Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1892-02-19
THE FLIGHT OF THE PEOPLE.
ADVOCATES OF THE KENT BILL
ADDRESS THE HOUSE OF
DELEGATES,

The debate in the House of Delegates on
whether the House should follow the example
OF its Committee on Railroads, and decide ad-
versely to the Kent bill. began ON Saturday
last. the bill being made the continuing order
of the day until disposed of.
The first speaker was Mr.. B. o. James Of
Goochland who advocated the bill He
showed, from statistics, the prosperity OF
roads in the States which had railroad COM
missions, and claiMed that the same prospect
ty would be seen in Virginia He held that
the Democratic party of the State was COM
.mitted to the enactment of railroad law at
this session. In conclusion he said: eff you
, do not pass this bill you will witness the
downfall of our party. To these railroads
that have been fighting this bill, say to them
and to their representatives, that they had
FAR BETTER ACCEPT THE KENT BILL
than defeat it at the hands of this General
Assembly and come here few years from
now. Then they will see what kind of bill
they will have to contend with. Its object
is to give satisfaction to all interests that 90
to make up our State government When
you pass this bill youwill always maintain
your majority here. But if not, mind what l
tell you; we will hear that this Legislature
has been improperly influenced by the corpo-
rations of this State" "My fellow-members,
we have this duty to perform, continued Mi.
James, land say let us do it without fear
and trembling. 1t seems to me that when the
committee brought in this report they lost
sight Of their pledges The speaker said that
a failure to Ass the bill would throw the
al vof "a
hands of the Farmers Alliance OF Republi-
cans. Il say, gentlemen, it is our plain duty
to pass this bill as it is, or amend it, or do
something to give the relief that is demanded
by the various constituencies that we repre-
sent. l believe it to be moderate measure,
fair to all the interests of this State.
1t had been asserted, Mr.. James said, that
this bill was unconstitutional. This he de-
MED There have been decisions of the courts
on this question since 1876 in favor of the con-
stitutionality of the bill, reported in 81 U. S.,
page u, in 116 U. s., page 307, and a number Of
other cases needless to mention here. The
Supreme Court of the United States has
recently
SUSTAINED THE RIGHT OF THE STATES
to require the railroads to pay the cost OF
Commissions.
MY people will believe" continued Mr..
James, ''if this bill is not passed that the
Legislature is corrupted by the use Of free
passes. don't assert it; 1 say my people
will believe it. tell you, my fellow-mem-
bers. if you do not act upon this measure,
there are many faces before me that will not
darken this house at the next session of the
General Assembly. MI. Speaker, I believe
that | have already consumed enough OF the
time of this body, but ask you in justice to
yourselves, in justice to the people you repre-
sent, before you leave see that some railroad
legislation is passed that will give the people
relief. If you do not do it, you will witness
the downfall OF our party"
Mr.. James intimated in his remarks that if
the railroads opposed the Kent bill now they
might be confronted with much more severe
measure in times to come. At the conclusion
his remarks were loudly applauded.
MI. James was followed by Mr.. Arch F.
Withrow of Allegheny and Bath who deliv-
cred plain, forcible and sensible speech in
advocacy of the bill. II don't suppose" he
said. that there is man on the floor of the
House OF Delegates of Virginia, whose vote for
this bill will affect him more pecuniarily
than myself, but, sirs, 1 didn't come here to
work in the interest of myself. l was sent
here by the people to do as directed by them
as to their interests, and not mine. AS have
shown from time to time by petitions from
those people, have been directed by them to
vote for this bill, but, sirs
THE ONLY THING THAT WAS RAISED
AGAINST ME-
in my canvass last fall was that l was SO
closely connected with railroads that would
not vote OF do anything for the relief of the
people whom l came here to represent. That
was the only thing raised against me in either
party-that would not work for my people
on this railroad issue. Since being in Rich
mond, have time and again tried to get bill
introduced by people who, l thought, were
capable of drawing I'D bill, that would sat-
isfy the people 1 came here to represent.
IT WOULD BE DANGEROUS TO THE PARTY NOT
TO PASS IT.
s'Now, gentlemen, heartily agree with the
gentleman on the other side from Goochland
I am perfectly satisfied, while live in very
close district, that if those people don't get
some railroad legislation there is no possible
chance of its sending another Democratic rep
resentative to Richmond. came here instruc-
ted from time to time to vote for some railroad
legislation have said publicly If the Kent
bill was not satisfactory, get something that
was better than that; but would not go back
and face my people without voting Tor some
railroad legislation for their relief. Mi.
Speaker and gentlemen, l have sat ON the
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