Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1902-02-07
THE COMMITTEES REPORT.

THE COMMITTEES REPORT.
The report of the Committee on Col
porationsh has been printed and is befof
us. AS constitutional provision a
first glance, it may seem long, an
there are those who may think j
trenches on the province of Legislation
more than to declare fundamenta
principles, but a careful study of tn
question will dissipate these ideas
The report has elected the most ia
voraDle comment from the independ
ent press throughout the State, Will
those newspapers which are managed
In the interest of corporations hay
deprecated it's tendency.
The salient features of the report ar,
that no corporation shall hereafter b,
chartered except through a depart
ment especially created for that pur
pose. There shall be a State Corpora
ton Commission, with certain powers
to be defined by law.
1t is this provision against which the
corporations are most vigorously pro.
testing and which some say will drive
every corporation out of the State.
These ford statements come from
the fact that in Virginia charters have
been granted promiscuously, and after
they have been granted no account has
ever been taken. of them, they can "live
or die, sink or swim, survive or per-
1sh," as they see fit They often pay
no taxes, are amenable to no special
control, and may or may not do the
things tor which they were created,
and II trangressing their domain never
would be estopped until they had
violated so grossly private or public
rights as to be called to account through
the courts.
Under our present laws charters in
another State may be issued, under
which companies may set up in bust
ness in Virginia and do things entirely
repugnant to Virginia laws. Under
the proposed constitutional provision
all this will be avoided. No corpora
ton can do business in the State with
out State license. This can easily
De gotten and the cost is nominal, but
in procuring this license the corpora.
ton becomes amenable to Virginia
laws, and must work under them and
only under them. Is there any citi-
zen OF Virginia, who does not wholly c
approve such a provision? It
All corporations chartered will he
listed and then it will be known what
they are doing, who and what they are,
NOW no one knows how many corpo-
ratlons there are in Virginia, who their {
officers are, or indeed any thing about d
them. This, therefore, seems a wise p
provision. G
Ii one is aggrieved by the action of ),
any corporation be may lay his griev- =
ance before this commission and it -
Shall be the duty of the commission to =.
look into the grievance and if it be =. -
one which the commission deems of
Importance enough to prosecute in
courts OF law. the offense shall be pro. or
secuted BY it. Thus We see that the in
poor citizen who often pockets bis eriey. in
.nce, serious though it may be, rather tn
man be forced into court with DOW fg
'rIui corporation on the other side Sc,
ma waste his time and his money in liy
Ute mpts to right wrong. can he re- of
leved OF this expense and risk. and bl,
I'LL nave his rights safeguarded. Does str
ny fair minded man object to this tn,
A small tax of $500 annually for tb.
light to do business in the State sbal !
paid. This will pay the salaries Of Ing
ne commissioners, and surely no citi. Rl'
N will object to that. gri
There is provision that free passs. Rio
lail not be granted to any state. lro
'unty or municipal officer. Surely Is a
lch provision will draw no tears ina
ON the eyes of the public. the
The employees liability is a part of n
Is constitutional provision, and GO -
aiie there may or may not be reason ~ :
placing it in the constitution. il I. 80.
rtain that the laws of Virginia a. On
nstrued by the courts, give EMPLOYEES ,
chance for damages when CO. on .
ployees arc guilty Of negligence. and trnt
s also certain that any change In
% laws have been defeated, whether Al
corporate influence or because thew mon,
aid have been defeated we do not New
; but the public believes they wore broa
Gated by the corporations, and the the
ZIG also believes that our Supreme day.
lrt has carried the doctrine of feI- slider
servant way beyond its proper and m
Innate bounds; therefore, a demand LIT
this provision has become imn.r. sunni
J, and surely the peonla 40 givin
to it. w has a
ne State is prohibited from grant. rect.
It's credit to any corporation. and st..
'after is prohibited from becomina on ~
rested in any stock. Certainly to 90
provision.
1ere Is general provision for tb.
iaeion and control of trusts, com The
'ions ana monopolies, inimical to energy
public welfare. Spoon
lis clause of the constitution. ..
ave saio' is far more important In bf
% welfare OF the State than th. be TAXI
age clause, and the report submit
aries with it no alarming nro. u
%, nor indeed more than Other IN D.
have not already in a measure ~ oo ~