The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-07-14

ANiShhiouo, va
Gentlemen,-Yours Of the 18th in
slant has just been received and
beg to reply as follows:
First. your first inquiry IL that you
will be glad to receive ANY state
ment which may desire to make
giving the facts as to the votes which
have cast or the position which
have taken upon any phase Of this
great question"
Replying to this beg to say THAT
at various times during my life / have
had occasion to vote in local option
elections and have invariably voted
against the saloon. My general po-
sition upon this subject has always
been to recognize that the indiscrim-
mate sale OF intoxicating liquors Is
an unmitigated evil and the question
to be solved has been, the wisest and
best means Of eradicating the evil.
In 1910 l was in entire sympathy
with the bill amending the Mann Ii
quor law, known as the Byrd bill,
which prevented the existence OF sa-
looms in the country and small towns.
and while | was i'll at the time the
bill was passed In the house, I voted
for 1t with its amendments as 1t came
from the senate. In 1910 and 1912
| voted against the enabling act be-
cause ! believed il to be unconstitu-
tional in that 1t attempted to iegis-
late directly by the people. In 1917
| offered an amendment changing
this constitutional clause so as to re-
qure the legislature to enact the will
OF the people after having been as
certained by vote, this amend ment
lacked but fifteen votes Of being car
ried. In 1914 I was so anxious to
have this matter submitted TO the
ne0nla and " al TINT voted
for the enabling act at the same time
referring to the unconstitutional fea-
ture of II. and my view of the I'M
constitutional feature has been prac-
tically conceded by direct legislative
enactment, In September. 1914. / did
not vote for statewide prohibition. To
have commended in the legislature that
1t was unconstitutional and then voted
at the polls to attempt to put II In
operation would have stultified my
self. In 1915 I voted for the prohi-
bition bill as II now stands upon the
statute.
Second, your second inquiry Ia az
to whether l favor the main provis-
| ions OF the Mapp law. In answer l
beg to say that do favor the main
provisions of that law and believe
that II properly perfected 1t will
work with little friction or difficulty.
Third. your third inquiry Is that
IL elected to the Office TO which l as
pre. will / support the enforcement
|, of the Mapp law and will l coop
crate with the prohibition majority to
strengthen and perfect the same. In
answer, II elected 10 the office OF at
torney-geneHal. l will support the en-
forcement OF the Mapp law. as all OF
our criminal laws according to Its
spirit and letter with view to &C
complishing the objects for which 1t
is enacted. This law Is OF as much
dignity and force as any other law
and should receive the same consid-
Grafton as the laws against other
crimes. Nav ! add that l was never
defeated for office but once and that
was when l sought reelection as
commonwealth attorney, but during
my term / had prosecuted vigorously
every violation OF the liquor laws and
on this account those who I had pros
ecuted combined against me and de-
feated me? May I further add that
during the last ten years I have been
employed from time to time by the
leaders OF prohibition IN my county
for as much as six months at time
to take especial charge. OF the pros
ecution of violations Of the liquor
law, and have done so successfully
anu 10 the SdNiSidNNlDu Oh my Gil
ents?
AS to my cooperation with the
prohibition majority to strengthen
apd perfect the law as II exists I will
do what l can consistently with the
office TO which I aspire. which how
ever. Is not legislative. but rather
executive or judicial.
Fourth, your fourth question Is
whether I favor the adoption OF the
present prohibition law into the con
stitution. In answer I beg to say
that do favor this law being made a
part of the Constitution instead OF
remaining mere statute law. so that
1t might be settled and fixed. and
taken out Of politics, Al various. times
while the enabling, act was pending
suggested that 1t be made joint res
olution as an amendment to the Con-
stitutfon, but II was feared at the
time that II might not be carried as
a Constitutional amendment when 1t
might be as mere legislative enact
ment, I now favor that the princi-
pies involved in the law be put in the
Constitution to set at rest the Ques-
ton for good and all.
Very respectfully.
HUGH A. WHITE