The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-12

NOD1A'a1Ca Irwin INC O1csp
alton Of the Senate / realize the SEN
ttment for prohibition 10 strong. ]
want to say at the outset I have al
ways voted for prohibition bills. and I
want to say that believe in the con-
stitutional prohibition amendment.
Wanted TO Save $4,000.
Il want to say that when the local
option law was placed In the Demo-
cratic platform, the Legislature passed
local option law, and most OF the
counties adopted It. In the adjourned
session we passed Statewide profit
hition law, and the people approved IL.
when we came to this session of the
Legislature we found that the State
wide bin was not SUFFICIENT, and we
passed the most stringent prohibition
law on the statute books of any State.
1t put the liquor forces out of Ala
hama today never to return.
From reports received from all cit
les. the liquor people are fixing to
leave Alabama, and they are not COM
ing back again. / stated at the outset
that II the people Of Alabama want to
vote on constitutional prohibition. they
ment simply provides that We post
pone the election from ninety days to
the next general election.
.'Oh, they'll say politics. politics. I
don't think the sentiment Is strong
enough anywhere in Alabama for a can
didate to run on the platform of re-
pealipg the Carmichael prohibition bill.
In 1910 there Is a general election in
Alabama. The people of the State will
have to vote anyhow on all Of the Of
fees of the State. The people of Ala
bama are getting tired of too many
elections. Last year on the three
amendments they were voting on three
amendments, and one Of them passed
and two of them failed. and the people
were voting at general election. and
there was no politics in 1t.
This special election will cost the
State OF Alabama enormous sums. I
know some counties that will have to
borrow money to hold the election. The
State treasury 10 in poor condition. II
you hold the election In 1910 the people
of Alabama will pass the amendment
unanimously. Sentiment for II will
grow stronger during that time.
Consult Business Men.
81 am in earnest in this matter. I
say that the people Of Alabama are
tired of elections. There Is some doubt
in my mind about this amendment pass
ing II submitted to the people at the
present time. Consult the business
men and they will tell you they're tired
of elections"
Senator Merritt interrupted with the
question: do you refer to the Safe and
Sane movement"
II don't know any Safe and Sane
movement" responded Senator Overton.
you'll vote for this amendment If
submitted in three monthsT querried
Senator Mcwhorter.
Eyes. sir" said Senator Overton, land
believe that you'll get more votes in
1910 than you will in 1907"
Senator Perry Thomas of Barbour
then gained the attention of the chair
and spoke as follows:
Senator Thomass speech, delivered
at the morning session, follows:
THE best way of disposing Of this
question win be to let all the amend
ments be introduced at once, and let
the discussion proceed on the original
bill with the amendments, then take
the vote on the amendments. and then
the original bill.
1T have an amendment to substitute
for the original bill. or rather It is IT.
self q substitute offered by me in this
case. / shall take the liberty OF read
ing this amendment to you in full"
The amendment provided to submit
TO the people of Alabama in the gen.
eral election OF 1910 an amendment to
Article l of the Constitution by adding
a new section. The first paragraph of
should be unlawful to drink, imbibe,
halss, hypodermically injected into the
system, or by any other means induce
into his system. any liquors. beverages,
bitters, malt extracts, or other liquid
which II taken in excess will produce
intoxication.
The second paragraph provided that
the smell or odor on any persons
breath of having partaken of intoxi-
eating liquids shall be prima facie evil
dence of the violation of the law. The
third section provided that the place
where the odor or smell of intoxicating
liquors be detected, or where a person
shall be discovered with his breath
contaminated by the odor of alcoholic
liquors shall be sufficient proof that
the place is violating the law.
The fourth section provided that the
amendment to the Constitution shall
not apply to any person bona fide sick,
under the care of a regular practice
ing physician. who shall prescribe such
liquors; nor to the patient of regu-
larly licensed dentist, when such pa
tient shall be in the chair undergoing
operation: nor to pastors, Officers or
communicates of any church or re-
ligious organization while engaged in
the celebration OF the sacrament.
The fifth section of the substitute
provided that any person guilty OF vi
olating the provisions Of the law shall
be fined not less than $50 nor more
than $500 and must be imprisoned for
not less than six months, or shall be
put at hard labor for that length of
time.
The sixth section provided that the
Judge of the court must give a special
Affirmative charge to the grand jury
relative to the law, and that the grand
jury shall indict upon evidence. The
seventh section provided that the pro-
cess of arrest shall be by warrants.
The eighth section of the substitute
provided that 1t shall be the duty of
the sheriff police officers, and consta-
bles to provide with warrants. and shall
have the right to enter any place OF
business whatsoever where 1t Is Sus-
picioned that the law is being violated.
1t further provided that no man should
be eligible to the office of sheriff. po-
lice officer. or constable unless his OIL
factory nerves shall have been exam
ined, and reported by a regularly IL
censed physician to be in a perfectly
good condition.
Report Not Ridiculous.
you have smiled as II this were
ridiculous report" continued Senator
Thomas, but I submit that II is not
ridiculous unless the original bill is
also ridiculous. The aim of each law