The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-26
POLITICAL ASPECT OF
 AMENDMENT CAMPAIGN
By HERvEY w. LAIRD,

l Montgomery, September. 25.-(Special.) J. l Most thoughtful men, if they express m l opinion at all, lean to the belief that if the election were held now, instead of some weeks hence (November 29) the pro- posed amepdment to the constitution to include the prohibition of the sale of ] liquors or the manufacture thereof. would be defeated. These same men will also say that the fight to hold this advantage is one that must be made with caution, and against very popular sentiment, as well as species of argument.
 Here are the strong points of the amend CTS: To fail to support the amendment is to, fail to back up the prohibition laws, to lose the amendment is to take back set in the fight for prohibition, and if the movement fails it will mean a senti- mental defeat at least for the friends of liquor inhibition.
 The antis argue the uselessness of the idea, the fact that it is an untried prin- ciple even as a statute, it's danger as an overload to the organic law that might not, with legislatures in full accord, be enforced and the general belief that constitutions are for enunciation of prin- ciples rather than laying out of statutory provisions.
 Political Aspect of 1t.
 And then comes the political side. Gov ernor B. B. Conner is Avorking for 1t, though just now one may not see where he expects to land in a political way. But it is belief so general as to be almost nDiXpTSal ha Ia of this kind himself, even though it may be j unrecognzable to the general public. He cannot go to the senate at the 1911 session, i when a successor to Bankhead Is to be named. That much is known. and the reasons are Ro well understood to re- view them.
 Further than this. it is known that Judge s. D. Weakley, candidate for gov ernor and author of the drastic prohib ton laws of the last extra session, is g. political protege of the governor and was induced to make the race after a confer ence in the office of the governor a few days before the extra session came to an end. It was toss-up as to which should be the man, Weakley Or Speaker Car michael, the latter falling back because he did not care to get into the fight on his own account, but ready to do and to dare for the other man, who did consent to run
 All Have Become important
 All these things have become important in the fight that is being made. In a large measure the enemies of the amendment who are taking active part are out Vf line with the Conner political regime. It is also a fact that the friends of the prop ostion who are taking the front are Conner followers, afd as rule close to their leader. There are notable excep- tions to this rule on both sides, the most striking being that of Charles Henderson, president of the railroad commission, long a Conner man in all things.
 Colonel H. S. D. Mallory, candidate for governor, and many of his friends, not aligned with the railroad and other fights led by the governor, are exceptions the other way around. They are boldly out for the amendment and stake their polit- ical life on it's fate. Thus in measure at least the proposition has divided fac tions and just how far this will have effect on the final end can only be guessed at But they only add to the politics of what is termed by its friends moral, not a political, movement.
 Many Sided Fight.
 Thus is the fight one of many sides Preachers are on both sides, bust mostly for the amendment. Women are for 1t. Politicians in the open are for it, Churches, in many cases have made 1t a standard of fellowship, so that it has