The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-28
Mississippi.

Mississippi
Mississippi, for many years the battle
ground of the prohibition and liquor
forces also has been removed from the
center of agitation, statutory prohioi-
ton having become an established TACT
at last winters session of the state legis-
lature. Under the terms of the compro-
mise that was arranged between the anti
prohibitionists and the Anti-Saloon league,
every saloon In the state will close its
doors the last day of the present year.
Since the passage of the new law there
have been no renewals of licenses. The
only trouble the prohibitionists have is to
conquer the blind tiger and this will be
no small undertaking. The anti-saloon
forces assert that they are firmly en-
trenched and are prepared to assist IN
the effective enforcement Of the law. Mis-
sissippi for some time has been In the list
OF the near prohibition" states, through
the operation of the local option laws In
the counties In practically the whole
state the sale of liquor has been restrict
ed The five counties in which whisky
and beer is now legally sold will become
dry the last day of this month.
Louisiana.
The prohibition advocates in Louisiana
have suspended their fight temporarily
in order to test the efficiency of the Gay
Shattuck law, which goes into erect jan
uary l. After strenuous temperance
campaign throughout the state, public
sentiment finally settled upon the new
law, which, If enforced literally, will rev.
olutionize the saloon interests of Louis
iana If it does not cope with what the
prohibition advocates demand, in the
method of regulating the liquor traffic, a
statewide prohibition campaign Is IN
evitable. One of the most important pro-
visions of the new law is that after jan
uary l no saloon will be allowed WITHIN
300 feet of a church or school building
This clause will provoke a stubborn fight
in the courts. The attorney general of
the state holds that the 300-foot measure
ment shall be on an air line between the
nearest points of the saloon and the
church or school. other authorities con-
tend that the measurement should De
made along the street fronts. The new
law applies not only to new saloons, put
tn those now existing, and If the interpre-
tation placed upon the law by the attor-
ney general is sustained, thousands of
saloons throughout Louisiana VIII be
forced out of business. One Of the laws
important provisions is that saloons hav-
ing receipts of $4,000 year shall pay a
license of $1,000. The license fees are IN
seven classes, the lowest being 500 Tor
saloon having less than $1,000 receipts. Sta
tistics of the Anti-Saloon league snow
that as a result of their campaigns our
ing the past year three-ffths of the states
total area in which more than one-half
of the population dwells. was transformed
into dry territory. The new Louisiana
liquor law stands out unique against
LIQUOR laws in many OF the southern
states Among other things 1t PROVIDES
that no person who has been convicted
of a felony in any state or country snail
be granted liquor lcense that severe
penalty shall be imposed upon women,
girls or boys found working in saloons.
practice heretofore common in Louisiana's
saloors; that Joint saloons for whites and
negroes will not be tolerated, a saloon
keeper being required to have two bars
and two bar licenses to accommodate sucn
a trade; heavy penalty for posting OBJ
scene pictures signs or mottos in saloons.
An attempt which is anticipated, to mod
fly the present law at the next session OF
the legislature, probably will meet with
great opposition.
Tennessee.
Tennessee perhaps is the chief CEN
ter of interest, among the rest OF the
states where fights for statewide pro-
hibition are in progress. The last polit-
ical campaign was fought out on the
statewide prohibition issue, and the
ants triumphe ed. But with renewed
vfgor the prohibitionists have Launched
forth In another campaign which Will
be fought out in the state legislature
next month, and the fight bids fair TO
be sensational to a degree. The anti
saloonists boast that a statewide bill
will pass the legislature, which they
expect to organize and control by
safe majority. The local option forces,
whose accedited leader is Governor M.
r. Patterson, are equally confident that
such a bill will be defeated. The local
option forces have great asset In
the backing which the state machinery
will lend them. 1t is conceded that the
prohibitionists have a majority of the
next state senate but their control of
the house remains in doubt. In the
state election last summer the issue
was clearly defined. Governor Patter-
son championed the cause of local OPP
ton and was opposed by former Sena-
tor Edward Ward Carmack, who
strongly advocated statewide prohibit
ton. The latter was defeated by mar
row margin. The anti-nquor adher-
ants are now asserting that the recent
tragic death of Mr.. Carmack in a street
a fray In Nashville has doubly strength
ened their cause.
Kentucky.
Kentucky the nome OF DOurDOn
whisky and the second largest distil-
ling state in the country, has been
forced into the near prohibition" col
umn because of the activity of local
option leaders Kentucky with its 119
counties has only four in which the sale
of whisky is not prohibited by law.
Ninety-three counties are totally dry
so far as the sale of liquor within their
borders is concerned, and Fl are partial
w dry. A recent local option election
placed another whisky stronghold on
the dry list The work of the tenn
perance people in Kentucky is by no
means an innovation. Six years ago 65
counties were without saloons. The
four counties now totally wet are
Nelson. Campbell, Kenton and Jefferson,
and in these districts the saloon forces
have successfully combated any at
tempt to change the local laws, and
are now formidable. Almost invaria-
blv those counties now partially dry
haya as their county seats the larger
cities of the state. A thorn in the side
Of the prohibitionist element is the fact
that the residents of a dry county may
order liquor in any quantity for private
oonsumDtion from wet" county. The
ntt-sa1oonists assert that G. o. ID. ship
ments approximate almost as much as a
retail trade. Suggestions of statewide
nrohibition are not considered seriously
and the anti saloonists have Abandoned
all hone of placing Louisville and many
of the other larger cities in the dry"
column.
Virginia.