Arizona republican., 1909-02-16
PHoENX, ARIZONA, FEB. 16, 1909.
THE TURN COAT OF TWO YEARS.

We seldom seriously consider WagS, which for the enlightenment of strangers in our midst, is the local name for the Arizona GOzette, nor do we intend to now. We are moved, however, to notice Wags again, by his strident bowling for the dear people," when it is the common rep utation of Wags in this community that the ultimate object of Wags' bowling is the bone. Wags is known to be wholly lacking In honesty, per sonal or public. A more foolish and arrogant demagogue never projected himself into the local field.
 As we long ago explained, Wags took his name from a small cur in the funny paper, "Wags, the Dog that Adopted a Man" Our Wags' career has been a continuous struggle to adopt somebody worth while, to an nex himself to something.
 Two years ago. this very moment, Ways was halting between two opin ions. the same Ways as now, be- tween the Southern Pacific railroad and the territorial administration; between the interests" at which he now bays and the "peepuI"
 There was at that time, as now, railroad legislation pending, a fare bill and the Bell railway commission bill Wags had just received and printed a three-column statement by the railroad company. The statement was proper, we believe, a fair and reasonable exposition of the railroads side of the subject.
 That was on February 14, 1907, and this is the way ''Wags" then felt to- ward the interests" Mind you, the same Wags, not a hair changed, just as hungry. interruptions and dishon- est as he had always been and as he always will be:
 "On another page of this issue of the Gazette will be found the rail-
 
 bills that are at present before the territorial assembly for consideration. Under ordinary circumstances the Gazette. always willing to give both sides of any public question impar- tially, would have published this com munication, but under present condi- tiOns, and after due and grave con- sideration of the matter, it not only
 
 auctions that are bound to be drawn from it, that fs, that the legislation, such as is proposed to be enacted by the twenty fourth assembly, would not only be unjust to the railroads themselves, but would work a hard ship on Arizona that would be felt for years to come.
 The Gazette realizes to the full est, as does the major portion of the thinking and well informed citizen ship of the territory, that on the rail- roads to a great extent depends the future of Arizona. It recognizes that the question of railroad extension and improvement is the most important that cOnfronts the commonwealth and without it our development would be slow, and for that reason, it opposes any legislation that savors of an- tagonism to these interests. We do not believe that bills that are radical in the extreme and at least twenty five years ahead of the times should be enacted into law. It should not be forgotten that Arizona is in her infancy so far as development is con- cerned, and, instead of hampering or antagOniZing interests that would help us on to greatness, no matter what their motives may be, we should give them every encouragement.
 There is not a county in Arizona that is not crying out for increased railroad facilities and there is not one but what needs them. But radical anti-railroad legislation will not re- suit in those prayers being answered. Instead, it has been the experience of new countries that exactly the oppo- site may be expected and this terri tory has no right to look for differ ent treatment"
 The Republican does not reproduce the foregoing as a literary gem or as a logical presentation of the rail- roads side of the case then, which dS JlSl dS bOulll tS IL lS uONs Dul we offer it to show the frantic strug- gle wags was then making in his weak and foolish way to adopt the interests"
 Only two of the twenty-five years ahead of the times" have elapsed. There is the cabalistic "23" still com ing to the railroads, yet Wags, the same Wags, wishes now to cut them short.
 On February 14, two years ago. Ways, after due and grave consider ation Of the matter" saw no s25OO job in sight, but now a vision looms before him wholly obscuring those re- maining twenty-three years.
 Now, on February Is, 1909. Wags reviles members of the legislature who confer in a friendly meeting with those same interests" which must not be attacked on February IA, 1907