The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-09-15

pernicious and has no place in the OF
ganic law of the State. In an inter
view yesterday he said he was oppos
ed to placing the amendment In tn
Constitution.
II have" said Mr.. Collins, beer
taking an active interest In the I'm
portant question which is now upper
most in the minds of the people Of this
state and divided them as never be-
fore In the history of the State. Ina
the amendment seems foredoomed t.
defeat at the election in November BY
an overwhelming vote of the people
has not in any manner influenced me
In the discrimination to oppose It, FOL
/ am decidedly of the opinion thai
however desirable prohibition may bs
IN itself, 1t should not be written II
the Constitution of the State.
sThe laws we now have, and ever,
one must admit they are as extreme
and drastic as 1t is possible to make
them, should be given fair trial. as
have no doubt they will be, but "
they cannot be enforced, by reson OF
public sentiment. then writing prohi-
hilton In the Constitution, whick II
not self-executing. will in no possible
way help the cause of those VINO seer
to stop the sale of intoxieants.
~There is another important matter
which should be considered by the
well wisher of his country in connec-
tion with this matter and 1t is this:
the injustice to those who may come
after US, in tying their hands by
constitutional provision, should a
change In sentiment in reference to
the wisdom of permitting the sale OF
tiquor or regulating the sale of 1t or
BY local option. take place.
Argument Wrong.
.There is nothing in the argument
that by placing il in the Constitution
will stop agitation and discussion OF
the question. We saw but snort
time ago a letter from a prominent
3nrist of the State stating that one
reason for placing prohibition in the
Constitution was that 1t would stop
discussion of the matter in subsequent
legislatures and he cited the question
OF the removal of the Capitol from
Montgomery, which was continually
arising in the Legislature until 1t was
fixed at Montgomery by the Constitu-
ton and yet, Notwithstanding 1T was
so fixed in the Constitution, We saw
that within a week or ten days after
the publication of this letter, very
lively discussion of the qsestion Of the
removal of the Capitol from Montgom-
cry In the Legislature.
..rrhe legal phases of the matter,
know nothing about, but do know
that the reasoning of Hon. Emmet
o,Neal In his speech at Wetumpka ana
OF Hon. Sidney ]. Bowie and Hon. z.
*. Campbell in their able letter to
Mr.. Long, ought to convince any I'M
biased mind that II prohibition is ever
effective II must come from statutory
eriactments and not from writing In
the Constitution.
at have been q consistent frieho
and supporter Of Governor Conner but
cannot see how 1t is possible for him
to accomplish any good by stirring
nm a violent discussion OF the amend
ment among the people of the state at
this time. when we need rest and quiet
from political questions"
r r
Among the delegations which came
In last night were those from Clarke
washington and Wilcox. in the
Clarke delegation was Editor A. b
Tucker, of The Thomasville Echo
George E. Nettles of brownsville, c
w. Boyles and B. o. Boykin Of Jack
son and Zach Cobb of Grove Hill
From Washington county came Joe M
pelham, Jr., of Chatom, and Earl Nc
Glathery, of St Stephens. The Will
cox county delegation was made con-
sptcuous by the presence OF r. j.
Goode, of Glastonbury.
Mr.. Goode was one of the most In
fIuential supporters Of the Governor
and he is an ardent prohibitionist. He
saws that unless ne Is much mistaken
in his view, nearly every one of the
counties adjacent to wilcox will go
largely against the amendment. He
is positive wilcox will return an over
whelming majority against 1t.
Enthusiasm over the purpose of the
conference fairly dubbed from the
delegation that arrived in Montgomery
last night from Dale county. Accord
ing to the Dale men, It is only ques-
ton of how complete the defeat OF
the Conner proposition will be.
rhe Dale county representatives al
ready here are: G. p. Bowling, d. Y.
Bowling, L. Z. Marley, d. NJ. Carroll
DR.. A. j Morris, A. S. Adcock, M. o.
Carroll. ]. N. Russell, DIR. F. B. Gull
ems, w. l.. Casey, T. B. Wells, Sam
Judah. J. l.. Williams. j. w. Corbit,
Or. H. b. Bowling, John Stevens, a.
n. Clarke, j. r. Bowling, w. h.
Clements, J. C. Barnes, J. ]. Barnes,
Yancey Carroll, b. l.. Edwards, b. L.
Andrews, Henry W. Morgan. X. T.
ZONES, j. W. Pippin, r. b. Chalker. B.
H. Chalker and A. B. Byrd.
Hon. E. P. Thomas, OF Eufaula
president pro tenn of the Senate, and
Representative J. 5. Williams, of
Clayton. reached Montgomery yester-
day afternoon. The gentlemen were
the advance guard of a large delega-
lion that will represent Barbour coun-
ty in the conference today. Their as
sociates arrived late last night.
According to Senator Inomas and
Representative Williams, the feeling
against the proposed constitutional
amendment is strong and adding
strength daily in Barbour county. They
predict the death of the Conner meas
ure when it is put up directly to thu
people of the State.
Senator R. e. Spragins, Of Madison,
was one of the prominent figures In
the Exchange Hotel lobby last night.
Senator Sprag gins was one of the men
vino fought the administration OF Gov
ernor Conner from start to finish. HIS
was a strong opponent of prohibition
when prohibition was most popular in
the Legislature. An exceptionally hot
fight is being made in Madison county
for the amendment. and in political
circles it is considered that this fight
is largely personal, because of Senator
spragins unoompromising opposition to
drastic laws OF the Legislature. Just
now, Madison county is reported as
strongly against the amendment
The element Of tragedy was injected
into the preparations for the amend
ment conference early yesterday
morning when K. L. Davis, of Geor-
giana. received a wire from Montgom-
cry saying that his wife had died in
this city suddenly at the home of Mrs