The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-05-01

'nst hSd right 10 reach higher on
that cord or pull with more soy than
the hand OF James Cannon. IT. when
the federal amendment to the consti-
tuition is finally ratified. and a olsen
thralied nation shall celebrate it.
hard-uon freedom. from the syaricious
and cruel despot OF drink. the most
appropriate person 10 deliver that ora
ton Will be James Cannon. Jr
Our guest at this dinner has the
faculty OF seeing as far down the road
as any one whom | know. That Us TO
say. he Is long headed. yes, and level
headed, too. Novelties do not tempt
him. tradition does not bind him: he
Weighs every question on It's merits
and his judgment is always deliberate
and usually correct. He never moves
too fast nor too slowly. but trsads with
a sure and steady step His counsel
has been the wisest guide in state and
national prohibition legislation. In
like some ministers and reformers, DR..
Cannon is always sure OF his facts. He
familiarixes himself with both sides
Of question and his sharp sword has
sent more than one antagonist limp
ing and bleeding from the com bat ]
doubt that in all mig controversies, he
has ever been taken unawsres or
caught unprepared. when he discusses
subject he exhausts 1t. Little more
can be said when he has had his say.
He irons out all the wrinkles and
leaves the garment smooth.
These sentiments are expressed in
honest conviction and sincere appre-
citation by one who has not always
agreed with DR. Cannon On temper
ance measures we have generally been
in hearty accord on certain other
quest ions We have differed. But I
thank God ! am not so made that
cannot rightly appraise man whose
views differ from my own. II | am
apa Bile Of recognizing greatness. Or.
Cannon is great man.
One afternoon as | was riding with
my lamented, ever cherished friend
John =. Branch be turned to me in
that chara teristic abrupt way and
said III you were a Methodist we
would make you bishop" replied:
Thank YOU. Mr. Branch but | am
already q bishop--a New Testament
fsishop." II DIR. Cannon were a Bap-
tist he might be a real bishop after
the order OF the New Testament
churches.
My friends. our guest has just re-
turned from mission for the govern
ment among the soldiers in Europe.
What his report is | DO not know,
but do venture that he went to the
bottom and saw conditions as they
exist What he tells the government
will not he halt baked and upon
his opinion the American people can
safely rely, II seemed eminently At
ting that Or Cannon's home-c comm q
after a voyage across the treacherous
Atlantic, should he signalized in some
becoming manner. His friends. there
fore. have arranged this dinner and
done me the honor to ask me TO per
frs II T. 49,
behalf ! now present Or. Cannon this
handsome silver pitcher and goblets,
with their esteem and devotion. The
inscription on the pitcher is the sober
truth:
Fearless foe OF evil
Able advocate OF rishteousn ese
Browning's words descriptive OF his
ideal hero. aptiy Mt this man;
One who never tarnvd his back, but
marched breast forward:
Never doubted clouds would break;
%Nevef dreamed though right were
worsted
Wrong would triumph
Held we fan ia rise, or baffied TO
fight better
Sleep to wake"
Or. Cannon, not much given TO out
ward expressions OF emotion. was
quite visibly moved by the unexpected
gift and the warm applause that pune
tuated the presentation address. Re
spending he said
nv good friends ! have never
been Il very good man to make a
speech on occasion OF this kind,
and | know that J shall make 4 fail
ure OF 1t tonight, for I have 10 words
10 adequately express what | feel ~
due TO my friends who have so sur
prised me hv this testim onial which
they have given me. ! have come
back across the ocean and had all
my plans outlined for Just what
would do for the hours that | had
between the time landed and the
time I had TO start for Atlanta to
reach church conference. 1t had
never crossed my mind that anything
could happen tha' would interrupt the
~GlanS that ] mad outlined for work
that ought 10 he done when ] was
arrested here Last night and told that
! could go no further called NY
Blackstone and told the faculty We
~ ouid have a faculty meeting onight
nj o'clock that would last until
aybreak tomorrow morning. in order
that ! might get through with my
work and go on TO Atlanta.
A Personal Reference.
VIII you pardon noe for A personal
reference tonight do not often
make them. When | was about ten
years old my mother took noe with
her around TO see the poor OF the
town Of Salisbury where ] lived and
until went to college II war her
practice whenever she was ready 10
so out 10 tell me and say vhat she
wanted me to go with her. We mad
twelve saloons in that place and
there Was poverty and ttere wss
crime and there was drunken
meas and there was sorrow AZ
there always Is found where
there are twelve 50 looms And
my mother went INTO The homes OF
the drunkards and into the homes OF
the people who had suffering and
went with her as a child, and ! Sd W
II as a youth. My good friend. DR.
Johnson, | think. was there. or short
~ after, as pastor. when those saloons
were driven out OF the town
When my mother organized The
Woman's Christian Temperance union
there were only two women to join
IT, but they fought on and on until
they made that town dry" My
mother never wore any jeweiry, but
only little pin, That was a gold
enameled pin OF the White Ribbon.
and when she died we put that pin
on her bosom and before the coffin
lid Was closed here in Richmond. and
before her burial in Hollywood, |