The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-09-24

Virginia. although It is nothing but
IAN enterprise for keeping certain
lpersccutrd, hut fdghly-vOCnl souls on
the payroll" What blinded set of
fools the great majority OF the people
OF Virginia are. How narrow and silly
they are to be led around by the nose.
and induced to part with their money
I TO keep certain prosecuted, but
highly-vocal souls on the payroll!"
As matter OF fact, this statement
is malicious falsehood. There were,
/ during the Statewide campaign, nine
men who gave all their time to the
work Of the campaign and eight of
pnem We're paid fixed salary per
month, After the Statewide campaign
only two men continued on the Of
fetal staff of the League, only one of
whom was paid fixed salary per
month. On April /. 1915. another man
was added to the staff of workers,
so that the staff now is as follows:
Superintendent. Rev. James Cannon,
Jr. assistant superintendent, Rev.
David Hepburn general field secre-
tary Rev. j. s. Peters. These three
men are 1.-The prosecuted and highly
vocal souls for whose benefit the
+, prohibition people maintain an "entcr-
PRISE the chief purpose of which Ia
to keep the aforesaid prosecuted and
j hishIy-vocal souls on the payroll
! This is barefaced, malicious SIAN
der. 1t is OF piece with the con-
/ duct of this same newspaper, when.
under the Bryan management, ITS
reporter was expelled from the floor
of the Methodist Conference at Cum
herlandStreet Church. Norfolk, about
fifteen years ago. and another reporter
was expelled from the floor of the
Conference in Centenary Church.
Richmond. about five years ago, Doth
because of their malicious attacks
upon Rev. James Cannon, Jr. The
new management of the paper IS
either ignorant or willfully allowing
the same influence which ruled the
paper in the past to continue to rule.
for some members of the present staff
We're on the paper under the former
ownership.
The writer might remain silent, did
these attacks concern himself alone.
He has never been on the payroll of
the League, and has never received
any monetary compensation for his
work in connection with the League,
land every newspaper in Virginia knows
that II this statement were not true
I the Executive Committee of the
4 League, composed as 1t Is of promi-
nent ministers and business men OF
Virginia. would be obliged to publicly
deny this statement. l do not think
it wrong to accept salary for such
work, but inasmuch as ] am paid
4 salary in connection with my other
work, / nave always declined to ac-l
= cept any salary from the League. Tho
league is certainly not an enterprise"
maintained for the purpose of keep
ing this writer ION the payroll" for
he has never been on that payroll.
And what is true concerning myself
ia equally true in another sense con-
corning my feilow-workers. Revs.
David Hepburn and j. Sidney Peters.
The League Is not an enterprise"
maintained to keep them on 1.-The pay
roll" They are both ministers OF
good standing In Virginia. MIR. Hep
burn is a Baptist minister. who has
been connected with the League for
several years. He was very useful
and acceptable pastor. and received
a good support from the churches
which Me served He can step back
: into the ranks of the Baptist pastors
at any time and obtain good charge
and as good support ne is now re-
ceiving from the League. The peo-
pie of Virginia are not maintaining
the League as an enterprise to keep
Rev. David Hepburn on 1.-The pay
ROLL and it Is malicious falsehood
; of 'ae Times-Disnaach to intimate
that such Is the case.
/. Nor is the League maintained to
keep Rev. j. Sidney Peters on the
payroll" Mr.. Peters is minister
. of the Methodist Church Of over
twenty years standing. He was Of
ferred the position of uperintendent
OF the AntiSaloon League Of Vir-
ginia some years ago and declined to
leave me passionate to accept it, He
was elected last March to the position
of field secretary of the League. He
was the pastor of the Blackstone
Church, one of the most important
appointments of the Virginia Confer
encc. He was receiving there a good
support. and was in hig,, favor with
his people. AT first he refused to give
w. his charge, knowing, as he did, the
hardships of the League work. and
the fact Plat he would at once become
the target for the malicious. SANDER
GUS assaults of such people as the
writer in the Times Dispatch. But he
was urged to take up the work, and
finally agreed that Bishop kilgo
should appoint him to the League
work. He can return to the
pastorate at the approaching con-
ference In Norfolk in November,
and would doubtless be given
an important appointment. 1t il
a base, malicious falsehood to as
sert that the League is maintained as
an enterprise in order to keep Rev.
/ J. Sidney Peters ION the payroll" He
has been on that payroll less than six
months. while the League Is an ''en-
tcrprise' about fifteen years old. He
can go off the payroll IL ne so desires.
but another man would take his place
and the "enterprise'' would continue,
not to keep David Hepburn. J. Sid
ney Peters and James Cannon, Jr., on
the payroll for they never have
been. and are not today. dependent
upon that payroll: but the enterprise
will continue In order that 1t may in
the future as in the past lead the
Il forces of righteousness to victory
against the forces of evil which are
characterized by just such malicious
and such contemplate assaults as this
enc of the Dispatch.
The owners of t'ne Times-Dispatch
! owe an apology to the prohibition