The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-01
SE III GOES .DRY''

3MA GOES sDM o6nHns or REyELnY ON CENTRAL.
 CrTy STREETS.
 nennys Perssns Lay in supply sf Li-
 ausrs-<H1x. Lhuar Issues HI etstensent te
 <3 Pubic.
 . Selma. Dec. si.-tspeciai.)- )--The sx- odus of the saloon and the wholesale Whiskey houses from Selma was eel sbrated by many today and tonight Such bscchanaiian revslry ss today and tonight was never witnessed m ke seen again, The drinking was started 1y a few soon after the sa- looms opened this morning. It ir- kreased steadily during the afternoon end by night each saloon was croWd- sd
 < Visitors from the country came 10 Selma today and joined in the, ceie- bration of the departure of the sa- Icon on the side streets ,rs tSsns where ss wers ereat number of drunken negro men
 rho wholesale yhiskey stores on Water street were crowded today from the time they opened until they clos a tonight. Hundreds came to Selma today from the surrounding counties tcN make their last purchases of wet G0ods and more suit cases were to be een on the streets than there has aver hcen seen before and these peo- paa, both white and black. carried home jugs and packages of all sizes and the stock left in nearly all of the Wholesale stores is very small.
 1On Water street this morning one sa1oon began the work of taking down and storing it's fixtures and the tear in6 out of partitions.
 How prohibition will affect Selma 10 question which residents have heeh asking each other for weeks. Particularly has this question been business men. Some think that 1t win cripple the business of the city rhiis others are of the opinion that it win help buainesG Many think that . it will take years for Selma to recov- CT from the effects of the prohibition law.
 The prohibitions law will put out of business twenty-five stores in ewhich there has been located saloons and wholesale vhislkey house. Few of the people who have been engaged in t Du8lnB8S VIII 9SHtCI ihtt 4tAS 1tASA mess and these stores will probably remain vacant for many months
 The effects will be equally as great in the resident sections of the city Not less thah a. hundred men will feel the effects Of the prohibition law and will be out of positions. The major- fly of these with their families are considering leaving the city. This VIII leave many rooms and a number os residences vacant.
 The beginning of the New Year will see more liquors stored, away in the homes of Selma than there has ever been before in the history of the city
 Ernest Lamar chairman of the pro- hibftfon Committee of Daliss county. today. addressed a letter to the resi- dents of the county.
 The ietbDr of MT. Lamar is as fol- lows.
 The Issalized sale of spirituous and vinous liquors passes into history. As Chairman of the Prohibition Com- mittee Of Selma and Dallas County. ii,irnero,ie pleas and communications have come to me from many of our best citizens for the organization of a Law and order League.
 eThe purpose of the Law and Order I.saEna is frequently misunderstood. The of1acers Of the law are limited in. number. and often are. so engaged in their duties that they are unable to dtsccvsf and cope with crime as they would like to. It is at this point that the Law and order League steps in. and lends it's sid to the officers. When the law breaker knows that a large num- Der of citizens, moved by love of couil-' fry and d determined spirit to have the laws observed, have banded themselves together to aid the officers in detecting and punishing crime. he srnot so apt to defy the law.
 Tn recent conversation with Mayor Atkins with President of the Council. J. L.. Clay. and with Chief of Police E. T. Walters, they have told me that there was no need for a Law and Or der League in Selma; that they believe they are prspared to enforce the laws. and will do so with all their ability as officers of our city. have confidence ever, need the backing and Influence of all. good .citizens. and am sure that all friends of good government will glad ly lend their assistance, as may be re- quired. Tn the usual way. there will be violations Of the prohibition law, just as there ere violations of all other critimai statutes. but prompt and viz that they cannot defy the law with inpunity.
 sEach citizen should recognize it as his duty to report any suspected vio- iatfons. and I desire to say that If there ts any hesitanoy in reporting the same Co regular authorities. that will be glad to have the same reported to me, or any member of the Prohibition Committee. The jufies should not hesitate to convict. when the evidence warrants 1t, whether the offender be high or low, rich or poor.
 ..If it develops that the officers of the law need the assistance of the citi- ze1s--,that violations of the law are going ons that they are not able to cope with--then the people of Selma and Dallas County will unite them selves Into a Law and order League. and give their aid toward the enforce ment of the law. Yours truly.
 Ernest Lamar, Chairman of Prohibition Committed" Neyxm of Headlamd.