Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-02-25

General were advocating the PROPOSE
ton. NO" replied Senator Conrad, 81
have heard OF no such movement on
The part of Mr. Pollard's friends. and it
is by authority OF no such agreement
that ! speak"
Il was Just going to say said Scna-
tor STROBE, that. if there were any
political compact, | could not support
your amendment" Satisfied with tho
merits of the suggestion. the Senator
from Amherst did support the amend
mcnt. and made a strong argument i'm
its behalf.
TELLS OF MEETING WITH
NERAL.
Later in the discussion, Senator Con
rad told Of the meeting between him
self and the Attorney General when tho
question of vcsting the latter with the
authority Of enforcing the prohibition
laws was first preached.
II was on my way" he said, ito
session Of the Committee on Moral and
Social Welfare when. by chance. ] met
the Attorney General in a hall Of this
building. Somewhat worried by the
commissionership question. and dis
trusting my own Judgment in the mat
ter. I asked him. as a dispassionatc
listener TO the debate on this floor. if
he would mind giving me the benefit
Of his opinion.
"lie replied that he had heard some
suggestion that the Attorney General
be charged with the duty of cnforc-
Ing the law, but that his best friends
were opposed to it. for the reason that
he was n candidate for Governor.
CONRAD READS LETTER
WRITTEN no POLLARD
Later / wrote him a letter which it
| may be we'll to read at this point
This is the letter:
Dear Mr.. Pollard.-Will YOU write
me whether. in your opinion. the Office
OF the Attorney General can, without
impairing the efficiency Of that Office
discharge the duties Of prohibition
commissioner. If fund sufficient is
placed at the disposal Of that office?
would you mind also writing me
at once, in brief. what your attitude
Is toward the suggestion that the At
torncy-Gcneral be cx otiicio, the com
neutrality-suspicious. what effect
such action would have as 10 your
candidac! for Governor?
The reason ] wish letter is that
may read il OF occasion arises on
the noor Of the Senate.
Respectfully,
tSignedp
GEORGE " CONRAD"
POLIAHD'S REPLY TO
SENATOR CONRAD'S LETTER
Mr. Pollard's reply vas as follows:
! Hon. George y. Conrad. Senate OF
Virginia Richmond,
Z Dear Senator.-Your note OF this
morning just received with the mes
sage that IL is Important that you
should have Immediate reply on account
Of the fact that the information is de-
/ sired TO be used in the discussion OF
a question which is about TO be taken
up.
answering your mrs, question. will
say that II a sufficient fund is pro-
vided. this Office. without inpairing its
efficiency. can discharge the duties
placed upon the prohibition commits
sioner by the pending bill.
AS 10 your second question in re-
gard to my attitude towards the sug-
gestion that the Attorney General be
| made eXotiicio prohibition commits
| sioncr. ] reply that the present Attor
ney-General will neither seek nor avoid
any responsibility which the General
! Assembly may in its wisdom place upor
| him. ! have only to say that /. the
duty is intrusted to me. with propci
laws and sufficient fund. the law viii
he enforced.
''As to YOUR question relating 10 the
"fcct OF This proposition on my caudi-
iaCy for Governor, viii say that ii will
not be safe for any member Of the
General Assembly 10 allow such "a con
s!dcration 10 enter INFO his decision
as TO how he is 10 vote.
1T may not. however. he improper
for me I" add that consider that Iii,
enforcement Of the prohibition law az
/ fords great opportunity for service
not only to the state. bu, to the cause
O! temperance and law enforcement in
Virginia and throughout the country
The general disregard for law and the
uisrcspcct for courts ana public officials
which have often followed the adoption
! OF prohibition In other States. is n con.
dition so abhorrcnt 10 me that could
never get nay own consent TO be 2
candidate for any Office IL II should de
/ vclop that such candidacy would in
terfcre with my duty 10 seek TO aver,
the coming of such a deplorahlc con.
/ diiion i'm Virginia.
Yours very truly.
"tSiencd,
, 4,