The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-02-22


tha Honse reure4eufed the entire Com-
mcnvesith. he declarsd that { great
eeare-crovv had been made Of the epe.
sfitutionaIity az the measure. The op.
ponsntn OF the measure would reJoice
IL the measure were Unconstitutional
because they know that II such were
tho case Il could be readily nullinsd.
Tho House had been appealed to to
treat ~. oueSfion A stateumen-but
statesmen were politicians long dead.
He declared that the true Statesman
loved his country and would make
sacrif,ces to serve II, and he trusted
that the members OF the House would
meet the issue, and solve X with true
craftsmanship.
M. Coleman Attacks.
Mr.. Coleman, OF Norfolk. attacked
the Jordan bill. He declared that II
had been drawn either by very r.
norant lawyer or an astute one. who
desired to leave large loop holes there
in. II was. he declared. as full OF holes
as a sitter. He made special at
tack upon the use of the word know
ngly and willfully" in connection with
the procuring Of signatures to the
petition for the election.
He declared that the bill placed
the procuring Of the signatures In the
hands OF irresponsible people instead
of having the people come to their
county clerks office and sign such
petitions in an official manner. He
wanted to know why the bill had
gone back to the gubernatorial cleo
ton, and provided that Is per cent.
of the voters in such election should
be sufficient to call an election. He
closed by saying lets settle the
whole matter In a Democratic pri-
mary"
Mr.. Roberts. OF Mecklenburg. OPP
posed the measure in a short speech,
after which Mr. White, of Rock
bridge. made his replies to the Va
rious thrusts made at his constitu-
tionaI argument.
Mr.. White Replies.
MIR. White said:
II should not have inflicted upon
this body any further remarks but
for the fact Of some little very I'M
expected notoricty which was forced
upou me yesterday. l do not rise to
"A question Of personal privilege. but
I do rise to make ,ood what | said
ON Yesterday. that the State organ OF
tho Antj-Salcon League did either
careIess!y. ignorantly or wrongfully
Drint an editorial directly contrary
to the contents of this bill.
Mr.. White asserted that The Vir-
gilman had now ,ken a different view
~ the measure than that contained
in its editorial Of February 20, bit
declared that the next Legislature
could repeal the measure If 1t saw
| M. With reference to the statement
| made by The Virginian editorially
| that it was not the organ of the
| Anti-Saloon League, Mr.. White de-
| clared that when brick landed in
The virginian's back yard the Anti
Saloon League was heard from. AS
little as the paper could have done.
he declared. was to have said that
/ it was mistaken as TO the effect of
| the bill
, Turning his attention to the bill.
Mr.. White alleged that il created
SO much confusion that he was at .
! loss for -remedA--He declared that
he was not certain that the next Gen.
eral Assembly could repeal the en-
abling act should the people in the
/ meantime vote thereunder.
- Mr.. White deplored the numerous
| attacks made upon the constitution
land what he deemed the hippan
treatment OF the constitutional ques
ton. He declared that this was one
OF the insidious tnrasions upon thf
constitutional rights when nave al
| ways brought about the downfall o.
| the liberties OF the people. he ap
'pealed to his fellow members TO con
slider their oaths, which he declared
might rise to condemn them when th'
liberties OF the people We're slippinl
from under their feet as the sands.
He read literally from the proceed
ings OF the Constitutional Convention
TO support his contention that tina
body did not have In mind the grant
ing to the General Assembly the rign
to give to the people such privilege
AS that conferred by the enabling