The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-03-07
DR.. CANNON NOT ASKED
TOQUIT FLOOR OF HOUSE
No Foundation For Printed Statement That Ani-Saloon
League Leader Was Invited Out of Hall

retired from the house for that reason
and no other.
The stories In the afternoon papers
are specimens Of much OF the roper
torfal work on some daily papers
and show how statements without any
real foundation are published abroad.
These reporters could have easily found
out the facts in the case If, indeed,
they were really ignorant of them.
They could have asked the speaker.
the sergeant-at-a arms or myself. and
any one of the three could have in
formed them that WAS entitled to the
privileges Of the door and. therefore
that / was not asked to quit the
floor"
While II is true that / have had the
privileges of the floor for many years
yet / have never abused such privilege
in any way. have not discussed fegis-
lation on the floor Of the house with
the members of that body. except with
my personal friends or those who de-
sired to consult me concerning the
provisions OF some measure with which
I was we'll acquainted. No member
OF either house can say that l have
used the privileges of the floor for
lobbying purposes. Indeed ] have not
discussed either on the floor of the
house or outside the house any meas
ure before the assembly, except with
my personal friends fin the body or
those who were interested with me In
pending legislation.
This, however, is not because I do
not believe that ministers have equal
rights with any other class of citizens
but simply because / have preferred to
follow that course. The idea advanced
by the News Leader that the Willis
resolution was directed against the
preacher lobby Is not contained In the
willis resolution, and II Is not to be
believed for one moment that the house
Of delegates OF Virginia agree to pass
4 resolution which singled out preach
ers and forbid them to present their
views to members OF the legislature
and did not forbid special attorneys
for liquor houses and advocates OF
organized labor. or manufacturers. OF
woman's suffragists to present and 10
urge. their views The ministers of the
state OF Virginia are citizens OF good
standing and have all the rights OF
citizens.
In = Resident Of Virginia.
In this connection / will state that
the statement made on the debate on
the enabling act that | am not a resi-
dent OF Virginia is entirely incorrect
Il have never moved my residence from
Virginia pay taxes at Blackstone
and have voted there as regularly as
any other citizen. / have two offices
In the city of Richmond. and pay taxes
in Richmond. Henrico county, Lynch
burg. Norfolk county, and other sec
lions OF the State. And the gentleman
on the floor Of the house Of delegates
who declared that l was a nonresident
of the State simply showed his ignor-
ance in that matter. am a
member of the Virginia conference the
editor OF the Richmond Advocate. the
superintendent OF the Anti-Saioon
League of Virginia. and because have
been assigned additional work through
out the church at large by the authori-
~ Of the church. am none the less a
citizen OF Virginia, with all the rights
and privileges which belong to me be-
cause OF that fact.