The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-17
STATE DISPENSARY
EXECUTIVE COMMIT
 TEE ISSUES ADDRESS.
Ask That Legislators Be Chosen Who Fnvor Tint Kind of Legislation and Wi11 yete fer . Bill That
 Will Be PrepareA by Them.

WiIl De PrepereA by Them.
 The following address to the voters Of Alabama has been issued by the state dispensary executive committee' To the Voters of Alabama:
 The time has come for you 10 con slider the character and views Of the men whom you may wish to De your next law makers. Those who may pc called at the coming election 70 nil legislative. positions will hold office for four years, and during all that pe- riod there will be no opportunity to make new laws or to correct mistakes in those that have already been passed. It Is important. therefore. that in mat ters pertaining to serious Legislation the people should be careful and dis erect. The question as to the best method of controlling or reducing the liquor trafic has been prominent in Alabama for many years. and 1t Is evi- dent that the dispensary system will occupy much of the time and thought of the next Legislature.
 Of course the saloons will be opposed to their own removal. Financial con-. alterations will prompt them to make a strong fight. Temperance people should realize that the saloons are al
 ways keenly alive to conditions that affect their pecuniary interest. and we may we'll apprehend that they will make quiet but active opposition to candidates who favor the dispensary system. The particular provisions of dispensary bills that may be introduced in the next Legislature cannot now be foreseen. Bills may be introduced looking to the establishment of dis pensaries all over the State outside of territory now covered by dispensaries or prohibition. or to the establishment of dispensaries by the vote of different counties. or to the direct establishment of dispensarics in desig-' mated localities. But the establish ment or location of dispensaries is not the only ,dispensary question. The real nature of the institution to be estab- lished, it's power and inhibitions should also be carefully considered. We should bear in mind that there may be all sorts of dispensaries producing va rying results. Some dispensariee are undoubtedly a great aid to temperance. Some aid the cause in a less degree. Others may aid it still less. and bills establishing dispensaries might be so drawn that the dispensaries when es- abolished would be but little better. though never worse, than a gilded sa- loon Much depends on the particular provisions of the law under which the dispensary is operated. The details of dispensary statute are quite impor- tdut A u1SpenSdTy eStaOItenmenI un- der bad or ill-considered law may come into such disrepute that men will call for its removal That the dis pensary should bring revenue seems to be necessary. Towns that derive a large income from liquor licenses will not generally consent to give up the li- cense system unless they get some com pensation for the loss of fees from li- censes. While the revenue feature cannot be ignored. 1t should be inci- dental and subordinate. The main ob- tect of the dispensary system should be the promotion of temperance.
 Now. if the establishment of dis pensaries is to meet with opposition, and if dispensaries may be of different kinds and produce different results, it is manifest that temperance people should actively support candidates who advocate the system. and advocate it as measure for producing temper ance. It may be noted that saloons generally do some work when Govern ors, presidents of the Senate. speakers of the House. members of the Legisia- turo and even Legislative committees are to be elected or appointed. Saloons are watchful and alert. The ex- perience of this committee illustrates the necessity for care in the selection of Senators and members of the House. In the last House of Representative we caused bill to be introduced which provided for an election in certain counties as to the establishment of dis pensaries. The bill did not undertake to establish directly a single dispen- sary. It required that there should he an election on the subject and declara- tion of the result of the election. The election was to be by counties, and the result in one county was not to affect the result in another county This was the quhcf1nna nf the hill oxl referred to the Temperance Committed of the House. The committee declined to make a favorable report on the bill and thus prevented the taking of a vote in the House. We then proposed to amend the bill so that the election could not be held unless 1t was formally the registered voters of the several counties. But even this proposition was not sufficient to get the bill out of the hands of the committee. It is plain that if the dispensary people wish to do their best at the next meeting of the Legislature they should keep their eyes wide open when they come. to vote in the next primaries. We reqtAest you to note the character, record. habits, aff1liation and present intentions of the candidates, especially candidates for Governor and the Legislature. We sug- gest that the friends of the dispensary system vote for no aspirant to a law making once who is committed agains the dispensary. We further suggest that you see that candidates who ap- pear to be uncommitted are not secret ly pledged to oppose the dispensary system. If. in your judgment. the dis pensary affords to young men relief from temptation. helps the old to drink with less frequency, elevates manhood and improves the general conditions of living. we ask you to give 1t your ac- tive influence both before and after the next primary election.
 We expect to publish before long a substantial copy or synopsis of the bill which we will present to the next Leg islature.
 Papers in the State that favor tenn perence legislation are requested to publish this address. Very respect fully.
 Frank S. Moody, Chairman. from | State large; James E. Webb. from | State-a t-large; John E. Mitchell. from First Congressional District; J. P | Wood. from Second Congressional Dis | trict; J. L. Dean. from Third Congress sionaI District: c. A. Joiner. from | Fourth Congressional District: A. P | Fuqua, from Fifth Congressional Dis. trict: L. B. Musgrove. from Sixth Con- l gressional District; w c. Forman, from