The Elbert County tribune. [volume] (Elbert, Elbert County, Colo.) 18??-1920, 1909-12-02
PROHIBITION IS
BADLY BEATEN
ALABAMA DEFEATS coNsTITU-
TIoNAL AMENDMENT AGAINST
LIQUOR SELLING.
BAND BROWNS PRAYERS
VETS CLAIM MAJORITY OF TWEEN
TY THOUSAND VOTES OR
UPWARD.

Birmingham, Ala.-All indications
point to majority of between $4,000
and 10000 in Alabama against the pro
hibition constitutional amendment
Monday.
Chairman ]. Lee Long. who has
been in charge of the fight against
the amendment, claims that the ma
jority against the amendment will be
fully 10000.
| A band of music was placed around
each of the four voting places in Birm-
ingham early in the morning to drown
out the prayers and singing and plead
ings of the women and children who
gathered in an effort to influence
votes for the constitutional amend
ment for prohibition.
Deputy sheriffs and extra police
men were on duty around the polls
and the excitement was intense.
Each polling place was enlivened by
It's fist fights. there being SO many
that 1t was impossible to keep track
of them. Feeling was SO high that
few words were sufficient to bring on
q blow.
Practically every other voter was
challenged and required to make af-
fidavit that he was a qualified elector.
this delaying the casting Of the ballots,
but the total vote was heavy.
AS an instance of the deep feeling
displayed. prominent minister went
to the polls and 6 young woman at
tempted to put a white ribbon upon.
him.
The minister declined, telling her
that he considered it improper for
young ladies to speak to men on the
streetsswhom they did not know.
The woman began crying and the
minister apologized for hurting her
feelings. but he said he considered the
polling places improper places for the
young women to be. The affair was
discussed all over the city.
Oscar Hall, tax commissioner of
Baldwin county, fell dead at his home
few minutes after voting for the
amendment Physicians said death
was due to heart failure induced by
excitement.
The early returns indicated land
slide against the amendment and sue
ceding bulletins fully bore out the
| early indications.
Jefferson county. in which is Birm-
ingham, the largest city in the state,
in spite of the fact that the fight has
been concentrated here. gave major
ity of over 1000 against the amend
ment.
Mobile, Montgomery and Cullman
counties show the largest majorities
on the victorious side and apparently
the amendment carried in but three
ter, with Lee in doubt.
Mondays election cannot be regard
ed as straight anti-prohibition VIC
tary because of the personal politics
injected into the issue.
| Its association with the administra-
ton of Governor Conner and his re-
ported ability to name a successor to
the governorship in Judge s. N. Kley,
author of the prohibition bills, have
| figured prominently in the result.
| A significant feature of the result is
the fact that sentiment against the
amendment is so widespread. Rural
precincts. small towns and cities alike.
for the most part, returned substantial
majorities on the winning side.
| A fact of especial interest in the
election was that it was the first time
in the history of the state that an ex-
preston of the whole electorate had
been secured on prohibition.
The statewide prohibition bill was
passed by Legislature that was elect
ed on local option platform.