The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-06-22
REFUSES TO MAKE
ADDRESS TO CLASS
So the Major, After Having First
Accepted DR.. Blackwell Invi-
tation, Wrote That, After
All, He Would Not
Be On Hand.
MoND. yA-srecial-

r l c H NJ o y D, VA.-SLecial-
Major j. G. Hemphill, editor of the
es-Dispatch, will not make the
address TO the graduating class. the
Randolph Macon College, Ashland, to-
day or tonight.
Major Hemphill was invited to off,
ciate today in the capacity of prin-
oipal speaker on one of the occasions
mentioned by Randolph Macon Col
lege, the invitation coming from no
less a person than President r. E.
Blackwell, of Randolph Macon Col
lege.
Major Hemphill was seen today in
his sanctum sanctorum and asked the
why OF his noncompliance with the
honor which had been thrust upon
him, after he had, according to the
best Information obtainable, accepted
He smiled, indicating that he was en-
tirely satisfied with the situation, but
that he would not go to Ashland, and
there is reason to believe that he so
Informed DR.. Blackwell several days
ago. Asked what statement he
would make, Major Hemphin mere
ly said:
Il have nothing whatever, abso-
lutely nothing, to saw"
The Reason Why
The why that Major Hemphnl will
not go to Ashland harks back to
few days following the session OF the
annual conference OF the Methodist
Church in this city, when there APP
peared an editorial which expressed
in part the opinion of the editor OF
the Times Dispatch OF one OF the men
who has attained some prominence in
the church, and who has been in the
past factor in shaping the policies
or the conference.-the Rev. James
Cannon, Jr.
That editorial riled some Of the
article was couched in vigorous robust
clear English. DIR. Cannon thought
enough OF the editorial to reprint ii in
his publications, and it gained a cur
rency among a class which is not given
wholly to declared secular papers. The
invitation came TO Major Hemphin in
received large number OF the same
sort of thing in the course Of his life
he accepted. and wrote a note in APP
probation OF the compliment
Had Forgotten Incident
Major Hemphill had almost forgotten
the matter, and he had to consult his
that he had been invited, and then
came some rumors to the effect that
Dr; Blac kwen, the president, had been
lnS Major Hemphill to address a BODY
In randolph Macon College.
Had Major Hemphin not made an at
tack on member OF the conference
and held him up to ridicule, scorn and
contumely? Had Major HemphiIl not
said that he would not believe what
the man might say? And had not the
conference gone to the trouble OF en-
1orsing and indicating the character
OI the man who had been attacked?
Had not his character been certified as
spotless and without blemish by the
conference? And yet there had been
ne gross anront OF inviting that man
who had made the attack on the con-
.erence member to come TO Randolph
Macon and make a speech
The finals OF Randolph Macon are
on this week. They will. il is un-
1erStood, come to an end this even
hg. Tuesday and Wednesday of this |
week the ministers, the trustees and |
others OF the conference and patrons
IF the college assembled en- mase on |
he broad campus of Randolp- Macon |
md discussed things. The idea was
iuggested that the incident called for
Iction, and as ii might serve to bring
o the attention of the public-cer-
ainly the Methodist public-the ven.
ration in which DR.. Cannon is held
~ some OF the brethren. it came dan
'erously near to the resoluting stage
nj another vindication of DR.. Can
ION.
ne college, was not the victim OF
esolutionS is remarkable. DR.. Cannon
90, possibly escaped a resolution OF
indication, but there are persistent
sPoItS that some OF the members of
he college board, ministers and pat
ons OF the college. had things to say
OF the act of DR.. Black
ell, whose mind is not as retentive of
lcloents or annual occurrence as are
ome or the followers OF DR.. Cannon, I
nd they were ready to do anything to
correct the horrible mistake" and pos 8
Die lndiscretion OF DR.. Blackwell in Z
ttendlng to Major Hemphill to even !
ention the name Of Randolph Macon :
ollege. |
Major Hemphnl will not go. He is
IT disturbed.