The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-07-15
Subscription $I.5O Per Year, in Advance
SATURDAY, JULY Il, 1905.
WILLARD'S POSITION ON JIM
CROW LAW.

WILLARD'S POSITION ON JIM
CROW LAW.
1t was noteworthy that during his
entire speech here on Tuesday night
Observation-Disclosures Willard did
not once refer to the miSinterpreta-
ton the Culpeper Exponent placed
upon his attitude toward the Jim
Crow Car Bill in a recent lengthy
editorial. which was generally CIR
culated throughout the state. and
in pursuing this course he not only
acted wisely. but was entirely right.
Mr.. Willard has nothing to defend
in reference To his attitude ON the
Jim Crow bill. He has never OPP
posed it. On the contrary. IT received
his vote and support. and the very
authority which our contemporary
invokeS to bolster up its inslnua-
tims proves the falsity OF them
Here is the account. so far as 1t IT,
lates to Mr.. Willard santagonism To
the bill, as published in the Dispatch
at the time. and this is the account
of proceedings upon which the tx
ponent relies:
"Mr. Willard spoke OF the impor-
tance of the railway communication
with Washington for his section. He
said after hard fight his people had
secured capital to build road from
the south side of the Potomac to
run through Alexandria and Fairfax
counties. He thought the EppS
bill would act as a prohibitive act ON
this road. and ne therefore offered an
amendment that nothing in the act
shall apply To roads operang eN-
clusively in the counties of AleNan-
dria and Fairfax. or in the counties
OF Alexandria and Fairfax and the
District of Columbia.
The Willard amendment was voted
down in committee q to :.
Nothing short Of deSireto do IN
Injustice could have animated such
a wilful miscOnstructiOn OF the Dis /
patch's report. becausethere is moth /
ing in the report that any fair and /
unprejudiced mind could constue in |
to opposition on the part of MIR
Willard TO the measure. and there Is
sufficient in the report to suggest to
anyone who really wanted the truth /
to inquire of the people OF the cOun- |
ties of Fairfax and Alexandria /
whether or not Mr. Willard was en-
gagged in exploiting his individual I
views and looking after his own in /
terests or representing the interests
and wishes of his constituency. Ii /
our esteemed contemporary had
zone to this trOuble it would have |
found that the people Mr.. Willard
represented We're unanimous in the
opinion that if the electric road.
which was in course of construction
through Alexandria and Fairfax
counties. was not exempted from the
operation Of the proposed law the
road would never be built, and the |
county seat of Fairfax county would |
continue without railroad facilities.
In all fairness. we ask whether it was
the duty OF the representative OF
these people in the legislature to
offer the amendment he did, as his
constituents desired. or to misrcpre-
sent them and advocate in the begin
ming the measure as introduced? Mr..
Willard had absolutely no personal
interest i'm the road, and he has not
now, but it was through Mr.. Viii
lard's generosity that the railway
was finally enabled to reach Fairfax
C. H., for shortly after the passage
of the bill he sent the road, through
the citizens of Fairfax. a check for
$25, 900. In return for this he has
received nothing in the way OF pc
cuniary interest in the road, not !
even "a pass over the road for himself
and family. 1t is needless, therefore,
for us to repeat that Mr.. Willard
does not have to defend his record
on the Jim Crow law"