The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-06

spect and uphold the dignity Of the
courts"
The Age Herald. this morning. vigor-
ously denounces the utterances Of Mr..
Lawrence. The paper goes farther.
and demands changes In the prohihi-
ton law. declaring the reaction has set
In.
The Age-Herald said:
THE reaction against statutory pro-
hibition began In Georgia when Gov
ernor Hoke Smith was overwhelmingly
defeated for reelection last year. In
nearly all local option elections held
in the North recently the contest wag-
ed by VETS" and 'drys" has resulted
In a defeat of the "drys."
while the Tennessee Legislature
placed that State In the prohibition coll
umn, just as the wave In the South was
spending itself. Maryland. Virginia and
Kentucky, which were at one time In.
fected with the Statewide prohibition
fever. are now believed to be out of
danger Local option Ia popular. 1t II
reasonable and II is Democratic and
those States that reject statutory pro-
hibition should continue and will con-
tinue to maintain the local option svS-
TEN.
"Here in Alabama prohibition. along
with legislation antagonistic to capital
and costly to the taxpayer, was forced
upon cities where public sentiment was
strongly opposed to such drastic
measures. Demagogues and fanatics
were in control at the Capitol and would
listen to no plea for moderation. Ala.
bama became a prohibition State; and
while good men who were against the
statutory BILL were ready to uphold the
law. prohibition In all the cities has
been a farce.
"Yet signs Of reaction. such AZ would
indicate a decisive change In senti-
ment In the country districts. had been
slow in making their appearance. The
decision of the Supreme Court. how
ever. rendered few days ago. main
tanning the principle that liquor -
property and thereby protecting the
rights of the people against the fanat'
cal action OF so-called reformers. II
regarded by lawyers as absolutely
sound. 1t not only gives out the death
knell OF prohibition in Alabama. but II
10 resulting in general reaction
against the professional organizer who
came here from another state and In
trenched himself for a time. and who
is still seeking to control the votes and
morals of Alabama. Reaction against
drastic prohibition laws was slow in
coming; but 1t has come and come
with a vengeance. When the Rev.
Brooks Lawrence, Superintendent OF
the Anti-Saloon League, issued a pro-
nunciamento inveighing against the
Judiciary, heaping Vulgar abuse upon
those who did not do as he wished. and
threatening the opponents of his bully
ing methods he aroused all the truly
patriotic people Of Alabama.
Regardless of the prohibition ques
tion, The Age-Herald believes that al'
hi ii- minded Alabamians will resent
Mr.. Lawrence's unwarranted imputa-
tions and his indecent screed.
Judge Gaston's fearless and manly
letter, In which he pays his compli.
| ments to the man from Ohio. will voice
the sentiments of thousands in this
State who were prohibitionists but who
are Alabamians from top to bottom {.
Gaston's letter has the telling ring.
Eyes, reaction in this State was slow.
but Mr.. Lawrence 10 making 1t other
wise. II Is the old adage come true,
Give a man rope enough and he wi'
hang himself"