Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-09-06
Friday. September 6. 1907.
Mr.. wICKHAM'S DEFEAT.

Mr.. WICKHAM'S DEFEAT.
The defeat of Mr.. Henry 7. Wick
ham for the Senate is an occurrance of
marked significance. it is d sign of the
times from which we cannot turn
with Indifference, nor can we refuse
recognition of the cause. For nearly
rs years Mr.. Wickham has been a
member of the Virginia Senate, and it
is not fiattering him to say that he was
at the very head of that body. During
the same period he has been counsel
for the Chesapeake g. Ohio Railway.
OF his effort to serve these two mas
tiers, until recently there has been no
complaint. But times have changed.
The eyes of the public have opened.
and corporate defiance as we'll as cor
porate oppression have presented
themselves i'll their enOrmity. The
railroads have for years ground the
people with merciless perslstency, In
creasing with time. AT last they have
rebelled. In their rebellion they were
modest in their demands, they said to
the railroads "give to the poor what
you are giving to the rich. " The roads
were selling 1000 mile tickets at 2
cents per mile on their own initiative.
The rich could buy these, but not the
poor. The people therefore demanded
ho cold of y nanf2
per mile; that is, that all men be
treated alike. The history of that de-
Inand is too we'll known to be here re-
peated. Against this demand the
railroads rose in their might and in
their wrath, they denounced the de
mand as socialistlc, cOnfiscatory and
UNCONSTITUTIONAL and fed to the United
States Courts for sanctuary. A willing
court was found. There the States
authority was denied. its power min
imized, and it's hand stayed. there in
concrete form was made not only the
threat, but the overt attempt to des.
troy State sovereignty and uplift and
place over all Federal control and Gen.
tralized government. To many Of the
States. and especially to Virginia, no
heritage is so dear as her constitution
al rights. A threat to destroy these is
to invade her most sacred precincts.
and this the railroads defiantly an
nounced they would do. The scene of
the first conflict was laid at Asheville.
North Carolina, before Federal
Judge, and one who had for years been
an attorney for one of the great corpO-
rations which was undertaking to hui.
initiate every commonwealth in which
there exists State pride, or the belief
in any remaining constitutional
rights. In the midst of this onslaught
was Mr.. Henry T. Wickham, cleaning
in his corporate armor. battle axe in
hand dealing, if possible, the very
blows which would sink Virginia to
the level of a vassal, Or dismember her
as Poland. Other sons of Virginia
were there who had turned on the
kindliest and most forgiYing mother
sons eyer had, ready, willing and in
deed aiming to strike her death blow
in their sordid zeal for their mercenary
masters. On this the people of Vir-
ginia gaZed with faces blanched and
bated breath. The battle was on, the
columns of the opposing foes struck
each other, then rebounded. Then an
armistice followed, the sound of battle
died away in the distance and apparent
quiet reigned. From the ranks of the
corporate army MIR. Wickham rode TO-
ward the arm y of the people, and beg
ged again their contidence-that con-
fdence so often enjoyed and SO long re
pOsed-and a return to his seat in
their councils. But they said mo.
A thousand times NO." His own neigh
bors dealt this blow, their vote is a
vote of censure, their action one OF
lost confidence. How easy to have
avoided 1t all. Was he blind?
The significance of their pronounce
ment is not confined to the narrow
lines of State senatorial district, nor
to the State Itself, it is National, it
indicates the seismic forces at work.
which if not placated or subdued will
hurst forth throughout the Nation.
Can the railroads not now see? Can
they not read the handwriting on the
wall? Do they not know that this vote
of dIstrust OF MIR. Wickham is not of
him alone, but of every man they at
tempt to force into the law making
and law executing departments of the
State. This paper warned Mr.. Wick
ham OF the trsacherous sea upon which
he was sailing. 1t would like to whis
per into the ears of those more power
full than be, "Oh be We still,'' for they
are approaching mine"
MICKHAM NaMEH