Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-28
BARS LIQUOR FOR ALL TIME
ALABAMA TO VOTE MONDAY ON
AMENDMENT.
Most Drastic Prohibition Legisla-
ton Ever Attempted in Any State.
Close of Bitter Fight.

MONTGOMERY. Ala, November It.
The voters of Alabama will decide Mon-
day whether they will make the prohibi-
ton of the manufacture and sale of in
toxicating liquors a part of the organic
law of the state. The question of Wheth-
er the state constitution is to be thus
amended was submitted at a special ses-
sion of the state Legislature called by
Gov. Conner last August That session
was one of the most bitter in the history
of the commonwealth, and the campaign
which followed and which closed tonight
was not more peaceful.
The amendment, which would forever
bar liquor from the state, is the browning
feature of the most drastic anti-liquor
legislation ever introduced ina any state.
The present legislature, elected on local
option platform, took the bit in its teeth
and went to extremes unheard OF BEFORE
in all lines of prohibition law-maklng.
Obeying the platform which the people
Endorsed at the general election of 1906
the two houses passed in 1907 a local OPP
ton bin which held the county as the
unit. The liquor men Fought TINS act ana
followed with agitation for its repeal But
they did not kno6 how well off they were.
for this agitation resulted In another
move by the radical prohibtionists, who
forced a special session the same year,
during which, after bitter tight, ooth
houses passed almost unanimously the
statewide prohibition BILL Again the
LIQUOR element fought, with the repeal OF
the act as its object. Again the prohlpl-
tionists retaliated, this time by the. spe-
cial session of 1909. which broke all rec
ords by not only submitting the question
of the amendment to the constitution, but
enacted the now famous Fuller bill, which
is conceded to be the most drastic sump-
tuary Law ever drafted.
Drastic in It's Provisions.
The bill to be voted on Monday pro-
vides for the submission to the voters of
an amendment to the constitution for the
purpose of forever prohibiting the manu-
facture, sale and keeping for sale of al
coholic and malt liquors and other intox-
icating liquors and beverages. with the
exception that alcohol may be sold for
medical, scientific and mechanical pur-
poses. and wine for sacramento purposes
under such regulations as the legislature
may have prescribed or may hereafter
prescribe and to declare that nothing III
the constitution Of Alabama shall be con-
strued to prevent the legislature under
the police power from designating the
places where such liquors may not De
stored kept.
The second provision would give to the
legislature the power to prohibit citizens
from keeping liquors in their homes, If
at any time prohibition enthusiasm be
came strong enough to demand this
action. The latter part of the amend
ment is put forth frankly to meet the
recent ruling Of the supreme court that
liquor is a commodity which can be pos
sessed and stored where and in such
quantities as it's owner may see fit, so
long as he does not offer it for sale.
The fight during the campaign inst
closed has been marked by more bitter
ness than has attended any other politi-
cal issue in years. Both United States
senators and five of the nine representa-
tives are opposing the amendment Gov.
Conner, Lieut. Gov. Gray and Speaker
Carmichael are supporting 1t.
During the ballotng tomorrow the
women will serve hot coffee and lunches
10 voters All guesses as to the result
are hazardous About half of the 80 600
voters failed to pay their poll tax, not
knowing that there would be an election
this year, consequently these are debar-
red from voting Just which side is af-
fected is not known. That the fight will
he close and that the result WIZ not be
known until the votes are all counted
goes without saying