The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-12-18
AN APPEAL.
For The Amendment Issue To Bs
 Dropped.

rW Ihe Amendment Issue To Be Rirminsham Nsws. Ts',Bsc. Bee. 18th.
 You ask whether the rumor is cor rect as to . conference of certain gen. tlemen called "anti-amenders" who recently defeated. to be held for the purpose of bringing out an anti amender for the governorship in the approaching election.
 conference. and do not know whether there is any foundation for the report. During the recent campaign 1t was Repeatedly asserted by the supporters prohibition against the open saloon; wniskey or no whiskey. This charge was made by every speaker and news paper supporting the amendment. and. liy in the intemperate language characteristic of campaign discussions. It was earnestly denied by every leader of the anti-amendment side. the ensuing campaign. the spokesmen of the anti-amenders iterated and re- | iterated their intention of supporting prohibition as the present fundamen- moment attacking the policy of pro hibition, they rested their case upon the arguments that the prohibition laws already adopted were sufficient; door to the invasion of the homes of citizens; would unduly fetter the free dom of future legislative action: and was conceived and urged for the pur- pUss ons or of s ss political ns aa S Weakley. These arguments prevailed. and the amendment Is settled beyona the possibility of rehearing in the early future.
 Can 1t be coptended for a moment that the result. was .. victory for the open saloon. when before the election all the leaders on both sides were Se asa evsEy sSs speaker tnem certainly in sincerity, insisted from the beginning until the end of the campaign that the saloon was not With the amendment iecisiveIy beaten. what Justification is there for the anti-amenders. as such, to bring out candidate for the governorship or for any other office? What Is to union; what the purpose of the candi- date. secret or avowed? If a candi- date, however worthy, were brought out by the anti-amenders conference would have to announce at once, not how he had stood upon the amend ment. but how he would stand upon sd the fusars su, Of prohibition If hs favor; policy of prohibition, then why should he be brought out as an anti-amend- ment candilate7 If he favored the repeal of the prohibition laws, then candidate. but an anti-Drohibition can didate.
 The battle of the amendment has been fought. and while It's lesson bitterness incident to It should not be perpetuated. The fanciful emblems of the recent campaign should not. like the white and red roses of Lan- "a ae aS nr VA,fs A h. l. prolonged ani bitter hostility. Politi- cal ambitions and the desire for power should not be allowed to use for selfish purposes what most of the victory for constitutional and in- dividual liberty. M
 The goxernorship of Alabama is an office of dignity offering possibilities minded man might well strive. The recent election may naturally have chilled the hopes and enthusiasms of some candidates, and new conditions natorial aspirations feel that the fact that they were not in accord with Governor Comer's policies was not longer bar to their political prefer ment. 1t would seem that the next Governor of Alabama, regarding pro- hibition as the Fundamental policy of the State. should bend his energies to improvement of the States financial
  and it's material upbuilding. In the forwarding of these great policies in conservative way. thousands of would join hands with thousands of those who opposed it.
 highly esteem Sidney J. Bowie. A. C. Smith, Charles Henderson. Frank Moody, and other gentlemen whose nection with the proposed anti-amend- ment conference. Any one of these named. and doubtless others. would bama should he be elected. The can didacy of any one of these nfen would appeal to me because of my belief in their integrity. wisdom. conservatism manner the high duties of the office. It would be privilege to the voters of Alabama to have the opportunity of voting for any one of these men governorship should be open to them and to all other worthy candidates; but respectfully submit if any such men are to run for the governorship they should be brought out by their personal and political friends, amend CTS and anti-amenders, and upon their own merits and future policies, and not as prolongation of the anti amendment contest. A man otherwise fitted for the office should not be pre- scribed because he was for or against the amendment. As an Illustration, scarcely know Colonel Mallory. but he has the reputation of being a high- minded. Christian gentleman. De- lieve he was one of those who fought for his country and his convictions in the civil war. He enjoys the reputa- tion of being thoroughly conservative. honest and open to argument. He has always been a worker in the ranks of the Democratic party. and has served for years as chairman of the state l executive committee. He bears an honorable reputation in an intellectual profession. He advocated the amend ment with thousands of others of our best citizens. and he did 1t in temper ate, sober and reasonable language. Is such man to be prescribed in a Face between Democrats for a Demo- for his convictions on an issue now 1 closed as to the fundamental law of the State?
 I believe the railroad issue in Ala bama was settled for all time with the creation of 6 State Railroad Commis- legislative sham which the people justly resented. The prohibition amendment Is dead beyond resurrec- tion. While most of the people of to be constitutional liberty. the brew CTS and saloon keepers were In the fight for selfish profit They and their allied selfish interests are noth- ing for constitutional victories. Con- sistently: tireless and secretly they legislators. governors, sheriffs and other officials charged with the mak- ing and enforcement of laws, whose election they believe to be favorable to the sale of more liquor. The sordid aims of such people should be fought by the great body of citizens who op- posed and supported the recent pro- posed constitutional amendment.