The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-01-29
4 SUNDAY, JANUA AIRY q - 1906: 1905. i5

&S1JNIAI,%
All Class = Legislation Is Vicious Isl /!
Mr.. Gompers, president Of y 7 the
M American Federation Of LABOR Labor, mas mas
III atal my record in Cong rcss SHOWS ~
IN ,,ayc always voted for and '.dv'ocat g
favorable to rs ' g1na!'t5
r .ylsl, and invite an cSunllna: ton OF my
N record in this respect. III ~ .3
ga 81, SAYS Hon, Claude a. Swanson, mem S'
"a .a, az Congress from the Filth District
81 w virElni.l 1t is one OF TIC most n ~,
n ma rkahls gt:,temnnts we l;ave seen IRON ,1
pen Of any publi official. ls " ME- Alr.
swar prepared to hat Ne mas 5 az
4. % voted f,r and advocated legislation
5ssf IA orablc 10 the farmers?
Nj. SWANSON prcpa red 70 say th s
u has nj ways voted for and advocated Gu
aJ,l rlsla ton favorable 10 the bankers
Is Mr. Swanson prepared to say f that,
Il always voted 'forsand advocated az ~
N ~ lslation favorable to ! hc railroads
u ca Mr. swanson prepared TO say that ails
lie has always voted for. and az q! vo 70 q
Legislation favorable corpora tionsa1n
IL genera VI n &3 III n VA
n Nh. Swanson prepared to say that hat
\, Inns always voted for and advocated
ton favorable the merchants EAs o.
amy and every class of citizens it;l;e rs VINO
avc pplisd to cPng forS legisl g ton
8SsIin their own behalf? q sy,,s llS
s fnot Why should he SO positively and and
e,nphatically state that lie has e'lwayisa
5s "a md er all circumstances, and With
o,,t qualification and without refereln1'c, meg,
y " be justice u cxped lency Of the meas
81 re. always voted for and adyoe % !spI
lcsjslati,n favorable to the worknsmcn'!
s rs ID ~ false doctrine and utterly vicious.
kis I .evlslation should be In the Interest OF
people. Democracy revolts at
5 Il ,SS forms Of class legislation, Wse e.nn,s;
4 INV class of citizens bankers, railroad
men, farmers, workingmeql or what not
make application to q legislative II BODY '1!
81 oiTspechc Legislation In their own behalf,
5 az. question to be consideredi is whether
\ ,r51,ot such legislation is f.ir The public
" good .a If 50. 1t should be enacted; Il not
$}s IL lit is In the ntcrest Of one class to
5 sile injury or disadvantage or Injustice
sofgnnother class. 1t should be rejected as
contrary to the very genius or our SOW
a ernment and rs subversive OF Democratic
principle, public moral and common JUS
X lice. a. 1.
Fl Mr.. Swanson has made an able and elii-
t;cnt representative In Congress, lie has
many admirers and n large following
Il throughout Virginia.. He is Il leader of
" public thought. ,EIIc is an eScmplar ~
s& politics anu public service, ana lie owes
II u himself. as well as to hssconstitu-
h GEfncy ana to the people Of the whole State,
ny loa explain this broad and unqualified
statement to which be has committed
himself in the public print.
5s72s8 sf4Igis REF t===--=----=
Liquor Question and the Primary
The Times-Dispatch has laborcd most
assduously for the adoption Of the prl-
mary plan in Virginia, and Of course we
knew that the nomination for Governor
WAS to be made this year by primary. and
NJ, not by convention. Tho reference to q
IA State convention In an article OF ycstcr-
day was IA 3 mere & inadvertcncc made
through force OF habit. But this does not
alter the contention that the liquor qucs-
ton will be an issue In the Forthcoming
- SSssaopaign. and that the candidates for
St the nomination will have to meet 1t and
DECLARE themselves one way or the other.
Il. ,,hc Mann law II popular. AT the late con-
yention In Lynchburg Of the Virginia Anti
AIT saloon League It was shown that under
the operation OF the law retail liquor u
cetses has been reduced from 1866 in 19o-
a 10 I,lO6 In 1fUA. total reduction Of 1G0
The statement was also made that IN
seventy counties and three cities In Viz.
az gi,li,t there is not Il single licensed sa,
loon, and thai 7l7 of the LIS saloons are
III in8 the cities, Ira being IN territory con
1iguous TO the cities OF the remaining
MI ls8 MI hut thir,y-one are in nineteen
towns and summer resorts the other
,hirty-one being scattered throughout thf
thirty counties Of the State.
S5. In view of this situation, IN view Of the
operation Of the Mann law, is 4, reason
M able to presume that tine candidates fol-
Il Governor viii not be called upon to say
whether or not they are In favor OF q
f59S can Linuation VI iHat tan, any - any Sa'
#f didate should fail 10 declare hiraself
would not his chances f6r the nomination
be- SLIM and tif all the candidates saw
* one should decline 10 declare themselves
n and the #one candidate should say tha
y he was II, favor OF continuing and uphold
" ing the Mann law. IL IT not fair TO pre-
s gurl that the candidate 50 declaring lin
sen would be suecessful ~ the primary
s,S There nan be no doubt that this cues
~ y. ion will be IN issuc. and u IS quite ger