The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-13

ers to support their candidate who vir-
tually promised not to enforce the law.
Saloon keepers sweating under system
of black mail believed they saw relief
from the extortion system, and voted
against Tammany. No doubht the new
administration intended not to interfere
desired the liquor dealers to continue In
violating the law, but without paying the
price of protection.
A few saloon keepers stopped paying,
and they were quickly reminded that the
law was in force. Police captains are
not specially interested in politics. except
such as effect revenue. Various societies
created for the purpose of interfering
with other people, secured evidence OF
excise violation, OF gambling houses, OF
brothels and submitted them to the Gov
ernor He promptly notified the District
Attorney.
District Attorney Jerome at once real
lied that 1t was his duty to enforce the
laws not OF interpret them. The policy
Of a liberal Interpretation" had to be
abandoned. 1t became his duty for self
protection to obtain evidence against po-
lice captains sergeants and inspectors.
These WORTHLESS to save their own heads
and pensions for self protection re-
solved at once to show by the reports of
patrolmen that they had no knowledge
of Excise violation and police magistrates
seeing the handwriting on the wall re-
fused to listen to the silly evidence
brought before them on excise cases. The
officer who made the arrest was not al
lowed to state that the beer might have
been ginger ale.
When the patrolmen realized that they
were to be made scape- goats, that they
were to suffer losses by fines and demer-
its, they wisely decided since they re-
ceived none of the profits they would no
longer stand the losses. They rebelled.
| They decided to make no false reports
| and to enforce the law. At once the
| blackmail system came to an end but
the Excise law was rigidly enforced, and
| the promise of "a liberal Interpretation"
| fell to the ground.
But what is the significance of this to
| the Low administration?
1t means it's downfall. Mr.. Jerome and
Mr.. Low in the moment of victory, when
exhultation filled the heart and the blood
| tingled with the microbes Of power. prom
| ised that the Legislature would do much
| But that body has done nothing. At the
! time | stated 1t would not, it has not and
1t will not. If it would not amend the Ex-
! else law In the regular session, the Gov
ernor would not dare, in view of his re-
| nomination, call a special session. 1t
| would bring down upon him the wrath
| of the upstate voters.
| The Excise law can only be amended
| by democratic control and it is certain
| that the democratic vote in this city next
| November, will be enormous, sufficient.
| perhaps, to elect Governor. During the
! coming summer the shutting off of beer
| to the Germans will cause the loss OF
thousands of votes
Financiers and railroad men have seen
! with what ease and what cost this rocky
island can be tunneled and they are now
scheming to bore holes in every direction.
They need not be wise men to know that,
no transportation schemes can compare
with hauling passengers north and south.
to and from Westchester and the Bronx.
/ to the City Hail. in Manhattan, and east
ward to Brooklyn. westward to New Jer-
sey, and southwark to Staten Island. But
they must think the people are all fools
when they prattle about the good these
improvements will yield and object TO
paying the city any taxes for their fran
chises.
The New York Central is anxious to
reach Long Island. The reason given is
| beautiful. They say it will relieve the
| congestion at the Grand Central Depot,
| as empty cars will be run over to Long
Island. This is plausible; but it is not
| the fact. They see the Pennsylvania
Road is seeking outlet TO the sea, and
| they are fighting for the same benefit.
Marconi's splendid achievement in sig
mailing across the Atlantic Ocean has not
only challenged the admiration of the
| public but provoked in scientific circles
| the usual outcry of mot first" When the
| telephone was invented the same wise
acres shifted and declared the ancient
| Egyptians used the telephone. and others
| declared that monks in mediaevial times
| communicated by telephone through the
| inconsistencies. OF course, there is nothing
| new under the sun but before Marconi
| wireless telegraphy, wireless telegraphy
| had passed from the recollection of man.
| This is the only reasonable explanation
| that can be offered to. explain the long
| interval of non-usage. Some Of the ideas
| of new inventions have existed before
| NAV he traced back to the inventions of
writer's who endeavored to charm read
ers by the exhuberance of their fancies
| AS. for instance, CULVER in his travels
describes the building of modern sky
scrapers from the top down or the mod
.rn submarine vessel propelled and light
ed by electricity found its prototype in
the famous Nautilus invented by Jules
| Verne. Mother Shipton's prophecy is full
| ~ strange inventive possibilities which
| todav are commonplace facts. 1t is easy
~ course, for critics to rob an inventor
| ~ his fame, but in due time 1t will bs
| yroven by the discomfort of critics and
rivals that Marconi Is the sole inventor
| cf the wireless telegraph.