The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-03-07
'nISAP PREHEIsl0 ll|s
CAUSE Of vIlIIle NO.
SATISFIED WITH SITUATION
Declares After Consideration He Is
Pleased to Have Himseaf ), Finally,
Recorded In Negative on the Ques-
ton.

Rising to a question of personal
privilege yesterday at the morning
session of the House. Delegate r..
Lindsay Gordon read a paper explain
ing his vote on the Mapp prohibition
bill on Saturday. Mr.. Gordon ex-
pressed the opinion that, while certain
headlines In The Richmond virginian
on Sunday morning were correct, they
did him injustice because of the fact
that circumstances were not fully de-
tailed therein giving his reasons for
the vote.
lows:
In Sundays vireinian. In large
headlines, is the following: ar. Land
say Gordon. one Of the Ave voting
no. falls in attempt to change vote. J"
This statement, while entirely true.
does me injustice, because. perha os
unintentionally. II omits the circunl.
stances explaining this. In the ex-
element OF the moment / voted '.no''
with the purpose of moving q recon-
sideration and have the matter con-
tinued until today to give me an OPP
portunity to confer with Senator
Mapp to see IL could not get some
slight modification of the final pro-
visions of the bill. I presume tina,
DR.. Cannon will concede me a sum
cient knowledge Of the rules to UNI
derstand that should have voted
with tho prevailing side to make this
motion. am sure, however, that
the House would have reconsidered
the blu In order to Five me an oppor-
tunity OF placing myself on record as
favoring the measure had not the
chairman of the Moral and Social
Welfare Committee misunderstood my
N <hot ~4sf
struggling to delay the passage OF the
bill, as ! am sure there is not a sim
gle member OF the House who would
Intentionally place me in a false po-
sition. In the same issue OF The
Virginian IL the following:
After the result had been an
nounced and the House had refused
to reconsider the vote by which the
bill was passed Mr. Gordon. falling
in an effort to secure further hear
ing on the measure, sought in vain
to have his vote changed from nay
to aye. He asked unanimous consent.
but the point was raised that the
record was closed, and the chair very
reluctantly ruled that the gentleman
from Louisa could not then change
his position so far a. the record Is
concerned" The Virginian further
says: Later Mr.. Gordon asked the
House to extend its session for a
short while and let him propose a
few amendment which he thought
would largely perfect the BILL and
that In that shape he would be glad
to vote for it" This is a remarkably
fair statement of my position with
the exception of this latter clause.
never stated whether I would vote
for or against this bill This question
gave me much concern, but since I
have had time to think the matter
over more carefully and coolly. I am
glad that made the error and am
recorded against this bill.
l may be mistaken, but II seems to
me to be the result of combination
between the off1ceholders of the State
and the officeseekers of the State
with the religious enthusiasm OF the
most radical element of the temper
ance forces, and fear that It's pro-
visions. when enforced by the courts.
will be so harsh and cruel that its
enforcement will seriously injure the
advancement of temperance In the
State
DIR. Cannon advertises his paper as
full. fair. clean and accurate" and
trust that he will demonstrate the
truth of this headline by doing me
the justice to publish this statement.
In conclusion, I wish to commend
the Speaker of this House for his uni
form fairness and courtesy under the
most trying conditions.