The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-16
Mr.. Davis, Why Do You Not Answer?

laws; and 1t would be highly inn
proper for any candidate to say
that he would sign a law that
had not been drawn, nor passed
by the legislature. I can only say,
therefore, with propriety, that it
would be my desire, II governor,
to give effect to any reasonable
legislation which might be passed
to render effective the prohibition
law. which l recognize as the ex-
preston of the majority of the
people.
| shall always be guided in my
action by the dictates Of my con-
science, and my desire TO serve
the state in a spirit OF good citi-
zenship.
l have endeavored to give you
straightforward answer to
your questions; and l shall be
pleased to furnish you and your
friends such other information
as you may desire 80 there may
be no misrepresentation whatever
as to my record and purpose.
shall he glad to have your
cooperation, with that OF all
good citizens. in my campaign. but
I desire 1t only If il goes with your
confidence in my earnest purpose
10 live in full measure up to the
duties prescribed by the oath Of
the great Office I seek-governor
of Virginia.
You are at liberty to publish
this letter.
Yours truly,
Dictated by Westmoreland Davis.
l understand that he also publish
Il y, l. ~, .prss-- a,
at about the same time. However, he
did not publish my letter to h/n alonf
with il. Why is 1t that he did no
publish my letter? Is it because ht
did not want the voters of the state
to know just what questions he wa.
requested to answer? Why does he sa
he voted for local option when there
has never been a statewide election
on the question of local option helt
in Virginia. Is 1t possible that he |.
trying to make himself believe thai
the people don't know that he really
means that he voted wet" but /:
trying to avoid saving so? Wien HI
quotes Woodrow Wilson why dom
ne quote all that that gentleman sale
In connection with It and what tbs
conditions were that brought forth
the situation7
On June 3. 1917. I answered Mr.
Westmoreland Davis letter as fol
lows:
Orange. Va. June 3. 1917.
Mr. Westmoreland Davis,
Leesburg, Virginia
Dear Sir
Your favor Of June LIST is be-
fore me. I have read Ii and re-
read 1t.
ay,1 ~ n trc {r, lie
largely made ur Of the stock
arguments usually put forth by
the LIQUOR forces and their svm-
pathizers. We are all familiar
with judge Christian and his Lo-
cal self-Government league and
their propaganda about prohihi-
ton being failure In Maine, and
such other prattle to the same
nature, including what Woodrow
Wilson was alleged to have said
on the subject.
You say you voted for local OPP
ton. I am at loss to know when
YOU could have done SO There
has never been a statewide cleo
ton in Virginia on the question
of local option. This Is some more
OF the local self government
propaganda with which thev tried
to beclond the issue In 1914 AS
you probably recall. II failed to
fool about eighty thousand of the
Intelligent voters Of Virginia then:
and 1t probably has no better
chance now
For your information will
say that In September. 1914. there
was a statewide election held On
the question o. statewide prohih-
tior In Virginia. and the tickets
read: For statewide prohibition
Against statewide prohibition"
Which sentence did you nnrk
out? In other words. did you vote
for statewide prohibition, or did
you vote against statewide prohi-
bition? This 10 what these peo-