The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-08-22
LEAGUE POSITION
ON CANDIDATES
State Organization Will Play
No Favorites
LAWRENCE'S STATEMENT
Some Political Gossip from the State
CaptoI--Governor Corners In
tentions for Future Are
Probematic.
BY HERVEY w, LAIRD.

montgomery, August N.-(Speeial.) IF
there are two prohibition candidates for
the gubernatorial nomination at the com
Ing primary, the Anti-saloon league will
not indorse or promote the interests of
either If there should be only one out
spoken anti-liquor man the league would.
naturally, get behind him. This much is
made certain by a statement from the
Rev. Brooks Lawrence, active manager
with the title of superintendent, for the
Alabama fight. In a signed interview for
this paper, Mr.. Lawrence says:
Il am greatly pleased with the work
done by the legislature in the special ses-
sion, and I am sure that the new laws
will prove the value and efficacy of prohi-
bition The constitutional amendment
will be submitted to the people some time
the latter part of November, and I am
confident the people will give substan-
tial majority for the amendment.
Referring to recent statements that
the Anti-Saloon league of Alabama would
have candidate for governor, wish to
say that this is without foundation of
fact The league has no candidate now,
and will not have candidate unless the
race should narrow to between one liquor
man and a temperance man, then there
might be some activity on the part of our
people. We never indorse one prohibition
candidate over another.
mo one is authorized to state that the
Anti Saloon league will get behind any
one. II such a condition ever should
arise, such statements will be given out
from our office"
This, coming as it does from the man
who has been the active brains of the
anti-saloon movement as an organization,
means that with Mallory and Weakley in
the race, and Seed, there can be no one
rightfully claiming the influence of the
Anti Saloon league as an organization.
1t also disposes of the report more or less
current that the AntiSaloon people had
lined up for Mallory, result of his help
ing in carrying the constitutional prohi-
bition bill through the senate.
On the other hand, taking calm view
o fthe layout, 1t would seem to be =
safe guess that most of the members
would be for Wealtley. As attorney for
the movement he has drawn and fought
for every law that has been passed He
knows more of the inside workings of the
league than any man in the public life of
the state. And with this he has the sup
port of the governor and his close friends
so that from a standpoint of association,
| Weakley can almost claim Anti-Saloon
activities as personal holding
Lawrence Citizen.
Brooks Lawrence, abused or defended
by almost every speaker on the prohibit
ton question, is now a citizen of Ala
bama, as shown by the possession of
papers. In defending him from a very
severe attack by Mr.. Hamburger Of Mo-
bile, Mr.. Reese of Dallas in a speech in
the senate, produced the papers, and at
the same time resented the constant
charges that he is an outsider. Mr.. Rey-
nolds, joining Mr. Reese said that Mr..
Lawrence had been of great good to Ala
bama, and it could well afford to import
more men like him. So 1t liz seen that the
"Ohio agitator," as Hamburger calls him,
does not lack for friends. And 1t Is also
fact that, while there is all sorts of
talk about him, and where he came from.
d
job for which he Is receiving pay, and
in which. even his most bitter enemies
agree, he has been delivering the goods.
Political Pot Sizzling.
The political pot is sizzling Mallory
and Seed are out for governor and
Weakley will no doubt be by the middle
of the coming week. This will make three
prohibition men against local option
Iata tha xxviII
primary. The prohibition people will
have no other recourse. They can have
what they want for they control the state
committee. The plan would result in
getting a straight race between the friend
Of prohibition and the friend Of local op-
ton, always considering that the local
option man is strong enough to be one
of the two highest in the race, which is
not at all certain. But this will no doubt
be the way of 1t, and the two highest
men, be they prohibition or local option,
will have to go it in a second race. And
the price will be the thing, taking more
money than a great many men can get
together.
Conner Is In Line.
What Gov B. B. Conner wants is a prob
lem. He did not get bill for biennial
sessions, though he might have had 1t
II he had been willing to play politics
good and hard. No one doubts but that If
he had made demand for this in ad
vance of the passage of the prohibition
bills that he could have had It, His con-
troll over the legislature Is such that he
could have forced his wishes to this
extent If he had been determined, bring
ing the others into line on the fear that
he might not bear down hard for the
prohibition bills. But he did not, and
there Is lot of speculation on where he
will light next time. That he will land
fs generally believed.