The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-31
Cannon Gives Leagues
Position on Enabling
Act Amendments.
OPPOSES PLAN
TO VOTE IN JULY
Legislative Committee Willing to
Accept Form of Ballot Calling
for Vote on Statewide Pro-
hibition and Local Op-
tion-Wants Election
in September.

win minor QuCNncationB the Anti
Saloon League of Virginia Is willing
TO accept all the amendments to tho
enabling act proposed by the Senate
Committee on Privileges and Elections
save those designating the time for
holding the election. and fixing the
date for Statewide prohibition TO go
into effect. The league is determined
that prohibition shall become effective
not later than July /, 1916. whereas
the Senate committee amendment
would put the law into effect May
/, 1917
League is given fully In n statement
issued yesterday under the signature of
James Cannon. Jr., superintendent of
the league. and chairman Of tho or
ganization's legislative committee. 1t
rejects the amendment calling for an
election on the fourth Thursday in
June and Insists as essential to proper
compliance with the terms of the act
upon an election to be held on the
fourth Tuesday in September.
objects to Qualification.
The amendment relating TO the quail
ification OF voters Is accepted by the
league with the stipulation that in
stead OF limiting participation in the
election TO those wha are regularly
qualified" at the time of tho approval
of the act. II shall be changed TO admit
all persons who were duly Registered"
voters on January !, 1914.
In conjunction with an election do
ferred until late in September. the
change In the voting qualification sug-
gestd by the league would give un-
qualified. but registered voters time to
qualify for the election by the payment
of their poll tax. The committee amend
ment makes impossible any additions
TO the present qualified list.
No serious objection Is made by the
League to the amendment which pro-
poses to substitute the ballot marked
against State wide prohibition" with
one marked. for local option" 1t de-
clares It's Willingness, also. TO omit
from the bill all restrictions on the
manufacture and sale of cider and do
mestic wines.
DIR. Cannon's Statement.
DR. Cannon's statement follows:
In view of the great public interest
as indicated by numberless inquiries
as to the position of the AnuSaloon
League toward the amendments to the
enabling act. which have been offered
by the Senate Committee on Privileges
and Elections. the following statement
is given to the press for publications:
Cd The Legislative committee Of the
Anti Saloon League in Its report to
the convention on January 22 declared:
Your committee declares In most
emphatic terms that IL will gladly and
heartily unite In any effort to take
SuCn dCNiOD as viii prevent TIE pduuluS
Of the registration books with this
class of voters, and we should be en-
tirely willing to restrict the electorate
qualified to participate In any State
wide prohibition election TO be held
within the next two years to those
whose names are on the registration
books at the date of the passage of
the BILL" and this recommendation was
adopted unanimously by the conven-
tion.
Admit "Registered, Voters.
The Committee OH Privileges and
Elections has proposed to amend the
bill to read as follows: Provided. how
ever, that only such persons as are duly
qualified voters at the time OF the ap-
proval of this act. and such persons
as shall become of lawful age after the
said date, and shall thereafter register
by reason of so becoming Of lawful
age prior to the date herein fixed for
holding said election. shall be eligible
to vote at said election"
Following out the instructions OF the
convention, the Legislative committee OF
the league has agreed to accept this
amendment. provided the word quail
fed" is changed to Registered" and
the time is made to read January 1.
1914" instead of at the time OF the
approval OF this act" so that the first
clause of the amendment would read:
provided. however, that only such per-
sons as are duly registered voters on
January /, 1914. /. shall be eli
gible to vote at the said election"
This amendment, If altered to con-
form to the resolution of the league,
will absolutely prevent the padding. Of
the registration books, and yet will
not prevent any persons who are
now on the registration hooks from
qualifying to vote in a Statewide pro-
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