The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-06-11

nected with the commission should act |
as officers or employees Of such companies
! df, In fact, any OF them did so act. is,
plainly obnoxious to several we'll founded |
| objectlons: Xix
ists Tho chief Benefit Of suci, companies
go fnr as the State IL concerned, is In
saving work xor the commissions nleri-
cal forces but, OF course this would be
| ncutralized, IL the work OF the company |
| BIO done by tho commissions clerks.
I'd. It is not we'll that any person whose
| entire time is engaged and paid for by |
one employer. should hire any part OF his
! services to another, whether his duties
to tho first employer actually consume
all his tlme or not
Sd. 1t would give company, having
| commission CLERKS In It's employ. m I'd
| vantage over other companies In the
same business, In tho ntattT Of prompt
ness In getting information Of the daily
transactions in the commissions office.
4th. 1t would likely BIO the duty OF such
q companySto It's patrons Gust as OF an
ordinary attorney to his cients) to ptHDt
| out to such of them as had not already |
observed 1t, wherein, by reducing their
| nominal capital stock, or otherwise. they |
might make a saving In their annual
dles to the State; but as the state would
| be IN loser by this, 1t would hardly be
| appropriate that It should be brought
| about by one or more Of her own en-
ployes.
Not of Public Concern.
| While these are surely material and
sufficient objectlons to having commission
| clerks In the employ OF such companies
| as the Virginia Corporation Company
| Incorporated, no other valid objections
now occur to me which can be urged
thereto.
with the personal controversy between
| ,f.t 4. ~ eli
OF the commission, and with any personal
| differences between the chairman and
4 the first assistant clerk the public ms
mo concern Those are either matters 81
| office discipline or Of a private nature
4 between those gentlemen as individuals.
which I shall not discuss, with which
II hnye nothing to do, and In which l
| shalt not permit myself to became In
/ zvolved.
The sole concern Of the public. and my
i cole concern, so far as Judge Crump IS
i {involved, Is with his services as chair
man OF the Corporation Commission. This
Is probably the most important. and
certainly the most difficult ONCE in
the state. F-or It's incumbent are re-
quired the qualities OF high integrity,
4 air-mindedness, great industry and Pc
I cullar learning IN constitutional law. All
ii these Judge Crump. in his public service
N has shown himself possessed of in g y
4 high degree. There Is scarcely n step
4 TO be taken by the commission In the
matter Of regulating public corporations
j that is not surrounded with the utmost
\ legal dihcultles and entang1ements. The
a whole subject is new, and each d ecision
4 OF the commit slon so far has been
q like hewing a path into nm untrod for
a Test Many Of the ablest lawyers in the
4 Estate have declared that suggested and
a desirable regulations OF railroads were
4 legally impossible; and. yet. such has
A been the learning, skill and Judgment Of
i Judge Crump-theS only professional Laws
u yer on the commits slon--that he has re-
u pea teddy devised means OF overcoming
n these legal obstacles and imposing the
4 l8regulations, and in no single instance
II has his Judgment In such matters been
+ lsreversed. q The value to the State OF his
I services In these particulars is incalcula-
\ ble ~ &, # g35 ss 3 III #
q His success has not been the result Of
n intuition, but of the most earnest and
a Eunremitting study and la Dor ever since
81 he has been upon the commissions. With
4 out disparagem of any other ON ial in
/! the State. L believe II cannot be srefuted
II that j udges Crump. as chairman of the
= Corporation v Commission has been one
f. I$of the very hard est worked public off,
q GERS In 81 Virginia. The loss OF such! a.
! L man.. who is so earnest and faithful
7 who has now become familiar with the
!, important and Intricate labors Of the
+ office. and learned so we'll = the path
J, through the legal labyrinth which SUR
rounds government regulation of rail.
J: roads, would be well nigh irrepara ble,f
1 and mo- less than public misfortune.
q That the public has shown itself SO
J. Jealous Of the integrity and good name OF
J. the Corporation Commission is certainly
q Ia most gratifying and wholesome sign;
! 1 but, because OF a trivial error Of judg-s
4. ment on his part, involving only an
al act which, at most, was a harmless indis-{
4 erection, in a well intended effort to adj
: vance the public interests. let us not
g in our excess Of zeal pass sentence Of
4 condemnation upon an honorable, consc-l
4 entious, faithful and most efficient public
!! servant, who. with his two colleagues
I. OF similar character, is engaged in the
/, most beneficial public service this State
has received for many a year.
The sole question for the public is. has
4 Judge Crump, as the presiding ofiicer
A Of one OF the highest and most important
], tribunals OF the State, done anything
: which should forfeit for him the respect
+ and confidence Of the people? To this
I, quest ion, my own answer is, emphatlcally,
Y that he has not. u 4.
II HI think I may reasonably claim that
no one could be moro deeply interested
II in the fair name and success OF tho
!. Virginia Corporation Commission thansI;&
and. to all the friends Of that great In
/ stltution, wish to say that, In my
I oninion. its integrity will never be In
4 better or safer hands than 1t Is o-day.
p' 4. 6. BRAxroN
". P. 4. GERMAN.