The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1909-12-08
FARMER VOTE HELPED DO IT
ALABAMA PROHIBITION AMEND
MENT WAS LOST BY $4,000.
Result Was Rebuke to Extreme
Fanaticism and the Drastic Poll
cies of Governor Conner.


Fanaticism and the Drastic Poll
cies of Governor Conner.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-The MAORI
ty against the prohibition constitu-
tional amendment was approximately
$4,000.
The association of the issue with
the administration of Gov B. B. Co
mer and his reputed ability to name
successor to the governorship in
Judge ID. Weakley, author of the pro-
hlbltion bills, figured prominently in
the result.
A significant feature of the re-
suit is that the sentiment against the
amendment is so widespread. Rural
precincts, small towns and cities
alike returning substantial MAORI
ties on the winning side.
Sixty-one counties returned major.
tiles against the amendment, and
only six for it. The majorities in
the latter were small, ranging from
20 to IT'S, and totaling only $50.
Conner Lost County and Precinct.
All VI IhS ldI ger counties III the
state returned big majorities against
the amendment, including jefferson,
the home county of Judge Weakley,
candidate for governor and author
of the present prohibition laws i'm
the state; Brooks Lawrence, who
came to Alabama from Ohio as SUI
perintendent of the Anti-Saloon
League of Alabama, and Fred M.
Jackson, state chairman of the
amendment forces. Jefferson went
against the amendment by over l.
700 majority.
Barbour county, Governor Co
mer's home county, went against the
amendment, his own beat polling
only four votes for the amendment.
Governor Conner did not wait for
complete returns on the election, but,
after conceding defeat, left on the
night of election day for a short
hunting trip in Mississippi He de-
clined to issue a statement before
he left the city.
Fights Too Numerous to Count.
Each polling place witnessed it's
quota of fist fights, there being so
many it was impossible to keep track
of them. Feeling was so high that
a few words were sufficient to bring
on blow. AS an instance of the
deep feeling displayed Rev w. III.
Evans of Birmingham, a prominent
minister, went to the polls and a
young woman attempted to pin a
white ribbon upon him. He de-
clined, telling her that he considered
it improper for young ladies to
speak to men on the streets whom
they did not know. The woman be-
gan crying, and the minister apollo
gized for hurting her feelings, but
said he considered the polling places
very improper places for the young
women to be. The affair was taken
up all over the city, and partisans
commended or denounced the con-
duct of the minister, according as
their sentiments on the questions
dictated.
Rebuke to Drastic Legislation.
AS the sweeping nature of the de-
feat of the amendment is realized
there is a disposition in all circles
to analyZe the result for it's proba-
BILE effect on future legislation in the
state.
No reason is being assigned for
the heavy majority against the
amendment save that a reaction in
political conditions is on throughout
the state. Industrial leaders and
business men are almost unanimous
in their belief that the result was
a rebuke to recent drastic legislation
and a declaration of the people of
Alabama of their determination to
return to conservatism. Leaders of
the Birmingham Chamber of Com
merce believe the election will have
the effect of bringing a great deal of
eastern capital to Alabama, which
has been timid for the past two or
three years.