The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-07-31


 ZANE of the striking phases of the IVY prohibition campaign in this ~ state is the attitude of some of its leaders, and of many of their thought less followers toward the newspapers which print the advertisements of whisky dealers outside the state.
 A short time ago one of the Metho- dist district conferences passed reso- lution condemning the course of such newspapers. Last week the State Bap- tist convention at Andalusia among other resolutions on prohibition passed this:
 we frown upon the newspapers which use their columns for the encouragement of the violation of law and that carry in their columns advertisements of the goods when sold which is prohibited by law in our state.'
 Now comes the Anti-Saloon leagues organ, the Birmingham Citizen, on the same line, saying:
 .'It has seemed strange to some per sons that certain newspapers are the active supporters of the old saloon crowd, and are doing everything in their power to discredt prohibition and to minimize It's good effects. There is a reason. Forming a part of the makeup of their columns each day. with double or quad ruple the space on Sunday, these papers carry an immense amount of liquor ad- vertising. No one not privileged to ex- amine the books of their counting rooms could tell just how large the amount will total in a years time, but It grows day by day into large proportions. Prob ably to say that 1t would aggregate from s250Oo to s5O,000 year would be ultra conservative. Take the fact of the enor- mouss revenues with the additional fact that the liquor traffic does not ad- vertise in papers unfriendly to It's busi- ness and the matter becomes more clear. There is a reason. Did any one ever see a strong prohibition paper with large space occupied by liquor advertisements? Isn't it truth that this is the same bait the liquor traffic holds out to editors in the attempt to induce them to hide heir views and dull their convictions on this question? Again we say, there Is a reason"
 These appeals to the prejudoes of church members and the prohibitionsts have 6 two-fold purpose The first aim is to undermine the influence of the leading dailies, like the Advertiser, which are opposing the extremist leaders and their visionary propositions The sec ond purpose is the hope of instituting a sort of boycott of those papers so that a loss of subscribers may bulldoze the papers into submission to those leaders. It is another demonstration of their mar rowness and bitterness.
 It is amazing what a lack of common sense and judgment is shown by those responsible for that sort of questionable methods-methods borrowed from low browed big muscled ward-heelers in the slum politics these gentlemen decry so much. If these embryonic boycotters would stop little while and give their brains a chance they would see what little foundation there is for their slam derous insinuations.
 Let us take up first, the bottom ques- ton of the right of newspapers to print liquor advertising. No one would con tend that the newspapers are violating any state or national statute. The out of-state manufacturer or dealerd has right to ship his liquors into Alabama, and some of the ablest constitutional lawyers say that he cannot be prevented by and congressional statute. Nor does any state statute prevent a citizen from buying liquors outside the state The question of newspapers rights in the matter is therefore, restricted to the field of morals and expediency. ThereN it becomes a question of the newspapers own conscience and judgment This may not be permitted by such spiritual czars as MT. Brooks Lawrence, but neverthe- less most Christians admit that such a freedom is true biblical doctrine.
 Now the Advertiser does not hesitate to take the position that 1t is serving the cause of temperance far better by printing liquor advertisements than 1t would by refusing them. Not even Dr. Crumpton disputes the right of the In dividual to use all the liquor he wants. and everybody knows that there are thousands of people who are determined to have liquor. It is far better for the cause of prohibition that such persons should procure liquors legally outside the state than to aid and abet blind tigers in its bounds in Eetting them illegally.