chair said that knowing that
all present would be glad to hear from MI.
Mitchell, he invited him to address the
meeting.
Mr.. Mitchell said that though he was
the commercial freight agent of the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad at Atlanta, that
he did not speak in that capacity. as he
really did not know what the Baltimore
and Ohio wanted in connection with this
question, but that as a member Of the
Atlanta Chamber of Commerce upon its
Railroad Committee, he could say that
they We're most profoundly. interested in
the successful organization of the Sea-
board Air Line system. He then proceed
ed to give some .tnost striking instances
of the manner in which the Pennsylvania
railroad dictated terms to the Southern
system. and said there was not city of
Importance in the south to-day whose
Chamber of Commerce would not unani-
mously pass such resolution as the one
under consideration.
Speaking most eloquently of his devotion
to his native State and CITY and of the
pride and pleasure which it afforded him