The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-02
WEAKLEY MEETS
O'NEAL At JASPER
FIay One Another In Debate on
Amendment
NEITHER MlNCES WORDS
Weakley Attacks o'Neal's Record.
Cautions Hearers Not to Be
Alarmed by Judge Acuffs
Argument.
NEITHER MlNCES WORDS
BY F. V. EVANS.

Judge Thomas l.. Sowell of the law and
equity court of Walker county presiding
Judge Samuel d. Wealdey of Birming-
ham and Col. Emmett ONea of Florence
met here today in their second joint dis
cussion of the proposed prohibition
amendment to the constitution
The debate was held at the courthouse
and the large courtroom was well filed,
but not crowded. The two speakers crit
icised each other quite freely, and severely
at times, and while the audience was at
tentive there was rather lack of enthus-
iasm. Colonel O Neal dweit on the matter
Of the fees which Judge Weakley had re-
ceived during the recent railroad litiga-
ton. pointing ont the fact that the state
treasury had been emptied. and he ham
died Governor Conner and the Rev. Brooks
Lawrence without gloves.
Judge Weakley cautioned his hearers not
to pay too much attention to Judge
Acuff's letter embodying the argument on
the uneonsdtutionality of the constitu-
tional amendment stating that if the
amendment carried the lawyers would see
to the rest lie reviewed the history of
temperance in Walker county at some
length and attacked O'Neals record with
reference to the liquor question.
Judge WealSley opened the discussion
and spoke for one hour, his preliminary
remarks being pleasing references to his
early friendship with his opponent. lie
then opened fire ON his opponent. antici-
pating his methods of delivery. which he
characterized as fiery. protechnc and vol
canic. The speaker referred to the opinion
of Judge Acuff, which has just appeared,
touching upon the constitutional strength
of the proposed amendment, and warned
the friends of the movement not to be
alarmed at such sounds, but to vote for
the amendment and the lawyars would
look after its strength after its adoption.
He hooted the idea that there was any
thing unconstitutional about it.
Judge Weakley reviewed the history of
the prohibition fights in Alabama and
charged that each time the constitutional
point had been raised. He said the mean
ing of this amendment was that the pro-
hibition laws should forever remain pro-
hibtion laws of force and the question
should not recur every time the legisla-
ture is to be elected that what the anti
prohibitionists wanted was to avoid maxi
ing it long time between drinks, and he
quoted the old Carolina governors con-
versation. He paid his respects to the
Montgomery convention, but referred to
| part of it's membership men of high
/ character
| The speaker claimed that Mr.. O'Neals
| speech at that convention was not in ac-
cord with tn resolutions adopted thore.
and that these resolutions declared that
there was no purpose to repeal the Car
michael or the Fuller act He insisted
that local option has no meaning. and
that it would not remedy the trouble.
He wanted to remove all possibility of
re-establshng the open saloon or the
F, dispensary TO tempt the young boy. He
attempted to explain the meaning of the
| proposed amendments, saying that if the
| constitution permitted the enactment of
! good law that it would say you shall not
| sell liquor on election day. 1t could also
| provide for law that you shall not sell
| liquor on any day, he said.
NO legislature will ever pass any law
! to take liquor out of the private home"
! he said. 1.-THE searching of premises was
practiced before there was any Fuller
act passed
Col. ONea declared the proposed
| amendment unWlSe ana nNpOcTlllcdl.
1.-THE evils arising from liquor are the
result of the abuse and not the use of it,
as stated by jefferson Davis he said.
He pointed out that upon a local option
| system the people of Walker county had
voted the dispensary The Anti-Saloon
| league had announced that local option
| was a liquor question: that 1t is the only
| true American and democratic system.
Defending his own personal record,
which Judge Weakley had harshly crit,
| cized Mr.. O'Neal stated that his record
| is based upon the principles of democracy
| as enunciated by his party.
The speaker stated that the present
state administration was elected on the
local option platform, and he pointed out
that Mr. Bryan has said that an official
who acted contrary to the platform upon
which he was elected was an embezzler.
He agreed with the Nebraskan. and re-
| called the violation of the obligation by
| Gov Conner. who. after having stringent
| laws put upon the statute books, was not
/ satisfied. but under the lash of Rev.
! Brooks Lawrence, included in a call for
extraordinary session this proposed
amendment.
| with Brooks Lawrence of Ohio i'll
charge and Gov. Conner and Judge Weak
ley as his aids upon his staff said Col.
! O'Neal, they arranged for constitutional