Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-05
TWO.CENT FARE CASE
PLANS OF RAILROADS IN VIR-
GINA ARE NOT KNOWN.
Southern May Contest Case in Higher
Court-Other Roads Said to
Favor Yielding.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
RICHMOND. Va, May 4.-The railroads
have as yet given no indication as to what
steps they may take looking to IN appeal
from the decision of the state corporation
commission in the two-cent-rate case II
the railroad companies are to make Il court
contest of the affair it is being kept a Sc
Cret.
There are said to be good reasons for not
wanting to appeal. The railroads would
have to give bond for every cent they might
collect for passenger and freight traffic, and
they would have to reimburse every patron
Of the road for all charges in excess Of pre-
scribed rates if the jinal decision should
be adverse TO the companies. The COM
panies would have to keep books. showing
the amount of fares collected I'LL inter-
state traffic. freight and passenger the
names of passengers and shippers, the
amounts paid and addresses of the payers.
The cost of the clerical force would be zone
beyond recall.
their plans in connection with the matter,
policy of silence obtaining among those
who are TO deal with the subject as between
the companies and the commission. There
is report that the whole matter will turn
on the action of the Southern Railway
Company. This road, il is understood, Is
DESTROYS of proonging the already pro-
tracted hearing by invading the courts.
Attitude of Southern.
1t is understood that the Southern, which
operates a number of branch Ines which
are allowed rate higher than that pre-.
scribed for the trunk lines, will have one
Of the branch roads make a fight, and the
Southern will aid the smaller lines
The suggestion that the roads may at
tack the decision of the commission In the
supreme court as to the combination of
haip l,xyf lo cir
legislative. judicial and executive-there
can. 1t is said. be exceedingly little. if any,
ground for believing. That question was
settled by the Supreem court of Virginia,
when the strasburg case was decided the
supreme court sustaining every contention
of the cSursel for the state in that litiga-
ton. The commission is vested only with
the coordinate powers, in 80 far as they
pertain to the actual work OF the commits
sion.
Willing to Give Trial.
The other railroads of the state, the Ches-
apeal,e and Ohio. the Atlantic Coast Line.
the Seaboard. the Norfolk and Western, the
New York. Philadelphia Ind sNossolk, the
Richmond, Fredericksburg and Potomac
and others, are willing to abide the decision
of the commission and to give the new
rates a fair and impartial trial, content
with the knowledge that should the rate
work hardship on the roads the commits
sion would see that 1t is corrected without
delay
If the Southern determines to have the
matter aired in the courts the other lines
may be compelled, to avoid seeming division
In their ranks to unite in the proceedings.
Two lines are favorable to accep ting the
new order of things at once and ending the
matter. In case the railroads go into the
courts the matter would take precedence
in the supreme court of this state, except
in criminal cases.