The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-04
COMER APPEALS NOW TO WOMEN Governor Talks at Union Springs. ARGUMENT AND MELODY Few Voters Are Gathered at Court
 House. Deneunces Safe and Sane League and Diiates en Adninistration Pes .culiarifies-Likens Alabama
 Citizens to Baaltes..
 
BY TARLEToN COLLIER.

 E And Governor Conner. lapsing into Biblical metaphor. sounded an exuitant promise of victory for the constitu- tional prohibition amendment, in the course of speech here today. deliv- cred to a special audience of the wo- men of Union Springs.
 The Governor enlisted the women in the fight. the fight which. even now at the start. has taken on the aspect of the bitterest struggle of years, as we'll as the most unusual.
 Gathering them in the office of the Probate Judge, shortly before his de- parture this afternoon. he asked for their support.
 Throw your arms about your nus band and sweetheart, and ask him for one vote" he said.
 Taking the influence of women on men end civilization from the days of Eve through the history of Judith and Ruth and other Biblical heroines, as topic, he spoke to the feminine clus- ter of their power.
 He continued the use of his religious history. He dwelt on moral issues and religion, and then of the Baalites, whose present-day destruction he phopresfed.
 Religion. beyond use of. Biblical char acters in his Illustrations. played its part prominently throughout the day
 Seldom have political events of Ala bama figured in settings such as mark ed the opening of the campaign for the amendent in Bullock County today. The address of the Governor was de- livered under the auspices of the W. C. T. U. and the anti-saloon forces of Union Springs. Women and ministers figured in the proceedings. overshad- owing the few voters present. g An organ had been instalied in the court room; choir of four women as- sembled; flowers and buntine strung about; blacl-ooatec ministers of Union Springs and the neighboring country were bestowed ilh9f&fly. Afid wltii t all the atmosphere of the church pre- dominated.
 Hammers Policies.
 Into this setting came the Governor, who hammered politics and policies for two hours, and into this church atmos- where the political organization of Bullock County, to conduct the cam paign. for constitutional prohibition. was effected.
 The audience numbered about 800; the women predominating. With the
  ling of boys, there was e comparative ly small percentage of qualified voters. according to the statement of some men of Union Springs.
 It was an enthusiastic audience, however. and rounds of applause greet ed the Governor. especially the first when. following his introduction. stamping and clappfng lasted a full minute. But enthusiasm languished
 In. hA crowded little court room and lacked the initial spantaneity at the last of the speaking.
 Beyond the Governors review of his administrators work. and his request to perpetuate his policies by the vote for the constitutional amendment and the vote for "a man who stands for this issue" the days events consisted of an appeal to patriotism and senti- mant and religion for support of the amendment.
 Patriotic songs and religious songs rang in the court room. led by the choir of four women. and the strains of the church organ. Home, Sweet Home" came, too, when the Governor ended his speech with call for the protection of the home and of the pro- hibition cause.
 PatriOtism's Chance.
 Dixie" America" Sweet Land of Liberty" Alabama" were heard. and patriotism ran riot. The speeches of governor Conner and A. r. Smith. the editor of The Bullock County Breeze, and of Prior Hall, campaign manager for the amendment forces in the coun- ty, went back to the days of the Rev olution and of Andrew Jackson at New orleans in veritable Fourth of July style.
 The women and preachers were urged to come in. The Capitol has been swept clean," declared the Governor "clean enough for the church and the women."
 Governor Corners address was along lines identical with those which he fol- lowed in other administration reviews. One or two features were injected. He attacked the Safe and Sane League bitterly. He called 1t the "Sane and Safety" and declared 1t Identical with the liquor interests. Speaking of the pension funds. which he declared were being paid. every penny of 1t, to the old soldiers. he said that the stories that the admin istration spent the pension money oth- erwise were untrue.
 Some man is trying to create preJu- dice by the agitation along this lfne," he charged These whiskey men. these sane and safety men-they call it clean politics.
 q will unmask this effort of theirs at concealment behind this issue. They are concealing the real Issue, and un- der the mask of this fight will attack your prohibition laws"
 He recounted the States appropria- tions to pensions and education.
 "Some people say we have wasted the States money; we'll, we have. But how? It is like the parable of the talents; we are making use of your money, to be returned ten-fold."
 we appropriated more than we had; we looked the list over. this time. to see what we would recall, and we de- cided that we'd leave it for the man who comes after me to take back. for we couldn't spare any of them"
 Mentions RallrOads.
 The governor waved interesting in his talk about railroad regulation.
 "The decision of the Court of Ap- peais," he said, "has' done the state more good than anything else for the last twenty years Thank God there is e Judge Shelby to write an opinion