Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-01-27
SCORES MINISTERS
WHO CRITICIZE HIS
GRANT OF PARDONS
Executive Declares Facts
Are Misrepre-
sented.
DRY" COMMISSIONER
MADE MANY REQUESTS
xtyEight Arc Given Their
Liberty on Petition of
Prohibition Head.
DENIES MISUSE OF POWER
Head of State Declares Records
Are Open and Invites Citizens
To See Books.
DENIES MISUSE Of POWER
Head of State Declares Records
Are Open and Invites Citizens
To See Books.

Now that ;hc gubernator!al e,ec
ion is up"n US, those who are the
too!s of political propaEandists who
seek po!!t!ca! preference by the cx-
ploitatioh OF a "ettied issue Ike pro-
hio'ioh' are again making them.
selves heard that they may es,ab-
iish in Virginia clerical kaiserlsm"
ana d!scrcdit. through misrcprcsen-
tatioh, The government OF our state
turing this charge Of improper
motives into the teeth OF his accus-
eEs' Governor Davis yesterday brought
QUE the written records to disprove
assertions by ministers. implying tina,
ne had misuscd the pnrdoning power
while In office 10 break down enforce
ment Of the prohibition law
In answering their statements. the
iovernor goes straight to the poSnt.
showing that out OF n total number
OF S.624 convictions for violation of
the prohibition law during his ad-
minis;ration he has extended execu-
t!Fe cicmency in only I43.
SiNty-cight of these pardons wcrs
granted on the written recommends
ton OF the Commissioner OF Prohibit
tlon-siNty-four on that of DIR. l. Sid
ney Peters. for many years n leader
IN Anti-Saioon League work. and
iour on that OF Harry B. Smith. who
defeated DIR. Peters for the Office M
the last session OF the General AS
senhly. !'ifty-sevc were ISSUED o.-
ter the trial Judge and the Common.
wealih's attorney had concurred In
asking clcmcncy for persons convict
ed in their courts Thrice, wcr,
H.,
agencies
The records show that Governor
Davis has pardoned relatively fewer
men convicted OF violating tho pro-
hIbitior law than his predecessor /,
once Governor Henry Carter Stuart.
governor Davis sees In the attacks
""ich nave been made against him
oE certain ones under cover Of the
churehes the outcroppings of politi-
cal propaganda and designates them
an attempt to establish in Virginia
c'er'eai kaiserism' in an effort to
uiscredit the government OF the
stare He shows By actual figures
'hat the percentage OF pardons is
sued by him have been negligib,e
compared To the number of convlc-
tions.
charged Misuse of Power.
Certain ministers OF tho stare
charged him with misusinr his n,r
doning power TO destroy prohibi,ion
ana break down all law enforce.
ment in Virginia. One Richmond
pastor is quoted as having gone so
tar rs 10 announce in his pulpit thar
"ll4 prohibition pardons had been
granted during the past year out Of
tota! OF l2G such convictions"
More than this" the Governor
said. the records. which are omen
to any one. show that sixty.elrht
out or the total of 143 prohibition
pardons l have granted since have
been in office were granted on ths
written recommendation of the Com
missioner of Prohibition-sixty-rou
on the recommendation Of Commits
sioner j. Sidney Peters, and four on
he recomme mendation OF Commissioner
Harry II. smith. Furthermore. tn,
trial judge and Commemorative at
torney concurred in recommending
hity-seHen or these pardons, while
only thirteen OF the entire number
nave been granted withou. either the
written recommendation of the trial
judge, Commonweaith's attorney or
Continued or Second Papc0