The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-08
WORKS IN INTEREST OF TIE UNEMPLOYED C. Jefferson Davis Talks Of His
 Travels VIEWS OF W0RKlNGMEN "Jobess" Man Hopes to Aid In Estah- lishment of Municipal Employment Bureau In Brmingham-Talks
 About Prohibition.
VIEWS OF WORKlNGMEN

C. Jefferson Davis, president of the Un- employed Protective association, and a professional advertising man, who claims Cincinnati as his home but who, on ac- count of being president of the 'jobless men of the United States, has occasion to spend but little time In the Ohio city, is in Birmingham. Mir. Davis father was cousin of Jefferson Davis, first and only president of the Confederate States. The man now visiting Birmingham Is well educated and has had considerable ex- perieuce.
 MT. Davis states that he is in Birning- ham In the interest of the unemployed men of the country. He says that the prime object of his visit is to bring about the establishment of municipal employ ment bureau to be operated by the city in conjunction with the business men of the district. He declares that the idea has been taken up elsewhere and that it has proved little less than a blessing to the unemployed throngs, adding that in North and South Dakota he secured employment for 5000 inen and for equally as many in Cincinnati.
 MT. Davis opposes absolute prohibition and sets forth his argument in unnlis- takable terms.
 The traveller says that he has studied the worlzingman for years, and that he has even "hoboed" from place to place in order to get in touch with them.
 MT. Davis states that the working class of men is naturally, unalterably and in- evtably a dissatisfied class of people. 'IIe wants what he wants when he wants it," said the 'jobless" president, land he is pretty apt to get 1t if there Is chance in the world If he gets it he is satisfied, temporarily at least; if he does not, then look out. If 1t Is denied him absolutely he wants 1t all the more be- cause he is naturally dissatisfied.
 T do not talk from theory, but from what I have actually seen. During the past seven years I have covered S5,ooo miles and l know the working man. He is the man in whom I am interested and I have studied him, and know him, and common sense, if nothing else, tells us that when a man is dissatisfied his vices are humored rather than his virtues.
 '"Therefore, I say that 1t is a bad idea to absolutely deny the working man any thing which is naturally coming to him. This is especially true here in Birming- ham, The working man wants amuse- ment. Here you have no Sunday theatres that he may attend. Tn fact, there is practically nothing he can do during the hours of his leisure. This being true. he grows dissatisfied.
 'Prohibition may or may not be good I have my own ideas. But as to the amendment fight which you now have. I have travelled through Maine, Kansas and Ohio, all three of which states have constitutional prohibition. Maine is an absolutely bankrupt state. There is ab- solutely nothing there, and reaction has set in. In Kansas and Ohio the constitutional prohibition provision Is ig- nored. Fort Leavenworth. Kas, has 30 or 40 saloons and Girard has several.
 .The thing won't work. for I'll tell you it is a fact that I saw more drunken men in the small towns where prohibition prevails than I ever saw in the larger cities of Ohio, which state has more sa- looms than any in the union, despite the fact that 1t has a constitutional pro, hibition provision.
 q might say right here that Brooks Lawrence is not known in Ohio as far as I have ever heard, and I have heard much. He may be doing well in Alabama. but his ideas would not be worth much in Ohio But then 1t Is up tos him to pick out tho territory which serves best toward his own personal interest.
 .'Now, I know it to be fact. and statistics will bear me out, that Frank lin, Va, has population of which full third drinks liquor. They have dispensary there and 1t is one of the most model little towns I have ever seen.
 ..In Suffolk, Va, they have prohibition. The working men can't get their beer there. Consequently they go off to Nor folk for three or four days at time and then return to their homes.
 Alabama already has as much prohibi- tion as she can well handle, and a prohi- bition amendment will do no good. The fanatical fight which is being conducted is making this state the laughing stock of the country and, believe me. 1t Is hurting. There are many unemployed men in the country who might come to Alabama, where I read they are badly needed, but they are fighting shy of the territory in view of the amendment fight which is now on. The average laboring man will not go to place where he can't get his sbeer or other liquor If he can go elsewhere and get it. Others will leave place if denied their liquor. There fore, I say that if this amendment car ries in Alabama not only the laboring class will dodge, but many of the more desirable workmen will leave. There is no wisdom in the amendment. In the constitutional prohibition territory of Maine and Kansas I found on an aver