The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-10-30

In campaigns preceding two elec- tious previously tone for q precinct and the other for county). under the | local option laws of the States I advo- cated prohibition. in one case speakins and in the other writing and somewhat speaking. in. favor of it. At the elec- tion for adoption or rejection of the y sssss ssssns against fol so vos ss ing were CD thai the amendment went to an unjuetihable extent: @ that 1t would operate inequitably, and t3) that the effort to snforce 1t would pro-
 Looking back. think that my rea- sons were valid, and that In voting against the amendment I did right. At preoinesa ne had soms that time the policy of prohibition has been extended until 1t is in force ip . large proportion of the many counties of Texas.
 Ali the objections. which had to the amendment in Texas apply to the first section of the amendment In Ala bama; and, in addition, are (to me) in. surmountable objections to the second section, designated to prevent restrict. ion upon legislation designating places where prohibited liquors may not be stored or kept.
 Seemingly. this amendment should citizens who favor prohibitory amendment. whether the amendment. needs or doesn't need the statement ot ' penalty, 1t seems incomplete without mandatory clause. Certain proyis- ions of the Constitution of the State indicate the importance of such c clause, regarding the Legislature.
 Sections 70 and 80 define the offense of bribery, as regards members of the "The offense of corrupt Solicitation of members of the Legislature or of pub- iic omcers of the State or of any mu. nicipal division thereof shall be defined by law, and shall be pun ished by fine and Imprisonment in the penitentiary: and the Legislature shall provide for the trial and punishment of the onenses enumerated in the two preceding sections. and shall require the Judges to give the same specially in charges to the grand 1uries in all the counties of the State"
 Section ss reads thus: sThe Legis- lature shall pass such penal laws as 1t may deem expedient to suppress the evil practice of dueling.
 Section 1o3 enjoins that 'sThe Leg islature shall provide by law for the regulation, prohibition, or reasonable restraint of common carriers' aad In the light of these examples. the appropriate judgment seems to be that such an amendment as that now proposed should have mandatory clause as strong as cnuld be made even
 
 fish.
 Besides the objections which have been mentioned. other (but not the only other) objections to the amend ment are that 1t Is unnecessary in or der to have prohibition (probibitory laws exist without the ainendmentl. and that the adoption of the amend ment would not cause agitation of the question of prohibition to cease. this forecast being supported by the rex perience of States which have adopted prohibitory amendments.
 Considering the exceedingly sertotis objections ta the amendment uts ex- tremism. so much of 1t being subject to construction, the absence of man datory clause. and others). these on- jections seeming to be well sustained. are looking only to the welfare Of Alabama, and whether they favor or disapprove a prohibitory amendment, seems to he to vote for the rejection of the proposed amendment. Apparently strong ground exists for the judgment that. aside from the question of the right or wrong of prohibition. one ef- feet of the amendment would be the production of confusion and disorder. which should be avoided
 To me. the plan in favor of which are the strongesr considerations. Is a local option law having alternative provisions, so as to be adaptable, as far as possible, to different localities in which dissimilar conditions exist From my youth I have practtced ana counseled abstention from the use, na beverages. of drinks generally desin- mated as Intoxicating but l do not fa- vor excessive restriction by law. The distinction between "a thing uniaw- ful because an evil in itself" and Ian acL wrong because forbidden by law should be recognized invariably Also scrupulous avoidance of acting ac- cording to the doctrine that the end justifies the means. should be cb servd
 Inasmuch as prohibitory lave appli- cable to the entire State have been er- acted, would not repeal them; and n case of repeal, would favor the sub stitution of local option law; but would repeal or modify portions of 1x~ isting law or laws.
 Having tried to write in q style re- spectful to my fellow-citizens whoss opinions differ from mine. make q plea for peace before. and subsequent to- the election in view. Probabir4 on either side of the pending question are men who are influenced by self-in- terest: but let the body of citizens on one side, whichever 1t is. accord sin+ cerity to the body of citizens oa the disagreement shall exist should te only that of judgment as to the qusa- ton already formulated. "Is the adop. ton of the amendment advisahier' Two men actuated by very different motives may pursue the same course. Personally, every reason applicable 10 my duty as voter prompts me to try to promote the welfare Of Alabama. of which am a native. and within whose borders I have spent nearly two- thirds of the sixty-two years since 1s47.
 Although attended. on september IS, portion of the session of the Convention in Montgomery. I wasn't member of the Convention: hence have no occasion for hesitancy Tn pre- senting quotation from an editorial entitled The Protest Convention" re- published in The Mobile Register toS September 1S) and credited to The Birmingham Ledger. which favors ths adoption of the amendment:
 'aThe men who are In Montgomery are as good men as ever assembled In any public meeting in the history of the world, and a man risks his char aeter for fairness and truth who says otherwise"
 If the spirit of iiliberality shall be manifested towards any man. let hlIn observe an apostles admonttion: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" A preacher remark ed, in reference to this precept. lhar this way is the only one for overcome ing evil: that an attempt to overcome evil with evil makes condition worse.
 Tn it's review of a book, The North American Review (for September 1909l has this observations; "rhe truth ls one things. the truth in love is quite another yet. whether 1t Is of indivd- uals or of nations the truth to be really effective must be spoken in love"