The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-31

individuals who direct their operation.
and who seek to place them above the
Jaw. that have 70 deal.
IL the State of Virginia Is TO come
into her own. and IL she is to fulnl
what should be her great destiny, the
undue influence or greet corporate
wealth must be divorced from her pub
tic affairs
l know that many of tho captains
OF transportation and OF industry are
men OF high purpose. VINO are deeply
.mbued with love OF our State These
men are valuable citizens. and are
entitled TO the respect of the com
nunity Men, however. who. drunk
with temporary power. abuse the great
trusts committed to their care TO de-
oauch our public affairs shonld suffer
condlgn personal punishment
An offending railroad president, or
an Individual. or officer OF money
corporation, who seeks to unduly influ-
ence legislation. or to control the vote
OF his creditor. should promptly be put
TO work grinding lime for the farmers
OF the State OF Virginia. Such an ex-
ample would secure the rights of our
people and free forever our legisla.
ton and electorate from improper in
huence.
No Cries of Reproach for Them.
Mr. Williams refers to me as
recent recruit from New York Tho
presidents OF the Norfolk and West
ern. Atlantic Coast Line. board Air
Line. Southern and Chesapeake and
onio Railways and the heads OF many
OF the great industries of the state
are not V!rginlans in the sense in
which he uses the term. and yet OF
them we hear no cry of reproach
These gentlemen were chosen presum-
ABLY by the respective interests th<x
ron
TO manage the properties committed
to their care
Is different rule to be applied to
the farmers Of Virginia from that
which is to obtain for the CORPORA
tons which he seeks to represent.
why should not the farmers of Vir-
ginia. If they like. secure the services
Of a New Yorker in their endeavor tc
upbuild the great agricultural inter
ests of the State. Is the feeling long
prevalent in certain quarters that they
have no rights now to be daringly ex-
PRESSED? May they not exercise tho
privileges accorded to others without
invoking a snecr?
AS matter of fact on both sides
my family have been for generations
natives of the South and Identified
with its interests. The greater part
of my early life was spent In Rich
mond. and / shall always Remembers
with pleasure the encoura cement ana
kindness that received at the hands
of many of her citizens in the days
eff my early struggles, was edu-
Gated in Virginia, and. like AIR Will
liams, / left the State to secure en-
ployment. He went to South Caro-
lima and Ito New York His return
to Virginia preceded mine by only a
n Tg hi 81
porations from South Carolina to be
judged as to good citizenship, loyalty
TO State and right to participate in
public affairs by different rule from
that which is to be applied to me he
cause forsooth during the eight years
since my return ! have devoted much
of my time and of my means In an
endcavor to make easier the hard life
enforced by relentless corporate
domination upon our great farming
intreests l think not
Takes Himself Seriously.
Mr.. Williams takes himself seriously.
In a political article which was cir
culated throughout the State he falls
into "Reminiscences. He pictures him
self as man without bias, who takes
an impartial view OF the great ques-
lions now agitating the State. He re-
fers with evident pride In particular
to an occasion in 1905. when sitting in
his office he was surrounded by the
wealth. the intelligence and the high
purpose OF Richmond. the ncwer OF
that city was In suppliant mood. With
the pose of Canute. who babe the
waves stand still. tho tone of Casa
blanca. who trod the deck, and the
righteousness OF tho statesman who
renowned high Office that he might
be right, he deied their pleadipRs.
The scene was dramatic, and as such
this self described. fairminded citi-
zen would pass to posterity. Let us
see.
1t Will be OF interest to learn the
reason for Mr.. Williamss deep resent
ment at the publication OF the report
of the agent OF the Public Service Cor
poratio OF their victorious campaign
before the Legisla ture in 1908.
That remarkable document Which
a once upon its publication he claimed
mint have been had for the asking.
but which nobody seems to have ever
seen, contains the following self
gratulatory clause:
"On the whole. tho public service
corporations are certainly to be con-
graduated that practically no hurtful
Legislation was passed at the session
of 1908. No bill was introduced in the
interest OF the public servita' corpora
ton. 1t Is proper TO say that Messrs.
William B. McIlwaine. OF Petersburg.
and Scott, Buchanan and Cardwell. OF
Richmond. representing various steam
road interests, gave unflagging atten-
ton to all matters affecting such cor
poratlons. and rendered valuable as
sistance TO other and allied interests.
besides affording to the representa-
tives OF public service corporations
generally the fullest access to the
store OF Information regularly and
promptly furnished BY their assist
ants and clerks"
The same good friend OF the farm
ers OF Virginia who sent me the report
which Mr.. Williams derides has sent
me a copy OF the report made to the
cornora tim Commission office nv the