The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-02-22
.stA'TE O-FFATS CGER
(continued PROM Second Page.)

hearing before the Joint Committee on
Moral Welfare he was impressed with
the statement made by DIR. Cannon
that Coramiss.oFter Blue, OF West Vlr-
ginia, went into the trials OF most
OF the important cases. He argues
that this showed that the commission
er ought 20 he a lawyer and he hoped
Virginia would follow West Virginias
example.
MIR. Blue happens to be a lawyer"
replied Senator Mapp But | would
like to ask the Senator froY. Rich
,nond whether the West Virginia law
requires that her commissioner shall
he i. Lawyer. TIRE law. as na under
stood 1t, placed the duties OF Com
missioner Ct Prohibition IL the hands
al tie Tax E'onnllssioner Of tho State,
ai6 the present Tax Commissioner, Ur.
blue. happened to be a lawyer, and a
very good Que"
Senator Wendenburg SAID he did not
know as to the provision of TIE West
Virginia law, but he felt satisfied that
the commissioner ought to be a prac-
ticing lawyer. The people ought not
to be burdened with the expense Of
two persons where tina duties of both
might be discharged by one man. He
was surprised at the opposition to this
|
be declared. much criticism based on
the report that this once was really
created for certain man. He did not
believe this report and was not In
sympathy with the criticism. but ne
thought the Legislature ought to show
that 1t was it's purpose to nave the law
enforced as economically as possible,
as well as efficiently.
1t was suggested to Senator Wen
~ = - q ad fr
having q comm issioner at all. But
he said this had been settled and he
would stand by what had been done,
Too Much For Lawyers.
stalking about criticism" said SEN
etor Jordan. of Augusta, who auded
spice to the debate. there is much
criticism to the effect that the Legis-
lature sits especially to create Offices
for the lawyers. This, however, is the
that we put into statute that no.
body except lawyer shall be eligible
for an executive office.
MIR Wendenburg: will the Sena-
tor from stanton name one office
that has been created for the lawyers
or to which a lawyer has been elect
"a p Senator Jordan: We are dis
GUESSING criticism. The Senator from
Richmond has told us about cri-
kicism he has been hearing. l am
bringing to your attention a criticism
that we have heard In every campaign
for several years. L suggest to the
Senator from Richmond that an
amendment be offered TO our con-
stitution that nobody shall be elisioie
FOR once except a lawyer.
hTc Amendment Defeated.
Mr. wendenburg's amendment was
defeated by the vote Of 10 to 1. The
vote was as follows:
Yeas-Drewry. Garrett, Dunn,
Saunders. Trinkle. Walker, Wenden-
burg.
Nays-Andrews. Bowers. Conrad.
orbit, Downing. Goodloe. Gravatt,
Iening Jeffreys, Jordan. Lacy Aapp,
Mathews. Rinehari. Rison, Robertson.
STROBE, Webb, Vests.
Senators Barham AMI Cannon were
paired on this proposition
Make the Once Unpopular
The Mapp bill provides that the
arm Of Office OF the commissioner or
prohibition begin July !, 1915, and
10 for six years. Mr.. Wendenourg
bfered an amendment 10 insert th :,
words, unless his office be abolished.
This opened up an even more inter-
sting discussion than the former pro-
position requiring the commissioner
IA be an attorney. Mr.. Wendenourg
insisted that this amendment should
. adopted so that IL the General AS
AMPLY should. for any reason, see Mt
abolish the ONCE the commissioner
hould not continue TO keep his mana
the State treasury" for the full term
Or which he had been elected.
Senator Mapp intern upted TO say
hat he had already prepared ana
,ould offer an amendment providing
nat the office of the, commissioner be-
IN September I. instead OF July i.
nd be for four years. instead or
x.
Mr.. wendenburg said this was an
nereverneat-h+4 he insisted that his
nendment should be adopted in any
eent, so that the salary of the com
ktssfoner could ae-e.t- off II for any
kason the Legislature saw 1T to
8olish the ONCE. Senator Mapp vigor-
,sly opposed this idea. He said 1t
ould create the impression that the
nee had IA string tied TO II and that
q LEGISLATURE had little faith in the
nee which ii had esta blfshed TO
knder an important service. To adopt
y amendment would amount 10
relative threat and would discredit
= law now under consideration.
senator Mapp insisted that there
ouid be no condition in the election
commissioner and that his term
ould be fixed like that of other state
Metals.
sSuppose the Legislature should. IN
Spouse to manifest public senti~
ent, abolish this ONCE within two
ars?" asked Mr.. Wendenhurg'
houid the state continue to be
1rdened with the expense OF this
acer after the people have found
ONCE an obnoxious one or an, un-
Icessary one?"
NOT Go Wet Again.
senator Mapp: DO you think Vtr-
nia wifi go wet again in two
Ars?"
II hope" replied Mr.. Wendenburg.
hat when We get through with this
II we will have finished legislating
this subject, but when the next
Rfslature meets its hands ought not
be tied.
senator Mapp: when the Legtsla-
RE meets again the commission
III only have been In ONCE fifteen
onths. and we cannot hope to secure
s effective enforcement OF prohi-
ton within that time. We are not
Hing to put into this law anything
At will weaken its operation or that
~ indicate a lack of faith In what IT
II accomplish. We insist that the
~ m isSio uer shall he elerted for fnur