Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-02-17
TO CALL EXTRA SESSION
Governor Dawson Wants Legis-
Iature to Investigate Railroads.
THEY CONTROL WEST VIRGINIA
Chief Executive Gives Out Interview,
In Which He Uses Strong Words
Concerning the Combination.

Concerning the Comb1natlon.
Wheeling, w. Va, February 10. -
Gov. W. Nj. O. Dawson will call a
special session of the legislature to
pass new..laws regulating railroad mat.
ters in West Virginia This. was the
information given out by semi official
sources on Wednesday afternoon.
The Governor has pointed out the
Rejects of the system, and will place
The responsibility on the legislature
or the correction by calling special
ession and making recommendations
u due form.
THE GOVERNOR SPEAKS,
In William M. 0. Dawson, West
Virginia has a strong champion in
be fight now making at Washington
I'D at various points against the
silroad coal combination.
1t was letter from Governor Daw-
Ia to Senator Tillman that led to the
snate,s order for a searching investi-
ltion into the operations OF the rail-
ad coal companies.
Possibly more than any other state
the Union is West Virginia today
the mercy Of a powerful combi-
ion of great transportation in
rest, says Governor Dawson.
This condition is wrong in theory,
bious in practice, blighting in eff
1t. injurious in consequences, and,
absolute variance with the rights
IA free people.
sAs governor of West Virginia, l
duty hound to guard the interests
the state, and, so far as my power
ends, to see to it that the idustries
people of the state get what of
bit they are entitled to at the hands
the railroads.
LETTER TO TILLMANN.
Under this belief and the know
,e that wrong IS being done, l
tie the letter which Senator Till
read in the United States sem
Considering this railroad ques-
as it bears upon West Vir-
la, see also that our interest in
right solution of the problem is
ed in full measure by other states
,bly Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
inia
controlling the three railroads
,h CROSS West Virginiar, and,
ph, left free, would be great COM
DE- lines giving this state that kind
transportation facilities which an
strious, fair dealing people have
to expect, and, if necessary, to
Ind, the Pennmsylania railroad,
latters now stand, holds West
mia firmly in its grasp.
is not alone the Baltimore and
Chesapeake and Ohio and Nor
and Western railways with which
ave to deal in considering, this
em in which the future of West
MIA is so closely bound up. 1t is
these three great companies, in
part snb parcel of one 81 stem
,lled by the Pennsylvania rail-
interests that the industrial life
state must struggle.
u 49, 4.
/ railroad facilities. II begins
| but extends much further and
bored deep down in the very
of our state. Through the
"a companies the hand as been
the mines themselves. About
/ here can be no dispute.
! INATION OF GOAL LANDS.
| Baltimore and Ohio owns a
ty Of the stork OF the Con-
on Coal company, which in
bntrols the Fairmont Coal %.
% Clarksburg Fuel Co. rs also
heset Coal Co. in Pennsvlvania.
co fields reached by the
ore and Ohio, and by one or
her lines, there are shout 10C
pR companies The Baltimore
10 controlling mines produce
half entire coal outpu' in
isfrics q.
West Virginia az effective rail
mmissi is essen ia,. and it
be empowered to say VIII {
rm rates shall be- Such a
H0uld give conrinouous pro-
My purpose is 10 get such a
sion
bpt The law of 1896. there has
railroad legislation in West
Tor years. Oar senate has
embars. sixteen being quo
~ "a nine making . majority