The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-11

not conducted as they should be. II
lis Nj. Business Man and Mr.. Clerk
who have been neglecting this great
privilege. and / feel 1t my duty to urge
every member of the Chamber OF
Commerce to cooperate with this or
ganization in educating every one OF
| our employees and heads of some OF
our business establishments to exercise
! this privilege.
I Another special committee was ap-
pointed by the chamber to confer
with the railroads. with a view of OBJ
ltaining daily train service between
Richmond and the fast growing town
.,of Hopewell The result Is that We
now have direct service of three trains
a day in each direction. and / am re-
iliably informed that they are well
patronized and are on paying basis
Another special committee was ap.
pointed and called meeting IN con-
junction with the Southern settlement
and Development organization Wlth
/ headquarters at Baltimore. Governor
Stuart also called meeting of rep
resentatiyes from the entire state,
! looking to the permanent organization
of a Virginia branch of the southern
Settlement and Development organ
ization, with the result that such
branch has been formed in Richmond
land is under the able management OF
Mr. p. Dickinson.
| There is no movement, in my 1udg-
iment, which means more to our state
and to Richmond, if properly conduct
ed and supported. The natural re-
sources OF virginia are unsurpassed
Her agricultural position within
twentv-four hours freight run OF the
big centers OF trade, low fuel prices
iunexceIlcd labor conditions and rail-
read facilities offer splendid oppor-
tunity for manufacturing, ana the
great diversity of soils nd our Cl--
mate offer wonderful opportunltleS
for development Of our agrlcuituIhi
iresaurcas Agriculture and manu-
featuring are the real producers OF
wealth. and I know Of no movement
that means more to Richmond thah
the proper development OF the agrl-
cultural lands in the territory sur
rounding this city. We have the mar
ket and the land, and we must bring
from the outside small farmers 10 ue-
velop this land and bring II 10 th9
high state of production that II -
capable Of
ization is working on broad lines, ana
T feel sure that organ ICED as II Is, Win
no selfish objects in view, the manaee-
ment will accomplish much for Rlch-
Emond and virginia
Postal and Telegraph Committee
The question of additional space an
facilities for the Richmond postofilc
has been a pressing one. and the
chamber has devoted much time ami
thought to the matter in the past
wear The chambers position IN
initiating and securing the appropria- .
ton of s45o000 for the purpose OF
purchasing the Eleventh Street slte
has been affirmed and reatfirmed py
the board at several meetings ana
at a meeting of the chamber helo on
January 25 1915. There never mas
been time, in my judgment that
the chambers position was not soun",
and this was further confirmed at
hearing before Mr.. Secretary McAdoo
on December IA. when the matter
was again thoroughly discussed.
Inland Trade Committee and Traffic
Bureau.
The report of the Inland Trade COM
mittee and Traffic Bureau Will ne
printed and mailed TO every member
of the chamber. The results accom-
plished by the traffic bureau are sun
stantial. with the added value that
assures to the community that the
adjustment OF freight rates is abso-
lutely necessary in competing with
rival communities. An estimate OF
the money value of some OF these ad-
justments appears in the traffic man
ayers report. In my opinion. this
estimate is much below the actual
value However. there is no doubt
from reading the report of the trafhc
bureau that II is becoming more ana
more difficult to adjust Lig questions
involving important rate adjustments
without recourse to State and the In
terstate Commissions. That report
goes into detail on this question: but,
stating it briefly, the attacks made on
our rates by rival communities ana
the apparent tendency of carriers 10
prefer the Interpretation by the Inter
state Commerce commission OF the
present requirements OF the law make
it necessary that this method of de-
ternirirg our rights must be resorted
10 This is not said in a spirit of
criticism of the carriers. but IS the
inevitable necessity of the change or
the times. At the present time the
very foundation on which ret the
advantages of Richmond as COM
mercial. manMfacturinG and dis
trihuting center, as shown IN the
statement which l contributed TO our
brief for the Federal Reserve Bank,
is in jeopardy, owing TO the recent e1-
Cessive increases in our rates. Those
advantages to which We are entitled
by our location and proximity to tho
South must be defended before the
Interstate Commerce Commission or
we shall lose them, and lose them
permanently. They are MT undue adj
vantages. and l believe the carriers
are as much interested in a proper
adjustment as we are. The traffic
bureau has never during its existence.
to my knowledge. sought an undue adj
vantage In any of our rates on
freights. but has always insisted upon
their being placed upon a relative
basis of equality with other competing
cities and localities. Cases like this
and the North Carolina rate case and
others requiring, as they must, an in
innate knowledge of interstate prac-
tice and innumerable decisions and
preceder.ts make necessary the en-
ployment OF able and skilled counsel
to cope with our opponents.
In the past we have attempted to
raise money for defending our freight
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