The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-04

Of the State and allow them to de-
eide.
Mr.. Mapp Sure He's Right.
Two reasons were-Ef~cn Mr.
Mapp fer voting for the bill. One
was because he thought the people
Of the State wanted II and the other
was because he believed If the en-
abling act carried the State would go
dry.
II heIieHe- in prohibition, said Mr.
Mapp, land was the first attorney on
the Eastern Shore to openly advo-
cate II. II The question goes before
the people shall vote dry shall
never vote for the State Of Virginia
to license wrong
Mr. MaPp replied to criticism Of
the Anti-Saloon League. They have
criticised the league and the men
connected with 1t. / cannot sit here
and have these men criticised with
out lifting my voice In protest.
This Senate is but an incident IN
from now people will refer to the
Anti-Saloon League and its work
with pride, They will point TO DR..
James Cannon as the peer OF any
man OF his generation and a man
with few equals.
Il have voted for measures since
coming here ! would vote upon diff
ferently If ! had my vote back. but
when at O'Clock today I vote for
the ena Bliug act | shall be absolutely
sure OF my ground.
Mr.. Saunders Closes.
Mr.. Saunders closed for advocates
OF the bill. He quoted from Judge
Cooley and declared Mr.. Wendenhurg
read up to the very passage that fit
ted the case and stopped.
Il will read a page ne said. that
Mr.. Wendenburg overlooked. VIVA.
Mr. Wendenburg read IN support OF
the opposition was oniy a summing
up OF Supreme Court opinions. What
Judge Cooley himself thought he did
not read.
MIR. Wendenburg went to Massa-
chusetts and other States and did
not look for opinions nearer home.
Let us come home for an opinion.
Why not let our own Court OF APP
peals settle tho matter. The reason
Is because you are afraid. Let the
bill go to vote of the people. If
1t Is unconstitutional the Supreme
Court OF our own state Will set US
know you would rlose.
IF your people want this you
have no right to witnnold 1t from
them. You owe 1t to them to grant
their wishes.
We may go down IN defeat, but
we will win. You cannot drown the
wishes OF a majority or the people
Of the State"
MIR. Watkins Reads Statement.
Just before vote was taken Mr..
Watkins. of Chesterfield. arose TO
point Of personal privileges and read
a statement regarding his position.
The statement reads:
-Four years ago 1 was elected to
the Senate of Virginia on the local
option platform Of the Democratic
party During the second session OF
my first term / voted against the
Strobe enabling acx as did NOT Se-
lieve a majority Of my constituents
wanted it. Last April, before ! an
nounced my intention of standing for
reelection for the Senate. / received
a letter from the Rev. ]. NJ. Roland.
stating that he had been appointed
by the Anti-Saloon League to inter-
rosate me as to what would be my
attitude on the enabling act II re-
elected to the Senate. wrote him
as follows:
." Midlothian, Na..~April rs. 1911.
The Rev. J. NJ. Roland, 31O1 Hull
Street. Richmond. Va:
Dear Sir.-I have the honor OF
acknowledging tho receipt Of your let
ter of the 22d instant. / have been
an advocate Of temperance from my
childhood, have fever taken a drink
of whiskey as beverage and am now
in my flfty-serenth year. Have stood
for lessening the evils OF the liquor
traffic. as my record In the General
Assembly will show. 1t has been
my policy to represent the will Of
the majority OF the Democratic voters
OF my district. and their wishes In
the matter referred to by you will
have my SUPPORT
Wishing kind regards and es-
teen, / am.
Yours truly.
~. b. WATKlNS.'
II had opposition on the primary
last summer, but was nominated by a
large majority.
During my canvass through the
district I had frequently said that II
a majority of the Democrats Of my
district petitioned me to vote for the
Stunning my duties here. I began at
once checking on the voting list al
requests that came 70 me by card. let
tiers or petition. asking me to vote
for the ena bling act. Many OF the
petitions that I have checked--And
II has been no small taxk--have been
signed. by people who are not on the
voting list. and in many instances
THE same person has signed from
three to SIX petitions or letters. Last
Saturday morning | found seventeen
return postal cards in my mail mark
ed. No such postoflce in the State;
returned for correction from the
Richmond postoflice
II wAe incensed by these return pos
tai cards which were being used with-s
out my klCwledge. and = feM daya