The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-20
MEETING IN WEST END
ANTI-sALooN LEAGUE DISCUSS
 ED DISPENSARY.
About Sixty Persons Listened to Speeches Advocating Public Con- trol of Liquor Trafiic-Sever-
 al New Members.

At the first public meeting of the Mont | gomery County Dispensary and Anti-sa- | loon League held at the Christian Church | at West End last night the citizens ~s West End were appealed to for coop eration in accomplishing the purpose of the league and several West Finders be- | came members.
 The meeting was attended by about six l ty persons. many of whom were women. 1t was called to order at S:15 o'clock by President w. W. Pearson. who made a brief talk in which he explained the pur- pose of the organization and the reason of the meeting at West End. He said that Rev. A. l.. Andrews, pas tor of the Dexter Avenue Methodist Church, who was to have addressed the meeting, was called from the city during the day to Wetumuka, and added that Dr. Andrews was thoroughly in sympathy with the movement. he having been one of the instigators of the dispensary move ment in Elmore County and Wetumpka. Mir. Pearson requested citizens of West End to state their views of the ques- tion.
 Repeated calls were made for Rev. c. W. Townsend. who finally responded. talking at some length of the merits of the dispensary and criticising the theory V
 In regard to the whiskey question MT. Townsend said he thought the establish ment of the dispensary system was the only correct solution of the whiskey problem, and he pointed out its various advantages.
 He said it appeared by their representa- | ton that the citizenship of West End ad- vocated dispensaries and he encouraged | their interest.
 In alluding to prohibition, MT. Town send said that there was no such thing as prohibition in it's full meaning. that he had been prohibitionist but had | become educated to higher ideas. He said men would drink whiskey until the end of the world; that the dispensary move ment was to decrease its sale, to elimi- nate social drinking. He spoke largely on the drink evil, the elimination of the so- cial feature rules and regulations of the dispensary system and of personal expe- riences.
 | At the request of President Pearson and others R. D. Lee, former Mayor of West | End, made a few remarks in which he declared that he was an advocate of the | dispensary movement.
 ] J. D. Evans of West End was the next speaker and he made a sound five min utes talk in which he said that the dis pensary system of South Carolina, of which State he is a native, had resulted | in a measure which supported the State | government and that the State was now solidly in favor of the system, whereas when it was originated and instigated at first by Senator Tillman portions of the State were inflicted with tyranny. | MT. Evans refuted the argument that the State would be the dealer, compar- ling the conditions under the present sys- tems with those of the dispensary and declaring that they were practically sim liar.
 Rev. E. C. Nave. pastor of the Fifth | Avenue Church, was prevailed on to speak after declining on account Of | hoarseness.
 He said he would not attack the saloon man. but the saloon mans occupation. He said that whiskey would be sold through out the ages of the world, that the fact that 1000 years of taxation had not di- unfinished it was sufficient proof of his as- Isertion.
 MT. Nave continued saying that 1t was the decrease of crime and drink which should be made. Statistics. he said, show ed that 75 per cent of the crime in Ala bama was caused by intoxication.
 President Pearson followed with A strong speech in which he declared that the financial status of a dispensary in Montgomery would enable the city to pay it's indebtedness and provide for West End, Highland Park ana the olller su- burbs recently annexed, good streets and sidewalks, more electric lights. better sewerage systems and various advan- tages which are not now afforded them. | He then alluded to Tuscaloosa and the city's good financial condition brought about by the dispensary system. MT. Pearson read the annual report of the Rome, Ga., dispensary which show ed that from April 1. 1902, to March 3l, 1903, the gross profits were SSS, A. that the city and county had realized $l2.- 600 in the year and that real estate in stead of being adversely affected showed decided increase in value. The report also showed that the decrease of Police Court cases were 36S in one year, and that there were 255 cases of drunk and disorder less than the previous year.
 MT. Pearson thanked the audience or ladies and asked their support He made the motion that a second public meeting be held at the same place Tuesday night, June ?, which was carried.
 Rev. MT. Nave delivered benedicuon and the meeting adjourned.