The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-08
COFFEE COUNTY !
in ANTI RANKS
Organize for Fight on
Amendment
BYRD FARMER IS SPEAKER
Dothan Man Who Resigned From
Church Talks.
~ aaeetins In Enterprise, orgsni.ation
b. Formed to Send Delegates to
Mass Meeting To be Held
In Msntge.ery.
BYRD FARMER IS SPEAKER

Enterprise, Sept. 7-(Special.)--One
OF the most representative and largest
bodies OF men ever assembled IN En-
terprise met last night at the court
house for the purpose OF organising .
movement against the proposed consti-
tutfonal amendment to be voted on the
last of November.
It was a body OF not only the repre-
sentative people of Enterprise. but of
Coffee County as well, who had come
together as q result of an announce
ment made last Saturday that q meet
ing would be held at the court house
In Enterprise. Monday night. to form
plans for organising against the
amendment, and to hear an address by
Hon. b. q. Farmer. OF Oothan. against
It..
The call was made FOR the meeting,
by signed declaration against the
amendment and requesting all inter-
ested to meet. 1t was followed by a
list of about three or four hundred
names, representing men OF every avo-
cation in the county, q large number Of
the list being among the best citizens
OF Coffee County.
Judge HfIliard Presides.
The meeting was called to order by
Major ]. T. Carlisle. and q motion was
carried that Judge W. J. billiard act
as chairman. Thereupon an Executive
Committee was authorised to be ap-
pointed by the chairman. A motion
was adopted that list Of fifteen dele
gates be selected to attend the mass
meeting at Montgomery on Septem.
Der Is.
The business part or the meeting
having been completed. Major T. J.
Carlisle. introduced the speaker Of the
occasion, Hon. B. G. Farmer. who dis
: cussed the issues of the present cam
paign For the amendment and its pur-
H.. -I~A
argument. and sound reasoning. and In
II he laid special stress upon the po-
ntical propositions included in and
grouped around the proposed amend
ment. His speech showed studious
consideration and intelligence upon the
subject. and was well received by the
large crowd. enthusiastic cheering
greeting him on numerous occasions
during his argument.
MFR. Farmer Speaks.
Mr.. Farmer. in opening his address.
said that he was a Prohfbitionist and
had always been one, that he was in
favor of putting the amendment in the
favor OF inserting in the fundamental
law of the state nugatory sentence
which has for its purpose nothing more
than the endorsement OF the present
administration of the State.
The charge was made by Mr.. Farmer
that the proposed amendment was not a
sincere effort to have constitutional
that he favored an amendment for pro-
hibitfon hp- to- Its passage by the
Legislature, but when he perceived IT'S
purpose to be no more than an en-
dorsement of the administration of
Governor Conner and to promote the
possible candidacy of Governor Conner
for the United States Senate, he
changed his mind without hesitation.
While admitting that Governor
Conner had redeemed his promises to
the people of Alabama when he passed
his code of railroad laws. in all of
which Mr.. Farmer agreed with the
Governor, yet he would have to ballx
at the amendment. He declared that
the prohibition laws now in the Code
of the State are the best in the world
and II the Carmichael and Fuller acts
were proposed as amendments to the
& Constitution. out of sincere prohibition
sentiment. he would vote for them. but
would not vote for measure to de-
ceive the people.
Mr.. Farmer criticised the present
Jury law which was passed at the
extra session as being a legal way of
packing a Jury 10 convict men with
out testimony. He showed how the
names of only extreme Prohibitionists
would be drawn for Jury service.
The fact that former Governor Je1ks
left 100000 In the state treasury
when he went out of office was con-
trasted with the alleged extravaganza
OF the Conner administration which has
set the State up against deficit. He
charged also that before January 1
the Governor would be forced to Dor
row 100000. Another policy of the
administration was attacked in the
respect OF raising tax values during
the tight panic. Mr.. Farmer also
charged that the county commissioners
were forced to raise the values not
only of corporation property but OF
lands to meet the extravagances of the
nknA dr.nl. luks. 4 La.