The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-11
Some Political Phases.


 taking a lively interest in the pending question to be decided at the polls prohibition amendment or no amend ment," said prominent business man of this city who recently took a trip through. northern Alabama.
 ''In my travels I met quite a number of men who said they were going to vote for the amendment, but much the great CT number with whom I conversed ex- pressed themselves as strongly opposing the amendment. A leading man who be- longs to one of the strong Protestant de- nominations told me that his pastor had snno,ihced he would support the amend ment but that he himself would cast his ballot against it. I have been friendly to the prohibition cause, although I did not vote when an election was held in Jefferson county in 1907 under the local option law, being then out of town. expect to vote next November and to vote against the amendment I am inclined to think that the dispensary is the best solution of the liquor question if the peo- pie will persist in drinking. whether or no. I certainly am no friend of the sa- loon interests, but some sort of regula- ton is far preferable to either the present drastic laws or to the blind tiger business.
 T am a church member and am in touch with the Pastors union. I doubt if the ministers take the active part in the amendment campaign that 1t was thought they were prepared to take. The church and state idea Is markedly un- popular-even more unpopular today than in times past Speaker Carmichael made an unfortunate boast-unfortunat for prohibition-when he intimated that the church people of this state were going to run things-or words to that effect It was unfortunate, I say, because while we church members are apt to act on our own convictions and quietly disregard any pulpit utterance that savors of church and state politics, thousands of good cit isens and regular voters, such as Luth- erans. Jews, and the large battalion of so-called liberal and non-church going Christians bitterly resent any such boasts as those that are being made by fanatics and partisans of Governor Conner. No body understands the situation better than my friend Colonel Mallory. He is committed to the amendment but no one knows better than he that the masses of the people are against it and that they cannot be converted to the amendment side. And no one understands better than Colonel Mallory-for he Is an experienced politician-that if the amendment wins 1t will mean that Governor Conner and Judge Weakley will be the heroes of Ala bama and that Judge weakley will be swept into the governorship on the amendment wave. Conversely, as The Age-Herald and other papers pointed out soon after the legislature adopted the amendment submission bill, the defeat of the amendment at the polls would, in the nature of things. take weakley out of the running. Oh, the politics of it all!'
 The Press of Alabama.
 Alabama has an able press." said R. J. Jessup of St. Louis. T refer with a great CT surprise especially to the weekly papers, for 1t should go without saying that Mobile, Montgomery and Birming- ham would support first-cass dailies.
 Business and pleasure combined have kept me in Alabama ever since early in the present year. I have visited 39 of the CT counties of the state, and nearly every weekly I have seen has contained well written and vigorous editorial articles The press is, as might be expected, d. vided on the constitutional prohibition question. Only few papers are on the fence, and they will soon come down. On the whole, Alabama is to be congratulated on the frankness and vigor of its weekly press"
 Demand for Southern Iron.
 The pig iron market Is strong and in quiries are becoming more and more &C., tive. Matthew Addy 6 Co.'s Cincinnati report says:
 "A demand for southern iron that ex- ceeds the supply and tremendous sales of basic are the features of the week. There has been a steady call for southern iron in wholesale quantities. The largest in quiry has been for the low grades, which are wanted by pipemakers, and apparent ly everything in sight for some time to come Is already under contract In Bir-