The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-28
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Aftalla, Oct -(Spectai )--Thrce hundred voters assembled here today on< heard Judge A. D.. Strxtton of 11optgomery speak against the consti- <utaonal amendment.
 It e conceded that this 10 the best mesting held here durinx ne cam paten and that Judge 6tratton pre- oenfed the subject in an able manner.
 The argument of Judge Stratton. who was repeatedly applauded. was In part gs follows:
 ..Ths arst section of the amendment ls but . substantiai repetition of the declaration of the prohibition statute that liquors shall not be made or sold fn Alabama. non-executing and not etf-onforcing is useless for any pur- pose. The second section is masked battery whose guns are trained on ev- cry home in the state. The home is . place. warehouse is . place.
 s'The Legislaturs under the amend ment has power to designate, to spec may not be stored or kept in this State. Hence, if 1t gives power to say liquors shall not be stored In ware Aouno, it has the same power to say { fh6y shA1l not be kept in home. IhSre ls no escape from thin. This also mAkss eRectivs all the legislation. of tho last sessions the carmiohaeI and the
 
 hfbition lawA This provision puts in operation all the drastic search and aolnnre features of these two stringent laws alike In the home, and in the Warehouse. It also authorizes all the capture and confiscation features of those laws. with respect to hQuors in the home. as much as in the ware houss. But they say that they do not intend to invade the home.
 Then, why give the power to do sof which ts the safest and wfsest. to hold on to the Constitution as it is. which prohibits invasion of the home. or by Amendment rive the power to Invade. and trust to the promise of the pre- amendcrs that they will not invade the home? Then if their intentions are so good. why do they want the powerf
 eff they do not Intend to 60 further than the Fuller law. why ask the pow CT go to further7 The request for pow or does not square with the promise not to exercise 1t.
 except the home. If they do not intend for the Legislature to supply this omis- sion why give that body the power to do sor Constitutional restraint upon 1egislative action is as much against what . Legislature may or may not ds as what 1t will do. 1t withholds the power that the tyrannical action
 
 when no power exists to do harm. This is the history and theory of constitu- fionaI government. Forty-six thousand votes can now under the present, con- dition of the Alabama electorate. fasten this or any other amendment upon the Constitution of the State. This Is not free. representative government but aristocracy. Those who can vote hold in trust the duty to so vote that no amendment, except one of eufranchises xnenf should be adopted until tho dis franchised majority of Alabamians can by their votes protect their own per- sons and homes.
 ton, not a moral issue. The Gov erncr treated 1t in hfs message call- )ng the Legislature in extra session. nust as he treated any other of the questions submitted to that body for their considerations and action. It was solitical then. 1t Is political now.
 Tho Legislature under the amend ment. could trim up the Supreme Court to suit Judge Wealxley and Brooks Law pence: make the Supreme Court of the Btste q football to be kicked about by pvery majority for the time being. Ehis fs Gpanish-American politics which mal<es the pronunciamento of the rev piutionary junta the supreme law un- Ei1 another set of revoiutionfsts spring Into being and into power. Now the Admitted purpose is to annuI the opin- Ion of the court which holds that ii- Qnors are property. Thus to destroy Rested rfghts-snaI<es tse rights of per4' bonai property in Alabama depend not upon fixed tenure or title. but upon the will of q revolutionary majority xhe law of fanaticism.
 sProhibition. though agitated for more than fifty years, has never in any State. North. South, East or West, reached beyond the experimental stage. Why. then, put an experiment in the Constitutionf Why not try 1t by law? Those who ask power. as . rule. abuse at.
 sThe Montgomery Conference. the