The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-19
. LAW ENFORCING OFFICER Is UPHELD IN UPPER HOUSE

to unite in choosing tbs mas who was
to be commissioner of prohibition.
He did not want to see this nasde a
political Office. He thought the Re-
publicans OF Southwest Virginia, as
well as the Democrats of other sec
tions might have a voice in choosing
this official. He spo.;e of the cordial
support which Senator Royal and
others had given to the fight Tor pro-
hibition and said he had become con-
cerned, when. in 1914, it was reported
that the Republicans of the South
west had sold out to liquor interests.
/ But when the reports from the cleo
tiop came in, showing the splendid
majorities given in Southwest Virginia
l felt like apologiZing to the Repub-
licans for ever having countenanced
such a report. In 1912 | suggested
to my friend, the Senator from Taze-
well. the splendid chance which the
Republicans had if they would give
their undivided support to the dry"
Democrats and pass the enabling acr.
However. only the Senator from Taze-
we'll was with US
The Senator repeated that he would
willingly submit the election of COM
missioner to all the members of the
Legislature.
Must have SOH1UllSStDIltEE
Senator Mapp spoke very earnestly
in favor of the commissioner Mr..
! Strobe had. in opposing this provision.
alluded to its cost and objected that
IL would be an encroachment on the
prerogatives of the Governor. The
Senator said that he could not believe
that the operation of the law, as pro.
posed would entail any loss on the
/ State treasury the first year, the fines
for violations and the revenues from
the sale of stamps on applications and
physicians certificates, would. in his
! Judgment, he sufficient to meet this
] expense. If it does cost" he con-
tinued. at is the peoples money. They
have expressed their will and We are
here to represent them and to put that
expression of their will into force.
Senator Mapp said he, like Senator
West, resented the efforts of the wet
people to array the Governor against
the advocates of prohibition or to
array those who were contending for
the commissioner against the Cove
nor He went on: II have not for
gotten the use they made of him just
before the election of 1914, when.
without his consent or authority. they
sent broadcast over the State an ex~
preston Of his views against prohi-
bition with the futile hope that this
would stem the tide which was threat
ening to engulf them. And, my
friends. these people did the Cover
ror. for whom / have great respect,
an injury from which he will never
recover in many of the districts OF
this State. The Governor is not ad-
verse to this provision of our bill.
This is not from hearSay or idle re-
port But suppose the Governor does
object have my own responsibility
to meet. and the Governor has right
~ said that this is matter for legis-
lative action. We must meet our own
responsibilities l cannot and l would
not shift mine to the Anti-Saloon
League or anybody else"
Senator Mapp declared that TO take
this provision out of the bill woula
at least half destroy the effectiveness
of the measure and the enforcement
of prohibition. He declared that the
,"wets" wanted the commissioner APP
pointed by the Governor. If there was
to be one. and that they really wanted
the office disCrcdited. as IL was known
that the Governor was not for pro-
hibition The friends Of prohibition
took a larger and broader view. They
wanted the Legislature to elect feel
ing that it would be better to keep
the ONCE Out III pa 'AHhi' PN'A'i@''
Not New Idea.
There is nothing new or secret, SEN
ator Mapp declared, about the propo-
sition for a commissioner. This was
discussed as far back as the special
session of the General Assembly. And
the idea has been strongly urged and
emphasized in two annual conventions
Of the Anti-Saloon League Of Virginia.
The law must he enforced and its
enforcement must be entrusted 10 IA
competent man, in sympathy with the
law, and whose whole duty shall lie
Tin the enforcement Of the law. lie
declared that a Senator on the oppo-
site side. in asserting that the temper
Iauce laws were being enforced IN a
satisfactory manner was evidently
familiar with the subject which he
discussed. In many localities the laws
were not being properly enforced. On
the Eastern Shore of Virginia the peo-
pla had been called upon TO have the
:, law enforced. and had themselves put
I'D the money with which to have 1t
enforced 1t was now time for the
state to assume her part and take a
hand and bear the burden of enforcing
the law for which the people had de-
clared.
Fair and Generous Thing.
Senator Mapp declared that the
fair and generous thing for those on
the other side was to accord recogni-
ton of those whe had spent
their time energy. money and brains
in pushing the fight for Statewide pro-
hihttion, and some of whom had been
maiigned and traduced Friends of
prohibition should be given falr
law and a free hand. The talk about
making provision after two years for
enforcing the law If its enforcement
under preeeHt- agencies not found
, effective was childish This enforce
ment must begin on the stroke of
twelve, october 81. next. Even the
Governor recognized that additional
! power and machinery would be neces-
sary and had so indicated in a message
to the General Assembly. The ma
chinery we have is not sufficient. The
Governor said so and senators must
realize for themselves that this is true.
If prohibition should fail he would
advocate trying something else, hut
prohibition should be given a fair trial
and if this was done he did not think
4 there would be any failure.
! "Drys" Speak For Us.
Senator Mapp declared that the
fine Italian hand of the ''wets" was in
evidence They We're neither dead nor