The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-27
WHAT IL THE STATE:

WHAT IL HE SIATI:
The Senate Committee on Privileges and Flee
tons last night entered upon the hearing OF the
Jordan Enabling Act. giving the advocates and
opponents OF the measure each two hours for ar
gnment and postponing final hearing until We'd
ncsday evening
II this program be carried out, the bill should
take liz Place on the Senate calendar. after
report. or Thursday.
Wh:le such "A disposition OF the question is in
1 sense satisfactory to the temperance advo
Gates, they fee. that 1t would have been better
J. nal the committee closed the hearing last night
to the end that speedy vote might be taken
aron The measure on the floor. The General
Assembly !s drawing close TO the end of the
present session. After Thursday, there viii
be practically no than week remaining
for the discussion OF contested bills, The Jor-
dan Act was the one measure which II most
perfectly understood months before the Cen
era! Assembly convened would be pressed fo'
settlement. II was promtly introduced. 1t has
been assiduously followed up. 1t comes
to the Senate, backed by the plea of the army
of fits supporters, for final disposal We think
The Senate understands that it is not within
reason that ii should seek under any prctext,
70 avoid vote. The shortness of time remain
ing In which to take action should make 1t all
The more concerned. for the interests of all
parties. that the issue be met fairly. and in
the open.
We do not apologize for reiterating the fact
that this is Il peoples fight, peoples plea. 1t
would never have been recognized as such had
the people by iteration and reiteration not I'm
pressed the fact upon the General Assembly
and upon the State The effort to smother that
hght and 10 gag that appeal through the OBJ
lection Of a constitutional inhibition upon the
The Legislature TO make It's action dependent.
upon popular vote has been ably argued Effort
1 10 delay decision has been met and circum
vented As a result of all the augmentation
and all the hlibusterng, the people have only
been more thoroughly convinced of their right
To have it left to them arbters to say wheth
ar or not the State shall continue to license the
sale and manufacture of liquor.
In the end 1t comes down to this Who and
What is 1.-THE State?
A certain Louis of Franco oourted an inter
Yuption of his line through the office of Mon
sieur Giotine. when he exclimed: "L'cfdtf
e'es, moar' (The State; 1t Is myselfN
~ is THE state In Virginia, In the decision OF
! question that has taken hold on the hearts
OF the people Il body OF forty representative
men, Is 1t. In the last analysis the creature
OF the property rights incident to traffic al
ready chained under authority of the policA
power like the wild beast that II Is? Or fs II
the majority of the people, who make its pros
perity who in the end ratify discountenance
It's laws who are chargeable with and RESPONSE
Bile FOR the manner and extent in which the
popular conscience finds expression In the
statute books. ,..+s +-.. .-,. e.- So
Overwhelmingly the House OF Delegates has
declared that the State is the people
Is the Senate prepared to take the RESPONSE
biIfty OF framing a different definition