Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-01-23
from Richmond Evening Journai.j
THE LEAGUES PROTEST.

proceedings OF the convention is not
justified. The Journal reporter was
present at every session of the con-
yentiOn up TO and including the ses-
sion of Thursday morning, at winch
the report of the legislative committee
was adopted, with amendments, and
he heard and saw all that passed ana
reported everything as he saw ana
heard it.
TO take up the resolutions of pro-
test in detail and beginning with the
/ second
\ THE Journals report did not pro-
duce the impression that there was
| great division of sentiment in the con-
vention on the question of Statewide
prohibition. On the contrary, it dis
tinctly and repeatedly stated that the
convention was united on that point.
1t did say, however, that there was a
| great difference of opinion as to the
proper time for calling a Statewide
election should the general assem-
bly, pass an enabling act. Mr.. Well
ford, of Newport New, stated that
fact himself and several other speak
ers said the same thing. The Thomas
resolution instructing the executive
committee 10 call an election at the
earliest practicable moment within
the present year" was opposed by DR..
Cannon until amended so as to read
unless circumstances should render
it inadyisable." and leaving it to the
judgment of the executive committee,
CT which Dr. Cannon is chairman. TO
decide whether circumstances rem
dered 1t advisable" Even after this
amendment there was considerable
objection, and it was not until DIR.
Cannon had openly accepted it and
Mr.. Dadmun had withdrawn mis-
harshly depressed objections 70 it that
it was adopted. Mr.. Thomas VIII
bear witness that he at least. OPP
posed. and still opposes. delay in call
ing an election. There was division
and very marked division in the con-
vention on this point. Ii is surprising
that anyone can attempt to deny it.
The resolutions of protest refer
particularly TO the report that DR..
Cannon deferred debate On the resO-
buttons of the legislative committee
The facts are these:
"Wednesday night it was announc-
ed that the speeches on The Saloon
set for Thursday morning. would be
postponed until the afternoon and the
report of the legislative committee
taken up by the convention instead.
The hour set for these speeches on
the program was 10 o'clock. Shortly
before that hour addresses on Con
ditions in Dry Cities which was set
for later hour, were called for by
the chair. After one CT these short
addresses had been made, Rev. AS
bury Christian arose and asked the
chair il the consids ration of the leg
islative committees report had not
been set for that hour. Dr. Cannon
took the floor and explained that the
. announcement had been made pre-
maturely.' A delegate then moved
| that the arrangement of the program
be put in charge of the chair. The
motion was put and carried, and Pres
| ident Atkins stated that the address,
es would be continued and the report
e the legislative committee taken up
later. The committee on resolutions
then retired to deliberate During
| those deliberations the amendment or
fered the preceding day by Mr..
| Thomas was amended so as to leave
1t at the discretion Ct the executive
committee when an election should
be called under the enabling act, ex-
pected 20 be passed by the general as
sembly. This took all the sting out
OF the resolution, and the legislative
Committees report was shortly after
wards taken Up and adopted along
with the amended Thomas resolution,
which DR.. Cannon then accepted.
The impression made by S!Iese pro-
ceedings was that the Legislative COM
mittee did not desire action on It's
report when called for by the an
nounced program and by Dr. Chris
tan, preferring to wait until the
Thomas amendment was rendered
worthless by amendment. and The
Journal so reported 1t in its early
edition. which covered. of course,
only part Of the proceedings OF the
day. since the convention was still IN
Session At the hour the papers early
edition was printed. In all subse-
quent editions OF the paper the rest
Of the proceedings were included
AMI inaSmrch as the convention,
after the first edition had closed. sl.d
take up the legislative committees re-
port and amendments. the earlier re-
port was made TO conform TO the facts
a. subsequently developed. or course,
the reporter could not divine when
he wrote in the morning what was
gossg TO happen after ne wrote. and
what he did write was a true record