The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-05-22
PRESIDENT DEFINES
PROHIBITION VIEWS
While Prcferring Local Option He
Declines TO Condemn Statewide
Prohibition Plan.
SAYS LETTERS CoNsIsTEN
Writes Kentucky Editor Where Issue
Has Been Raised as TO Shannon and
Grogan LetterS-Declares Not Self.
Opinionated I'm Matter.

Louisville. May 21.--A letter from
President Wilson was made pubic
here today. reaffirming his position on
the liquor question and clarifying two
previous letters on the same subject,
known as the Shannon and Grogan
letters; they were written when Mr..
Wilson was Governor of New Jersey.
In the shannon letter he favored local
option as a means of settling liquor
issues IL they were injected into State
or national politics, he said, they
brought disruption and rendered con-
structive legislation impossible. The
GTogan letter has been construed in
Kentucky as meaning that the writer
favored Statewide prohibition.
In view of the widely divergent in
terpretations placed upon the two
letters, w. b. Haldeman. editor or
the Louisville Times. wrote the Presi-
dent reciting that:
Statewide prohibition has been
made an issue by two of the candi-
dates for the Democratic Guber-
material nomination in Kentucky. and
in that connection the so-called Gro
gan letter is being used to imply that
you approve of this principle in GER
tain circumstances which are declared
to fit the present Kentucky political
situation. On the other hand, the So
called Shannon letter is being used IN
an effort to prove that you stand for
local lf-government as principle
for Democrats TO observe.
III you feel that the situation war
rants" Mr.. Trademarks letter said In
conclusion, II should be pleased tc
have a statement of present date from
you as to your general attitude toward
the questions presented by these let
ters. Such a statement would dc
much to clarity our local situation and
do much to emphasize what you OBJ
viously intended by the shannon let
ter
Il have your letter of May g." the
Presidents letter made public today
! says" and must apologize for not hav
ing replied to 1t sooner. | am sure thai
you will understand the pressure o.
circumstances | have been under.
The reply to your letter is very
simple. My so-called Shannon lettel
precisely defines my position with re-
gard to the liquor issue, not only as II
was when l wrote the letter. but as II
is now, and the letter to Mr.. Grogar
is or was, al any rate. intended to bt
entirely consistent with 1t. What ! in.
tended to say to Mr.. Grogan. anC
| think that | said with sufficient clear
ness, was that. while the. position
! had taken in the shannon letter ex
| pressed my fixed convictions In thu
! matter, ] was not self-confident OF
| self-opinionated enough to say wha
| the proper course of action was either
was not personally in touch witt
the condition obtaining. / felt that il
| in Texas or in any other State wher,
/ would be arrogant on my part to stat.
that there were in my opinion nj
! circumstances which justified an agi
| tation for a Statewide prohibition,
II am sure that you yourself fel
! that there was no inconsistency be.
! tween the two letters, and an
sincerely obliged to YOU for having a
forded me the opportunity to make
| this very explicit"