The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-01
Cannon CHARGES
LACK Of FAIRNESS
Thought Opposition to Prohibi-
ton Bill Desired Delay Of
Measure.
BOTH SIDES HEARD FROM
Continue Tomorrow
Night, and Committee De-
cides on Monday.

hearing on the State wide prohibition
enabling act was at an end for the
evening. there arose an argument In
which charges Of unfairness against
the opposition were made by Rev.
James Cannon. He said that 1t woulJ
seem those the other sido desired
delays go as to prevent the measure
from going to tho Senate at the earll-
est moment.
At the outset OF tho meeting las.
night. which was held In the hall OF
the House OF Delegates before large
audience. Chairman Martin Williams.
or the House Committee on Privileges
and Elections. announced the terms or
the argument At d meeting held dur
Ing the afternoon, ne said. II had been
decided that three hour. should be
given last night to the opposition, and
that two hours should be given 10 tl.--
opposition on Friday night OF tal.
week. after which the advocates OF
the bill should be allowed an hour To
close. The committee would consider
the bill in executive session next Mon
dag morning.
Itendy TO Stop.
No comment was then made, but
when s. l. Kelley. representing the
opposition, announced at 1915 that nc
would rest for the evening. the kick
began. DR.. Cannon said. TO avoid de-
lays he would submit mis- side without
further talk. but Mr. Kelley said he
had others to he heard and would ad-
here TO the committees ruling. DR..
Cannon then tried 10 hgure that his
people had only used four hours 80
far and the opposition four and three
quarter hours. and II was yet pro-
posed that two hours should be given
( TO the opposition and one hour TO the
advocates. But Chairman Williams
said that the time had been calcula ted
TO the minute by the committee, and
that Friday night was the earliest
moment TO which the hearing could be
continued
AIr. Kelley reminded the others that
at the fret hearing. on January "a, IL
had been agreed that the division should
be equal. Thomas Whitehead said that
according to court procedure. when Mr..
! Kelley rested. 1t was the duty OF tho
committee TO require the advocates to
conclude their argument at once and
submit the case.
Former Speaker w. D. Ca.dwell re-
scented the charge OF uniairness, and
said he would match his record in this
respect with that of Dr. Cannon. At
last the matter was ended By mo-
tion from Edwin T.. Cox. Of the com
mittee, that DR.. Cannon be given half
an hour at once, not to be taken from
the time of his side Friday night This
/ was agreed to. DR.. Cannon had asked
| for half an hour Immediately, TO be
| taken from his side. In view of his
stay here at Inconvenience TO himself.
Represents Norfolk Chamber
George Pitcher, OF Norfolk, was the
first speaker against the Jordan bill.
lie protested, as representative OF
| the Chamber of Commerce and Busl-
| ness Mems Association 81 his city,
against the measure. He aaid other
| localities should not be allowed TO
dictate to his. With its peculiar situa-
| ton as a seaport city.
| Mr. Jordan offered d few unlmport-
ant amendments to his measure, mere
ly intended to cut out unnecessary
| matter.
| Dr. George e. Wiley, we'll known
| physician of Bristol. was the next
! speaker. He occupied. he said, q pc
culiar position. having been invited to
speak by both sides. He was opposed
! to the open saloon. and had always
( Democrat first, and thought 1t would
/ be disastrous to the party to bring w
| the question now.
! He lived on the border. close to Ten
nessee, and knew conditions there
! The Democrats OF the state had been
driven out of power because OF the
! injection of this Issue into politics
/
! paign of law enforcement, yet the
saloons in Tennessee cities are stand.
ing wide open Further, he id not
think country districts of Virginia
should be allowed to dictate to the
! cities.
Local option and Regulation.
! w. H Zimmerman, of this city, as
ton laws said local option and strict
surveillance were the correct princi-
! pies of handling the traffic.
| Local option was what the men OF
the South fought for In war. said John
~ sebrell. Jr.. OF Norfolk He asked
If the men of this day in localities are
! unfit to govern themselves. OF all the
applications for liquor license recently
contested In Norfolk. only one was be-
cause of violation of law. and that man
| was refused a license.
Commemorative Attorney Charles T.
Bland, of Portsmouth, said that the
liquor men Of his city obey the laws
The only trouble he has Is with blind
tigers on Sundays. The ingenuity of
man cannot mako a law, no argued. to
stop drinking.
Speaking for Nelson county. Mr.. Nc
Gregor farmer, said that the only re-
suit Of prohibition was the breeding OF
a contempt for law.
Maurice a. Powers spoke for the
Personal Liberty League, with 1.20(
| voters as members In Richmond and
! nearly 100000 In the United States
FIe asked. If the liquor question is to
BIO made subject ito the referendum
why not abandon the Capitol and allow
the people to vote on all questions. lie
believed the Jordan bill to be uncon-
stitutional. He thought DIR. Cannon
merely advocated prohibition for thc
excitement, that being about his only
d. ,rsion.
Bristol situation.
II. Il. Jones. president OF the Domin-
ion National Bank of Bristol. told of
| the two years experience of that city
under local option. Conditions there