The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-02-19
railroad biz which comes up in tho

railroad bill which comes up in the
House.
II the railroads ask favors they
should be made to pay for them. Re-
plying to a question, he said the Rich
mond Fredericksburg and Potomac
Railroad would be affected by ms
amendment. 1t was paying no taxes,
and he thought this was good chahce
to get some revenue
! Mr.. Williams, of Giles, the House
patron OF the bill, did not especially
object to the amendment, but was
afraid 1t might injure the passage OF
| the bill. and was not germane to the
! subject anyway. He would not oppose
a special bill covering the point.
MIR. White favored the amendment.
Some railroads he said, under ancient
taxation. They should, II possible, be
made 10 contribute to the support Of
the government
A The amendment was opposed by MI
| page. If the bill is wrong In princi-
pie, he said. 1t ought to be defeated.
IL 1t is right to allow the railroad men
to get to their homes on Sundays, IN
stead of being kept on the road, !.
A should pass. 1t was not right to loao
the measure with other provisions
Mr.. Cooke. he said, wanted to brinE
tomac to terms. It was improper q
break a franchise in a bill passed fo1
the benefit of humanity.
sneaker for Amendment.
Sneaker Byrd Chr. Stubs in thu
chair1 said that the Richmond. Fred
ercksburg and Potomac Railroad. the
richest railroad in the South, Is the
only one in the State which pays ne
sort of taxes There was no reason
why it should not pay its share. y
, is an anachronism, he said 1t stand:
alone. so far as he knew, as railroad
company which, while enjoying charte,
rights and the protection of law, pays
/, nothing to the support of the govern
, ment under which it exists and doe
! | business.
Mr.. Page. he said, had only looket
: on the surface in believing that tn
: railroad men were behind this bill. 1t
. vitality, he argued, had been give
1t by the companies, and not by tn
$ workmen. The employers were usin
n the men to bring about the result
:. they desired.
II II am not fighting this bill" con
e tinued the Speaker. but | am nc
u willing to concede that the railroa
II men constitute the force behiIh !
: will vote for this measure, but
u ought TO have the Cooke amendmen
=, The state cannot take away the eS
emption of the Richmond. Frederick
burg and Potomac from taxation
,e was conferred by its charter-a charte
l. which few people know the provision
Of. Under this charter this railros
d. can be forced to stop it's trains an.
Is where that a passenger may desire
rs get on or off. II may be forced to SIC
70. in a field to take on an old WON'T
m with a basket of eggs. But 1t does n
he do it. 1t does not give the priviles
n which it is required to give. yet
on takes every advantage of the exem
on ton, in spite of the fact that both a
s parts of the charter charter
nd that kind confers a vested right
adj Make Road Surrender.
nd I'VE cannot take it away. but
as can, by legislation of this sort, I
peatedIy enacted, put the road at IL
in such a position that 1t Will col
n here voluntarily and surrender
,r. charter and be taxed like similar co
Ir panies. We will say to this no;
ice Here's something you want; TO {
~ lit, come in and pay your share OF
an expenses of your government Wh
ad we are hunting for objects of taXati
i'd here is a chance
as Mr.. Lee inquired if it would not
ms Unconstitutional to require the road
nv give up it's charter rights to take
he vantage of general law which appli
ery to other roads. Mr.. Byrd said that