The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-28
Col. E. L. Russell Makes
 Notable Speech at Selma

said.
 MT. Chairman. Ladies and Fellow Cit izens: It is with feelings Of pride that ] have the privilege of addressing this great audience. It is peculiarly appro- prate that this meeting Is held in the city of Selma and Dallas county. It is matter of public history that whenever fl has been necessary to fight great polit- ical battles to preserve the honor of the state of Alabama and the welfare of her people, the fearless and aggressive cit. izens of Dallas county have always been found in the front rank. During the darkest days of the reconstruction period Dallas county contributed the leadership that resulted in rescuing Alabama from the control of aliens and enemies, and restoring the control of Alabama and her people to her own sons
 "Our two great senators. who were the peers of the senators from the other states of the union, and who spent their lives and their energies to keep Alabama free and to secure to her and her people good federal and state governments, have been laid to rest in the bosom of Dallas county. Fellow citizens, we stand today upon patriotic and sacred soil.
 q will now proceed to discuss the is- sues pending before the people of Ala bama in this campaign
 ''To our amazement, some of our own people have presented an issue that in- wolves the security of our homes This they attempt to deny. but in view of the present state of the prohibition law and the proposed amendment. it is im- possible for them to successfully deny that our homes are involved.
 we propose to demonstrate conclusive lv that it is now unlawful under the present laws. to store or keep liquors and other intoxicating beverages in any place except the home. This proposition is sus tained by the provisions of section of what is known as the Carmichael bill.
 "Section provides: That it shall be unlawful for any person, firm or cor poration or association, in this state, to manufacture, sell, or offer for sale, keen or have in possession for sale, barter, exchange, give away, furnishing at pub lie places or elsewhere, or otherwise dis posing of prohibited liquors and beverages described in section l of this act, or any of them in any quantity but this inhibi ton does not include and nothing in this act shall affect the social serving of such liquors or beverages in private residences in ordinary social intercourses.'
 This bill provides that the violation of any of the provisions of the bill is punishable by a heavy fine and imprison- ment.
 As was so aptly said by MT. Bowie, not only is the manufacture prohibited put HdNlHB u III lilt POSStoo1OH lo pIO- hibited, giving it away Is prohibited, furnishing it in public places or elsewhere is prohibited. The manufacture of such articles is absolutely prohibited.
 Now, my friend Bowie again makes a strong point by showing that even this exception has been modified by the pro visions of section of the Fuller bill which is as follows: :.
 That any person who conceals him al iy,a EnOfb pnclnStIrp or other place and manufactures, sells gives away, barters, exchanges or other wise disposes of spirituous, vinous or malt liquors, or any other prohibited liquors or beverages. or who, by any device or subterfuge sells, gives away or otherwise disposes of any of said prohibited liquors or beverages, in violation or evasion of law. or who, in any house, room, booth enclosure or other place. in such cireum- stances as that he cannot be seen by persons from the exterior, manufactures, sells, gives away or otherwise disposes of any such prohibited beverages, con trary to law, shall be fined not less than $50 nor more than $500, and he may also be imprisoned in the county jail or sen fenced to hard labor for the county for not less than three months nor more than six months, at the discretion of the court or judge trying the case
 '.frhe Fuller bill having been passed and approved subsequent to the passage of the Carmichael bill, will, of course. in case of any conflict, be declared the oper- ating and effective law. Therefore it is plainly seen that the provisions of the Fuller bill remove all privacy in the use of alcoholic liquors in the home.
 Now we have shown that the only place that liquors or intoxicating bever- ages can be stored or kept and used, is in the home. We will proceed furthe to show that the enforcement of thess laws devolves upon the present admin istration. In order to enable the present administration to enforce the laws the legislature at its last called session passed a law comforting power upon the Cover nor to appoint all of the jury commits sioners for every county in the state, and it is claimed, and l have not seen 1, anywhere denied, that the Governor stated he would only appoint such per sons as were friendly to the enforcement of the prohib ibition laws-in other words, he would only appoint such persons as were prohibitionists. Of course prohioi- ton jury commissioners would only put the names of such persons in the jury boxes that were favorable to the enforce ment of the prohibition laws, so that any person charged with violating the prohibition laws will be tried before a jury of those favoring prohibition.
 The law further authorizes the Cover nor to prefer charges of impeachment against any sheriff of any county In the state, who it is claimed neglects to dis charge his duties in connection with the prohibition laws. After the sheriffs elect ed by the people have been impeaehed and turned out of office. the Governor will then only appoint such persons in their places as are thoroughly in accord with his views.
 The law also provides for the chancery court to issue injunctions and extraordi- nary writs to enforce the prohibition laws.
 Tn view of these drastic laws and the methods provided for their enforcement, where is the necessity for any further leg islation upon this question? Now it is clear that those favoring prohibition have everything their own way. What more do they want unless they want to invade the home and thus drive liquors and other intoxicating beverages entirely out of the state2 We see daily instances where spirituous liquors and other in- toxicating beverages are seized and con fiscatsd whenever found in any place other than the home.
 Tt was announced some time before the Governor called the last special ses- sion that the prohibitionists intended to amend the constitution. and then 1t was declared that they would secure a su- preme court that would construe the amended constitution as to carry into effect their plans and purposes; so that 1t conclusively appears that before the Gov ernor called the extra session the whole programme was planned and agreed upon.
 When the special session of the legisla- ture met, the following proposed amend u1tt,. fad A ha lagfq luf fttra