The Washington herald., 1911-05-28
VIRGINIA HAS LAW
TO CONTROL GOULD
State Corporation Act Will
Protect Peoples Rights.

Virginia welcomes Mr.. Gould and his
elaborate plans for extending the electric
railway system of the State and the trans
mission of electric power" said Represent
ative Charles C. Carlin, who holds a seat
in Congress from the Eighth district Of
Virginia.
Perhaps no State in the Union Is bet
ter equipped to deal with a large cor
poration which proposes the development
Of public utility problems than is Vir-
ginia to-day continued Mr.. Carlin.
And I may add that no corporation
which has fair dealing and honest de-
velopment in view can cast its lot with
community where the controlling laws
are more just. nor where there is a more
honest hand of welcome and OF assistance
extended"
Law to Control Corporations.
Under the new charter of Virginia,
which went into force in 1904" said Mr..
Carlin, Corporations such as Mr.. Gould
proposes shall operate in Virginia were
placed under the direct control Of the
State corporation commission. a body Of
three individuals appointed by the gov
ernor. This commission has the power to
and transmission companies doing busi-
ness in our State Viewing the broad
authority of the commission. 1 know Of
no community, not even barring the
principal large cities Of the country with
their public utility commissions, that is
better equipped to guard the interests of
the people in these important quarters
than the State Of which have the honor
to be citizen. Coupled with the stat
utes which have since been enacted. the
article on corporations in the new State
constitution Is, I am certain, the most
complete safeguard against the rapacity
and unfairness to which unbridled utility
corporations are customarily given, of
any State law in the country. At the
same time there is guaranteed to the
utility concerns certain rights which they
are bound to appreciate.
II have not yet had the opportunity to
look into Mr.. Gould's scheme, either as
to railway extension or the harnessing
Of Virginia water power. I understand.
however, that 1t calls in general for some
railway competition eventually with the
lines now holding control Of the route
northward via Washington. This the
Virginians will welcome. and they also
will welcome, provided proper restric-
| tions are thrown around the undertake
ing. the development of the States Won
derful power resources"
Confidence in Commission.
Mr.. Carlin intimated that there was not
the slightest worry by the Virginians as
| to any unduly encroaching power on the
part of the newly formed interests con-
trolled by young Mr. Gould for the rea-
son that unbounded confidence has been
placed in, the new corporation commits
sion. This body. according to the Vir-
ginia constitution. issues all charters and
amendments to charters for domestic cor
porations, and all licenses to foreign cor
porations- 1t performs the duties which
formerly devolved upon the State rail-
road commissioner and the board Of pub
lie works. In all matters relating to the
performance of their public duties and
their charges therefor. the commission
has full authority over the transporta-
| ton and transmission companies Of the
State. 1t is the duty of the corpora
| ton commission not only to prescribe but
to enforce such rates, charges, classifl-
cation Of traffic, and rules and regula-
tions, as may be just and fair in the
dealings of these companies with the
people they are to serve. The commits
sion also may require the maintenance of
proper public service. It is in its power
to demand the facilities the people may
need The full right of inspection also
is guaranteed the commission.
Honest Foreign Capital Welcomed.
THE people of the State of Virginia
are in favor of the proper development
of the resources of the Old Dominion"
said Mr.. Carlin. There is no disposition
in our State to be suspicious of honest
foreign capital when the persons who
are charged with its use agree to con-
form fully to the laws which safeguard
the people. There are resources untold
awaiting development in Virginia, and
Mr.. Gould or anybody else will be well
coined to undertake their exploitation.
The control of such corporations as he
represents is no longer slipshod and in
effective, but 1 will venture to say as
strongly bound as a body of laws could
make 1t. Mr.. Gould. I understand. Is
already at work on his various projects
and therefore. undoubtedly. he has been
in contact with the body of men which
the governor has designated shall deal
with corporations. There is absolute
confidence in this commission in Virginia
and the people are willing to assume
that in according these new interests the
right to develop and distribute water
power and to build railways to connect
many important cities Of the State-and
possibly to effect a new trunk line be-
tween the North and the South-the law
and the regulations laid down in the
charter have been fully observed. and
that no rights have been granted the
Goulds which would not be accorded to
any other concern or individual
VIII Contest Smoke Law.
Assistant Corporation Counsel Cus A