The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-10

psAntsd in the sssast of every honor- able man that will assert itseif when ever hs beiisves that sn unfair sdvsn, eeQe has besa taken of him; when hc Efe0s that grsnt vyong nsS been dons lin at . time when he vss helpless vhen hs had opiy temporarily faiieo te sscurs his ftGht e vote.
 n hss been 1sqeraiiy estimated tns. thers will be only about so,oo0 votes east in this. election on account or the very largef number of delinquent poilss whsrsas the whole state easily Eeontafns l6o.o00 men eligible to vote pr6uunitue full payment of poll taxes. sDoegFit accord with fair dealing. ana wfth the splfit of our institutions to havs | mere majority of so,ooe to-wit' So,0si dstsfmine fer all time oues- ticn In which the whole people are that 1t does not From the stand point sf the pnbIfc welfare. have not ss yet heard of any satisfactory ex-' planAtion for. this prscipitate submis- stcn cf the guestion.
 4, rfst ssstiss.
 I do net believe that the adoption cs the first section viii add to or .a.e from the fswer of the Legislature 70 control the whisksy evil. The disun- tuishsd' author Of the amendment is . great lawyer. and he declares that he win stAks his professional reputa- ton that every section of the car michael end Fuller bills are constitu- ticual, If we have complete prohipi- ton by statutes that arc 4.,constitu- tienal how can the laws be strength sned by tho amendmenti It Is the penalty imposed that deters men and keeps them from violating the law. There is no penalty in the amendment for its violation. The penalty. tne punishment for violating the prohibit tion laws is found in the present stat ute. The statutes are constitutionai we are assured and accept 1t. We are told the amendment will stop the agitation Of the liquor question. Give me . reasonable assurance that it will have that effect and will work and vote for 1t, but judging by the ex- psrience of the few states in which the experiment. has been tried we know that 1t has not had that effect. We have the unreserved power of the state behind the present prohibition laws; the efficers whose duty t ts to enforce the lave are dilfgsnt. If they fail to do their duty impeachment and removal from office follows What more can the most ardent prohibition ist expsctf 'sf- ~
 Fear ef Bribery.
 It is eontended by some of the ad- vocates of tho amendment that h ft is not adopted. that the Legislature may sell out to the brewers and dis tiilers and repeal the prohibition laws against the wishes of the people. I can not be impressed with that argu-. naent Since the days of reconstruc- ton there has never been breath of suspicion aeainst the integrity of the Alabama Legislature. To admit that the Legislature can not be trusted against bribery is . confession that representative government Is g fail- are.. S ..5,s. ,,,...Js,, :, -,s,s.s t,,4.4 ..
 Such eminent authority as the pres ent chief executive of Alabama. ex- pressed this sentiment in the use tof the following iangnase In his message converting the last special session of the Legislature, "The Legislative De- partment of the government has ai- ways been neasest to the people and most protective of their trterestsyt
 We can not afford to fepndiate time honored principles of Kov2rnnent. however pFeesiEs. the sxigsncies of the eccssion may sppehr to be In the set- tleraent af the Jesus now submittsd.s :,
 If there is danssr Of . Lsgsslature being bought by. ths whfskex interest. and Induced tc rep9af the nibifioks laws # the anehdfiisnts is defended. why may they not be bought by the same interests and induced to repeal the prohibition laws if the amendment Is adcpted7 And would not the In ducement for corruption be much greater when on repeal of the penal ties everybody could sell whiskey and thereby increase the amount sold and the consequent profits to the brewers and dfstiiiers! It Is conceded that the LAgisiature would have the power, if the amendment is adopted to amend or repeal the penalty in the prehtbl- tion laws. It has been suggested that If the amendment ia adopted that members of the Lsgisiaturs would vio- late their oeths of office if they re. pea1ed the penalties in the prohibition iAws But does not the Constitution which the members of the Legislature are required to take an oath to sup- port. prohibit members of the Legis- iature from receiving bribes? It might as we'll be argued that if the amend- nent is defeated the members of the Legislature would not. sell out to the whiskey interests because by doing so they would violate their oaths of of- flee. Whether the amendment is adopted or defeated does anyone think that members of the Legislature who would accept the bribe be detered from repeating the prohibition laws on ac-, count of their oaths to support the Constitution?
 If the amendment Is adopted the penalties in the prohibition laws could be amended so as to carry only norn- tnsi punishment, and while this would he q violation of the spirit of the Consultation 1t would not be a viola ton of its letter; and therefore not strictly speaking a violation of the oath of office of the Legislators. If the amendment is not adopted there could certainly be no bribing of the le1islators, to betrav, the yvishAa oS th.