The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-01-25
FIGHT FOR REPEAL
Arguments Before Joint Commit.
tee on Roads.
STRONG ADVOCATES ON BOTH SIDES

The fredericksburg delegation. sixteen
IN number, appeared before the Joint
committee on Roads OF Senate and
House Wednesday. in behalf Of the bill TO
repeal the law by which parallelinQ of
r. &P. R.R.is prohibited Senator Sims
and Delegate GOulfick made statements
Ia behalf of the delegation. Messrs W.
W. ButEner and w ID. Carter spoke for
observation-disclosures up to recess. During
recess Fredrricksburgers called on Gov
ernor Swanson aud requested that he
would not veto action of Legislature il
law II repealed. The Governor assured
the delegation be did not expect to veto
such action
Other speakers in Richmond Wednes-
day, before joint committee Of the two
houses on roads. in behalf OF repealing
the present law were: &. Weisiger, OF
Ashland, who presented a resolution
drawn by citizens of Ashland; A. Beirne
oiair rrprrsenting the Chamber of CON-
merce, richmond; Moses Thalhimer, of
Retail Merchants Association. Richmond;
W. Peyton Giles, Of the Shoe Manufac-
turers Association, and Col. W. o. Skel-
ton. OF the Business Mems Club.
Mr.. VIM. Z. Whitner, president OF
fredericksburg Power Company. made
comparison between certain Northern
towns before and after ths development
Oi their waterpower. He said that at
rrtdericksburg there was enough power,
u developed, to increase assessed values
now.
state Treasurer A. W. Hartman appear
ed against the repeal. and quoted figures
ana statistics showing the value of the
states stock in the Il. +. 4. p X. X. and
what 1t might be. 1t represented 81 POS
900 in actual cash at present, he said.
Judge JIG Dew. Second Auditor, speak
lug for the Sinking Fund Commissioners.
stated that he felt that they would have
been dereiict in their duty had they failed
to protest against the pending bin. His
argument, which was brief. covered
practically the same facts and figures
set out IN the paper sent by the com
mission OF the Governor
The Second Auditor expressed his re-
gret that the country between Richmond
and the Rappahannock had been so long
without railroad facilities.
Sir. Warren p. Taylor, traffic manager
K, F. 4 p. quoted rates ON o, sters.
Hour. beer. whisKey and other articles
which compared f6vorably with those
granted by other roads.
Judge W. j. Leake, counsel for the r. .
+. r., and former president, went
through the history Of the road, explain
ing what service the company had rem
dered the State, and wanted to know
what road could d. justice to the people
OF that section If, after he fgur, quoted.
the service OF the Il F. Il z. was not
satisfactory.
| President W m. II. White, of the r. +
roan, toll ot the condition under
"hlch he accepted the presidency OF tina,
road. 'o'
de declared that during the year "a.
had O,en pr, sident he could make the as
-eTtioE that neither the PENIS, lvAni,
I nor any other interest controlled o
'ught To control the policy of he X +
x I nor would 50 long a be RENAMED
president.
Mr. White spoke of the expense incur
red by the company in reducing it,
grades and Strengthening and double.
tracking Its rOadbrd, with the expecta-
ton that Il would become AN open high
way Tor oil business. He declared that
IN coming before the legislative commit
lee on the question involved be was not
present In compliance with auy action of
the railroad company. but in obedience
To his own sense uf duty To the state As
stock holder in the road Of which he il
president, ~ well as to it's other stock
holders, OF " HON be stated that 60 Der
cent are residents of Virginia.
Mr.. Moore, state proxy for the Il F.
L said he did not see how thu new
line could affect the States interest He
would be unwilling, he said, to cut out
any portion OF the State in favor of the
whole State under any conditions what
soever. aud he believed that it would be
impossible for the new road to take
business from the 4 T. &P.
Ex-Governor A j. Montague followed
ana the only tilt occurred when Mr..
Montague in referring To a statement of
Mr.; White in regard to the amount OF
railroad property owned by the Penn.
sylvania In the South, remarked that
III what AFR. White says is true" 10
which Mr.. White took exceptions at
once. Quickly rising he said: You
must not put it that way, Mr.. Monta-
gur; you must accept what say for the
truth"
am only using my floor privilege. -
said Mr.. Montague, land did not mean
to reflect on the president OF the z. F.
& p. r. r."
The committee then adj burned until
Ihursday night at 8 o'clock.