The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-08-03

Discussion OF the railroad rate sltua- !
tion and OF Governor Swanson's 8 an
|ynouncement that, II requested to 90 SO y
by tho State Corporation Commission.
he viii call a special session Of the
General Assembly. continues to hold
the interest and the attention OF the
people. OF Virginia. .5 s. &
Several conferences were held here
yesterday Attorney-cie enera J An ers 't' otn.s
Senator Daniel and Ion. AZ c. BraN-.5
ton were. present, but all ilrae! De cline ed
Its make public the result Of their de--ssI
slliherations. Governor swan ION v In 81 s -4;
i cussing the situation earlier In tile day s.
said:F M Ks si's w
ar the state Corporation Com
mission should request me to com 58js
yene the General Assembly of Vir-
Einiu to consider some crcconlmcndn-
ton to be presented under pm rn-.s:lZ Z
graph Il, section 15D, of the Con-
ntitution, to amend the provisions
OF the RCOnstitutton In reference to
fixing rutc charges, etc, ctc.,s In Or
der to eliminate some difficulties In
connection with the pending case
in Virginia, fixing ratcs,81 would
nccedc to their request and would
i
Virginia for. that purposc.'
Governor Swanson declined to dis
| cuss the question at greater length
/ aying the matter sin the hands OF
the Corporation Commission. It IS
| known however. that the Governor or ma 8
been in communication with the mem m,
! bers OF the General Asse bly,, and tn AT
he has received assurances that the
stand he has taken will meet with
their approval. Y
What 1t Means,
The question now Is whether the
| l.Corporation Commission will request
1.-THE Governor to call an extra session
! or the legislature or&choose some 9th err
/ course of defeating the Injunction
granted by Judge Pritchard. Two of
4 ltie'three members Of the commission
are at present out of the city Roth
4 Judge Prentis and Captain Willard.
4 however, are in close touch with Mr.
4 Stuart who Is in Richmond, and a.
1 meeting of the body can be had at any
4 time.
ii Is pointed out that an extra ses-
1 sion of the islature VIII cost the
! State about $4,000 and that It could
5Inot be convened before October 1sf
The regular session will begin early
4 in January, but three months later
4 on the other hand, 1t is said. that the
4 expense of an extra session will not
4 exceed the cost OF defending the suits
now in progress In North Carolina. and
that for this reason the State officials.
4 feel justified in calling session..
B which will, it is said, settle the rate
"A matter before the regularfterm OF the
Z United States Supreme Court In the
. fall.
officials Indignant.
Section l56 of the Constitution. from
paragraph to paragraph I, can be
8 amended at single session Of the
4 Legislature. on recommendations OF the
3 Estate Corporation Commission, for such
recommendations approved by, the
4 General Assembly will become imma-
+. diately a part of the Constitution,
In these paragraphs are included all
the powers, methods of procedure and
duties given the Corporation! Commits.
sion in fixing, regulating and enforc-.
ing rate charges. a State official said
4 last night Z.
"The otilcia,k of the state feel
very Indignant mt the conduct of
the railroads after spending more
than eight months In preparing
n cnse before the Corporation Conl-
N .nisslOn, where they were given q
full and fair hearing, were per-
mitted to Introduce alI the evil
dence desired, and had a right 10
: appeal from the decision of the
!. r. commission to the Court OF Ap-
peals OF Virginia nnd then TO the
Supreme Court OF the United
States.
: Spending the appeal, bond could
! have been given and the raae could Il
/, have been suspended. That the
commission should make new Il
, case on account of the injunctioa
: oe Judge Priscbard, and be re-
I CURED to go over again the cahe
In all itN details, With Witnesses 7
tn;