Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-07-25
Virginia Officials Busy on Question
Of Appeal Though No An.
nluncement Is Made.
ANDERSON WANTS TO MAKE FIGHT
Attorney General Is Evidently Chatting
Under the Present Condition Of
Anairs-At,orncy Brax,on Did Not
Make Pledge That State Would
Abide by Pritchard's Decision.
lsnccInl 10 ,rhc nnIIy rrcss.l

Especial to rho Daily Prcss.)
RICHMOND, VA, July 2i.-lt stu
remains to be seen what the Virginia
authorities actually purpose doing In
connection with Judge pritchard's III.
tcrlocutory injunction which. in effect.
forlids the Corporation Commission.
ors from doing anything whatever in
the two-cont rate matter until the case
Is settled on its merits in the Federal
courts, or until some short cut Is
riound To clrcnmvcnt the present at.
titudc of Uncle Sans judiciary.
Things of late have been happening
so fast in North Carolina where the
Tarhccls are putting up Il spectacular
fight against Judge Pritchard. that the
effect of the seeming inaction In the
Old Dominion Is acccntuatcd though
II may be the part OF wisdom for the
Virginia authorities to pause day or
so until they see what will he the
outcome of affairs in the Old North
State.
Whether the delay on the part Of
Governor Swanson. Attorney General
Anderson and the Corporation Com
mission Is really due to a desire to see
how things will cvcntuatc IN North
Carolina, or is due To INDIGESTION. Is q
question which none outside of tho
inner circle can answer.
The Governor himself Is n man of
so much vlvacity and such decision
OF character that few believe no will
ST idle as long MS there is any pussi-
bility of the states shaking off tho
Federal shacklos.
Attorney General Anderson. nj.
though decidedly rcticcnt about the
methods OF procedure ultimately to
bc adopted. now and then let's drop n
word or so which indicates that he.
too. is chatting under tho present con
dition Of things and that he is brist-
ling with zeal to act
Any hint that Virginia Is sleeping
on her rights calls forth from him the
vigorous assertion that those repre-.
scnting the Commonwealth will do all
in their power To insure the much
honcd-for reduction In railroad fares.
Somewhat in the nature of IN echo
from the proceedings ut Ashevillc.
where Attorney General Anderson and
Allen Capcrton BraXton argued the
Virginia cases before Judge Pritchard.
comes the report that Mr. Braxton.
in the pcroration of his speech de-
clared in impressive tones that what
ever the Judge held. the Virginia
lawyers would chcerfully abide by his
decision.
DID MIR. Braxton Make Pledge?
While no one now appears 10 re-
call exactly the language used By Mr.
BarXton-a rather important thing. by
the way-some insist that the words
carried the impression that Virginia
would not pursue course analogous
to that now being followed by North
Carolina.
In some quarters it is limited that
! this alleged pledge" of MIR. sDraXton
may even now be proving cmlnrass
ing to him and his associates OF
| course all depends upon the words
| accurately recalled.
Attorney General Anderson today
was asked about the matter. He said
that Mr.. Braxton's remarks. as he re-
called them, in no way acted as an
cstopnel for the future activities oi
| Virginia's counsel. Major Anderson
seemingly did not attach Importance
to the incident IL think said the
Attorney General, that Mr.. Braxton
merely remarked in closing that ne
unsccmly criticism of the action oil
motives OIL the court would nc lnuulScu
in even If the ruling were adverse &c
our contention. Some rather harsh
things had been sad MS a sequel &c
the ruling in the North Carolina cases
and MIR. BraXton doubtless had these
in mind"
Virginia is On Firmer Ground.
Among many lawyers of The city
the impression prevails that Virginia
stands on much firmer legal basis
than North Carolina in regard TO hel
cases. as the points of difference arc
all in favor of this Commonwealth.
| For instance in Carolina il was the
Legislature which decrecd the reduced
rates. while in this state the Corpor
alton Commission cssaycd to brin,
about the change after ii had spcn
months in investigating the matter
The North Carolina statute contains
Il penal clause which is sclf-opcrativ,
while The order Of the Virginia com
mission lacks such provision. lIat
the two cent rate order passed unchal
lengcd in this state, violations of i
by any given railroad would have
been punished after investigation by
| the commission. Just as the body doe,