The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-08
TIE CLUB IN LEGISLATION.
The LcgisltAure has passed the raj

EgFeMNEH
THE CLUB IN LEGISLATION.
The Legislature has passed the rail-
road merger bill, which will. enable
transportation companies in which the
state owns stock, bonds or other divt-
1snd obligations to merge with other
transportation companies under certain
conditions acceptable to the State. The
bill is horse high and pig tight. 1t
opens the way for what the Richmond.
Fredericksburg and Potomac Railroad
van to do. and provides ample pro-
lection for the State. which prac-
iically gives up nothing, but on
The contrary getsN a good deal!
both in the way of revenue and in bet-I
ter and more satisfactory control of
the property. The bill does not say
that the Richmond. Fredericksburg andt
Potomac road must merge, but thataitI
may merge under conditions which in
It's own interest and In the INTEREST,"
Of the public 1t serves ought to be
satisfactory to 1t, and satisfactory as
q purely business proposition. We be-
Iieve tina the road will accept the
terms of the act and enable it to run
its business as a railroad and to
secure Its final and absolute divorce
from any sort OF political activity.
That is what we should do If we We're
the road; but we do not like the
dragooning methods which have been
adopted to compel the merger.
The Sunday freight bill and the
flag bill leave a bad taste in the
mouth. The first of these measures isl
aimed directly at the Richmond, Fred
ericksburs and Potomac concern. 1t
permits all the other roads in the
State TO haul interstate freight on
sunday except this road. That is bad(
for the State, which has a property in-'
terest in the road and ought to be
particularly interested in its earning
capacity. as of every dollar the road
earns the State gets its share in the
dividends that are paid on its stock
or on the market value of its stock.
1t would probably be found that
the bill would not stand the
test of the courts. There is the
Atlantic Coast Line, for example,
which has no other way of reaching
the Northern markets except over
the rails of the Richmond, Fred
ericksburg and Potomac road. we do
not suppose for a that the
courts would sustain such gdiscrimina-
ting legislation. not against the Rich
mond. Fredericksburg and Potomac
road. but actually against the Atlantic
Coast Linz and the interests served by
it in other States. and particularly
when the bona fides of the legislation
could not be sustained, as one OF tho
provisions OF the Sunday freight bill
is that its operation shall be suspended
for SIX months and suspended in
definitelysif the Richmond, Frederlcks-
burg and Potomac road shall accept
the terms of the merger bill.
The flag bssl.'is Of a feather with
The sunday.fresg.t bbfll. Both of them
are clubs TO drive the Richmond. Fred
ericksburg and Potomac road to do a
thing Which the merger bill says it
'ia ~ Ho must 90. we DO not be-
lieve in legislation by the Big Stick
method, and we do not believe that
the people will think the this is quite
the fair way Of dealing with a great
public question. We believe that the
merger bill is a good thing for both
the state and the road, but it ought
10 stand on its merits. Coercion is
not a healthful sign in any cause. ALL
that tho Legislature ought to do. in
our opinion, is 10 give the road a
chance to merge, if it want to; but
IL should not be driven to a course
which might prove disastrous to both
the road and the State. The merger
bill proposes that the State shall tote
fair with the road to the advantage
OF road and State, and there the Statel
should stop for the XXI OF appear
&ances at least, and lest the club
method of doing business with It's
citizens shall result in other radical
I efforts at legislation. TT is excellent
TO have a giants strength; but 1t is
tyrannous to use it like a giant
AIDING THE EX-PRISONERs.
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