The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-03-06
DISCUSSES FIGHT
 AGAINST SALOONS The Rev. P. A. Baker Breaches on Anti-Saloon League CONDITIONS IN ALABAMA The Whisky Evil Is Discussed by the Superlnt sndent of the League
 Which Will Make a Fight
 in Alabama.
CONDITIONS IN ALABAMA

The Rev. Dr. P. A. Baker of Boston, general superintendent of the American Anti-Saloon league. preached yesterday morning at the First Methodist church on the work of the league pr. Baker explained in a clear and logical way the purpose of the movement and the man. ner in which it Is being undertaken.
 The preacher spoke again last night at the Southside Baptist church along the same line. At each service the church was we'll filled and Dr. Baker held the attention of the congregations with his graceful and fluent manner of speaking.
 Reforms Meet Opposition.
 Dr. Baker explained that no other kind of Christian work meets with such op- position as reforms. He said:
 We do not like reforms, for 1t is much easier to do today just as we did yesterday. Most of us like to move in the direction where there is least resist anee. The fact that reforms are some times carried to extremes, may account for their unpopularity; but simply be- cause a leader of worthy cause is fanatical is no reason why we should oppose or fan to support the movement.
 Reformation meets with the opposition Of those it Is intended to benefit he con- tinued. "A typhoid fever patient in the stage when exhaustion has set in, will, if he can summons the strength resist every effort his physicians may make in his behalf. So 1t is with other matters. Laying the foundation of the Christian church cost the life of Christ. He was killed by those whom he was endeavor- ing to benefit. Martin Luther, because he started a religious reformation, was left for the diet of the worms, and his fol- lowers to the mercy of mobs.
 Doors Closed on Him.
 John Wesley caused the doors of the church to be closed on him. by institut- ing a revival, not In accord with the ideas of the church. In all human history re- forms have almost invariably met with resistance The great struggle with the liquor evil today Is not with the brewer, the dealer, or even the drinlSer. but with the church. As soon as the church be- comes a unit in it's endeavors to correct the evil and its influence spreads, then ana only then VIII the TtIOTIn De SucCeSS- full
 "The Anti-saloon league seeks mem- bership in the unit of the church, not in the unit of the individual. No single church can accomplish anything along this line, but united with other churches it can effect a remedy. The Baptist arm, the Methodist arm, the Presbyterian arm, the Congregational arm. and all arms of the Christian religion should be united into one powerful arm, and crush the aw full curse.
 "To illustrate-on the sixth or seventh story of the steel frame structure under construction, you see Il man holding the nozzle of hoze, riveting the iron bolts. Following the hose on down, we see in the basement of the building an electric engine which sends the compressed air uJ to the nozzle Now, the engine repre- sents the federated church. and the man with the hose represents the anti-saloon league. applying the force of the feder- atd church to the particular spot which needs it."
 Struggle |, Ohio.
 The speaker then told of the struggle for municipal option in Ohio.
 Tn that state. he said. they pre- sented their plea to the legislature, and the first time they received thrty-six I rg, but. nevertheless, they went back to the people and urged that they send bet ter legislators to the general assembly; not that they send more republicans or more democrats, but that they send bet ter Christians. men who were not afraid tO cast a vote for the betterment of their fellow-man. They again went to the general assembly, and this time were more fortunate, receiving fifty of the III votes.
 Still undaunted. they repeated their appeal to the people, and soon their third attempt in the house they were defeat ed by one vote. To many, 1t seemed as if 1t were useless to push the fight any further but determined to succeed, they went through their former course and or taking the matter to the legislature the third time, they passed the house by @ good majority and the senate voted unanimously for the bill. This well H. lustrates the power of the church. It was speaking at the ballot boxes, and between attempts, the anti-saloon league was holding the nozzle to the legislators.
 "As a result of the passage of the bill. 449 of the 763 incorporated towns in Ohio have legal prohibition. and of that AZ. 23 voted for it in the last three weeks"
 Condition in Alabama.
 After having discussed the situation in other places, Dr. Baker took up the con- dition in Alabama.
 This state" he said, is about the only southern state that has not local op- tion law. This Is the time when the greatest efforts are, needed in this state fer remedying the liquor evil. It is neces- sary that we secure a local option law