Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-10-03
\ Victory for States Rights

THE action Of the Senate in rejecting the
Susan B. Anthony Federal amendment
resolution is splendid triumph for tho
principle of States rights pressed to the ve"y
verge OF Il great peril to the citadel OF its
strength, to which it had been driven by
numerous thanking movements that gathered
momentum under the camouiiagc of argu-
ments which sought to disguise the real is
sue and its menace, and stampede the OPP
ponents OF the pernicious doctrine with Il
great cutlery challenging their loyalty to the
administration i'll its efforts successfully to
prosecute the war.
Under the impact of the Presidents per-
nal appeal to Senators to surrender their
convictions and support the resolution as I'll
emergency war measure, it requires more than
ordinary courage for the defenders Of the
vital principle upon which rests the very
existence Of the authority of the States to
administer their own domestic affairs, us
they reserved the right to do under the COM
pact OF union, to stand firm in support Of
the principle. That thirty Senators, and
four others paired against it, had tho tirmness
to withstand the specious and jmpassioned
appeals directed at them and voted against
the resolution, emphasizes not only the in
vinciblity of the principle in sound reason
ing for which they contend. but it shows that
amidst all the confusion in public thought
created by shrewdly devised and widespread
organizations to impair the fundamental sup
ports OF republican government. there yet
remains in the country larger body Of clear
thinking. courageous defenders Of the Ark
of the Covenant" handed down by the pa
triotic fathers, true to the trusteeship placed
in their hands by the sovereign States they
represent in the councils of national guidance
in paths of safety, than was generally i'm
agined 1t serves to recall the awakening
that came TO Elijah in the wilderness when
\
had forsaken the oracles of God; and the
revelation TO say the least, is most enccurag
ing as to the future. Among this number, it
is pleasing to reflect that both of our Virginia
Senators stand conspicuous maintaining the
poisc expected of Statesmen when confronted
with great issues trembling in the balance
under popular clamor.
AS this paper has heretofore stated. aside
from the merits involved in the question of
extended suffrage, for which the President
urged that war emergency existed,
tention which cannot be sonudly defended,
the Senators who opposed the resolution
were abundantly justified in their action be-
cause 1t proposed not merely n temporary
surrender OF right reserved exclusively to
the States. but aimed perpetually to strike
down fundamental principles OF government
1t could not have resulted otherwise than
in the eventual topping Of the whole struc
lure In us original design ana the SubStltu-
ton of ii government which, instead OF deriv-
ing its power from the people through the
States, would concentrate within itself all
power, and from Washington would issue all
governing authority throughout the forty
eight States OF the Union-become a mis-
homer in all that pertains to independent po-
litcal entities capable of determining their
own needs in purely domestic concerns and
safeguarding the rights and interests of Il
citizenship shorn Of the last semblance OF
potential power except as its exercise might
be defined and regulated by Federal author
itV