The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-24
.WEAKLEY AND 0'NEAL DEBATE Prohibition Amendment Subject at Sheffield. BITTER WORDS ARE PASSED In Dispute at Close Mi. 0'Neal Wins. shows Cieser study of Fuller Lisser Biil Thaa Opponens-Monster
 Meeting Held h she
 Open Air.
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BITTER WORDS ARE PASSED
BY T. F. SIMPSON.

this prohib .tton amendment to the Con- stitution carries in Alabama" declared Hon. Emmet O'Neal. opening the cam paign in opposition to the amendment. here today, blood money, private ven geance. the privacy of the home invad- ed. rancor. strife. agitation. will be the founaation upon which 1t win be laid"
 This is not my amendment" was the declaration of Judge s. D. Weakley. on the affirmative side of the debate. "It Is the peoples movement. I believe a majority of the people are for 1t. l heiieve that when the people come to know about 1t and when we correct the transformation disseminated by the saloon men and, by politicians allied with them or not allied with them. we will put liquor SO 1t cant ever again be sold in Alabama or be shipped into this State from the North or south"
 On November 2s the suffrag.sts of Alabama will vote on the simple ques- ton whether or not prohibition shall be incorporated In the Constitution and made a part of the Fundamental law of the State. Already two months m ad- vance of that special election, the peo- pie of North Alabama are well lined up on the question. their convictions are established and are openly and ern- phaticaliy expressed.
 
 and argumentative end of the cam. paign opened, with two leaders of the opposing factions in a joint debate that had been well advertised in advance and that drew an audience from all parts of this end Of the State.
 Seek Guhernatorial HOnors.
 Hon. S D. Weakley. formerly of the Supreme Bench of Alabama, and now an avowed candidate for the Governor ship on the prohibition platform. ap peared as the champion of that cause while Hon. Emnet o.Neai. of Fiorence. who is leader of the bar tof ths State and who Is known to ba pros pective candidate for the Governorshtp In opposition to the constitutionai pro hibiton faction. went forta to do bat. tie for the cause.
 H. n. Urauhart, caslisr es the shes- Aela Flatiuna5 Bask actsd ae fa&etAs of csremenies ana tntrodnced tns speakers approprtkeeiy.
 The speaking took rlacs iH the Tri. Cities Park under the most agrceabit conditions. The weather vas ideal. The sun was hidden behind the ,clouds
 frhs speakers stand had been erect ed In the open air. under umhrageous park trees and benches and chairs drawn from a nearby pavilion. furn- iahed seating accommodations for the 2.oeO or more auditors The attend ance would doubtless have been much greater had not the threatening aspect of the clouds deterred the farming peo- pie of the neighboring country from coming
 Chairman Urquhart. before opening the discussion, announced the terms Of inc debate, an hour for MT. O'Neal to open, an hour and twenty minutes for Judge weakley to reply. with twenty minutes for Mir. O'Neafs fejoinder.
 The audience was composed to 1o small extent of women. who are man,- festing an unusually keen interest ID this campaign. Espectaiiy was the W e. T U wei: repres7nted. That-er- ga nization yesterday hafd prayer mee.- inrs in each of the three cities Of shet- field, Tuseumbia and Florence asklns Divine ,ass.stance for the cause Of con s.itutiona. prohibition in the course Of today's debate and in the campaign generally. These W. c. [. U. women also served dinner on the Erounds TO- dav. Throughout the debate inteiuReh. interest and attention were accoroep the speakers.
 Tells Oe Montgomery Meettn@.
 MT. O'Neal was heartily appiauoeu when he started to speak. He spoNo nf the Montgomery conference or
 so,ved to oppose the writing of po- IIca regulation in the Constitution Three ex.Governors were in that con vention as well as others who nao fought for the State in war ana hao preseryed the State in times Of peace he said. It is not the purpose 10 re- establish saloons or to wipe out anu saloon laws now on the books. saia tIie speaker. but to defeat this inslduous
 nf Speaking of the prohibition conference at Birminghan. he said that while some of those present were actuateo py exalted motives it was mRdef up UT office-seekers mostly.
 MT. O'Neal called attention to the fact that the Birmingham copferehce of prohibitionists was held Tn church. The people of this state oo not believe. he said. that the mousse oi God should be converted into . pontI- cal hall. The speaker suggested that the special session of the Legislature had been called to make 6 platform on which Judge Weaklev could run TOT Governor. The special election IS called for this fall. said Mir. ONeal. because in the State there are lVV.Oov voters who have not paid poll tax anu are disuualified from voting because they did not anticipate an electlon this year, OpDOnentS or Lne AIhcuuincht are not allied with the liquor interests he declared. but want to preserve per sonal and political integrity. The pro hibition laws place the homes of AL nbama at the mercy of spies and in- formers If the officers do not enforce that law they will be impeached; 1T they do enforce 1t they will oe shot. They want the constitution amended so as to alIay agitation of prof iibition in the future. but Maine and Kansas have never been able to allay i.. Sta tistics show that in prohibition Statess church membership has deereaSsd and religion has degenerated. Mir. Conner Is responsible for all this agitation. During his administration a piethortc State treasury has been depleted. The people are asked to rivet on them selves the chains of political slavery in the interest of despotic oligarchy of office seekers"
 WeaIkIey Denies Any PFOata.
 In his reply. Judge Weakley devoted some time to deniai that he had un- duly profted by his services to the State. He said Mir. o'NeRl had no right 10 comment on disfranchisement of voters in the special election as Mir. O'Neal himself drafted the fran chise feature of the present constitu- ton. He wanted to know if Mir. O'Naai stood for town or beat or county or state as . local option unit. He said