The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-15
CUNNINGHAM OUT
 FOR AMENDMENT Will Make First Formal Speech
 Next Sunday MEETING AT THE BIJ0U Lawrence Says Trevelins Men Will Be Three To One for Amendment. Big Demonstration Made
 By Ladies.

The feature of the meeting at the Bijou theatre yesterday afternoon was the statement by Dr. R. M Cunningham that he will make speeches in favor of the amendment Dr. Cunningham stated that his first formal address on the sub ject will be made at the Bijou next Sunday afternoon.
 Tn his remarks yesterday afternoon Dr. Cunningham said that he had given the matter much thought and that he had at first doubted the policy of the first section of the amendment. He had also thought that the second section was absolutely neceEsary for the enforce ment of any prohibition law. He declared that the amendment fight is not po- litical issue in any sense and that no mans past. present or future political record could rightly be associated with the amendment.
 Another feature was the parade of ladies through the building while the Rev. George Stuart was speaking. The ladies had held meeting at the First Methodist church and following this they marched In a body to the Bijou, passing
 
 and back through another aisle to the exit This aroused the greatest demon stration of the afternoon
 The meeting was presided over by by Chairman r. M. Jackson because of the failure of Lieutenant Governor Henry B. Gray to arrive on time. MT. Gray had been scheduled to preside.
 I.L:.- I1IL M>>kino
 In the street outside another meeting was being held where the ladies rallied around leader to hear a public speak ing The resultant cheering was source of annoyance to the amendists' rally at the Bijou as well as the anti-amendment meeting at the IIippodrome.
 Among the speakers at the BiJou were the Rev Brooks Lawrence and the Rev George Stuart. Prominent among asser- tions made by the former speaker was a statement to the effect that the trav- cling men of Birmingham would go for the amendment by a vote of three to one. He called attention to meeting of the United Commercial Travellers of this city held recently at the Chamber. of Commerce. Though the attendance was small--47 were actually present MT Lawrence asserted the travellers were considered as a whole favorable to the adoption of the amendment. In other words, 15O of the 200 local members of the United Commercial Travellers will vote for the amendment, according to MT. Lawrence
 Arraiuns the Saloon.
 Mir Stuart's address was a character istic arraignment of the saloon and the saloon keeper, His argument for the amendment consisted chiefly in the as- sertion that after it's adoption the liquor interests would "call off their dogs" and seek no more for the establishment of the saloon in Alabama, realizing the fruitessness of the attempt when the bribing of a legislature would fall to bring about their ends.
 By his system of logic the evangelist brought out the conclusion that the man who sells liquor is no better than a thief. "The highway robber," said Rev. Stuart, takes your dollar, but leaves your body, your mind, your character and your rep utation unharmed. The liquor dealer takes your dollar, poisons your system, and robs you of home,. friends, intellect. character and reputation. l will leave it to any three fat ITS present whether they would rather see nothing in their boys pockets or see a bottle of whisky there" Following up this line of argu- ment the speaker claimed that the man who votes for the liquor dealer Is worse than the dealer. Don't you reporters go away from here and say that George Stuart said a liquor dealer was worse than a thief" he said. q say he is seven times worse than a thief"
 In reference to the meeting then in progress across the street at the Hippo drome, Rev. Stuart said:
 q do not claim that all those on the other side of this question are bad men or bad women. but l do say that every liquor dealer every professional gambler every thug, every bad man and woman in the country are on their side, and will rejoice at the defeat of the amendment. There are good men on the other side. for good men may be deluded. They have not been shown their mistake. If I wake up and find several hogs around me I know that, whoever l am, I am in a hog-pen, and my first move is to get out