Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1908-12-14
VIRGINIA TWO
GENT FARES
CONFERENCE OF RAILWAY MAG
MATES AT RICHMOND ToNioR.
ROW TO CONSIDER SUPREME
COURT DECISION IN RATE CASE


Representatives OF nearly all the
roi roads operating in Virginia, will
meet at Richmond this week and. in
all probability the Virginia public
Will soon know what the ra lroads
propose 20 do about the 2-cent rate.
They will meet In Richmond Dec
18th. and much interest is attached
to the gathering.
The conference is the natural se-
quel of the recent decision of the
United States supreme court In this
long protractc litigat on.
No one as yet is authorized 20
predict It's outcome. though in some
quarters IL Is believed that the sit
uatlon, sooner or later, will even
tuate In fiat two and a half cent
rate, with n two cent rate for 1000
m le tickets.
AZ first few peop,e.-either lay
men or lawyers--coul tell just ex-
actly what the opinion OF the coun-
try's highest tr,bGnal meant. but
careful study OF the opinion has ID
all disinterested lawyers to one con-
clus ion.--that the result OF the
mighty legal contest has been a
draw. In short. Virginia won a.
great many points and the ra lroads
did iatcwisc. On the other hand,
both lost several points.
Under the circumstances, 1t is but
natural to hear suggestions CON
corning n compromise
VIRGINIA. SECURE FOR PRESENT
If the railroads determine to bat
tie 1t out in the court, Virginia, at
east. may rest serene pending the
litigation, as she has an agreement
with the corporations, where the
two-cent rate is to continue until
final decision on the merits OF the
controversy is reached by the Unit
ed States supreme court.
And even If things were pushed
along with all possible speed, II
might take years TO procure such a
final decision.
Several courses are open to the |
railroads under the existing law,
or under the recent decision. In |
the first place, the ra lroads might |
flo a petition and ask the corpo- |
ration commiss'o on to ALLOW the dis |
mlssal OF the pending cases, so that |
they could be started do novo. This |
would mean going over practically |
the same ground again.
The commission. consider ng the |
depression in business and the fact |
that all other southern states now
have 1000 mile tickets at two cents |
mile and fiat rate of two and
one half cent rate, might deem It
equitable to make concession along
the same lines.
It will be remembered that about
twelve months ago tn rate was es-
tablished throughout Dixie with the
exception OF the Old Dominion, and
everybody seems pretty well salts
fed with IT,
CHURCHMAN BILL NULLIFIBD.
Virginia's first controversy with
the railroads came up on fight over
tho b II Of Hon John w Churchman
tho Augusta member of the house,
who introduced a measure calling
for one thousand mile tickets at two
cents, and fiat rate OF two and
one half cents.
The corporation commission and
the Virginia court of appeals, fol-
lowing a Minnesota precedent, de-
clared this act nullity.
There is some doubt as to wheth-
er 'he railroads can follow the sug-
gestion OF the United States SUI |
Dreme court and now appeal to the |
Virginia supreme court, as under
the state law they are required to
make appeals within six months
from the entering Of The order Of
the corporate on commission.
In the cases under discussion
this was prevented by the injunc-
tion issued by Judge Prltchard, Of
the United states circuit court
BY some, however, II ls strongly
contended that no final order fix
ing the rates has as yet been en-
tered BY the comm ssion, and that
hence the Virginia court Of appeals
could take Jurisdiction without
overlapping tho statute OF limita-
tion.
But this, II should be under