The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-07-14
State OfficialsAre Quietly
Preparing to Continue
the Battle.
WILL CARRY WAR
TO.LAST DITCH
Ii Not Settled in Courts Mean
while, Legislature Expected
to Take Drastic Steps
to Determine States
Right to TRegu-

. /. . / 4
Although there is apparently lulitl
in the situation concerning the pas
senger rate litigation. there is noI
abatement OF interest in The subject
and it may be stated upon high au-
thority that the fight to compel sthe.I
railroads to afford the people Of thisi
state a reduction in passenger fares,s so
far from nearing an end. has not even
fairly begun 5y.
Al this time the bitterness aroused
,by the rate, fight issdue not so much
to the any questioning pf the reason
ableness OF the regulation prescribed
by the Virginia Compensation Commits
sion In this case a * to the fact that
the railways have gone into q Fed
eral court and there attacked the very
existence of the commission. Natur-,
ally enough this movement has aroused
the entire State. It is fact which
may as well be set forth here and
now, that thought the State au-
thorities have not definitely de-
termined upon their course. they.
are only standing upon the skir-
@mish lines of wha will be made bat
tie to the finish. and when they do
settle upon fixed policy there VIII
be no let-up until the great questions
| involved are irrevocably determined
by the highest court in the land.
Authoritie. Exnsperated.
1t is giving away no secrets to say
/ that the tactics OF the railroads in
! the ma tier sup to this point are looked
l$upon by the other side as lilatory. and
| adopted for the purpose of delaying
/ final adjudication and harrassing the
State upon a question o. sweeping
moment to the people tits taken, in
/ deed. as a declaration OF war to the
! knife."s and though not sounding any
! trumpets overit at this time, the regu-
l larly constituted State authorities are
y .lquietlSs arranging to tclee up the cud-
lgelsfand to carry on the battle unit
either defeated or victorious on the
final field.
The State authorities are not talk.
ing for publication, but 1t Is knowr
i that they aresgreatly exasperated ove1
the position taken by the railroads
and that they believe the latter ar,
much in their own light in following
y the course adopted
II Z. According to men close 20 the situa
ii tion. the roads have aroused a feeling
4 Eof enmity on the part of the State
which might have been averted by
graceful acceptance of the action Of tn
. commission. and which may rise up, t.
confront them in the future.
lHCTeABe lHNcbs
> For example, it is pointed out tlla
( the companies claim that their proper
: ty, enormously valuable per-. mile, /
!. not earning a sufficient revenue t
n justify the proposed reduction OF pas
: senger rates; and yet 1t Is said tha
, this property is not taxed anywhereii Il
!, the neighborhood of the value set b
the companies in the arguments o
their counsel.
; IF the railroads were taxed accord
' ing TO the value set by their ow
g officials upon their property said on
! In authority last night, "the Stat
,, would receive In additional revenu
e from this source an amount annual
s far in excess OF that which would b
q saved to the people under the pro
: posed new passenger rate schedules
9 Continuing, this official declared ths
he did not suppose any one would cor
/. test the right of the State to levy take
q upon railroad property upon a fair an
y equitable basis.
But this is little beside the ques
e tion now under discussion
y There is going to be action on til
e part of the State. and this action is gc
n ing 70 be just as bold, drastic and pei
J. sistent as the attitude of the railroad
l. shall make necessary.
is It may be taken In the Legislator
Continued on Third Page)