The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-23
Lsttsys to The Editor


An Open Letter TO Mr.. Leon McCord.
Editor The Advertiser
In The Advertiser OF even date there
appears quite . lengthy interview pur-
porting to come from you. In which
the gauntlet to the friends OF PROFIT
bttton In this state and declare war
upon constitutional prohibition.
A. an humble citizen the wvtter can not
sentiment OK ;ths great IT, majority" Of
the people o. this great commonwealth.
not even ''2s.o0o OF them" as you pro-
Tess to do. but az an individual inter-
ested In the moral and political well
fare Of his country. and as one Of the
feels 1t his duty, as much as he dis
likes controversy, to take issue with
assume on the question involved.
This, however, cannot be intelligent
~ and fairly done, either with refer
one e sure Of HIS ground: II Is but
fair then, to all concerned. that you
come out into the Open" and not en-
sconce yourself under the umbrageous
is what got the Rev. Brooks Lawrence
into so much trouble,-and may get
somebody else into 1t II they don't look
You see It is 30 hard for reporters to
get just exactly what man means BY
what he says. even II he writes II down
himself, and hence before we join Is
sue on the main case, just to clear up
strike in the dark. would you please
answer few questions? They are
plain and simple and will put both
sides In position where, as you say,
shoulder. !"
First--It is noticeable several times
In your communication you use the
pronoun we" abiding to what IL GO
q nh Unrx1A xrT. NrH 1xv
state whom you represent by that
term7 Mr.. Lawrence used that term
and he IL persistentiy understood by
you and others to mean Brooks Law
rence"--that HE is going to do such
and such with the Constitution and
Legislature and thus and SO with the
Supreme Court. Is the public to whom
g geu appeai t to understand. Gas you Ins
McCORD Is going to give the present
prohibition law a fair and honest trial
before 1t Is hurried into the Constftu-
is sold Illegally and without reguia-
ton. WE Ueon McCordJ can suhsti-
tute IL for q law under which II will
be sold legally and under absolute con-
troll and regulation. In which 1t will
be made to yield a revenue to the State
as well as to the several counties?'
Second-If you are not speaking for
yourself alone, would you kindly I'M
represent by we" Are you the re-
sponsible spokesman of any organiza-
ton Gas Brooks Lawrence is), and
whom do you mean by "our associ-
Third-You have been the private
secretary OF the Supreme Court for
some time, so ! understand; will you
credited spokesman of that honorable
BODY IN the present issue, or are you
their champion of your own notion
Do you know that Brooks Lawrence
preme Court for any seeming animad-
version against them? And do you not
know that he disclaims what you att
tribute 10 him?
terview that you have for six years
been one of the clerks of the Supreme
Court: do you still hold that position?
Fifth-You speak of Mr. : Lawrence
against him as such; would you please
state whether or not you are giving
your services against constitutional
prohibition free. or whether you are
emoluments in any way for travelling,
ONCE rent. lobbying. writing. etc, and
II so, by whom, and how much. Mr.
Lawrence IL paid by the Anti-saloon
salary fs no secret; are you, like Mr..
Lawrence, making your living" by
this 'agitation,. or are you acting
sixfh-It is said Of , You IN the in
terview that YOU "have been a prohibi-
tionist." Are ybu still so, or have you
changed? II so. when did you change,
and how long before certain brewers
paid visit to this city? Did you dine
with the, said visitors at the hotel?
Seventh--It is said of you that you
"have been" a prominent church work.
err Is IT or is II not fact that you
are an Official member of the Dexter
Avenue Methodist Church in this city,
and the teacher of the Baraca Class
in the Sunday School? Do you really
believe that Mr.. Lawrence. whom you
style missionary from Ohio" ought
to be discredited by the fact that he
has come here from another State? II
so. why?
Eighth--Do you really believe that
Mr.. Lawrence dominates by his own
personality. the whole State of Ala
bama, including the Governor and the
Legislature? If so, is It because Mr.,
Lawrence is such wonderfully great
man, as you must concede him If this
be true. or are the people Of the State
of Alabama, including the Governor
and the Legislature, a set of dupes and
fools?
BY answering the above questions
you will facilitate the argument, and
help US both to understand the real
issue Respectfully yours.
Claudius L. Chiffon.
July 21. 1909.