The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-07
CRAIG ON RIGHT SIDE


selma, Nov. s.--( Speciai.) Hon. Will
lam B. Craig. representative In Con-
gress from the Fourth Congressional
District In an interview today, stated
most forcfbly that he Is and saIways
has been against the adoption Of the
proposed prohibition amendment to the
constitution. q
Mr.. Craig has just recovered from an
operation at Z local inflrmary and while
stating his reasons for being opposed
to the amendment he expressed regret
that his health was such that he
would not be able to take the stump
against me measure. In his feeble con-
ditiou, he said he would be tempted to.
make 4 few addresses to the voters of
his district, but his physician positive
~ forbids him leaving Selma until he
has entirely recovered from his recent
illness.
shown Press story.
Mr.. Craig was shown IN article cop
ied in The Selma journal several days
ego. from The Montgomery Times. In
which that paper said 1t would be
safe bet to say that Congressmna
craig was for the proposed prohibition
amendment, because OF his having been
one OF the stanchest temperance advo-
Gates In the state.
Mr.. Craig was asked IL The Times"
was correct In it's conclusion that ne
was for the amendment, and In reply
stated that he had been against the
proposed amendment from the time y
was proposed. and that his friends All
understood exactly his position.
Mr.. Craig further said 1T has been
my opinion from the first that II was
not incumbent upon a congressman TO
express publicly any views upon the
subject of the proposed amendment
for the reason that It 10 not q question
that could come up for action In Con-
gress. or which had any federal bear
ing whatever. In addition to this.
had been advised by my physician
that the operation through which
have just gone was necessary ana
knew that the duration of my illness
x,oula he nroblernatical For that rea-
SON i did not care to make pubic
abatement and then md myself fiat on
my back In q hospital II attacked up
on II. say this to show why ! nave
not publicly declared myself on tne
subject But since 1t seems that the
article in The Montgomery Times Is
likely to mfsiead people into the De-
lief that am for the proposed amend
ment, when. In fact ] am and always
have been sincerely opposed 70 y, ZEE
IL my duty to correct any such impres-
sion. although I am not now physically
able to take the stump In defense OF
my position.
~ think the article to which you re-
far correctly states my position on
matters Of temperance. do not ex-
pect to change that position. and snail
always be ready to do my part IN the
cause. and on the side OF temperance,
but do not consider the proposed
s,nandment a step in the direction OF
tananerance. On the contrary, 1t IS
about the most drastic and intemper-
ate proposition that can well be imagin-
ed: and If adopted believe 1t VIII. pc
caf,se of It's extremeness, do more 70
chect and hamper the cause OF tenn
nerance In Alabama than all that tns
nouor forces could do In years.
b II am opposed to the first section Q,
the proposed amendment pecause :
think 1t has no place In the Constitu-
.ton police regulations, such as those
afrecting the liquor trafhc. should De
left in the hands <.-~ neopie. ac.ns
4hrcsrh the Leg stature. 70 be modi-
ssads ar extendCd as the exigencfes OF
fha times and the will Of the people
demand. I f1rmiy beiieve that the pro-
htbition of the sale of alcoholic hquors'
as beverages. IL good thing Tor Ala
hama: but I am not so bigoted a. 10
hsIieve that time and experiment may
NOT proye me mistaken. and would
NOT Be willing to tie the hands OF fu-
lure generations and legislatures pc
cause prohibition now seems good
thing for the State.
SECTION Goes Too Far.
! my next objection to the nrst sec
zion Is that 1t absolutely prohibits the
sale of whiskey and all other malt or
Intoxicating liquors, except alcohol for
medicinal purposes. This Is going too
far: and I do not believe that any
reasonable man, be he prohibitfonisf
Or not, who will think over that phase
~ the proposed amendment fairly ana
sincerely, will be willing to vote to
forever prohibit q physician in Ala
bama from prescribing whiskey or
malt liquors for patient, IL ne thinks
the patients condition demands II.
Another objection to the first section
IS the well known. and often cited one.
that while 1t takes from the Legisla-
ture the power to permit. license or
regulate the liquor traffic In any way,
1T leaves 1t open for all Of our present
prohibitory laws to be repealed at the
pleasure OF any future Legislature II
such repeats should be enacted. 1t
would leave the State In the ridiculous
position Of saying that the sale of IL
quor is unlawful. but prescribing no
penalties for the infraction of the law.
Threatens Extra Session.
"The second section of the proposed
amendment can mean but one thing,
viz: That II 1t is adopted the Governor
will cali another extra session, of the
Legislature for the purpose of passing
a law, designating places where such
liquors may not be stored or kept. SO
far as I know. the Governor has not
said that he would not call an extra
session; and Judging the future by the
past I take 1t that he will seize the
first opportunity to call his legislators
to Montgomery.
Now, under our present laws. which
Judge Weakley, gravely contends are
constitutional, there is but one place
where intoxicating liquors may be
stored or kept, and that place Is the
home. What place then, is left for
the Legislature to designate except the
home? And IL the home is the only
place that is now sacred from inva-
sion, at what else can the second Sec
ton of the proposed amendment be
aimed? I can imagine no greater ca
lamity than the enactment of law
which would lay open even the hum
blest home in this state to search for
liquors stored or kept under provis-
ions like that of the .present Fuller
law, which allows search without re-
curing the necessary safeguards to
protect the citizen from the inform
ant Whether the Legislators will pass
such a law or not. I confess I am not
prepared to say; but should not vote
to empower them to do 1t. nor shall
encourage them to do SO by voting for
the proposed amendment.
s~Yyaken together. the two sections