The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-31

reached my majority I was a soldier Those of Alabama were transferred into the Confederate army. In 1892 We were organized into camps of Confederate vet erans and were not allowed to present politics or religion. This we have not done, but now the fanatical legislature has forced upon us as citizens to take up the fight again. It is not moral ques- tion. Any people engaged in making new laws or modifying old ones Is engaged in politics. The Ten Commandments con- stitute the moral code. recognized by Jew and Gentle, and nowhere is there a com or sale of liquor
 '"The amendment violates the right of life. liberty and pursuit of happiness. It violates the constitution of the United States as to the sacredness of the home, as well as the constitution of Alabama"
 Colonel Jackson dubbed the whole mat ter politics" and said that his days as a speaker are over, but cried, Enough of this strife that is dividing families, churches and Confederate veterans
 The committee on resolutions then made this report:
 Strong Resolutions Adopted.
 Confederate Veterans, To All Friends of
 Good Government:
 The veterans, assembled in a meeting in Birmingham on the 30th day of Octo- Der, 1909, who were in the service of the Confederacy in the great war for the defense of southern firesides and state sovereignty-now in their old age-in the fierce contests being waged on the pro- posed amendment to the constitution are tutional rights and constitutional govern ment. We make this appeal to rally on the front line of the battle for good gov ernment, peace obedience to law and social quiet. We appeal to our comrades in the state not to be forced from that which is the best, by spacious assertions of those who would tell us that the pro- posed amendment does not limit consti- tutional rights, as guaranteed by oui. present constitution, or by the statement that the issues of this campaign are diff ferent from what they really are
 Unsound, Dangerous Doctrine.
 
 l. We proclaim that the proposed amendment limits our present constitu- tion and nfringes upon rights guaranteed by the constitution. and for which our forefathers fought. It seeks to give the legislature an unbridled license to declare where liquors may not be kept. and there by opens the door to an Invasion of the home by spies and informers. It is re- pugnant to the theory of our constitution as expounded by our courts and as known to our people. The construction attempt ed to be made, that 1t is merely proposed to give the legislature this power, but that they will never exercise it. is an unsound and dangerous doctrine. In the language of one of the greatest judges of the supreme court of Alabama in an opinion delivered more than 50 years ago namely. George w. Stone, such con- would forbid that we should regard the constitution as the supreme law of the land and would substitute that other sentiment, that the constitution as expounded by the legislature is the supreme law of the land. It would clothe the legislature with the absolute power of as well as enacting. statutes to the letter and spirit of our The pretense that the peo- pie will elect the legislatures, and that,