The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-02-15
THE DAY IN DETAIL.

THE DAY IN DETAIL
The convention was opened with prayer
by Rev. E. V. Badly, of Manchester. Fiji
| ty-eight members were present.
Mr.. Barbour called up his resolution fix
| ing a time for taking up consideration OF
| the report Of the Committee on Corpora
| lions. After being amended SO as to
| read that the report should be considered
| by sections at the conclusion Of Mr..
Braxton's speech, and speeches should be
| limited to ten minutes, it was adopted
! by a large majority.
In Committee Of the Whole (Mr. keez Il
presding). Judge Harrison made a tate
ment In connection with the failure Of the
| Legislature to enact railroad legislation,
| to show that the records bore out his as
| sertion, that since the passage of the
Mason law there had been no strong de-
mand for such legislation.
Mr. Withers said he had introduced two
railroad commission bills himself and
they had been held up in committee. The
records did not show committee proceed
ingS was the reason Judge harrison
| could find none
Mr.. BRANTON RESUMES.
Chairman Braxton resumed his speech
In support of the report of his Committee
on Corporations
He pointed out provisions Of the bill
which gave to the Legislature full power
at it's very first session after the adoption
of the Constitution to make amendments.
He called attention to the number OF
amendments which had been adopted to
the present Constitution and all preced ng
it to refute the charge that a provision
fixed in this Constitution was lnfeXlbly
and unalterably permanent.
The various sections of the report re-
lating to regulating rates were next taken
up, and then the question OF appeal from
the decision of the commission on all sub
iects was commented on. to show that in
every particular the committee had been
most careful to protect every right of che
railroads and to prevent injustice. Mr..
Braxton said if any crime had been COM
mitted it had not been contemplated by
a single one of the committee Their
only offense had, in the eyes Of the truth.
consisted in jealousy guarding the in
terests OF tho whole people at the same
time protection was given to those en-
gagged in the railroad business. The COM
mittee had not presented sham bill OF
relief but one that meant something, and
to that extent only had they been guilty
OF anarchy, popullsn and enemies of o.
sanized capital.
THE WORD CONTROL"
Replying to criticisms of the word con-
prene Court decisions Of the United
States and from standard law books on
corporations TO show that the words ''su-
p.rvisiou and control amt regulate and
control were recognized by all authorities
as co-equal terms and that it could not
possibly be stretched to mean that it con-
ferred power to take charge of and di-
rect the business Of railroads lie strong
ly ridiculed this position on the part of
able lawyers on the floor
He declared that 1t was absolutely alb
surd to talk about an effort being made to
destroy the railroads. There was not
a power given to the commission which
did not exist somewhere in the State to-
day. It would be just as sensible to say
the State should not have the power to
tax railroads, because i. could tax them
out OF existence. He read from a de-
cision of the United States Supreme Court
that such arguments had been sternly re-
buked by that high tribunal. The same
might be said in regard to fixing rates and
every other duty or authority given to the
railroad commissioners. Thy presume
that they, any more th-.a other courts
now existing, or the Legislature. because
they had the power, would proceed to
ruthlessly tear down or destroy the great
railroad interests Of the State, when every
good citizen in the State wished them
under the law the fullest measure OF pros
perity and success
EXPLAINED IN DETAIL.
The spea..er pr ceeded to explain the dc
tails OF the report as applicable to the
commission, it's power and duties.
He was asked many questions here by
Messrs. Thorn, O'F'laherty, Robertson and
W. A. Anderson to the legal construc.
ton Of several sections ana answered all
by a ready and perspicuous technical dis
cussion OF legal principles applying to
them.
Mr.. Braxton said it was useless to argue
that nothing should be put iE the Con-
stitution unless it was perfect. That ar
gunent would logically lead to doing
nothing--to having no Constitution. The
most powerful speech he ever heard in
his life was made by Mr.. Thorn in advo
cacy of putting a long and experimental
suffrage plan IN the Constitution Others
who had criticised the work OF the com
mittee had with great earnestEess advo-
Gated anG engTafted in the fundamental
law untried experiments in every depar>-
mant Of Stat government, from the S,,-
pre1ne Court to 4 justice of the peace
NO work ot human minds was ever per-
feet. Members had been, here hard at
work for eight months. because they rec
ognized the necessity for great caution
and deliberat ton. No committee had given
more extended, earnest and conscientious
consideration to question than had the.
Committee on Corporations. There had
z been changes made In their work from
time to time. It was due to this cautious
[t.y,0 lode Of fho fy,,-