The age-herald., 1900-06-03
ORGANIZATION
 WAS EFFECTED Meeting of the Advocates of a
 OispenSary System. ATTENDANCE NOT LARGE Rain, However, Did Not Dampen Ardor ofThose Present-Will Wage Cam paign Against Open Saloon
 in Jefferson County
ATTENDANCE NOT LARGE

 | county met in Seals hall yesterday and organized an assoication, with Captain
 James E. Webb as chairman The attend | ance at the meeting was rather small on | account of the bad weather, but the enthu- siasm of those present was not dampened by the atmospheric conditions.
 The plan adopted by the convention pro- vides for county and beat organizations and
 an active campaign in the interest of the dispensary system for Jefferson county. The meeting was called to order by Cap tain Webb at 1920 D. m., and in stating the purposes he said that at an impromptu
 meeting of dispensary advocates held some time ago it was deemed advisable to or ganize in this county, and to that end a request was made that each beat in the county send delegates to a convention to be held in Birmingham yesterday. The chief purpose, he said, was to organize, as noth- ing could be accomplished without organ ization. He said he did not want 1t under stood that the purpose of the convention was to organize a political party, as such
 was not the case, but that the real object
 was to organize the men of all parties who favored the dispensary law. He said it was tllt lllSullOl tO lOl III eii O4 Se'hiHttiOAi that would extend to every beat in the county. He had hoped to see at least one delegate from each beat present, but that the rain, which had been falling since early morning. had prevented a great many from coming to the city.
 Flew to the Line
 He warned the dispensary advocates from falling into pitfalls, which he said had been arranged by those opposed to the system, and referred to the attitude of the 0rohi bition candidate for governor, Rev. H. l.. Hargett, whose argument against the dis pensary system was published in the Age Herald several days ago. He said the opponents of the dispensary were trying to run the issue into politics, and counsel ed it's friends to steer clear of the trap set for them. He read an editorial from the Birmingham Courier, the German paper, which advised all German-Americans and friends of the saloons to advocate prohi- bition as an offset to the dispensary senti- ment. He construed the editorial as vir- tual admission by the license system ad- vocates that the dispensary people would win and that dispensary law would be passed by the next legislature for Jeffer son county.
 He referred to Dothan as one of the towns in which the dispensary system had been tried, and stated that the income from the dispensary in that town in 1899 amounted to $7,65O which was appropriated to the schools of that place. He said the law had wrought a marvellous change and that about all crime had been abolished since it became effective. He said there were no criminals, and that the criminal docket of the court had been done away with. He stated that the profits from the dispensaries in South Carolina were about $450,000 annually, and that he believed that the profits in Alabama were the system adopted here would exceed $1,000,000. He said he believed the dispensary law was peculiarly adapted to the black belt, where the negroes outnumbered the white people as its profits would be turned into schools and in few years Alabama would rival Massachusetts or any other state in her schools and in education.
 Before declaring the convention ready for business Captain Webb requested Rev. Mir. Lowery of Warrior to invoke Divine blessings on the proceedings.
 Formal Organization
 On motion of Frank Leslie of beat 21 or ganization was effected by the election of Captain James E. Webb as chairman and Arlie Barber as secretary.
 Captain Webb thanked the convention for the manifestation of confidence, and on motion of MT. Leslie ordered the en- rollment of the delegates present. The fol- lowing names were placed on the roll
 w. R. Beal of beat T; Arlie Barber of beat 9; T. O. Jones, beat 12; E. T. Wilson and w L. c. Vann, beat 1S; J. H. Self and w. B. Merriken, beat H; B. II. Hughes, beat 16; J. G. Lowery and R. B. Montgom- cry, beat IT; Frank Leslie. J. E. Wilson. William Hood, John Mccoy, P. c. Ratliff, H. K. Khite, s. D. Monroe and R. L.. Will jams, beat 21; J. D. Dickinson, beat %; J. A. Estes, beat ss; W. M Blackwelder, beat 34; B. B. Conner, James Brazer, J. E. Webb and V L. Allen, beat 37; J. R. Winters and J. E. Atkinson, beat 3S; s. P West and R. S. Brown, beat 42; J. S. Hall, beat A. F. s. Wilson. beat 45.
 The secretary called over the names of nearly two hundred men who had been in- vited to attend the convention and who had sgnified their intention of being pres ent. With two exceptions the men ans wering the invitations endorsed the move ment for dispensary law in Jefferson county.
 On motion of MT. Dickinson of Pratt City a committee of five, consisting of J. D. Dickinson, chairman; P. c. Ratliff, B. B. Conner, J. G. Lowery and E. T. Wilson, was appointed to formulate and report to the convention @ plan of organization.
 While the committee was out preparing l its report the convention was addressed by | several gentlemen among whom was | Frank Leslie, who declared that the dis | pensary people did not want the question of dispensary left to a vote of the people | of the county, but that they wanted the legislature to pass the law without refer ! ring it to the people.
 J. E. Wilson, William Hood and B. B. | Conner made. short talks in support of the l movement inaugurated by the convention, :! and gave their reasons for favoring dis | system in the county.
 Resolutions
 The following resolutions offered by s. P. West were adopted:
 "Whereas, We regard the saloon as l