The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-11-09

books by a commission, composed or one member from each congressional dis trict.
 "Appropriating s5O,0OO for buildings for InO ute for Deaf.
 '1ncreasing appropriation for support of Alabama Insane hospitals.
 Regulating Railroads.
 '.Reducing passenger rates from cents to 215 cents per mile.
 Reducing freight rates and fixing the rates on no articles of common consump- ton and use about the same as the rates on such articles in Georgia.
 Classifying railroad rates and estab- fishing a maximum rate which cannot he changed to higher rate except by or der of the railroad commission or by the legislature.
 Increasing the powers of the railroad commission and making 1t one of the most excellent bodies of the kind in the country.
 .'Regulating demurrage charges and providing penalties.
 'Fixing the measure of damages for lost or damaged freight and providing penalties.
 "Fixing the principle of valuation for railroad or telegraph properties so that they are taxed on the same basis as in divdual property.
 ',The anti-pass law.
 Against Statewide.
 "The statewide prohibition law was passed against my advice and was large ly the result of almost statewide probi- bition brought by counties voting separ- ately under the local option law. The bill was passed by more than three fourths majority of the legislature and, as understood at the time, met the wishes of a large majority of the people AL though the statewide prohibition law was passed against my advice at the time, my experience and observation has since convinced me that the legislature acted wisely I firmly believe that prohibition
 is essential to the well-being of our state. The highest object of the state should be to build up its manhood and womanhood and we should forever get rid of the de- passing and destructive influence of the saloon.
 .Our temperance laws are now the most effective of any state in the union and I would regard as a calamity to the best interests of the state the repeal or emasculation of those laws. The proposed constitutional amendment Is simply to put time-lock on, Or a fence around the prohibition laws, thus securing to the people alone the right to say when, if ever, liquor selling shall again be licensed in Alabama. This amendment would not invade the home: would not infringe the right of the individual to | keep liquor in his home for the use of himself and family, or to serve 1t there 1 to his guests; would not authorize or | protect search of the home; and the 1 amendment, notwithstanding the clamor- 1 ous assertions of the opponents of tle measure, would not increase the power of 1 the search warrant. The amendment is 1 designed simply to protect the present | laws and, instead of being a danger to l the home and to the constitution, it would be in the highest degree a pro- tection to the family and to our people. Is Not His Bill. 1 ."rhe amendment is not an administra- 1 tion measure It was suggested and urged by the prohibitionists of the state l for the purpose of safeguarding our 1 homes, our women and our children It ] is not Conner nor the Conner administra- ] ton that Is on trial. The question is ] shall Alabama change the constitutional ] provision we now have that whisky shall not be sold on election day to broader l provision which declares that whisky l shall not be sold on any day-at least 1 not until the people themselves shall de- eide to license again the sale of liquor 1 Any statement from whatever source 1 it may come that the Confederate pen | sioners have been deprived of any part of the appropriations passed by the legis-
 lature is wholly untrue. l am aston I ished that any person or reputable news l paper should directly or indirectly de- l ceive these old soldiers. The old soldiers have received every penny of the ap- 1 propriation, which this year amounted l to $360,O ,O00 more than for any year prior
 to the present administration. The ap-