The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-09-13
The Power to Fix Rates.

p,,rsuan, Ia notice TO the railroad cor
porations Of Virginia, the State Corpora
zion Commission held special session
YESTERDAY to hear and consider any OBJ
,cc,ions which the railroads might offer
against the classification OF traiiic ana
the rates and charges which the com
mission has at great pains PREPARED
Representatives Of the several railroads
Mus cited to appear did ra>sc opJec-
lions and were given abundant time
rithln which to study the new schcd-
ules, compare them with thetr own
schedules ana make such answer as may
.eem TO them proper. The TABOR IN
volvcd in preparing the commission
now classification of traffic and rates
vas enormous, requiring not only to-
iious work, but expert knowledge. 10
make the worl, all the moro arduous,
lhev found that the Virginia roads were
Iand are) operating under two general
s},lagsiflcations, one known as the south
EiIri," applying to roads running norih
ana south, and the other known as the
Official" applying to roads running east
and west The commission discarded
10Th OF these and adopted one general
classification Of It's own, called the "Nir-
yinIu classification" and making 1t APP
ply to roads running IN all directions.
even then 1t was necessary to make sew
eral special classincations to meet eS
traordinary cases.
We have been scarcely less than amazed
10 find how utterly lacking in uniformity
are the ultra State rates of the Nir-
ginia railroads. One road sometimes
charges two or three times the rate
on n given article that another road
charges over the same distance, where
MS the road charging the lower rate In
this case will charge two or three times
,he rate OF the first road on some other
article. The railroads may have reasons
suiiicicnt. to themselves for these IT.
resul3fries Etlt their patrons do not
understand and the Corporation Commits
sion does not understand and hence the
commission, which is tho agent of the
people has revised the classification and
made the rates uniform on the same
glass Of traffic.
We understand that the railroads will
not consent to these rcvisons and will
fight the case out in the courts. They
will deny first that the commission has
jurisdiction, and II defeated on that
point, they will claim TINT some of the
rates are connscatory. There Is no doubt
that the new constitution confcrs
upon the commission absolutely the power
to tx rates, The language is as plain as
il can be made.
Section 15C provides thnt the commits
sion shall have tho power and be charged
with The duty, of supervising. regulating
and controlling all transportation lines,
&c and to that end shall. from time
TO time prescribe and enforce such rates,
charges, classincations of traffic and rules
and regulations as may be reasonable ana
just, II Is obvious from this that the
commission is not only empowered, but
cnjoined and required to iiX the rates az
transportation In virginia lut the rain
roads contend, or at least some Of thcln
that for the Corporation Commission &c
attempt 10 regulate charges would be
in violation Of their charter rights, and
al contend that they are protected from
such interference b. section l2iy of thc
code Of 1857 which reads:
''Thc charter OF every company which
Is governed by the act passed on tn
eleventh duy Of Alarch, 1887. prescribing
certain general regulations for the in
corporation Of railroad companies, an
ov every company heretofore or hereaf
tel Incorporated, which shall be govern
ed b. this chapter, may be altered. modl
fled OF repealed by any future leglslatur
as may seem TO Il proper, except tina
no law shall be passed for taking frOn
q company It's works or properly with
out making 10 II just compensation, o
Tor changing its tolls without its a.
sent in any other cases than such as ar
specifically provided In this chapter,
These arc questions OF law which III
courts Will be called unon 10 decide. an
ii may be that a famous case viii |
made up and taken TO the highest cou
in the land. Be that as It may, the Co
Joration Commission has followed Il
constitution ami discharged It's duty, }
matter what the outcome, It@nas alreat
done valuable public service and II
10 be hoped that in any event il viii Sc
coed In inducing, even II It cannov con