The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-06
ON PROHIBITION
GOVERNOR conner
IS INTERVIEWED
Defends Judges Who Made the
Famous Locker Club
Decision
GROUND FOR REMODtLING
WHAT is IMPERFECT
Rev. Lawrence Makes Statement; SEN
ator Miller, Too-Mayor Boyer of
CuIlman Out in Interview.
A Very Live Topic.

A Very Live Topic.
The letter of the Rev. Brooks Lawrence
erltieising the recent decision of the SUI
preme court in the locker club case has
precipitated a veritable furore in Bir-
mingham.
Mr.. Lawrence was seen yesterday and
in brief interview denied that his letter
published in The Age-Herald of Sun
day morning Is criticism of the supreme
court judges, but was directed to various
officials In certain countless
Gov. B. b. Conner was also seen and he
expresses confidence in the justices of the
court. He says that the opinion, accord
Ing to his view, Is not as intensely adj
verse as the -prohibitionists seem to
think. Governor Conner believes that the
dissenting opinion of Justices Mcclellan
and benson gives the legislature ground
and authority for the enactment of effec-
tive prohibition laws and he closes with
the declaration that the special session
will enact laws that can be enforced He
says the fight between whisky and the
people is on. and must be fought to the
final elimination of the "debauching
traffic"
Rev. Lawrence Explains.
Mr.. Lawrence said:
MY interview in Sundays Age-Herald
Is innocent of the harsh criticism of the
supreme court OF Alabama imputed to me
in Mondays Age Herald
what L had to say of various officials
in certain counties In Alabama is sepa-
rate and has absolutely no connection
with the recent decision of the supreme
court. That Is all I have to say on the
subject"
Governor Conner Talks.
Governor Conner said: II appointed
Judge Dowdell as chief justice of the SUI
preme court of Alabama. | also named
Judge Sayre as associate justice. OF
course, l have great confidence in their
capacity and integrity. The people elect
ed justices Anderson and Mayfield.
Il have read the decision of the court
on the locker clubs l have also read
the dissenting opinion of Justices Mo-
Clellan and benson. I do not believe
the adverseness to the prohibition more
of the majority opinion is as intense as
the whisky people seem to think. II it
was 1t would be out of the power Of the
state legislature to provide effective no.
lice laws.
And 1t seems that there Is already a
move among the whisky element to rem
der null and void the prohibition enact
ments and the prohibition inclination Of
our legislature in recent session.
I believe the dissenting opinion of Jus
tees Mcclellan and Denson-Justice
Simpson did not sit on the case-properlv
clothes the legislature with sufficient
power to enact proper prohibition laws
sufficiently strong as to be effective and
render very difficult the Illegal sale of
liquors.
Commends Senator Miller.
Il read with much interest Senator
N. l.. Miller's letter in The ..ge-HeraId
and think he was very clear in his state
ments.
1T seems to me that the fight as to
whether or not liquor, whether saloon or
tiger, shall dominate and debauch this
state, or whether the people in the integ
rity of their purpose shall take care of
or eliminate the sale of liquor and to
free this and other generations from this
debauching influence, Is now on.
TN other words, 1t Is liquor against
the people. Which shall control? As for
me, l believe that liquor in it's very infiu-
ence is bad. l think by law the state
should free itself from its Influence. 1t
q n nm bx,
means, of courts and whisky. The judi
ciary cannot be involved In 1t. 1t is liquor
against the people.
but whatever defects there may ap-
pear in the laws as they exist can and
will be remedied. These questions will
come prominently before the legislature
as the special session to be called soon,
and good, effective laws can and will be
placed on the statute books"
Senator Miller Talks.
Senator Nathan L. Miller said last
night:
"The decisions of the supreme court
are always open to respectful discus
sion, but l heartily disapprove of such
harsh and disrespectful criticism as en-
ployed by the Rev. Brooks Lawrence In
his published letter of Sunday informing.
1.-THE courts and the judges should be
treated with courtesy and respect at all
times, but their decisions on all ques-
tions should and are open at all times to
dispassionate discussion.
II believe in the enforcement Of all
laws and their just Interpretation by the
courts. II we have not the laws that
are needed for the best good Of the peoS
pie they should be enacted and then
enforced to the letter."
Boyer on Regulation
Mayor George Boyer, of Cullman, was
in Birmingham yesterday and talked
freely on the conditions that exist by
reason of the existing prohibition laws.
He said;
1.-THE officials at Cullman are doing all