Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1907-08-09
RAILROADS GETTING woRsTED.

the one nand anu the people on the
other clash over either real or fancied
grievances the populace usually win,
sooner or later. Then it is that the
pendulum is apt to swing the other
way. Yesterday Georgia. with one
fell swoop, wiped out her liquor
laws, and the State goes suddenly
into the prohibition columns. This
is not so bad, because it was, as is
usually the case, brought about by
the utter disregard of social demands
and law. Prohibition is step be-
yond local option, and, in our
opinion, is not near SO good a policy.
The great temperance wave that is
sweeping this country is the result of
presumption and abandon on the
part of the liquor people. They
have themselves only to blame.
Today we read that Alabama has
revoked the charter of the Southern
Railway, by power derived from the
legislature, indirectly because that
railroad had refused to put into
effect passenger rate decreed by
the State. In the turmoil now on
in North Carolina and Virginia it is
more than probable thstif the legis-
latures were in session-or should
shortly be convened-some railroads
would meet with the same fate here.
Whether fair rate was set or not is
not the question the railroads should
have baked at. They should have
taken their medicine like men and
with patience awaited the outcome
of court proceedings. Unwisely,
the Virginia roads have been ILL
advised, and that too by men native
born Virginians. The people will
not now stop to consider the merits
of their cause. The question has
gone far deeper than any man an
ticipated-iti is a question whether
the United States government shall
dictate to state legislatures. If so,
the last bars of States Rights are
thrown down and a centralized gov
eminent appears with all its pro-
spective horrors. Well might Mr..
Dos Passos have claimed in his able
speech before the bar association, in
effect that we have not the best form
otgovernment obtainable, though his
thought may not have emanated
from the question just recited. "Bob''
Toombs, of Confederate brain, long
since decried our manner of govern
ing and foretold disaster and conflict
over our weak points.
With the railroads, as with the
liquor men, the clash has been pre-
cipitated by them. The people are
going to the other extreme, and un-
less the railroads speedily give in,
as they appear to be doing upon
sober thought and saner counsel.
the pendulum is to swing far to the
other side, when not only would the
railroads be crushed but our ma :
terlal welfare would vitality suffer.
Under the stand these roads have
taken Virginia can do nothing else
than pitch the battle and fight it to
The uttermost. To say that Fed
eral court shall dictate to our leeis.
iature what it can and what it must
not do will find no sYmpathizer in
any true man and will receive rebuke
at the hands of probably every State
In the Union.
We have seen what our Governor
has done-acted in no uncertain way
and al quickly as return from his
official visit to the Eastern Shore
would permit, and the CITIZEN is
very much gratified that he should
receive the loyal support of press
and people, friends and political an-
tagonists. Reproducing Governor
Swanson's mandate in the case the
Southside Sentinel, of Urbanna. in
its last issue, pays him this Just and
high tribute
That the present Executive of Vir-
ginia is a man of nerve and backbone
rs beng demonstrated in more WAYS
than one; also that he is a man of m
ceaslng energy and activity. He has
gone after the law breakers at Pine
Beach hammer and tongs, as a result
Oh which conditions at that somewhat
notorious resort are said to have al
ready greatly improved. He has also
recently won the admiration of good
citizens by taking the necessary steps
TO put out of business a floating den of
wickedness on the Potomac river. where
sports from Washington and Alexan-
dria were accustomed to gather on Sun
Gay Tor drinking, carousing and gam
ping. But perhaps the most notable
instance of Governor Swanson's firm
stand forwhat he believes the right is
iound In his attitude regarding the