The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-26
DUNCAN COMES BACK
 AT CARD ID VOTERS
Replies to Statements Made By
 Business Interests
SAYS STATEMENTS UNTRUE
Cites Cambridge, Mass, as Example of Industrial Community Which Has Flourished and Grown
 Greater Under Prohibition.

Dr. James A. Duncan, pastor of the First Methodist church, delivered the sec ond of his series of three sermons on prohibition last night, taking the phase of the subject, Prohibition and Dollars It was a conservative, thoughtful address, appealing to the minds of those who with hold their vote in fear that prohibition will harm Birmingham. He took Cam bridge Mass, as an example
 The features of the sermon was heat ed attack on the address to the voters of Jefferson county and the signers, a copy of which was printed yesterday morning Dr. Duncan asked the pertinent question: 'lf' as these men say. as much whisky will be sold with prohibition as without, why do they fight it? Why do they not assist us instead of oppose our taking the license off of blind tigers? They know that their claims are dishonest"
 Dr. Duncan began with an illustration from the action of the Prophet Jere- mlah in purchasing the field of Hama meel when he knew the land would le attacked by the enemy.
 Tt Is no unusual thing for u man to buy property in peaceful city, but 1t is when that city is attacked by m army. However. Jeremiah said: T be- lieve in right and l believe In God, so he bought tho property. not to be paid for in some future time, but he took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed, according to the law and custom, so that he could hold the man to his bargain.
 Now, an enemy inside city is far more dangerous than an enemy on the outside. but when the people believe in God, they are not afraid of the future. and will go ahead and do the right, leav- ing the rest 10 Him. They do not have to fight their battles according to the devils own plans.
 "I want to read you one of the most remarkable documents 1 ever read in my life. It Is hard to believe that the men who signed 1t ever read 1t, but If they did 1t makes it all the more i'm possible to understand. It Is an address to the voters of Jefferson county. and begins thus:
 "'The undersigned. representatives of industrial companies, whose operations furnish the bulk of the pay rolls of the Birmingham district, merchants, bankers. professional men and other taxpayers, none of whom are connected in any way l with the liquor traffic.
 None Connected With Traffic.
 Mark you they say, none of whom are connected with the liquor traffic If we take their word for it, not man of the 200 is connected in any way with the liQuor interests. Not a man owns a dol lar in any of the buildings in which sa- looms are conducted, not n single penny. So for this reason, they expect the voters to listen to their plea.
 Continuing: We do not seek to con done or palliate in the slightest CSgree, the evils attendant upon an incorporate use of liquor We are as law abiding and as much interested in the growth of our city and district, material and moral, as the most ardent advocate of prohibition can possibly be. But as we believe that the attempt to enforce the prohibition of the sale of liquors, spurious, Vinous and malt, in this county at this time by dlrec- ton of law, would result In failure, In the increase of drunkenness and vice, as well as in business and industrial demoraliza- ton, we hereby enter formal protest against the movement, and advise all who believe in true temperance to vote against it.
 How any set of men who thought for two minutes can say that prohibition pro notes intemperance is beyond human knowledge, when there cannot be found a single fiction of evidence where prohi- btlon has ever been tried that intemper- ance has been promoted.
 "These men say that prohibition would increase drunkenness. Why, the brew cries own most of the saloons in this county. and do you suppose they would try to keep off the prohibition fight for one moment when 1t would increase the sale of liquor? If they thought such would be the case why would they want to continue the payment of $500 year license. when they could sell more liquor under prohibition without paying N for license?
 "You will notice that this appeal starts out with the desire to call attention to few facts. and yet 1t is made up with we approve. we believe, we think and we trust and thero is not a solid fact In the whole statement.
 Here Is some more: statistics snow during one year one arrest in every four teen has been because of drunkenness, record which compares favorably with other large industrial centers. We do not know of an important iron manufactur- ing district in which prohibition obtains
 "They do not consider the hundreds Of crimes committed wnIle q man Is drunk, when seven murders, between June 23 and July 2s of this year. were committee in Alabama which were directly trace able to liquor, and three of them were right here in Birmingham. The list will show for itself
 Crimes During One Month.
 June 23.-Don Wiley killed at Alabama City by F. N Smoke. Drink the cause
 June 25-Frank Norios shot and fatally wounded by A. c. Lovinggood in saloon at Mobile.
 July 5.-Stanhope Logan fatally shot in quarerl over bottle of whisky at Hobbs Island by Nathan Williams.
 July 5.-At Danvile, near Hartselle. two drunken negroes quarreiing, one named Colqutt was killed by the other, named Sover
 July 17--Gideon Brown. drunk, ran wild