Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-02
STUART WILL NOT
SIGN MAPP BILL
Declares Opposition to Election
Of Morals Commissioner by
Legislature.
FOR STRICT ENFORCEMENT
Against Invasion of Prerogative
of Chief Executive, How
ever Disguised.
OR STRICT ENFORCEMENT

II stand ready to cooperate with all
friends OF prohibition in carrying out
TO the fullest extent the Will of tho
cannot thinI. that even the most earnest
prohibitionist would. upon reflection.
either desire or expect me TO give my
approval to measure which. while
vaiuly declaring on IT'S face 10 the con
trary. set in tact !uvadcs the pre-
negatives OF the chief executive and
weakens the very law which. above all
others, experience has shown needs be-
hind II all OF the p)wer Of the state"
In these words. contained in let
ter written yesterday 10 ]. ". Hough,
a. Norfolk, former!" president OF the
Anti-Saloon League Of Virginia, Cover
nor Stuart defines uncompromisingly
his position on the question OF ere
atinG the Office OF commissioner OF
moral welfnrc--thc outstanding feature
of the Mapr prohibition bill, which will
be given a public hearing to-day be-
fore the Senate and House Committees
on Moral and Social Welfare
GOVERNORS LETTER
REGARDED As ULTIMATUM
Made public on the eve OF the first
open discussion Of the prohibition bill.
the letter TO NJ. rourh vas accepted
IL Legislative circles yesterday as
cleir-cut statement OF the Governors
Views Oh the conmissioncrsh!p issue.
While II is :ruc that his views on this
n"stion--eSprcsscd publicly for the
hrst time--were conveyed In a conf
munication to a citizen in private life.
the fnality Of the language and the
circumstance that tho letter was adj
dressed 10 a man high in the councils
OF the AntiSaloon League, gave II the
character OF an ultimutu,n
II any doubt fingered In ultra dry
ranks that the Governor would pursue
lenicnt course II presented with n
prohibition bill retaining the commits
siorership feature, tha. doubt was dis
sipatcd yesterday in the minds OF al
hat the most earnest prohibition!sts."
ISSUE is now SHARPLY
AND UNMiSTtI<hBLY DEFINED
The making public OF the Governors
views on the question of creating a
morals commissioner not subject TO his
note, lobbies last nigh, with 4 fruit
full theme. Recognized dry mon ad-
mitted that the development was cx-
trcmely Interesting, but carefully re-
Trained from com:n.hting on IT, Under
the shelter OF anonymity, some OF the
moro outspoken members conceded that
the issue between the Governor and the
advocates OF II. new Office !s now
Sh nj nj l-al J.
The Senate Committee OF Moral and
Social Welfare Will begin public hear
ings on the Mapp prohibition bill AZ
o'clock this afternoon in the hall
OF the House OF Delegates. AS guests
Of the Senate committee will sit tho
same committee from the House The
the lower branch.
Chairman Mapp. OF the Senate com
mittcc. said last night that no set pro-
gram for the hearing has been ar
ranged. Every person Interested
whether member of the Legislature
or not. will have the right to speak
1t is certain that among the supporters
OF the bill will be Rev. James Can
non, Jr., superintendent, OF the Anti
Saloon League of Virginia.
NO INTENTION TO E,InARRAss
TOBACCO MANUFACTURERS
Richmond and Petersburg tobacco
manufacturers Will he OF hand to ask
for an amendment which will protect
them in tho necessary use of rum in
the chcwing-tobacco indus,ry-a use
which appears TO be prohibited by the
bill in it's present form.
10 f,f
on tho part of tho patrons of the bill,
to cmbarTnss tobacco manufacturers or
any OF the arts or industries making
a proper use OF spirits" said Senator
Mapr. and thcso and all other reason
able amendments will nc made as a
matter OF course"
There Is pending before the comu.it-
tee also the Strobe Addison prohibition
bill. Senator Strodc. however, indi-
Gated Yesterday that hc will not press
the bill at to-day's hearing. but will
reserve his opinions for the debate on
tho prohibition issue to follow later
on tho floor of the Senate. Except nos
sibly for the purpose of comparing tho
provisions of tho two prohibition meas
urcs. the Strobe Addison bill will
hardly he drawn into the hearing this
afternoon.
ACTION by COMNiIrrEE
NOT EXPECTED TODAY
1t is not regarded as likely that the
committee will vote to-day on the oues-
ton Of reporting the Mapp bill. If
IL develops that this afternoons hear
ing is sufficient for the public discuss
sion of tho measure before the commit
tee. that body viii probably take the
measure under further adviscment for
tho purpose of incorporating amend :
Continued on Fifth Page.)