Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-03-09
I DROP
!. PROBE OF PETERS
Satisfied With Ousting
= , Preacher From
s: Politics
COMES AS SURPRISE
Accusers Say They are INDICATED by
) Peters Defeat-Ousted Dry Leader
May Seek Exoneration.

Richmond, Va, March 9.-Thos;
members of the Virginia Legislature
who were responsible for resolu.
tion calling for an investigation by
a committee Of that body of the con-
duct Of the office Of State Commits
sioner Of Prohibition by the Rev. Mr.
j. Sydney Peters sprang a surprise
yesterday evening when they announc-
ed their abandonment Of their plan
!, The announcement was made at the
first meeting Of the committee, con-
Ssting of Senators Ferguson and
Mills and Delegates Fuller and Hem
-. The meeting Was in the office Of
the State Corporation Commission at
s o'clock. The abandonment of the
fight was in the form of letter sent
the committee by W. L. Joyce and
Wilbur C. Hall. members of the
House and among the % signers Of
the resolution. They said that they
would not attend and added:
Frankly, the resolution was held
up in the Senate and passed during
the dying days of the session when
it was too Late to conduct the thorough
and complete investigation for which
it provided"
we feel that we have been H!ndi-
cated to some extent through the
nomination by the caucus of another
than the pnsent head of the depart
ment, and hot desiring to Further
press The matter under SUCH cond:-
tons IT shall be closed as far as or
appearance before your committee is
concerned"
The letter blames the Senate, which
is Of slightly more dry complexion
than IS the House, although both are
close, for delaying. action on the re
solution with the direct purpose Of
preventing it from getting. anywhere.
IT recites that. the resolution was
passed by the House on February 20
and; sent to:.the Senate on the same
day, that it remained buried there
until March 2, that it was then trans
mitsed to the House, that the HOUSE
agreed to the Senate amendments and
sent it back immediately and that j:
was, again. held in, the Senate for fIH
days.
The Legislature ndjourns nest Sat
ursay and there is oply one thing
which will prevent the whole matter
from being forsotten-thst is the
Rev. DR.. Peters refusal to accept this
situation and his, determination to
force the Legislature to vindicate com
pletely, as the letter Of Messrs, Joyce
and: Hail does not do. There is nc
doubt that the Legislature will elect
Harry B., Smith. of Cuipeper, to sue
ceed him. The caucus nominated Ar
Smith last Thursday and DR.. Peters
friends in the Legislature say that
when the election takes place. We'd
nesday Of this week Mr.. Smith vii,
bc chosen.
Senator G. Waite, Mapp, the leaar,
of the "dry" forces 10 The Senate, says
that that part Of the fight is settled
for good. He defended the Rev. Dr.
Peters 10 the last minute, but he says
ne vii! vote for Nr. Smith.
sIessrs. Hall and Joyce and their
associates will probably give him the
vndiratioD he wants, however, an1
still feel that they Nave won. They dt
not charge Dr.. Peters with dishonesty
Their fight, it is said, was directe'
primarily against the preacher =
politics They feel that in the de
!, feat Of DR.. Peters and the election
Of Mr. Smith they have put tn
preacher out of politics aud they ar
satisfied with that. and with keeping
him out, which they are resolved b
do.
!: The Rev. DR.! Peters, who, by tt
way, served term in the House o
DeleEates himself about 25 years ae
was an Anti-saloop League woske
before he was made dly commissione
and was promised the commissioner
ship for his campaign work if proh
:bition won. 8
:: Governor Westmoreland Davis. VII
is ranked as vet, has stood off an
watched this Fight on the preacher