The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-12
HAS FIGHT
BEEN STOPPED
Constitutional Prohibi-
tionists Quiet.
GREAT SECRECY OBSERVED
Leaders May Unite on Other Leg
islation.
1nnsr Being Circulated That No At
tenDt WIN BE Made To Secure
Constitutional Amend =
nent.S

Has the fight to put prohibition In
tho CONSTITUTION been Abandoned in
order that the Anti-Saloon League lead
era can unite their energies on other
proposed prohibition Legislation at the
extra session.
such a report has come out of Birm-
ingham, but 1t lacks the authority Of
an Official statement. There Is more
secrecy involved in the coming extra
session than ever before in the assem-
Ming of the Legislature, and nobody
hut a chosen and select few know with
any denniteness what the Governor and
the Anti-Saloon League leaders are go
ing TO do. It Is frankly said by the
friends of the administration that the
Governor has kept secret the contents
OF his CAN. and will continue to keep It.
secret until q few days before the Leg
falature meets, SO that the opposition
viii not have time to organize or fight
the bills. The Anti-Saloon League
leaders. working In harmony with the
Governor. have adopted the same pol
lev.
When the Legislature is assembled II
will be handed all the bills already
drawn up and be told. Here they are
they are all right. Pass them and ger
IN. most interesting remedy that so
far has come out about prohibition leg
islation 10 the rumor that no attempt
will be made to secure q constitutional
prohibition at the extra session. To
gecure any sort of an amendment to
the Constitution is a difiicult task. After
the Legislature has passed upon 1t, IL
must be referred to: the people for q
vote. A bill providing for a constitu-
tfonal amendment, embodying prohibt-
tion. was before the Legislature du-
ring the extra session OF 1907. but BY
a. afy 20 ola In n
mfttee.
beyond doubt there will be a number Of
bills presented to evade that part OF
fhe Constitution which authorizes o
man to keep Intoxicating liquors In Q
locker. Judge 8. d. Weakley has been
at work drawing up these bills. and
there win probably be q series of them.
II win be recalled that the unconssta-
fionality OF an act forbidding lockers
was recognized In the Senate during
the passage of the prohibition bill.
That bill at one time contained clause
forbidding lockers. But the best law
yers of the Senate. some of them being
prohibitionists. advised that 1t be cut
out, as 1t would weaken the whole bill
They said then that q man had the
rleft. under the Constitution. to use
q locker. and that If the clause was In
aerted in the bill 1t might result in the
entire bill being held unconstitutional.
That they were wise in this IL shown
ny the decision Of the Supreme Court
IN the locker case. The incident alsc
showed that the Senate lawyers. at thai
time, held the same view Of the constt-
tutional limitations on the law against
lockers as the Supreme Court later put
into its famous decision.
It "A also believed that the prohibi-
zion leaders will propose a bill allow
Ing the Solicitor in whiskey cases TO
ask for a change OF venue when he
ran advance the claim that the defend.
ant cannot be fairly tried. In other
words. II IL expected that a bill will be
presented under which the trial of
defendant for alleged violation or tne
xvhfekey laws could be Transferred 70
rshiIton or Gilmore Counties. This. Il ID
said. is allowable under the constitu-
zion. a..
x,~abshitionists say that the enforce
.ment of the law, az they would ike %
see II enforced, has been made dimcui'
nv late decisions of the Supreme Court
srhav will be ready to patch up detect'
az the law wherever possible.
on top of this, Senator r. Il. Spragini
announces that he Is coming to mont.
~nmery to ask for the re-establishmen,
- aispensary In Huntsville. He wal
re eaid elected on a straight dispensarS
nsntform. and he will stick to 1t during
his term of once. "a,
RSoreover. the Legislature will d.
~alred ON behalf OF Montgomery, u
fIrst allow open saloons again ana sec
s,,a 10 establish a dispensary. The re-
cnesf will be endorsed by q Few o.
sse prohibitionists. who say that pres
emit conditions In the city are intol'
Whfie It IL conceded among politi
clans that there is some change OF sem
tinent on the prohibition question: tne.
Ssr enough TO stop any bill presented