The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-08-12

you put tnta IN tne CONSTITUTION yOuH
bring on the state the greatest agtta-
ton In years. You'll array fathers
against sons. brothers against brother,
friends against friends, the old church
will split In twain. ! beg of you not
to put on the state thing that will
engender the bittersst Of feeling
(Loud applause)
"They ell me that you are going TO
pass Il because there are some minis
ters In the city who want 1t. don't
want to wound the feelings of any
ministers here or absent, but believe
that the ministers have not stopped to
think. Regardless of any criticism
which may be hsaped upon me. I am
going to speak what seems to me
Time 10 Take warning.
Our fathers suffered from priest
craft. and 1t IL time for US to take
warning. Those forefathers left their
happy homes In England. braved the
seas and storms and wilderness of
savages, and when they came to this
country they established liberty, politi-
cal and religious.
THE ministers of the state of Ala
bama respected that provision Of the
constitution for q hundred years. but
| OF late we find disposition on the
part OF some ministers to regulate the
politics OF the state.
You tell me that constitutional pro-
hibition don't violate that section of
the constitution. No. 1 does not. But
] tell you that the means the ministers
have adopted will violate that section.
They carried out their statutory pro-
hibiion program. Let US try IT. II
the ministers have done 1t with
sense of pious duty. they would soon
make you 60 to church. pay tithes 70
the church. II they think Ii a pious
| Ant.r m taking a
drink. they'll think 1t pious duty
to make you go to church. and to sup
port the ministry.
IT believe that the ministers are
sincere. also believe that Queen
Ferdinand was sincere when she estab-
lished the Court Of the Inquisition.
think that the crusaders were sincere,
that Peter the Hermit, who was the
originator and leader Of the movement,
was sincere. But my religion teaches
tells me that souls are not to be saved
by the sword AMI fire-brand.
These ministers are seeking to
arouse sentiment against the rum
maker and rum seller-and neither of
them has any defense-but they are
| appealing to our religious fervor.
think that they are sincere, but my
Bible teaches me that men cannot be
made religious by law, that the
people cannot be legislated into tenn
perance.
This prohibition question is not
moral question. No prohibition ques-
tion ever enacted prevented men from
consuming liquors. Whatever law you
pass, or have passed, be 1t good or
bad. you may be sure 1t will be violat-
ed.
when you differ with a minister on
the question. he says: You're on the
side of the liquor INTEREST," That's
| Mt hut lot nf
people. 1t reminds me OF an occur
renee in my own county. A negro had
committed the heinous crime of rape
upon a white girl, and a mob had
formed about the county Jail to lynch
him. / got up in a high place and
take its course. The leader said:
Come on boys. he favors the niger
Scores Mere Once-Seeker.
Liquor has done much harm in this
world, but intolerance has done more.
You have taken a position on the ques-
ton. and you have received threats Of
political ruination. I believe God Gre
ated US with a greater purpose than to
be a mere once seeker.
The Baptist. Church endorses the is
sue and the Methodist Church is be-
hind the movement. They send a tele-
gram to you saying that the State of
Alabama Is behind the movement I
protest. I say that every member of
every church has a political duty to
take q position on every political ques-
| ton, and 1t 10 wrong to bind the church
as a body to support any question.
II have read the words and history
of the lowly Nazarene, and / have yet
| to find where or when he hung about
| legislative assemblies or state councils,
pressing a measure or trying to defeat
one. When they tried to pin Him down
1 nv h. AAAR 90
Caesar the things that are Caesars.
and to God the things that are His
IT am against this amendment to the
| constitution because do not believe
that you should put the State to the
| ezra expense; because believe that 1t
is in the interest Of some hired politi-
| clans who wished a Job; because 1t will
retard rather than help the prohibi
ton cause.
II believe God made the devil for
purpose, and put him in the Garden of
Eden for a purpose. God gave man the
capacity to choose right from wrong.
and that IL man shall choose the right
he shall inherit eternal salvation. Ac-
cording to my creed away with your
prohibition.
Let US cling to what our forefathers
gave US. Let us stick to the old ship
of state. our constitution flying offer
ing to the world peace and happiness,
| where Jew and Gentle, Greek and
Barbarian, Christian and non Christian
might commingle together under its
ample folds. worshipping their own
God and enjoying their liberties"
On the conclusion of Senator Thorn
ass speech there was great applause.
Afternoon Session.
Senator Merritt Of Macon County,
was the first Senator recognized by the
chair upon the reconyening Of the Sem
ate at $3.50 o'clock. He said:
probably the eyes of the people of
Alabama are more closely riveted on
the representatives in this body, than
at any other time in the history of the
State. This is a question of the great
est Importance. and I am sorry that
any Senator should have seen fit at
that solemn moment to perpetrate on
the Senate and the people of Alabama
a monumental Joke. When any Sena-
| tor introduces a substitute. 1t should
come from his heart.
Before ! discuss the original bill
wish to give some attention to the
amendments and to the substitute for
the bill. We. who support this bill,
support It on principle. and no Ques-
ton of when an election Shall take
| place. shall deter US from that princi-
| pie. cannot understand how any
Senator can stand on a question of
time.
"I had hoped that the Senator from
Barbour would be present at this
time"