The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-12-28
PROHIBITION IN SOUTH
BECOMES BURNING ISSUE
CONTINUED FROM PAGE IL

to dry" territory within the state and
finally, the enactment of the present law
A marvellous change in sentiment on the
liquor question is shown by the fact that
in a prohibition election held In 1881 pro-
hibition was defeated by more than JOG, 600
votes. The sale of liquor has been grad
ually reduced by local option in the coun-
ties, and the close of the present year
finds only a half dozen cities in North
Carolina with open saloons and these will
be dry" after December 81. Thereafter
liquor can only be obtained legally at
drug store upon physicians prescription.
The enforcement of the law in cities and
towns which heretofore have been dry"
has been a difficult problem. While less
liquor has been sold and fewer arrests for
drunkenness have been recorded it Is an
established fact that much liquor is sold
illegally and indictments against proprie-
tors of ''bling tigers supplant warrants
against drunken men on the police dock
cts. The problem of dealing with the IL
licit sale of liquor together with the ques-
ton of serious decrease in the revenues
of the different municipalities as a re-
suit of stopping the saloon tax, are some
what battling to the authorities.
Alabama.
Alabama's statewide prohibition law.
which also becomes effective January l.
brings with 1t some alarm over the loss
of revenues, the whisky tax alone being
worth approximately 1000 600 to the state
counties and municipalities The new law
Is not far-reaching in some of it's phases
n
elections had previously suppressed the
sale of liquor entirely or confined it to a
small area. There is fear that the state
wide prohibition law will not be enforced
rigidly. In the larger cities the saloon
men have arranged to continue their places
as soft drink establishments. In those
counties wherein are situated the larger
cities, the liquor traffic has been reserved
alone for the city. Montgomery, for ex-
ample, is the only point in Montgomery
county where liquor has been legally sold.
Several of the counties have allowed the
sale of liquor under the dispensary act
among them being Madison county CTroy),
Walker Casper and others of the more
densely populated counties. The Anti-Sa-
loon league. prime mover in the fight for
statewide prohibition, in anticipation of
some possible flaw in the proper enforce
ment of the new law, will probably urge
tue passage Oh u SedICH anu SelZuIe act,
and of change of venue so that prosecu-
ton may be pushed in counties outside of
the locality where the law is violated The
state officials are in sympathy with the
anti saloon laws, and it is stated that I'M
less the new law is properly enforced
the governor may call a special session
of the Legislature to make the law more
effective. All of the breweries of the state
have announced that they will manufac-
ture "soft drinks" and back of this lies
the hope Of the liquor interests that the
reoi IL will become tired of prohibition and
soon favor a repeal of the new law. The
whisky men declare that the successful
war on their traffic is due to the restric-
lions of suffrage 1t Is true that thou
sands have allowed themselves to be dis
qualified, and 1t is contended that large
percentage of these disqualified or luke
warm voters are friendly to the liquor
traffic. Birmingham Is one OF the large