The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-02
IS STILL THE
ONE ISSUE
Dispensav Question OVeTshadOWs
All Other Legislation
The ADVOCATES OF The BILL
Oppose Further Amendments
of Any Kind.
HEARING BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
,.
Strong Arguments Presented Both for
and Against the Measure.
Strong Arguments Presented Both for
and Against the Measure.
VOTE WILL TAKE PLACE FRIDAY
Prominent Lawyers of the State are
Divided on the Question, Some
Urging It's Passage and
Others Opposing It.

Montgomery, FEBRUARY l-NSpeelai,) - le
dispensary bill continues the overshadow-
ing ieaunc It's advocates are working hard.
seemed n,ome in from everywhere Even the
deal of p,.s being deluged with them.
at her. iensary advocates are opposing
Accordindt to apply to all counties alike.
They fear mat means its defeat. Wilson
Brown, of Colbert, says If SO amended 1t
will pass the house by at least ten major
ity; yet the lobby for the bill fears Browns
Judgment is bad and declares that it must
not be amended.
A poll of the house shows flfty-one men,
bers for a general dispensary bill There
are but ninety members of the house in at
tendance
The dispensary committee as 1t is best
known, or in legislative parlance the COM
mittee on revision of the laws, gave an
other three-hour hearing tonight and have
agreed to still another tomorrow night.
Col. Falkner to Speak
Col. Jefferson M. Falkner will be heard
tomorrow night on the constitutional phase
of the question, and it is said that he VIII
make a convincing argument against the
bill. That remains to be seen.
The committee is almost equally divided
The fate of the bill depends upon the COM
mittee's action. There are fifteen members.
The best poll possible to make at present
shows 1t to stand as folows
For the bill-Hubbard, Address, Lacey
Dester, Patterson and Green-6.
Against the bill-McQueen, Screws, Car
son. Graves, Smith, Dameron and Vaughn
Z
Doubtful-Davidson and Bayles.
Yet there may be changes tomorrow Ihe
members are yet open to argument
Several of them are not finally fixed In their
opinion. The best indications are that the
bill will be adversely reported from the
committee or loaded down with amend
ments The entire contest seems to center
upon Jefferson county. Should the bill be
renorted to the house, and the majority of
the Jefferson delegation demand that JET
ferson be eliminated, that county would be
stricken from the dispensary counties, but
up to date only two Jefferson representa-
tives have declared against the bill and
two for it. Burkhalter and Mcqueen are
against 1t. Huey and Houston are for 1t.
Gibson and Davidson are on the fence, so
far as is known. Whether they will jump
into the cornfield or the lily pond remains
to be seen.
Sure it is that nine-tenths of the 1egisla-
TORS from all the counties are sorry this
dispensary question is up.
The argument before the committee to-
night was intensely interesting. E. H. Cab
aniss opened the discussion for the dispen-
sary bill. His speech was mainly refer
ences to the South Carolina law, quoting
~ 10 ba Of fha
dispensary in that state. Referring to the
question as regards Birmingham, Mr.. Cab
aniss said: "They tell you that the dispen-
sary would be detrimental to the business
interests-that it would close the doors of
eighty business hosses. This deny There
are but sixty-odd saloons in Birmingham,
and the majority of these are dives of low
character and mere holes in the walls"
He said that the saloon was constant
temptation for drink, and with its removal
drink will be diminished.
Hon. A. Davis, of Admission, spoke in
favor of the bill. He presented a petition
with 400 signatures favoring the bill. He
read telegram from the mayor of Dothan
stating that he had just checked up the
dispensary established there a month ago,
and that it was great moral and financial
success.
Colonel A. A. Wiley, of Montgomery,
made a strong speech against the bill. He
said the South Carolina law had not been
a success, but that it had increased crime
and had placed back the hands of the clock
of progress twenty-five years 1t opens the
doors to corruption and makes political
machines. He appealed to the ministers
present to lseep out of politics. Look after
the firesides and more in behalf of the
majority will be accomplished Man can
not be made moral by legislation, but
merely restrained. He opposed the state
going into the saloon business. 1t is not
the function Of government. If 1t is wrong
for en- Individual to sen drink. 1t is wrong
for the state to sell a quart.
'.rhere is pot az advocate of this bin