The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-06

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of the day, and which hope are incon-
sistent with the facts as they exist.
Defends the Court.
Mr.. Brooks Lawrence has a card about
prohibition, and as a recognized leader
his statements DIRE generally read. 1t is
proper, 1 think, to talk prohibition on
the Fourth of July and use it on that
day, as well as on other days; but be
man in favor of prohibition, open saloons,
locker clubs, total abstinence, drunken
ness or sobriety. | cannot think he has
the right to impugn re motives of the
courts or the judges who compose the
courts unless he can show the improper
motive.
SO it is that on this glorious Fourth I
was sorry to hear from Mr. Lawrence
that a late decision of our supreme court
looks to him like an attempt on the
part of the court to invade the realm of
legislation, instead of combining itself to
the Interpretation and constituting of law"
Whether Mr. Lawrence Is as great a
lawyer as he is preacher, 1t is not for
me to say, but l couldn't help regretting
he had so spoken of our highest state
court Does any one seriously believe
that the judges of that court attempted
to invade legislative authority? Is not
the sterling character of each of them
a sufficient answer to the innuendo?
Wasn't one of them chosen a couple of
years ago to write the local option acts?
About Pimp Domination.
I read further, however, Mr.. Lawrence's
statement hoping to find something more
appropriate to 1.-The day we celebrate"
and found this instead: The day of sa-
loonkeeper, gambler harlot and pmp
domination in government is drawing to
a close in Alabama" This intelligence
carries an Implication as to past and
present conditions in Alabama which stag
gers ones credulity. 1t is too bad to hear
an intimation that the "saloonkeeper,
gambler, harlot and pimp' have ever dom
mated in our state government or do 80
now. Since the dark days of reconstruc-
ton and carpetbaggers the virtue and in
telligence of Alabama have controlled and
directed her policies.
Some Honorable Men.
Not to name all, consider her governors
Conner, Jelks, Johnston and Jones. Any
"saloonkeeper, gambler, harlot and pimp
domination" apparent in their admins
trations? Consider our chief Justices
Brickell, Stone, Mcclellan, Weakley, Tyson
Dowell. Can 1t be supposed for a moment
that any of the element named Influenced
those men? Consider our legislators. Has
any improper conduct been charged
against them or any charge of improper
influences working on them ever been
made? Have not our legislatures been
sigularly free from corrupt influences?
Have they not followed popular senti-
ment? Did not the last legislature elected
on the local option isue, pass an act pro-
viding for it, and a few months there
after pass statewide prohibition" In
obedience to- the popular demand?
Any "saloonkeeper, gambler. harlot and
pimp domination in evidence there? Con-
slider the state officers. They are upright
men. Our judges are men of probity. Our
county officials are representative of those
who elect them and virtue has not de-
parted from our electorate.
Talk about Judges Dowell and benson
and Simpson and Mcclellan and Anderson
and Mayfield and Sayre or any of them
attempting Ito invade the Legislative
realm!" Nonsense.
I'm sorry Mr. Lawrence used the words
he did to express hisNthoughts.
CriticIses Ned Brace.
Then l turned over the pages of the
paper to see what Ned Brace had to say.
He is usually hopeful, cheerful, interest
ing, conservative. But he seems to have
forgotten about the Fourth Of July, and
he delivered himself as follows:
IT don't believe in the make-beleve pro-
hibition that Is existant in Alabama. 1t
is leading more men and boys to the devil
than anything that has ever occurred"
Now, 1t is awful to contemplate on this
Fourth of July that prohibition is leading
men and boys to the devil. But Ned
Brace may be mistaken. hope he is. II
we put what he says alongside what Mr..
Lawrence says, 1t would occur to
stranger that we in Alabama have lit
tie to be thankful for and less to cele-
brate on this glorious Fourth And so
T was constrained to ask, what's the
matter? Is the hot weather respon-
sible?
Fortunately, there was Col. Tom Bull
gers speech at Horseshoe Bend, and It
had a more optimistic ring, because he
''cut his eagle loose as Bob Taylor
would say after this fashion: II am glad
I am an American citizen. I am glad to
belong to government where the consti-
tuition, the nag and the Holy Bible make
a grand trio-the advance guard of civil
izatIon and Christianity. through our God
Almightys universe I am glad l am
citizen of Alabama, the greatest state
with the greatest governor In my humble
Judgment in the American union!'
Some admirers of other governors (and
perhaps some others) may take issue with
ookl "a NJ