The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-01
PROSPECTS FOR ITS PASSAGE
Grows Gradually Less as the
Days Go By
ARGUMENTS BOTH PRO AND CON
We're Heard for Two Hours Yesterday
by the COMMITTEES.
THE JEFFERSON DELEGATION
Is Divided, Two Being Against, Three
for and One Observation-Disclosures
Hearing Will be Had Today
-Falkner Will Speak.

Montgomery, January a.-(Special)-Al1
Birmingham is apparently in Montgomery
tonight and everybody is talking dispen-
sary.
The preachers and brewers, liquor sellers
and white ribboners lawyers nor and
against are all here lobbying. Men, wo-
men and children are lobbying, buttonhoi-
ing, begging and pleading. The dispensary
bill is the issue. Everything else paIes into
insignificance before 1t. The legislators as
a rule are between the devil and the deep
sea. Many of them are vaeillating.
The committee on revision of tbs laws is
hearing argument. This committee gave
two hours and a half to hearings tonight
and have promised another hearing tonor-
row before reporting Arguments Tor the
bill were made by Senator Moody, James E.
Webb, of Birmingham, and W. j. Sanford,
of Opelika. Against the blu appeared
Frank Pettus of Selma. sgd Bowie, Of An
niston, and H.sW, Sexton, of Admission. The
usual arguments on both sties vsss made.
Both sides cited South Carolina preced-
ents.
The People Not Heard
The opposition made much OF The argu-
ment that the people had not been heard
on the question in any election and that
no law could be enfopced whsse the peo-
pie were against 1t. They also argued
that 1T was unjust to make any but a
general law applying to all counties alike.
In advocating the bill Senator Moody re-
peated in substance his Birmingham
speech.
The committee will give another hearing
tomorrow night and then report. Among
mel J. M. Falkner
The best poll of the committee possible to
make tonight shows six for a dieepnsary
bill, six against and three in doubt. The
three doubtful members are Davidson, of
Jefferson, Smith, of Escamb.a. and Damer-
eron, of Taladega. AS go two out Of
these three, SO will go the bill.
Both sides are confident, but the best
either directly defeated in committee or
else SO loaded down with amendments that
it will be defeated in the house. As It is
now nearly all the members whose coun-
ties are excluded, are for the bin If their
counties are put into the bill they will op-
pose it. Members from some prohibition
counties don't even want dispensarass, and
If dispensaries were provided for their
counties they would oppose the bill.
Jefferson Delegation Divided
The Jefferson delegation Is divided.
Burkhalter and Mcqueen are fighting the
bill. Houston, Huey and Davidson are
quoted for the bill, while Gibson declines
to define himself. Many Of the shrewdest
politicians say the bill cannot pass. Some
of the members of the house are declaring
that the senator's who voted for the bill
fixed their own counties as they wanted
them and now have placed the burden of
dispensary or no dispensary on the house.
On direct straight vote in the house
on the bill as 1t passed the senate it would
probably pass, but the committee on re-
vision of the laws will probably greatly
amend it or kill 1t in the committee room
At least it SO appears tonight Yet the
fight is the warmest the Alabama legisla-
ture has ever known.
The Committee
Following is the personnel of the local
legislation committee, which has the bill
in charge: Mcqueen, of Jefferson: Hubbard,
Of Pike; Screws, of Montgomery, Carson.
of Dallas; Address, of Pike; Bayles, Of
Monroe; Graves. of Montgomery: Davidson,
of Jefferson; Smith,, Of Escambia, Dame-
ron. of Talladega; Lacey. Of Walker;
Vaughan. Of Dallas; Doster, Of Autauga;
Patterson, of Barbour; Greene, of Morgan.