The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-09-11
FLORIDA GOVERNOR
 SPENDS DAY HERE Discusses Prohibition Situation
 In His State AMENDMENT IS NOW UP State Proposes to Adopt the Amend ment and Pass the Laws After ward-Discusses Prospects for
 Democracy in Nation.
AMENDMENT IS NOW UP

Gov Albert w. Gilchrist of Florida spent part of his summer vacation in Birmingham. He was in town for four or five hours yesterday and became SO much absorbed in hurried inspection of the greatness of this district that he bare ly had time to get lunch before depart ing for his home in the state of sunshine and orange blossoms.
 Looking down on the busy city from the roof of the Brown-Marx building the Governor declared that as a southern man he was proud of Birmingham. He had heard much of this busy and promis- ing city and had long had q desire to visit the place.
 Returning from the Pacific slope he changed his course and took an extra day to come by and get a look in on the greatest city in the south"
 In addition to taking a general view of the city from the roof of the south's biggest skyscraper Governor Gilchrist vis- tied a few of the local manufacturing plants and then took a democratic ride around the Highland avenue circle on an electric car.
 He expressed himself as greatly pleased with the largeness of the cttys develop ment. He pronounced the South High lands the most beautiful residential sec- ton he had ever seen in any city. He Is specially interested in the industrial de- velopment of the district and took oc- casion to inspect the details of pig iron manufacture.
 Governor Gilchrist is not only prominent in his state but is prominent in national affairs. He talked interestingly on state and national politics.
 He was elected governor of Florida last year on a local option platform. defeating state-w wide prohibitionist by large ma jority He received 5000 of the 10000 votes cast. He began a four-year term of office in January. He Is not eligible to succeed himself The Florida legisla- ture meets every two years. He expressed himself as favorable to the four-year plan as exists in Alabama. but did not like the great number of special sessions that had been held in this state. though he said that was none of his affair. He would not discuss the prohibition sitn- ation in Alabama, declaring that he had troubles of his own in Florda.
 He said '"lhe last legislature. which was in session this summer, provided for a vote on a prohibition amendment to the constitution. The ballots will be cast in November in the general station election Section 9 of the state constitution pro- yldes that any county in the state as a 1 unit may vote out the legalized sale of liquors. This has been in vogue since 1881, and as result all but nine counties In the state are dry.
 ''The proposed amendment will provide for constitutional prohibition. but will have to be followed by legislative en- aotnlent to make 1t effective. There is no question but that the legislature will pass the statute necessary to enforce the con- stitutional provision if the amendment Is carried before the people.
 "rhe thing that Is of most interest to me just now continued Governor Gill christ, lis plan for the success of the national democratic party in the next that the democratic party has made the mistake of pitching It's battles on plane of definite and detailed reform issues. We give too much detail of platform. ''The party should and must profit by the success of the opposing party. For instance, the tariff was the main issue in the last campaign. The republicans de- 
 vision The democratic platform declared for tariff revision-downward.' That word downward had a great deal to do with our downfall. While the republicans de ceived the people with the half expressed declaration as is proven by the action of the recent Congress, they carried out the literal promise of the platform. This Is only an instance of the many strategical errors of the party. We state our plans and principles too definitely. '1t must be admitted that we alienats thousands of voters by our custom of prescribing methods so positively. The republicans promise nothing definitely and win We lay all our methods before the people, bare them to our enemies and lose votes.
 gro illustrate, we will say that your legislature has 8 proposition to build an improved road from Birmingham to Mont gomery. If the bill provides that the road shall be 30 feet wide and built with certain material these stated features will arouse the antagontsm of certain indi- viduals and interests. Pass a bnl provid- ing for the building of the road and fight out the methods afterward.
 'The democratic party for instance de- clares for the regulation of trusts and pre- soribes how this shah be done. The re- publican party merely promised to regu- late trusts They said nothing about plans or methods. The result is that after the republican party succeeds the number of trusts Is reduced, but how? They arc combined into bigger and more dangerous ttrusts.
 Again, the democrats promised a cor poration tax and alienated quarter of a million votes. The republicans were silent. got the votes and put on the tax Just the same afterward-"