The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-01
CONSTITUTIONAL PROHIBITION


upon the amendment It may fix an- other day. not less than three months aster Mh the amendmen,. what next? the people are dissatisfied. and wish to change the policy in the cities at least, they cannot accomplish their desires except by putting the people through three more exciting campaigns. First campaign to elect b Legislature which will propose an amendment repeating constitutional prohibition. and second, a campaign to have the amendment amendment is adopted. then to have am other campaign to elect Legislature popular will is in this respect. The proposal evinces a deliberate purpose, no matter what the people may think, from prohibition, to ruin them rather than let them have their own way. Constitutions were not meant to con- tain anything but permanent principles. the constitution for the sole purpose of preventing the people from chang Ing their mind especially when In the all times they can do all they wish, if they are hand-cuffed by constitution al amendment.
 for such a proposition blythe Pharisai- cal cry. in which extreme agitators in this movement indulge, that the strue7 the more depraved members, of society. and the virtuous moral and good citi-. zen on the other hand: That Is very far from the. truth The very falsity of such position arouses sintense&re- sentiment against the extremists Wfl9 claim monopoly of all the virtues ot good citizenship, and irnpute nqthing
 who oppose them. Our own comnuFi-
 ty is fit example of public. sentiment on this question. It has for yeRrsbeen- the the state. Nearly two-thirds of the, men who make the c.ty. what It IS are intensely opposed to prohibition They number hundreds who are church n men. church members. but who are just ass good, Although they do not Haunt their, profession of religion around on their feliowmen. These men have seen nottf-
 citles. They are content to let their
 please without forcing their views up-
 on them. They are Indignant, in view of the pledges on which the Legisla-
 was elected at ther s, tgs baVs
 come from prohibition in the cities but
 .ds 5ST rreatef rae quantity than before and meaner. They have seen Jurfes re-use to execute
 the law.e They do not like for few to undertake to control their morals or
 to vaunt a monopoly of good citizen -'
 ship and high ideals of fife. They be-
 lieve the church ought to keep out of
 politics. They think that it is esseh- tiaI to the liberty and welfare of, the
 citizen. There Is feeling abroad in
 the land, not only here. but in Mobiles
 Birmingham, Huntsville, Decatur ,An-
 niston and other cities. that it is time
 to cease pushing political ambitions ana mems personal fortunes by taking me name of religion and morality in vain They have seen scores of men, who are
 shining examples, of every thing men ought to avoid, getting astride sthis movement urging it on, without a thought of the peoples good, while crying out they are holier and bettor than the men who differ with thenI
 The, launching of the prohibition amendment upon the people at this time would be a blow at every interest in the State, industrial financial ana moral. If such a campaign be precip- itated, it will not only put these num, berless ills upon the people, but 1t will be the sure foundation, at some not very remote. period, for the destruction | of the Democratic party. l may. add | that I have no interest in any way In the sale of liquor or in any man inter ested in it, and personally .despise it., hui am only one of many thousands in | this State who feel and think as do l about constitutional prohibltlon' ana are determined to resist by every law f full means. o,a c,.,.a,