The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-06

While there he had a talk with Sem ator Reese of Dallas County. on the subject of prohibition. Senator Reese last winter was opposed to statutory prohibition. or to State prohibition. but he said last night:
 T am for State prohibition, if they'll give the men who are now in the busi- ness a chance to close up their busi- nesses. The people of Alabama un- doubtedly want State prohibition and I am in favor of their having it. l would like to see thsfquestion taken out of politics as quickly as possible, By the way. Governor, have heard num- Der of people say you would veto a State prohibition bill" y
 VIII Not syeto Bill.
 Governor Conner replied:
 'I don't sec how they could say that. My position on the question is we'll known. l stood for local option. It was put in the platform and I fa- vor carrying out the platform. But if the Legislature passes Il prohibition bin and the time comes when l must line up with either the temperance people or the other side, why, nobody could doubt where l would stand!
 This was taken by those who heard him to mean that, while the Governor will not support a movement to hay the Legislature repeal the present lo- cal option act, which was promised by the party platform. he will neverthe- less approve a State prohibition bill If passed by the Legislature with the necessary two-thirds vote.
 A feature of the gathering last night and one which did not escape comment was the large collection of the Cover nor's friends and supporters in the lobby. Their presence was taken to mean that the Governor Is expecting a fghtson his measures and that he will take every possible precaution for re- inforcement during the fight.
 In the croYd there were ex-Chief Justice S. D. WeakIey, Henry c. Sel- heimer, both of whom are of counsel for the State in the pending railroad litigation. Others in the crowd were President J. J. Mitchell of the State Tax Commission and President J. Craig Smith, of the State Board of Convict Inspectors.
 It was indicated in the hotel gossip last night that the legislators will be more willing to give the representa- tives of the railroad an opportunity of discussing important legislation than they were offered at the two previous sessions. It was laughingly said last night that the Senator or Representa- tive who was found talking with a rail- road attorney at the two previous ses- sions was ostracised by his fellow members of the Legislature. And some of those who heard the joke declared that 1t was no joke. They declared that any representative of railroad was summed as though he had the plague. This will not be the case this time. It was indicated last night that Representatives and Senators will be willing to hear a discussion from both sides, when important bills are up.
 In this connection the recent inter- view of Speaker A. H. Carmichael was quoted in which he declared that tn Legislature had no opportunity in the two previous sessions of hearing both sides of the question. because the rail- road attorneys did not go out of their way to inform the members of the Legislature on, pending measures He said that only favored few of the l legislators had heard from the repre- sentatives of the Legislature on pend ing legislation.
 Railroad attorneys. who were in the