The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-24
COUNCIL $ WEAKNESS
 SUITS DEMAGOGUES
Cooper Says Serious Situation
 ConfrontS Birmingham
EVERY MAN MUST DECIDE
If the Council Is Unable to Handle the Liquor Question He Will Align Himself With
 Prohlbtionists.

Alderman B. H. Cooper of the Fifth ward, the most largely populated ward of the city, and therefore the most repre- sentative expresses himself as being much in line with the views entertained by Alderman Moore on the liquor qucs- ton, and when asked his opinion on the subject, said:
 T regret exceedingly that through the press and in lobby talk. as well as in the churches and in the council cham Der. the whisky question Is so much dis cussed. It Is a momentous question, fraught with many probable evils, and surrounded by political influences and oy demogogic proclivities. It presents q scapegoat of enormous strength and is as dangerous in the scope as Is the evil of strong drink.
 For more than year, with the help of few of the other members of the Board of Aldermen, I have fought for a genuine excise lava real law that means high license and absolute restrictions. I firmly believed that the board had with in its power absolute restrictions that would preserve to the city control of this traffic; would by high license diminish crime. and by police surveillance pro- tect the homes and fresides of tho inno- cent. It would mean that no drunllard and no minor should enter saloon, and that there would be no disorder per mitted. 1t would mean. too, that the city of Birmingham would not be de- prived of revenue amounting to over Sl00,000 per annum, which Is so much needed for the economic and practical management of the city.
 Had our board agreed to this, if it en- tertalned and put Into practice the idea there would not have been and could not be a loss on either side of the contro- versy. In fact. I do not believe there would have been any controversy.
 However, 1t seems to me now that the time has passed ,and the opportunity lost for the city authorities to ward off a cam paign that is going to be very bitter, and that the division of sentiment Is not to be condusice to the growth of the city. It is a monstrous proposition. The argument is strong on the side of the prohibition clement that if the Mayor and aldermen of Birmingham, a nut nicipal corporation, is powerless to con- trol the whisky traffic, the people will take 1t out of the hands of the govern ing power, selected to represent their ln- terests.
 Now. l. as an individual, and as a minority member of the Board of Alder men. must decide upon the question which side shall l take? The eventful moment confronts me. I must take a side and my position will be against the low dives and places wherein loafers oongregate under the manipulation of an element that declines the law of regulation. ob- livious to the desire of the home f1reside and caring nothing for tho manhood or the youth of our city, and their future destiny I cannot halt; but go forward. Money Is a desderatum In tho present condition of our municipality, yet 1t can not be so potentious as the manhood of any community.
 Unless the municipal powers opens ita eyes to the situation which confronts IL as representative of the people of thib city. and acts in accordance therewith, I shall, for one, align myself with tlle prohibitionists'