The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-19
WILL NOT MONKEY WITH PROHIBITION Such is Announcement of Can
 didate Brown GEORGIA CAPITOL QUIET Senator Tilman, Who Is in Atlanta Under Special Treatment, Dis
 cusses Political and Other
 Affairs at Washington.
GEORGIA CAPITOL QUIET
BY HAVEN FOREMAN.

BY LAMEN FOREMAN.
 Atlanta, April S.-(special) )-The event of the week in the political situation, coming at it's close, is the statement of Hon. Jos. NJ. Brown, clearly and em- phatically defining his position upon the question of prohibition, and thereby prac- tically eliminating prohibition as an issue of the campaign.
 The announced attitude of MT. Brown l gives assurance that whether he is elected 1 or Governor Smith is returned to the office of governor there will be no "monkeying' with the prohibition law. The attitude of both is practically the | same their announced purpose being to l permit no interference with the law, but to let it stand as enacted.
 l When MT Brown first announced his l candidacy he looked upon the prohibition question as settled, just he did upon ] the disfranchisement proposition. In the | one instance the law had been passed l by the legislature and put into effect; ln 1 the other 1t had been enacted in the 1 shape of constitutional amendment | merely awaiting the approval of the peo- l pie to make it fundamental law
 The real issue made by MT. Brown was | one of financial and industrial prosperity, 1 and it is said that he is determined that this issue shall not be sidetraeked by the effort to make capital out of matters | that are not any longer issues before the people.
 There is little doubt that the friends of | Governor Smith will endeavor to keep the prohibition issue alive in some way or other. Perhaps they will charge MT. | Brown with insincerity in his attitude, holding that he came to 1t late in the day. But MT. Brown announced from l the start that he favored the enforcement of the prohibition law, and emphateally stated that by no act of his should the saloon be permitted to return to the state. l His recent announcement, therefore, can scarcely be considered in any other light than an extension of his views already submitted
 But more important than the question | of candldates is the fact that by Mir Browns recent statement regarding pro- hbition, the issue is removed from pub lie view; or, at least it should be. The | product of prohibition when mixed with politics is bitterness of the worst sort, and the people of Georgia are to be con- graduated that they are to escape that phase of the campaign.
 Capitol Is Quiet.
 Thinge are quiet at the state capitol these days. Governor Smith is seldom in his office, and the executive reception room appears deserted except for the presence of the porter, who, as rule tells callers the governor is out of the | city. The rest of the capitol is some what similarly infected, while most of the officials on hand, there is little 7 doing, and news around the statehouse l is at a premium. non
 The activity is all over at political head quarters. In those of both candidates \ forces of clerks are btlsily engaged in writing letters and getting out campaign literature. A South Georgian who was [ here today said it looked like about ton of campaign literature had Been dumped into his county within the last week. At the corner stores and wherever two or three were gathered he said he saw them reading campaign circularss and comparing the positions of Governor Smith and MT. Brown on various queS- . tions before the public. He said the peo- pie in his section were studying the situa- ton in the parallel column fashion. The Primary Date.
 Speculation has recently suggested that there may be an effort to change the date of the primary now set for June 4, so ; as to give Governor Smith more time to get over the state. There is little question that there would be serious pro- test from the friends of MT. Brown if [ any such attempt as this should be made. | all his plans looking to the primary on June 1, and he is anxious to have the
 election held and the contest settled al that time. Then if any such attempt should be made, it would be viewed as a confession of weakness on the part of the Smith forces, and need of more time | in which to appeal to the people.
 The other matters likely to come before the committee have already been dis
 cussed in these dispatches. Chief among 7 | them is the proposition to change the primary plan so as to go back to the old | system of nomination by county delegates in convention, instead of by a majority vote of the people. Principal interest l centers about this and the talk as to a probable postponement of the primary.
 1t is predicted that should any effort be
 made to change the date for the primary,
 and should the committee order suct
 change made the result would be one oi
 the most interesting and sensational de
 velopments Georgia politics has witnessed
 in years.
 Tillman Talks.
 Senator B. R. Tillman who is here at q
 private santarium in an effort to avert . an attack of paralysis had sufficiently . recovered today to talk briefly of nationa !. affairs from the arena of which he with 9 drew himself with no little reluctance. t Senator Tillman is still far from a wei t man. It is apparent that it will talk s time and rest to restore him to his nor s maj strength. Sitting in the sun upol
 dicate the presence of digestive disorders
 on his putting on his hat to ward off cold
 He has recovered in degree the us
 of his left arm and left leg. the numb
 ness in which for several days indicated . a paralytc attack, but he lacks sprightli z | ness and moves about with some diff 2 | fculty. His skin has not the -healthy
 glow and prominent varicose veins in diate the presence of digestive disorders 5 But he sleeps well now. and is getting f good rest which, with the treatment h'
 is undergoing, he feels will ultimatel. i restore his health.
 ' He was here for ten days before con 1 Senting tn see a neWSpaper man. anC