The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-12-12


division of our Alabama counties. BY
this means town in county voting
by majority for the sale of liquors may
establish it's sale, but, on the other hand,
town giving a majority against the
sale in a county where the county has
voted for the sale, can protect itself and
prevent the sale of Intoxicating liquors
1t Is a pure type of home rule ON the
liquor question Provision is made that in
county voting for the sale of liquors
this shall not be an exclusive permits
sion for SALOONS to open their doors, but
ON the contrary. if the people desire 10
establish a dispensary this can be done,
and saloons excluded thus giving the
widest liberties to the people to decide
this important question for themselves.
A Fair Proposition.
"The foregoing outline Of our proposed
legislation indicates it's fairness and only
an extreme liquor partisan who believes
that the liquor crowd should have all
the liberties and rights and the moral
temperance citizens none at all will find
room to bubble or complain at the pro-
visions set forth. The fiat has been is
sued by the citizenship of Alabama that
they must have the right to decide this
matter for themselves The great DEM
ocratic party of Alabama, speaking au-
thoritatively in its state platform, de-
elares, plank "a: I'VE favor laws es-
tabllshing and governing the privilege of
local option for the sale of intoxicating
liquors in this state"
Twill be provided in the form of an an
ti-shipping provision, which will make it
unlawful for any person or persons, in
dividual or corporation public or private
carrier, to bring into or distribute in any
county, district precinct, town or city
where the sale of intoxicating liquors has
been prohibited whether by special act
of the legislature or by vote of the people
under the local option law, any spurious,
vinous, malt or other intoxicating liquor
regardless of the name by which it may
be called. Each package so delivered or
distributed to constitute separate Of
Tense, and the place of delivery of such
liquors shall be held to be the place of
sale"
Mr.. Lawrence Talks.
In discussing the work of the Anti-Sa-
loon league in the state, Superintendent
Brooks Lawrence yesterday gave some
interesting facts and figures. He said,
1--WE are very well pleased with the sue
cess that has already been attained in
the state toward securing the passage
of local option law, and feel that when
the law is finally passed that it will
speedily lead TO the securing of prohibi-
ton in most of the counties of the state.
That a local option law will be passed
at the next session of the Legislature we
have no doubt.
"The state democratic platform had a
local option plank in 1t and a majority
of the members-elect of both the house
and senate pledged themselves to the
passage of such law. The principle of
the law is entirely democratic and cam
not consistently be turned down by DEM
ocrats. We only ask thai the people of
the several counties of the state be al
lowed TO settle the question of liquor
selling for themselves by a majority vote
Nothing could be fairer than this and
we feel sure that the legislature will
pass our bill.
"rhe sentiment in favor of prohibition
over the entire country. and | am of the
opinion that the state is ripe for the OPP
Grafton of such law as we are propos-
ing
ALREADY a number of counties in the
state, through special legislation have
closed their saloons and established dis
pensaries or have prohibition. In some Of
the counties where dispensaries have been
in operation the people have voted in
favor of their abolition and Will ask the
next Legislature to repeal the dispensary
acts creating such dispensares. This will
be done in several instances.
Prohibition Counties.
AT present there are twenty-five pro-
hibltlon counties in the state. According
to information secured from the internal
revenue office Of the United States. 1879
licenses have been issued this year for the
retail selling of liquors. Licenses for the
sale of malt liquors have been issued to
362 persons or concerns, making a total
of 2lH liquor dealers in the state licensed
by the federal government. 1t Is shown
by the records In the internal revenue
office that there is more illegal selling Of
liquors In liquor counties than In prohibit
ton counties | mean by this that more
federal licenses are issued to men with
out state licenses in the former than in
This fact, in my opinion, exploded the