The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-04
Brooks Lawrence Intimates That a Big Surprise is in
 Store for Somebody
PASTORS UNION WILL
 START BATTLE MONDAY
Lawrence Says If They Will Make Him Chief of Police In Anniston He Will Agree to Keep the
 Lid On.

The signs in the consultations begin to point more and more toward a fight against the liquor element this fall, and in the meantime the saloonkeepers are watching the horizon for every indication, while they wear serious faces and re- solve to tempt the public no further
 There now apepars one meteor in the heavens which may be of great import ance, and is apt to have considerable in- fluence. Next Monday morning the Bir- mingham Pastors union will hold its monthly meeting and the subject of dis eussion is, Saloons and Dispensares."
 Brooks Lawrence. superintendent of the Anti-Saloon League of Alabama, who has been making a canvass of different parts of the state in the interest of the organ ization, has returned to Birmingham in order to be present at this meeting. and get in touch with the pastors on the sub ject.
 On the programme as leaders are the Rev. S. L. Dobbs, presiding elder of the Methodist church, and the Rev. I. D. Steele, pastor of the Cumberland Pres byterian church, and secretary of the league Both of them have very decided opinions on the subject, as do nearly all of the pastors in the city.
 Will Not Take Initiative.
 MT. Lawrence said last night that the Antl-Saloon league would never take the initiative in either prohibition or dispen- sary fights until after the people had filed the petition for an election. He said 1t is the object of the league to assist and advise. leaving the rest to the residents of the counties.
 When asked if the policy of the league would be to begin in the smaller counties and work gradually up 10 the larger ones, he replied: That is just what the whisky men want us to do We don't see any advantage in such course, and some of the large counties will be surprised If they trust to such q prophecy"
 As Jefferson Is the largest county in the state, 1t Is hinted that the anti-saoonists would be glad to make 1t one great ex- ample for the rest of the counties. This makes 1t plain that the leaders are willing and glad to see the approach of hostlities in Jefferson. The question now Is whether public opinion Is sufficiently antagonistic to bring 1t on
 Developed Antl-SaIoon Sentiment.
 There are those who say that the con- tinual Sunday law breaking up to a month ago caused sentiment against them. It is certain that the Mayor and Board of Aldermen will begin a campaign Immediately after the inauguration for a redistricting of saloons. that resolutions to this effect will be proposed and argued and that an attempt will be made to move all saloons out of the red light district.
 Unless the saloonkeepers take these measures very quietly they are apt to get into the limelight again, and the ele- ment wishing to do away with them en- tirely may get a strong hand
 Not only Is the cloud gathering over the heads of the saloon men in Jefferson, but in all sections of the state. As soon as the legislature adjourns there are coun- ties already prepared to present their pc ttions, and the league is so well organized that it will be hard to defeat.
 Calhoun had a little bolt of lightning the other day when MT. Lawrence accept ed the challenge ot become chief of police in Anniston during a heated argument with business men. He snid yesterday that he meant what he said, and if they will put whisky out of Calhoun and give him plenary powers to make arrests, he will hold the lid down on Annstor.