The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-08-12

Prohibition Leaders Poll
ed q Votes, Two More
Than Was Necessary
and the Ballard Bill
VIII Go Before the
People in Ninety Days,
All Amendments Of
fered IN the Senate
Being Turned Down.
Interest Was Intense and the Gal
lery. Was Ihronged When the
Hour for Voting Arrived The
Senate Remaineds In Session
Continuously for Twelve Hours,
Thomas's Speech Being Feature
Of the Debate.

Eenate at 1918 o'clock last night, BY
Ehe vote OF Is to 10. The overton
amendment. providing that the SUBJ
mission Of the question to the people
should occur at the next regular elect
ion in 1910. was lost by the same vote.
while the Biackmon amendment was
laid upon the table by the vote Of 81
to 6.
After debate lasting all afternoon
and up to 10 o'clock last night, the
Senate voted upon the amendment
which had been sent over by the House
the feeling that the Senate did not ad-
journ for the dinner hour. the time
being allotted to those for and against
the measure. Almost every Senator
remained In his seat from $3.50 o'clock
until the final vote sandwiches being
served by church soeistiss In the COR
ridors.
During the morning hours. while To-
!. cal bills were being rushed through.
there were conferences in the lob
bies. little groups would form and
break only to form again in new COM
bination. Little attention was paid to
the business on the floor. Senators cast
ing their vote Of aye on the statement
from Senator that the bill was Q local
one.
Runners of KidnappfnGs
Rumors Of Senators being spirited
away were rife during the morning
and after early night hours. It was
said that Senator Leith mad been spir-
tied away during the morning hours.
Senator Leith was an ardent supporter
of the constitutional amendment. and
prohibitionists while laughing at the
rumor. became more or less serieuA
when It was found that Senator Leith's
chair was vacant Later, the SenA-
tor appeared in the Senate. and IL was
found that while out in an automobile
during the morning. the machine had
refused to run. and the Senator had
been compelled to walk several miles
to Pickett Springs for a street car
back to the city.
During the early part of the night Ii
was again rumored that two Senators,
known to be for the bill. had disap.
peared. Upon investigation. Il was
round that Senators overton and Roy.
nolds had gone out for short auto
ride. ana that the machine had again
refused to work. A garage was COM
municsted with, and the two Senators
appeared on the floor an hour before
the time to vote.
The galleries Of the Senate Chamber
had been packed all day, and although
greatly thinned during the dinner
hour the night session found the same
large attendance present. Frequent ap-
plause from the galleries interrupted
the speakers, but President Gray's
without difficulty. During the voting,
breathless quiet reigned. and upon It's
announcement the cheering by both
Senators and gallery drowned the mo-
ton to adjourn. The Senators, how
ever, knowing that the business OF the
Senate was over for the night. left the
chamber without making formal
vote.
For several days past 1t had been
rumored that the passage OF the bill,
while meeting with strenuous opposi.
ton on the part OF certain Senators,
would favor the amendment with sew.
eral votes to spare. the final count az
announced by President Gray, showing
that the prediction had been correct.
The Senators voting for the bill were:
Barbour, Davis, Doster. Forester,
Glenn. Gum, Hayes, Heacock, Hinson,
Horton. Jones, Leith, Merritt, Miller,
McWhorter. Overton, Phillips. Reese,
Reid, Reynolds. Strother, Wilson and
Wimberly.
Those Senators voting against the
bill were: Blackmon. Gamble, Ham
burger. Hammer. King, Lowe, Moody.
SpragIns Thomas and White
On the announcement Of President
Gray that the hour Of ~ had arrived at
which the constitutional Amendment
bill had been made a special order
Senator overton gained the attention
of the chair. He said:
II realize that this is the most i'm
pcrtant bill presented to the consider
fcOutlnued On Pawe Tvva.l