The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-09
INCREASE OF CRIME IN
 ALABAMA.

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 The cold and impressive figures of the great increase of crime in Ala bama, contained in the official re- port of Attorney General A. M. Garber. are more than surprisins--they are alarming. The increase in crime in Alabama during the past two years. over any two previous years is noted in the astonishing statement that it amounts to s1 per cent. This official statement is not to be ignored or | lightly considered.
 Tn the two years carefully covered by the report of the Attorney Gem eraL ao.s72 criminal cases were dis posed of in the State courts. The highest number of cases disposed of in any previous two years was 1s,- SIS. This alarming increase was not ed in the two years in which confi- dent promises were made that because of prohibition crime would be practi- caily banishsd from the state. In the | Legislature and on the stump 1t was declared time after time that the sale of liquor was responsible for 90 per cent. of the crime in Alabama. No- body knew exactly where the figures Of 90 per cent. were obtained and if a man asked he was told that he was an ally of the whiskey ring and op- posed to good morals. The Attorney General himself. who has probably studied the question more deeply than any other man in the State. is at a loss to find . reason which will satis- fy himself for the increase The At- torney General Is a strong advocate of prohibition and has given his support and sympathy to the movement, which he believed encouraged morals and right living in the State. He does not say why prohibition has failed to ef- feet the reforms which were promised because of it and he does not of course admit its failure. His view of the increase in crime is given in the fol- lowing statement in which he still defends the prohibition movement and advances a reason which he says Is responsible for some of the increase. but to which he would hardly attrib- ute all the unparalleled increase.
 q am unable to offer a rational or satisfactory explanation of this sur prtsing increase in the number of criminal cases before the trial courts of the State: A growing spirit of law defiance and corresponding indiffer- assigned as the reason. am reiuc- tant to even suggest. much less ad- vance, such a degrading cause in the educational development of our citi- zenship. surrounded as it is on all sides by schools and churches and up- lifting influences. The more proba- Der of courts, the consequent increase ] in the sessions of the grand jury in each community, greater vigilance by out crime, the new criminal statutes l enacted and the growth in the popula- ton of the StGte.
 The statement of the Attorney Gen. eral published yesterday. confirms as strongly as words can do so, the con- viction of thousands of the purest and best men in the State. that while much Is promised by prohibition. 1t is never theless an experiment. which has yet to be worked out in Alabama. The laws are fairly on the statute books They were put there at the cost of sacrifice, of suffering. of dissension, and Of strife. They should be fairly and justly tried.
 It would be folly for Alabama to bind itself hand and foot so that it could not remedy evils which may grow up under prohibition. It is dem- onstrated by the official figures that prohibition in its first stages has not accomplished the good claimed for it. by its enthusiastic and zealous advo- cates. A longer trial might make a better showing. or a longer trial might demonstrate an additional increase oi crime.
 Alabama should at least have the wisdom not to shut itself off from all hope of relief from possible evils. Il would not only be unwise. but il would be opposed to the principles oi popular government to put an amend ment fin the Constitution. which would prevent the people of Alabama from curing governmental evils as they arose.
 If prohibition proves to be what its advocates claim for it there Is no need for a constitutional amendment. The people of Alabama will see that tho laws stay on the statute books. Il prohibition proves to be unwise and 6 breeder of new crimes the people oi Alabama should retain their right tc honestly and fairly meet new prob. lem when it arises.
 It might be possible for man O