The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-25
Judge Crurnp Criticised.
: Of The Titnes-Dlspatcl,:

I S1r,-Anent the discussion OF recent OC.
currences In tho Corporation Commission,
permit mo to say that wish 1t dis
5tinctly understood that nothing contained
in this letter is intended. directly or in
directly, to reflect on the integrity of
any member OF the commission but as the
matter Is UP for discussion, 1t occurs to
me that oil phases Of It have not been
presented.
Mr.. Braxton has shown in his letter
that, 80 IA ras private corpora lions are
concerned, the work OF tho commission.
Is largely ministerial. Inferentially, no
leaves us under the impression that pri-
vate corporations would have no motive
in attempting 10 corrupt tho commission,
and, as there Is no law against 1t, there
is nothing radically wrong In the chair
mans purchase OF q share OF stock in
the Virginia Corporation Company, In
corporated. I may observe. In the first
place. that there is a certain propriety
Of official conduct which Is as much an
obligation as II It were written in the
statutes OF the State. I will ooncede his
contention so far a ordinary private
corporations are concerned, but the pres
I ent case Is different. The Virginia Cor
fporation Company, incorporated, accord
ing to Its letter sent out April 20, 1905,
was organized for the purpose Of repre-
senting "corporatione.' which includes
public service as we'll as private corpo-i
rations. Mr.. Braxton states that public
service corporations have much to hope
and fear from the commission. Then
what Judge Crunp did was to buy a.
share OF stock In a private corporation
that proposed 70 represent public service
corpora tons that had much to hope
and fear from the commission" OF which.
he was chairman. cannot accept Mr..
Braxtons view that this was "a trivial
error Of judgment" It seems to me
to have been a very grave error.
The reason underlying tho constitutional
provision forbidding members OF the conf
mission to bwn stock in public service
corporations must be that human nature
is too weak to trust with legislative.
judicial and executive powers In matters
where self-interest is involved. II this
is true, how can we trust The Ia VS., Y dect-
sions and acts OF a body which Is inter-
ested as attorney OF representative of
the corporation whose case Is being con-
sidered? The constitutions inhibition
was doubtless intended to break the con-
nection between the commission and pub
lie service corporations. The gravity OF
Judge Crump's act consists In having
made possible by indirection, the connec-
ton between public service corporations
and the commission, which the Constitu-'
ton had forbidden him to establish BY
direction.
AS q concrete example Of what might
be done, let us suppose that there were.
five shareholders in the Virginia Corpo-
ration Company, Incorporated and some.
trunk line railroad was to be assessed,
and the railroad gave the Virginia Cor
poration Company incorporated, nifty
thousand dollars to represent 1t before
the commission, to see to5it that 1T was
not unduly taxed. Now, II the chairman
eli
share OF stock. would he not be receiv-
ing the sun, OF ten thousand dollars in q
case in which he was to act as Judge?
Can we afford to regard lightly any
act Of the members of the commission
that would openia channel through which
public service corporations might cor
rupt the commission itself? If it is con-,
ceded that the present members are too
strong and pure to be reached. 1t does
not follow that their successors wi.l be
so, because, II the opportunity is there.
the public service corporations may use
their power to I'LL the commission with
men whose Judgment would be influenced
by the Virginia Corporation Company.
Incorporated or some other IKE company.
i It Is a case in which there should be no
connection, however remote, between the
commission and the agencies which 1t was
called into existence to regulate and
control
The usefulness OF the commission de-
ponds in large measure upon the con-
5fidence which the people have in It, and
IL Judge Crump's act. however pure his,
motives, has impaired that confidence. he
has done the cause of public regulation Of
public service corporations harm and
impaired his usefulness In the position
which, with this exception, he has filled
with marked ability and credit.
None regrets more than I do that this
unfortunate thing should have happened,
and that gentleman OF such high char
acter as Judge Crump should have be-
come involved in IT, but the wei fare Of the
State must he the first consideration,
and the present case presents the oppor-
tunity OF establishing the precedent that
the peoples agents for the control and
regulation Of corporations must BIO as
wise as serpents and harmless as doves.
and that they must avoid even the ap-
pearance OF evil. FL
Very respectfully,
A. r, THOMAS ~
Pure Elections,
editor OF The Tnes-Dispatch:s
4. sir-O,t. here IN the great White Ninth