The Washington times., 1906-02-14
Declares Trust Has
West Virginia by
Throat.
RELIEF NOW DEMANDED
Executive FavorS Commits
sion to Emancipate Indus
trles of Commonwealth.

CHARLESTON. W. Va. Feb. i4-Tn
William M. O. Dawson, West Virginia
has strong champion in the fight now
making al Washington and az various
other points against the railroad coal
combination
II was letter from Governor Dawson
to Senator Tillman that led to the Sen
ates order for searching investfga-
lon into the operations OF The railroad
ccal companies.
Possibly more than any other State
IN the Union is West Virginia today At
the mercy Of a powerful combination Ct
great transportation interests" says
Governor Dawson.
This condition is wrong in theory.
VICIOUS IN practice. blighting in effect
injurious in consequences, and at ahso-
lutte variance with the rights of free
people
As governor Of West Virginia. 7 an
IN duty bound 10 guard the interests Of
the State. and, in so far as my poHer
extends 10 see TO Il that the industries
and people Of the State get what Of
right they are entitled 10 al the hands
of the railroads
Letter TO Tillman.
Under this belief and the knowledge
that wrong is being done + wrote The
letter which Senator Tiilman read in
the United States Senate. Considering
this railroad question as Il bears Epon
West Virginia, / see also that our inter
est in the right solution Of the problem
is shared in fun measure by other
States. notably Pennsylvania, Maryland.
and Virginia.
"Otber States. in fact. the whole OF
New England. with New York, New
Jersey. and Delaware, not 10 mention
States 10 the West which draw their
coal from West Virginia and Pennsyl-
yania. are forced to pay tribute 10 this
railroad combination Therefore the in
terests OF the people throughout the
eastern part Of our country, virtually,
are bound together By this railroad op-
preston. TO overthrow which all should
work with a common purpose. born OF
seif-interest in just cause.
Controlling the three railroads which
cross West Virginia, and, which, left
free. would be great competing lines
giving this State that kind of transpor-
tation facilities which an industrious,
fair-dealing people have a right to ex-
pect. and. II necessary. TO demand. the
Pennsylvania railroad. as matters now
stand holds West Virginia firmly in its
grasp
Directed by Cassatt.
This railroad combination. directed
from far-off Philadelphia and virtually
by one man. A J. Cassatt, who can
have no close personal associations IN
West Virginia or natural sympathies
with her people and needs. today. as
for FIVE years past. says what measure
of prosperity and opportunity shall ex-
ist in West Virginia.
1T is not alone the Baltimore and
Ohio Chesa Deake and Ohio and Nor
folk and Western railways with which
We have 10 deal in considering this
problem in which the future of West
Virginia Is so closely bound UP. 1t is
with these three great companies in
effect part and parcel of one system
controlled by the Pennsylvania railroad
interests. that the industrial life OF this
State must struggle.
Not only does this combination grin
our railroad facilities. It begins there
but extends much further and is an
chored deep down m the very bowels of
psnies the hand has been laid upon the
mines themselves About this there can
be no dispute
Domination of Coal Lands.
THE Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
owns a majority of the stock of the
Consolidation Coal Company. which in
turn controls the FairTSsnt Coal Com
pany a1d the ClarksbuTg Fuel Com
pany, as also the Somerset Coal Com
pany in Pennsylvania. The ConseIids-
tion happens to be a Maryland cor
poration It reports control of about
10000 acres of coal lands on the = 1lti-
more and Ohio.
"In coal fields reached by the BaIti-
more and Ohio" says Governor Daw-
son. ''and by one or two other lines
there are about 100 operating companies
mines produce nearly half the entire
coal output in these districts.
"Within its pr-ovince the nation must
move 10 protec: the public against rail-
road abuse, anG the State must act in
its province, TheN legislation before
shipper is the weaker party and as
Lincoln said, the law should lean TO
him.
Effective Commission Needed.
"In West Virginia an effective rail-
road commission is essential, and If
should be empowered TO say what maxi
mum rates shall be. Such court would
give continuous protection. Ny pur-
pose is 70 get such a commission
Except the law of 1885, there has been
no raiIroed legislation in West Virginia
for years Our senate has thirty mem
bers. sixteen being a quorum and nine
Baltimore and Ohio has been active IN
West Virginia politics. seeking always
to control the State senate. 1t IS present
in our nominating conventions it comes
to the legislature with a lobby, and in
State campaigns 1t has been free with
its fayoTs."
Competition a Necessity.
Railroads are natural monopoIieS.
There should be competition between our
three lines. The result here is not sur
prising. Before the Pennsylvania con-
troll, the Chesapeake and Ohio tide coal
rate wa. 80 to s. cents per ton; now it IS
s.. .35 10 H.l5. The same is true with the
BaltimQle and Ohio. West Virginia IL