The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-09-29
conner xr. The Railroads.

Chattanooga TradesHan.
 There has been criticism in several quarters of the State of Alabama re- garding certain radical legislation re- centlv enacted there, together with ap- prehension expressed both at home and abroad that the State would surfer material damage from 1t, but we de- sire to assure all these that 1t is In no sense the State of Alabama that is re- sponsible for the situation as it seems to exist there. It is simply Conner Vs- the Railroad"
 It is true that Alabama had suffered at the hands of the railroads, possibly more than any other Southern State, and it was this fact that offered Conner his opportunity. Few of those in the State having dealings with the rail- roads but what had personal grievances. some of long standing and great az gravation, and when Conner appeared with his 1t was not difficult for him to bring the wrongs of the others more to the surface than his own, albeit it was his own personal grievances that inspired his campaigns and finally land ed him in the gubernatorial chair, where he hoped to so shape legisla- ton as to give him adequate weapons with which to punish his enemies-the railroads.
 The Legislation that followed. there fore, was Conner legislation, for so deep was the public indignation against the railroads that the public was blLndly following Conner and not questioning his remedies but there has been reaction and the pubic are beginning to note the vindictiveness of Conner "a spirit utterly at variance with their conceptions of what chief eX- ecutive of all the people should pos sess and eXhibit-and that reaction is going to represent Alabama hereafter, rather than Conner.
 It was never the State of Alabama that threatened defiance to the author ity of the United States courts, but only Conner; for the people of Alabama, who really comprise the State, are quick to realize that defiance to any duly constituted court no matter now insignificant it's jurisdiction, Is denance to all lawful authority, is anarchy pure and simple, and they will have none of it. There is no sentiment In Ala bama that would deprive any citIzeil IINs or corporation of any right legally pos sessed and exercised, even though IL should be a railroad, and many were glad that the Conner law which sought to rescind the license of a corporation that transferred a case from, state to the Federal courts, right gwen both by the State and the United states Constitutions, was suspended by Ohi ted States court pendente lite, Tor u It was a poor spectacle for a state to seek the nullification of its own or ganic law, to say nothing or suCE aL attempt against the supreme law or tne e nation no matter what the proVocatlou might be. Two wrongs never yet hlaue | a right, and a state can never al | ford in the pursuit of justice Tn one | direction to inflict injustice Tn an
 We wish to emphasize the fact that | 1t was never the State of Alabama | that appeared in such an anomalous | plight-only Conner. He had et sworn ,.5 t5 | ilUhold the laws of his own state ano | tbe United States equally, and whel | sither court assumed the protection ol
 any subject 1t was his sworn duty te | sustain that court unth a proper tbd, trl
 But the people of Alabama will not aermit either the railroads or Conner | 10 run 1t, especially when selhsh eho' l are apparent; and no one need Tee l the slightest apprehension over tho
 future of this great State. Conner anC
 romer legislation will soon pass into l oblivion, before the tide of an awaken