The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-13

Rev. J. w Carter. and others of the most influential citizens
 From tho speech of Capt. F. P Howell, editor of the Constitutions
 The building trembed with applause as Captain Howell rose to speak. He said
 .Fellow Citiaens--I may not, 1t is true, be able to make you as eloquent a speech as you would like to hear. but one thing l can promise you, what facts and figures l shall give you will stand. I came to this place in the year 1851. At lanta was then a small village. I saw 1t grow into town, then Into a city. l have seen 1t tried by fire I have seen it emerge from all It's trials triumphant I have marked its progress until 1t be- came the most enterprlsing and prosper ous city in all the south. It was this up to two years ago. whom 1t began to de cline. What caused this decline? "A voice; prohibition
 "Is there any man of sense In Atlis sssp who does not know and admit the cause of the decline? None of the prohibition speakers sticks to the true issue involved in this contest. They deal in glittering generalities and introduce issue foreign to the question The real question is not one of whisky or no whisky. but sale or no sale. They go off and talk about temperance. They argue that no whisky should be sold because 1t is some times abused. They might as well argue against fire. Because fire pro- duces steam and steam sometmesf bursts boilers and causes destruction of property and life. they would abolish fire and say: Let's get rid of 1t, and when We want to get warm, let's go out of the county Slaughter and cheers.) I am not an opponent of temperance I am in favor of 1t. But in all places where prohibi- ton has been in vogue, liquors have been sold as freely as in Atlanta Jnst as long as it is profitable to sell 1t will be sold Coming near home, | offer the following statement of our collector of internal rev- enue:
 I have issued 51 special tax stamps for the sale of liquor in Fulton county for the year 1887.
 Within the lasi week five new distil- leries have registered and begun opera tion. Three have doubled their producing capacity from 20 bushels of grain per day to 40 busas.s per day. Four have doubled by in II easing from 10 to 20 bush- els of grain per day. I have noticed that five more grain distilleries will register and begin operations the last of the month. There are more than twice as many dlstilleries In operation now than before prohibition vent Into effect. The production of corn liquor in Georgia dur ing tho month of October. 1SS7. was three times s much as was produced In the corresponding month of October, 1885 My collections for the tax year beginning July l. 1886, and ending June 30, 1887, were 32,0O0 in excess of the corresponding year ending June 20. 1885 My collections for the current tax year will pc S75O 600 great than for tho last tax year. My eo- lections are almost entirely from liquor The liquor produced at the grain distil- leries finds reaGy saie ns fast as n.ude At least 60 per cent oi llie liquor made in my district 's -old ! Georgia Many Gf tbe qgra in dfgtfltcstaa 1ra in drv cot,ntfs. Respectfully.
 '' 'THOs. c. CRENsHAw JR., Collector Internal Revenue, State Of
 Georgia.
 "rhe truth of the matter is that the prohibition law is a fraud. and 1t cannot be enforced. That this is true the sub Joined statement of the sales of liquor In Atlanta during October. 1887, amply dem onstrates.
 From Griffin, Ga, alone there was shipped fin one month. Of liquor, 394 pack ages, containing from one gallon to a barrel In four days one house shipped HOO packages. /
 Madison. Ga, shipped about o5o pack ages.
 Augusta Ga. shipped 15o cases of liquor, wine and beer.
 Lawreneeville. Ga, over 200.
 Gainesville. Ga, over 250.
 Chattanooga, Tenn. 10 barrels of whisky and l5 cases of wine, beer and liquor. besides 500 packages in smaller quantities.
 Macon. one house. l.. Cohen & Co.,, sold in Atlanta, $iO0O worth of liquor during the month of October and three more houses also shipped to this place nearly an equal quantity. l am unable to And ont the exact amount
 Iouiscill shipped 20 barrels.
 Cincinnati shipped l5 barrels whisky and 1 carloads beer.
 Charleston shipped carloads of beer.
 Milwaukee shipped l carload of beer
 Griffin. Ga. carloads of beer
 Evans ille. Ind, ] carload of beer
 The total expenditure of the city for wine. beer and whisky for the single month of October, 1887. was s272.OO As- tonishing as are the above figures, have something else which will astonish you still more l. myself. am astonshed. There are hfty-seyen places in prohibi- ton Atlanta where you can get a drink These pay no taxes 10 the city
 At the election held in November. 1887. local option was repealed by enormous majority, every district In the city and county going for license and prosperity