Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-10
GOVERNOR DEFENDS HIS
EXERCISE OF CLEMENCY
Replies TO Attacks of Off.
cial Anii-Saloon League
Organ.
GIVES "FACTs AND FIGURES"

Executive Declares Unfortunate Fart
of "On,r HnIt Truth" Lie. Ina Aid
md Comfort Given IL Boishcvist
md Anarchist.
DECLARING that the American Issue.
the official organ Of the Anti saloon
League of America evidently is more
Interested In political effect than in
the truthful statement uf facts:
that ''as usual. in publications Of
this character il tells but half the
truth. and tha; the unfortunate
part Of such unjust attacks upon
constituted authority. made for self
ish purposes. is that they give aid
and comfort To the BplshcviSt and
anarchist Governor WcStmorciand
Davis. i'm a letter 20 John Gill. of
Iecsburs. Va. defends his exercise OF
executive Clcmcncy The letter is in
answer 10 an inquiry as to the truth
OF statements. which appeared re-
Gently in The wcstcrville. Ohio. pub
LEGATION regarding rard"ns granted
by NirEina'S Chi"f executive in the
period inlS-l92n.
The publication. the Governor dc
clarcs. purports to give the names of
the prisoners pardoucd. tho period Of
sentence and crime for which pardon
is granted. hut fails TIA give the ror-
ers. and the names ot the officials
,trial and othcrs) upon whose re-
concentrations executive clcmcncy
has been predicated.
Submitted To Trial omirinl<.
Continuing, tho Governor SAYS:
Before pardons are considered Ivy
me. they are almost invariably sent
I" judge and trial officials for their
recommendation and executive ac-
ton is usually prcdicated thercup"u.
though. Of course. as Governor. am
always free 10 obey the dictates Of
my conscience or to accept what my
best Judgment indicates. is the proper
course To he pursued"
The Governor quotes from "a letter
which he received recently from Il
DISTINGUISHED judy" ana jurist, which
read in part. ms follows:
Please understand there is nothing
in what have written intended ~
criticism of Your failure hereto
fore 4" extend clemcncy 10 this man
The pardonius power is yours. and
so far AS my experience Of twenty
i've years on tho bench goes. no Gov
crnor that have dealt with has used
more discretion. or had NOR. regard
FOR tn" attitude Of local officers Of
the law. in such matters. than you
have"
Few absolute Pnrdons.
Only l,2S2 law violators received
executive olcmcnCy during the four
years az Governor Davis administra-
ton as compared with l.205 cases
during the preceding four wears L.
i36 cases during tho administration
of Governor Mann and LAS cases cur
ing the administration Of Governor
swanson, according to a comparative
table, which accompanies the exec
'utivcS letter. only thirty-nine were
given absolute pardons. rs contrastcd
with 237 absolute pardons issued by
Governor swanson. eiehty-four by
Governor Mann and sixteen by Gov
crnor Stuart. the letter continues
Only al OF the total OF l.2Sa cases In
which clcmcncy was exercised by
Governor Davis represented reluc-
ton in sentence to the pcnitcntiary,
and only nine cases relief from can't
tai punishment. tho Governor de-
clares. The remainder. or 702 cases
he says. consisted merely In partial
or total relief from fines or Jail SEN
icnces or the removal Of political
disabilities.
The l,2N2 instances in which cxeCu-
tive rlem"ncy was interpOscd include
IL estimated clcmrncy cases for Jan
uarN. 1922, tho letter explains or
l,o32 prisoners released from penal
sentences by Governor Davis on con
ditional pardons only eleven had been
returned To IN" pcnitentiary at III.
close OF 1921, Tho letter adds.
Passing OF rnruir Hoard.
Governor Davis has ting following
to say with regard q passing OF III"
parole board:
I'm accordance with ruling Of
tho Attorney General The paro,.
board ceased % function In Apru.
l"la. and ISSUED rU paroles after
that date. With the passing .f m.
Parole BOARD petitions for Cl.m.ncv
which would othcrwis. have been
hcard by tn" board were OF necessity
SUBMITTED to tho Governor. and mo
hHrnh OF cases IN which tile Cover
nor was compelled either to gran, .,
refuse clemcncy Was Increased ,c.
cordinGly"
oontinuins. ia" Governor saws.
ne prohibition law went iu;n
chcct November / 1916. ana ami
."'i"hS '"i l'ardous under III. nrnbi.
pi't"h Jaw began with my prcdeces
SCR, ana have therefore added -, 49,,
numbers 90 applications for cxac,,.
Wv. cl"mency made during hi. tom,
"'c mihs'cT"r those Of tho Goycrnors
mat preceded us
second Attack ON t:.,cr,
Governor Davis calls ,,i.,',i
Inc fact that this Is th, ~ :"
,r, winch has been mad. ON ~.
me hrs' Was upon my problhi,t",,
ia "onS' Clcmency y,.,.
ercised IN only 1iS prohihitin," .,.|.
curing The ent.re four year. %, ,,,.
IN, 'n"'i'lts'ia u"n or an ay"rar. ~ Iess
rnsn 'orty cases each year as com
WITH :: total Of cirhty-sj,
curing the last year ajn,,. 49,,
predecessors administrator "''
60, 'iSed IN" pardoning power
e OF tbn IN less than per cen,
nave granted only ono ahsnI,,, go
, n.n''Ion pardon on, o, s.237 nrobihi-
hiSit yem'N ,.',,,, Of a total Of i5s rro.
''Ioh reinvns granted duripu a.,
efhor Davis adminisrr.t.on' '''1-
t,r,i iho latter declares. ON ,bs
,n' .,ieh recommendation Of the com.
h''Ssi""er of prohibition si,,,. XXI
on the recommendation OF
sion"r j. ~idney Peters. ana