The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-25
rxsuLT1re ALABAMA MANHOOD.

avs v @A3 3st%o - Afa D&Ar@H E4e@A% No more direct and sratuitous in- suit was ever offered the manhood and honesty of the men of Alabama than is contained Tn those provisions of recent laws which deprive a per- sou accused or suspected of violation of the prohibition law of the right of trial by jury. In effect 1t is saying to all the men of this State: You cannot he trusted to do your sworn duty in any case involving liquor leg islation. You may decide on cases in which human life and liberty are con. cerned. Or where money and property are to be disposed of or protected. hut when a man violates certain pro- visions of the prohibition laws neith- ST your judgment nor your honesty can be trusted"
 This is lust what certain sections of recent prohibition laws mean. and we repeat that 1t Is an insult to the man. ASba oA hioDahl anu NAiO os@hNoA on their honesty and intelligence. The right of trial by jury comes down to us from our remote Anglo-Saxon an- cestors. and 1t has grown and been perfected until now 1t is regarded as one of the main protectors of human rights. No mora sacred heritage has come down to us through the learn ing. the wisdom and the patriotism of the fathers than Is that provision In our Constitution and laws which guarantees to every man whose life or liberty Is at stake the right to be tried by jury of his peers.
 In his first inaugural address Thom- as Jefferson included trial by juries. impartiaily selected" as one of "the bright constellation which has gone before us and guided our steps through an age of revolution and ref armation." This is the right and priv ileEe of which men may be deprived under certain provisions of recent prohibition laws. This is the insult offered the intelligent manhood of Alabama. and this Is one of the great wrongs which it Is proposed to per petuate by constitutional amend ment If that great wrong is ratified by the people of Alabama trial by fury in this State will be denied in certain cases; cases where the offense is not criminal in itself but is made a crime by the law which it is intend ed to perpetuate by tying the hands of future legislators so that they may not wipe such a blot from our statute books.
 We have said that this denial of jury trial relates to acts which were made crimes by the Fuller bill. It has never heretofore been considered crime In Alabama for any man to keep liquor of any kind for his own family use in his home or any other plAce. some AruonI pTOHIUAtAOulSlr may have thought 1t was wrong. or even sinful. but 1t remained for a body of self-righteous zealots to make 1t criminal. It was not a crime or an offense to sell liquor in Alabama under license until this revolutionary Legislature made 1t a criminal act. Now If man is charged with the violation of certain provision of laws just passed he may be arrested, con- victed and punished without right to be tried by a jury Of his peers un- less he is so fortunate as to be brought before 6 judge who refuses to regard as constitutional such a great violation of human rights.
 And this great wrong. this insult to the manhood of the men of Alabam is what the advocates of the amend ment want the voters of Alabama to make permanent. Win they do it7 If they do we are sadly mistaken in our conception of Alabama's citizenship.