Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 4 · column 8 of 9 · from the scan, no model involved
But Gov. Charles S. Robb counsels caution. In his State of the Commonwealth address he urged that, because of the magnitude and complexity of the issue, it not be addressed in this short session of the assembly, but deferred for further study and more mature deliberation in the 1984 60day regular session. At midweek it appeared this probably would be done.
In the meanwhile, however, the massed battalions of high pressure—and highly paid — lobbyists were streaming into the capitol and lining up on both sides of the question. From the build-up it would seem a political Antietam is in the making.
But beyond all this, other and far more subtle political processes may be at work. If a resolution of the issue is postponed until 1984, these processes could have a profound impact on the balloting this fall when all 140 seats in the House and Senate will be up for election.
As the railroads and utilities line up their allies, the famed “Main Street Coalition’’ with its vast reserves of campaign- cash will find itself badly split over the pipeline question.
Utility, rail and coalition scouts will be scouring the state for House and Senate hopefuls favorable to their respective causes, and whom they might in turn favor with substantial campaign contributions.
There are big bucks at stake in the pipeline decision and the dividends anticipated are well worth major investments in the election efforts of sympathetic candidates. Thus it is possible that the struggle over the pipeline will influence, at least to a degree, the composition of the assembly which will be elected this fall. It might sound like a coal country and railroad squabble, but the political tremors from this one will rattle every corner of the Commonwealth.
96.0%