The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-12-11
William Henry White FL
ndlly Agreed Upon After
a Long Conference.
POSITION OFFERED
TO HON. A.C. BRAXTON
Was Coupled With Provision,
However, That Would Have
Retired Him From Legal
Practice-Fact That
State Secured In
junction Known.

William II. White. Of Norfolk. ono of
tho leading lawyers of Tdewator vir-
ginia. wiu to-day bc elected president OF
the Richmond. Frcdericksourg and Po-
tomac Railroad by the stockholders OF
that company, In their annual meeting
i'm this city.
This result was assured by The confer
ence at the Capitol yesterday OF repre-
sentatives OF the States interest I'm this
railroad property and the SIX railroads
composing the holding company. which
owns majority Of the stock The se-
lection Of Mr.. White came after the posi-
tion had been practically offered and
declined by several otherS. or after they
had refused TO permit their names 10
be presented It need hardly be added
that the action Of the joint conference
will be ratified to-day by the formal
election Of Mr.. White
History of Case.
In the insistence Of the States proxies
upon the selection OF some other person
than representative OF the Pennsylvania
Railway and its successful stand IN This
position, the Governor and those who
united with him in this demand feel that
they have gained a substantial victory.
Nearly "a month ago or more the selec-
ton OF M J. @. Rodgers. OF the New
as successor to Judge William j. LeaKe
resigned. was announced by the railroads
composing the holding company. which
owns ufty-twO per cent Of the stock Df
the Richmond, fredericksburg and Poto-
mac, and therefore controlled the situa-
tion- Somehow by the oversight OF some
one. the Virginia interests in the railroid
We're not consulted. and apparently We're
completely ignored
grnr action a~osrua7 ID, .fr-.-. .-...-4
not 20 say resentment from the states
representatives. Governor Swanson being
outspoken In condemning tile action of the
majority interests. He and his associates
openly charged that in the selection OF
an official of a competing line. dominated
py the Pennsylvania, that great railroad
system was seeking To divert trafric
from the road in favor Of other lines
I'm which the Pennsylvania had a laree~
interest or "a longer haul II was also
minated that the majority interests
might IT they chose to do SO oncrate The
line In such "A way as To deprcciate its
securities and thereby enable the Pennsyl-
Nania TO buy up its stock and strengthen
lis hold upon this important railway link
AS soon as this alarm had beezs sounded
the representatives of the states interest
in the property became active. The Gov
ernor and his associates felt that h, had
been offered an anront by the holdine
company in being thus ignored Communi-
cauoh was at once established between
the Governor and Mr. Rea vice-prcsident
or the Pennsylvania system, and lis rom
I'd sentative in the holding companv. and
as result conference was arranred
to be had at the Capitol between the on
posing interests. That conference. after
hearing plain statements from both Sides
adjourned until December 10th. in order
that the railway representatives present
might confer with their associates I'm the
directory of the holding company. and ac-
quaint them with the States attitude i'm
the matter. That is. i'm brief. the hisfor,-
or the negotiations leading up % yestcr-
days decisive. ana, from the States view
point at least satisfactory conference.
Had Injunction Ready.
One OF the startling phases of this
lnlhal conference. between the representa-
uves OF the STATE and the holding COM
pany leaked out yesterday. havin- boan
guarded with remarkable secrecy To is
this:
The state, through its proxies had
actually secured from Circuit Jud.-a ,,
Carter Scott n temporary Injunction
restraining the holding company from
carrying out IT'S Intentions and eiacf-
ing as president the man first selected
for the place. This rumor was verified
and the story corroborated last right h,-
a man of unquestioned reliability. ard
one in a position to know il was af-
hrmed as q fact and not as a mere re-
port
This injunction would have been IN
voked at the first conference. which was
also the day for the stockholders meet
ing and election or officers. had the
dominant interests in the railroad proper