The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-13
CAPT. O'BR|EN BACK FROM TRIP NORT H Regrets Present Political Agita-
 ton in Birmingham NO TEMPERANCE BY LAW Thinks Such Questions Should Be Set tied In the Homes, Schools and
 churches-Points to Still
 Greater Evil.
NO TEMPERANCE BY LAW

Capt. Frank P. O'Brlen and family have returned from their usual summer visit 10 the resorts of the northeast Captain o'Bren is looking the perfection of health and happiness, and is in ex- oellent hunfor.
 Asked about his trip, Captain OBrien said:
 We had a delightful outing, spending most Of the heated term at Asbury Park, N. J., which point we have been visit ing for twenty-five years annually. I am not Yankee, but some of those north ern people are simply magnificent, par ticularly the old veterans of the war, and their families, Col. E. Burd Grubb and family, especially. It was Colonel Grubb who commanded the Twenty-thrd New Jersey regiment at the battle of Salem church and he and many of his com rades met with us at Asbury as they did on that famous battle ground at Salem church. It was he who recently erected a monument at Salem. on which was placed an inscription to the brave Ala bama boys" I love him for it.
 Regrets Present Agitation.
 T have been reading The Age-Herald during my absence and regret exceeding ly to see that you have a bitter conflict on hand here at home. It ought not so to be. It would be so much better if these moral questions could be settled by homes, schools and churches. Of course, everybody knows that l am not a prohibitionists. and yet l am a tenn perance man, never having tasted whisky. gin, brandy nor rum in all my life never played a game of, chance for money. To my mind there is temperance which should be practiced without forced legis- lation, and l am sure that forced tenn perance Is no temperance at all.
 Is Still Greater Evil.
 Tn this connection I wish to state that there is a greater evil existing in this city than the open saloon and which the advocates of the higher moral idea should hrst align themselves against, for such opposition would tend to build up the morals of this community in a higher degree than can be accomplished by war against the open saloon, and that is the red light district. which Is doing more to corrupt the morals of not only the young men, but the young of both sexes in Birmingham.
 The establishment and the recognition by laws of this city of the right to ex- istence for these houses, is terrible blot upon the fair name of this city as was pointed out by Representative John in the house of representatives, and I do earn estly hope that the motion of. Alderman Heidt to blot out this inquity will pre- vail.
 '1f I had a Coca Cola patent that built for me the finest office building in the south. like the Candler building in Atlanta and produced for me an immense annual revenue, as it does to the owner of that palatial proposition. who, I understand. is very close relative to Bishop Candler, the inducement to favor prohibition might overpower me In my selfish human na- ture and cause me to favor prohibition or If l thought for a moment that pro- hibiton of any and all evils, by law, would really prohibit, l would put on the white ribbon against the vile stuffs.
 "I am always glad to get back home. no matter how enjoyable my visits are; because here I find the gladly handshake of real friends, and I love Birmingham better than l do all parts of the uni verse"