Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-01-28
LEGISLATURE SHOULD
L|NCER LONG, THEN HALT
Not Within Its Province to Impress
Views Upon People OF
Other States.
no TIME FOR AGITATION
Inpatriotic to Inject Anything Into
Country's Greatest Crisis to Cause
Division OF Counsel - Views OF
limcs-Dlspatch Readers.
NSfafcn, IiIrhfso

pareo their breasts TO tho storm of
. SHOT and shell on the forefront of the
night; undismayed unafraid. were
appalled at the frightfumess of tho
conditions which confronted the state
conditions far worse than war it,
self heard with much pleasure and
ad6re; T S attractive and admirable
ernor Robert L. Montague. largely de-
voted 10 AN appeal TO our people. to
stand firmly. unfalterngly and hxcdly
Tor the preservation Of States rights
as the rcritablc sheet anchor for our
safety and our only refuge from the
wrath and hatred Of radical south
Iio cxhor,cd our people TO rcrncm-
per the Lex Scripth Of tho Democratic
mount articles o. rs creed; To us
iratc what he had 80 we'll aud cio-
Mucntly said. lie told this anccdotc:
THAT some years ago. in old Nirsinias
militia muster days. rather dccrcpit
old lawyer was elected colonel Of n
regiment. Ono evening his regiment,
was ordered out for drill and inspec-
tion. Mounted on an old onc-eyed.
sway backed mare. the old colonel ap-
FORM ElittcrinS with gold lace ana
brass buttons. The, plume on his hat
saber dangled on the ground. lie Was
denscly ignorant Of military tactics.
After giving several commands which
he did not understand, nor did his men,
10. and behold. he found himself III "A
hollow square entirely SURROUNDED by
his regiment. What in tho world to
himself in his saddle and Hourishut;
his rusty ola sabcr. he shouted out.
Ono Hundred and Forty Ninth Rcgi-
ment of Virginia Militia. advance
Nirgini.n of Old school
licutcRa Governor Montague was
a NirEiniau OF tho old school OF whom
all Virginia u proud. who lived up TO
tho very highest ideals Of It's very best
his State and to Jcncrsonian dcmoc-
racy. The memory OF such man Is
state and it's people. 1t is thought hy
many that IN this epoch 81 our .poli'i-
cal NE it would he we'll. aud very
the faith OF the fathers and founders Of
true democracy. By way Of preface TO
what now write. rs well as for con.
reasons therefore, l rettr -, 10 sgverai
baltimore sun, tho Louisville Courier
Journal. Tho Times Dispatch and 10
certain letters recently published IA
the latter. signed by =. +. Butord.
the writings Of tho IIonorablcs Elihu
Root and II. 81, George Tucker in the
premises. and IN behalf Of same. like
his prayers, who had the Lords Pray
ar printed IN big, bold letters a
cardboard over his bed, who. before
going TO step, would point his finger
UP and say, 80 Lord, them is my sen
tnncnts" ! am clearly and decidedly
OF the opinion that the editorials. lot
. tors and writings - which | have rc-
fcrrcd should b. the sentiments ot an
patriotic citizens WHO desire IN" pres
Eorernment--hom rule, states, rights
AS vel, az the suficicney and in,"H
rity OF tho Federal government within
its sphere and jurisdiction.
Sole and Only Issue.
In the matter OF tho ratification Of
amendments 10 the Federal Const;iu-
Shall further power. authority and
jurisdiction. properly. politically and
const,utionally belonging TO tho
States. be taken from them and be
transferred and assigned to central
paternal government ~ amendments
10 the Federal Constitution? This is
sue cannot. and should not, be cvadcd
or avoided. Before tho War between
tho states, the Federal Constitution
twelve articles. ten 81 which had been
ratified prior TO 1921. The eleventh
became the law in 1925. The para
mount purpose and object OF these
amendments was TO preserve and con
serve the liberty Of citizens and the
rights OF the state: THIS Is especially
Article H.. section . The radical aud
revolutionary hftcenth a m en- d IN en-
dssa) was a fragrant violation and IN
vasion OF the cherished Democratic
doctrine of states rights. The South
crn States. being then DISTINGUISHED.
did not vote that amendment. MIR.
jefferson. in discussing this question
OF States rights. said. 1T is not hv
the consolidation ani concentration OK
good government is effected. Were
not this country already divided INFO
states. that division must be made that
each might do for itself what concerns
itself dircctiy--what it can so much
better do than distant anihority.
W Men 10 sow and when %' 10 rnap. ' @e
should soon want bread" Chief Jus
tice Chase; approving Jeffersonian
=, Of the States and the maintenance of
: their government are As much within
the care and the design OF the Con
stitution the preservation OF the
Justice Charles +. hughes. in conso-
nance with these opinions. recently
said: An overcentralizei government
would soon break down OF its own
weight. II we did not have the States |
VIC would soon have TO speedily Gre
ate them"
Decisions of the. courts--Fedcral and
state--dieta Of judges. opitions of
could he quoted TO an unlimited cx-
tent, cumulatively and corroborativcly !
tsustai lining aud approving the doctrine
s lively essential for the safety and Sc
curlty Of the States. as we'll as for the |
Union. Indeed. the fear of central !
all patriotic citizens very jealous An |
sustaining and maintaining local self
government. homo rule and States |
should Linscr and Then TInIt.
Lcgislai ics should linger long. then /
lnGeHnltclS matt. before ratifying any
Federal constitutional amendments +
J which may have the object purpose o..
intent of interfering with other UNI
embarrassed and unlimited power and ,
jurisdiction of the States over it's no. /
lice laws and regulations or it's clccto-
rate and the qualification of it's voters
or for transferring and aSsis ming any
OF the powers and authority OF the
States to "a paternal centralized gov
eminent at Washington any of tho
elements and attributes properly be-
longing to the very autonomy of tho
States and arc included and involved
in local sclf-govcrnmcnt and home
rule.
AS the old doctor In giving his mcdi-
cine TO IL woman patic.t without tell
ing her how to takc II. wrote in answer
to her request to know how Said-takc
1t nally-eXtcrnaliy- ctcrnalIy
$50 we should take States rights-in-
tcrnally for the State. externally for
other States and etcrnally for all the
States and for the United. States IL
has been stated that States rights,