The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-03-04
Advocates Of Moody Bill Hold
a Conference.
AN ADDRESS TO THE VOTERS
Asking Them Not to Support
UnfavorabIe Candidates
WHO WILL CHANGE THE LAWS
So That Dispensaries Will Be Unconsti-
tutional-The Claim Made That
This is the Object of Anti
Dispensary People.

The advocates of the Moody dispensary
tutional convention.
The first action that pointed to this was
taken yesterday in a conference of dis
pensary supporters held in Birmingham.
The gentlemen who composed the confer
ence are members of state executive COM
mittee appointed in Montgomery. Senator
Frank $. Moody, of Tuscaloosa, is chair
man of the committee.
The committee fully discussed the ques-
ton and then issued an address to the
voters of Alabama. The appeal is made to
them not to vote for constitutional con-
vention delegates who will not declare
themselves on the dispensary question. The
committee claims that the liquor and anti
dispensary people are endeavoring to send
men to the constitutional convention who
will insert a clause in the constitution
which will prevent the establishment Of
dispensaries. In the address voters are
asked to support men who will let the
constitutional rights ON the liquor question
remain as they are now.
The address is as follows
The Address In Full
To the People of Alabama:
At a conference of the friends of dispen-
sary legislation lately held in Montgomery,
~
of state executive committee and charged
with the duty Of guarding the interests of
the dispensary in connection with the new
constitution, if one should be adopted, and
to promote the growth of the dispensary
system in this state. This committee is
non-partisan, and it's purpose is to act in a
non-partisan manner.
At a meeting Of said committee held in
the city of Birmingham on this day, the
following recommendations were unani-
mously adopted:
In view of the fact that the legislature of
Alabama has ordered an election to be
held in July of this year as to whether a
convention shall be called to remodel the
constitution of the state, and also for the
election of delegates
In view of the fact that democratic pri-
maries and conventions are soon to be held .
for the purpose of nominating candidates
for election as delegates to such constitu-
tional convention, If one should be called;
In view of the fact that the other politi-
cal parties may call primaries and conven-
lions for the nomination of candidates for
election as such delegates;
In view of the fact that this committee
has learned from publication in certain
newspapers, and from other sources. that
the opponents of the dispensary system
will endeavor to nominate and elect as dele
gates to such constitutional convention
men who will seek to incorporate in said
new constitution a provision that would
prohibit the state and its subdivisions
from conducting dspensares for the sale
of liquors;
And in view of the further fact that the
people of this state, as we think ought to
retain the right, through their legislatures,
to regulate the liquor traffic in any way
they may see proper,
Therefore this committee hereby recon-
mends to the voters of Alabama that, In
the selection of candidates for delegates to
said constitutional convention, they call on
every candidate for such nomination to
publicly declare whether or not, If elected
to such convention, he will refuse to aid, In
any way, the inserting in said constitution
any clause or provision which would inter-
fere with or prevent the establishment of
dispensaries in this state, controlled either
by the state or by any of it's municipal or
other subdivisions; and we recommend
them to vote for no candidate for nominal
ton who will not publicly declare himself
as opposed to the insertion of any such
clause in the constitution.
We recommend that this course be pur-
sued by members of all political parties
which may put out candidates for the posi-
ton of delegates.
We hereby suggest to the voters of Ala
bana that danger to their sovereign rights
turks in this movement to tie their hands
by the insertion of such a provision in the
constitution We also desire to put the
people on guard against this purpose to
take away from them the right, which, I'M
trammelled, they have always exercised, to
control, by legislative action, the liquor
traffic in any way they may see fit
we call attention to the fact that this
matter is exceedingly important. A provi-
sion in the new constitution, if one should
be adopted, prohibiting dispensaries. would
undo and annul the good which. we believe.
has already been accomplished In this d.
rection, and would tie the peoples hands
for a generation to como.
This committee further recommends that
the friends of the dispensary system In
the several counties and cities of the state
shall, at once perfect an organization with
the view of cultivating public sentiment
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