The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-06
FAvORABLY REPORT
R. F. 8 P. BILLS
MEASURES WILL BE rEroRE THE
HOUSE ON PASSAGE THIS
MORNING.
long DISC u S s | o \
CORPORATION COMMISSIONERS
ru,yK STATE SHOULD RETAIN
MEMBER OF ROADS BOARD
OF DIRECTORS.

Aftar hearing a discussion or the
r,sy,,s of the Richmond and FREEZER
,eksbure and Potomac Railway COM
r>romise and n3ere"r oliis . ~
hours last night the House COMMIT
tsa on Roads decided to report tte
measures faVora5iy, reserYihs ltie
right To offer such amendments 10 Wv
h5us on The floor OF the HOUSE tU"@S
as may be deemed wise
The compromise bill provides Tor
,be appotutment OF a commission "il
The part of the State TO adJust az
points of difference between me State
and the Railway Company. snch con-
mission to consist OF the o"Nernoi'
the members Of the stale &oFpot "''"''
Comm ission. and a hfth meHaDoi W VIC
named by the other four.
The bills have already passed the
senate aud the favorable action ny
the House VIII create machihefS
which viii probably close c"ntFo-
versv between the State and the rail-
way lasting for u quarter OF century
Las, night MIR. Allen Caperton brax-
ton. counsel for the railway company,
nnpear red before the committee. ana
made an exhaustive argument Lef Aue
bills. Attorney General Williams ap
neared with arguments favorina "A
I7res he never having been called IN
heforc in the consideration Of the mai
ter.
He wished 10 see the bills amended
SO that the commission should con-
SYST Of fVe meub ers who should De
named by the Governor the president
of the Supreme Court and the state
Corporation Commission, this comnlis~
sion 10 report back to the next Gen
eral Assembly or to the state Cor
poration Commission. which should
pass finally upon the settlement ar
rived at He thought tt was-ecfs
necessary that the matter should be
passed upon by two bodies. lie
thought TOO that the bill should be
amended so as to retain upon the
board Of directors n representative oil
the State. He had a number of otner
amendments which he thought were
necessary for the absolute safe guard
ing Of the interests OF the State.
On Same Basis as Others.
Mr. Braxton declared that the object
OF the measures was to place the state
on the same basis as other stockhoid-
ers and that, while the roads h1dins
interests In the Richmond, Freder-
ieksburg and Potomac would have nc
especial objection to the State con-
tfnuing to have director on tbs
board, 1T was still one OF the burdens
that II was felt wise to dispose OF
He declared that In surrendering tht
privileges enjoyed under the old char
ter the road desired to at the samt
time get rid Of the burdens imposed
by it,
Judges Prentis and Wingfield, o
the State Corporation Commission
were before the committee by insi
tation and were asked TO give tn
committee the benefit OF their views
Both Of these gentlemen thought tina
an adjustment with the Richmond
Fredericksburg and Potomac wa
highly desirable, but both expresse
the view that an amendment shout
be adopted to the measure nlloWin
the State to continue Its director upo
the board as heretofore.
Would Defer II Too Long.
Mr. Braxton opposed the sugges
ton made by Attorney General VIII
liams that the final closing Of tn
matter should be deferred until tn
meeting OF the next General Assem-
bly,, saying that 1t would be unfal
in the settlement OF controvers
for one party to agree to settle
ment and then have to wait yea
or two before the other party close
the agreement.
Az is well known there is litiga
ton pending In the Supreme Cour
Of the United States by which tn
State liz Suing the Richmond. Fred
ericksburg and Potomac Railwa
Company for something like n hall
million Of dollars taxes. Judge WI
Iiams said last night that there wa
no doubt in his mind that back take
could he collected as far back a
1902. when the new Constitution be
came effective. The commission pre-
posed will be authorized to negotiat
a compromise on all back taxes, IN
minimum allowed to be accepted he
ing the payment OF the taxes foi
the years 1911 and 1912.
The Attorney General declared tina
this provision should not be inser'e
in the bill. as II seemed to indicat
a Willingness on the part of the Stat
= DO accept this asnaaut Az Il TssfRtnsssin