The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-17
M DONALD WRITES
 ON PROHIBITION Believes Violations of Law Have
 Increased THINKS CHANGE A MISTAKE Whisky Selling Goes On Unabated In Birmingham In Spite of Raids and the Committee of One
 Hundred.
THINKS CHANGE A MISTAKE


 My neighbor. A1r. Sibley, is kind to me. For the atrocious crime of mildly differ ing from him on the effects of prohibition in Birmingham he contents himself with only naming me as a theorizer calamity bowler and prophet of evil. I presume I should have been branded as a traitor, liar and villain, dominated and controlled by the whisky ring. For his gracious consideration I am profoundly thankful. It was not my purpose to engage in newspaper controversy with MT. Sibley, on prohibition, baseball, or any other sub ject. I realize that calamity howler a prophet of evil" or of good, could not even hope, by arguments, by facts, by everyday experiences, or by any other means. to change his settled ideas on pro- hibition. I believe him to be honest in his convictions. I should dislike to be held accountable for many things said and written on both sides of the prohi- bition campaign in Birmingham. I was no more guilty of saying that prohibition would make Birmingham a deserted vil- lage" than I was of saying that prohibi- ton would cure us of all ills, eliminate whisky and drunkenness, and make all of us law-abiding, God-fearing, peaceful and contented citizens.
 I rejoice with MT. Sibley that 'Birming- hams splendid developer" is building the gerat annex to the Brown-Marx. but condole with the builder over the fact that prohibition has in fact seriously af- fected his rentals.
 congratulate the First National bank on it's good condition, but I must confess that have never heard one of its officers even intimate that prohibition was, even remotely the cause. Does Mir Sibley re- ally mean to convey the idea that the fine condition of this bank was brought about by prohibition? Certainly these must be some mistake, for it is really too silly to argue.
 join with Mir Sibley in gladness over the fact that at least four of the promi- nent corner stands formerly occupied by saloons are now, or soon will be, tenant ed by other business. I cannot, however, forget that there are other saloon stands in Birmingham not so fortunate.
 I knew MT. Sibley would deplore the awful killing of Saturday night week ago-all good citizens must. The fact that other cities are vieing with Birmingham over its November murder record is 0 source of little consolation to me, and I sorrow with our sister cities of Chatta- nooga and Nashville (although they be saloon towns) over every murder com mitted there, and sincerely hope that the cause is, as MT. Sibley states 'the heat of passions and emotions coincdent with our national election" I should be glad to know that in the cities referred to by him the crimes committed were not brought by either saloons, whisky or pro- hibition. We know the cause here.
 It is not my intention to attribute all the bad things in Birmingham to prohibit tion) am inclined to think there may be some other csuses); neither can I accept MT. Sibley's theory that to it can be at tributed all the good things. I, however, am honest in my conviction that this law is responsible for more of evil than of good.
 MT. Sibley's personal filings at me, and his gratutous advice with reference to what my duty is, and what my conduct should be, I shall pass without discussion. It is one of the chief provinces of some prohibitionists to soundly berate their fel- low man, and from their elevated pedes- tals proclaim the doctrine of the pharisee -"I am holier than thou"
 I stand for law and order and for tenn perance, and I believe that my life in this city will bear witness to this fact
 I am opposed to any law which tempts and invites the people to break it. I be- lieve that it does not require mass meet ings on Sundays to stimulate public senti- ment, and committees of a hundred to hunt up and prosecute violators of right eous and reasonable laws.
 I do not subscribe to the doctrine that all men who sell or drink whisky are criminals. Neither do I defend saloon dives nor the excessive use of whisky.
 When Birmingham had open saloons crimes were committed, drunkenness was seen and conditions were not always ideal. No right thinking man among us has ever denied this fact. We all wanted to improve conditions and I, with thou sands of our best citizens, stood for high license and strict regulations, because, after long experience and bitter trials, other communities just as enlightened as we, just as sincere and honest, had adopt ed this as the best solution of the prob- lem.
 We were told that there was only one remedy and that remedy was prohibition During the campaign bitter things were said on both sides, and prohibition won What has been the result? Saloons closed, licenses cancelled and the legal sale of whisky thing of the past. The property of hundreds practically coniscated; own CTS of real estate without tenants; con tracts on which livings were based void; the city deprived of a tremendous reve- nue and now facing a large deficit and a law and order league composed of private citizens rapidly formed to assist the sher i if md police in preserVing law and order