The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-09-03
MORAL CITIZENS Of ENSLEY UP
IN ARMS AGAINST LAWLESSNESS


to direct Some of the business men are
afraid they will lose trade If they join in
this movement; they are afraid to take
positive stand There is great power in
cooperation, and cooperation is needed
here. The pulpit is to educate, but there
comes time when the ministers must act
I did not lose my American citizenship
when 1 became a minister. 1 will not be
pulled about by any clique in my church.
Patriotism and Christianity are coupled
together by Christ. The time has come
for us to act for our homes and our COM
munity and for the environment of our
children.
"Iou want good people to come into the
city, good moral Christian people; and
when you invite them to come you want to
have good laws for their protection and
good officers to enforce the laws. You
don't want officers whose hands shake In
the performance of duty. During the cam
paign before the election the candidates
made many promises that have not been
redeemed. They have redeemd them in a
fashion, technically, perhaps, but not in
the spirit Ensley's name is going up as
stencil. You hear it on all sides and it
makes me ashamed for the city. The stencil
Is attracting the law-breakers, the gam
blers, the buzzards of society You have
got to make the. place unhealthy for them.
You want to make them understand that
Ensley is not a healthy place for vio-
lators of the law. The jail and the peni-
tertiary are not far away. When an Off
Ger fails to enforce the law he should suf-
fer. We must see to it that we have a
town that can invite the best people from
everywhere to come among us, and then
that they will not be afraid to go about the
Streets"
Resolutions That Ring.
The resolutions committee came in at
and made rpnOrt which
as follows:
THE meeting is not in the interest of
any party or individual, nor has it any
political coloring. Its sole object is the
uplifting and lettering of the state of NOR
ais that exist in our city.
Whereas, There is gambling in our
midst to alarming extent, a lot of
'blacklegs' being dumped on us and are
practicing their nafarious business in
way that is disgraceful and disgusting to
any community
Whereas, The intoxicating drinks
are being sold in our city by a lot Of So
called clubs which are running open and
above board, dispensing to any who call
the deadly poison whether they be MEM
bers or not of these so-called clubs which
are increasing in an astonishing manner.
Whereas, Quite a number of these So
called clubs have secured questionable
characters and are carrying on "a nameless
business that is disgraceful loathsome and
debasing and that has brought a blot
upon the name of Ensley that cannot soon
be erased.
Whereas, On Sunday many establish
ments are open all day in open violation
of our laws, thus turning the Sabbath in
to day of business.
BE it resolved. That we, the members
of the various churches and citizens of
the town of Ensley assembled, deplore the
state of affairs that now exist in our city,
which is a disgrace to the ninteeth CEN
fury civilization.
THAT we demand of the Mayor and
Board of Aldermen and the chief of po-
lice that they do all in their power to
that the laws are enforced; that they let
the law have its course to the fullest eX
tent, and that they use the utmost vgi-
lace to see that each offence has its just
reward.
That we urge upon the police to see
that these offenders are brought before the
authorities and that said authorities are
urged to enforce the laws.
THAT we pledge our support to any eff
fort that will be made to bring to justice
any offender and to raise the standard Of
purity and righteousness. ]. w. Orr. H. N.
McTyeire, NJ H. Sherman, T. c. Mackey,
D. r. Hay, Committee"
The resolutions were adopted by stand
ing vote without opposition.
No Specific Knowledge 81 Blind Tigers
A motion was made directing the secre-
tary to furnish copy of the resolutions
to the daily papers of the county, which
brought DIR. r. NJ. Cunningham to his feet.
He opposed the resolution, saying that he
did not see the necessity of giving much
publicity to the state of affairs said to ex-
ist in Ensley. Continuing DIR. Cunningham
said:
1.-THE adoption of these resolutions is prac-
ucally an indictment of every person who
voted for them. voted for them, and the
preambles because I know the gentlemen
who prepared them and have faith in them.
This state of affairs should bring the blush
to the cheek of every man and woman who
knows of them. Those who know such con-
ditions exist should go to work to put a
stop to them, but they should not advertise
them to the world The trouble here Is
with the people, and not the laws. What
we need is a change of moral sentiment.
You can't prove by me that there Is a
blind tiger in Ensley. There is a general
knowledge that they exist. but specific
knowledge is necessary to convict. How
many of the committee can go before
grand jury and swear that any man is
selling whisky in Ensley? Any of you can
do So stand up Nobody stood up.) l would
suggest that you appoint committee of
five with plenary powers and let them en-
ploy detectives to get up evidence.
IT hear great deal about the present
fight; but what are we to have, saloons,
dispensary or prohibition? I favor the
dispensary There is no city in Alabama
or in the Southern States with prospects
as bright as Ensleys. AS we start so shall
we CO. and the contest will be as to who
shall CONTROL
MIR. Orr Saw Something.
Rev. ]. w. Orr, pastor of the Presby-
terrain church, advocated the adoption of
the motion, directing the secretary to fur
nish copies of the resolution to the daily
papers, saying that the people outside of
Ensley were already appraised of the con-
ditions existing there, otherwise he would
be unwilling to let the resolutions go un-
published. He approved the suggestion of
DR.. Cunningham that a committee with
plenary powers be appointed, but he said
there were officials whose duty it was to
enforce the law. He said he had seen