The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-08
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n response to . request from Editor Irwin Craighsad. of The Mobile Reg dstsr. Hon. T. c. Bush, formerly or afobiie but now of Birmingham has Nfit<an . strong and vigorous com ununication, advancing reasons why she propossd amendment to the Con stitntion should be defeated Colonel Dush is known as one of the ciearest shinkers and most public spirited men ons the state.
 Hs was twenty-five years ago while . member of the Legislature. one of the pioneer Workers for ternpcrance. ya his lie ho has found q number of oppor<unities for assisfing in restrict ene the evils which came from the uaioon, as 1t was conducfed of old. It e as . life long friend and support nf of tsmperaMos that Colonel Bush opposes the amendment.
 Tn his letter % Editor Craighead Mir. Bush says:
 e..Y have hesitated to express my vfews publicly. at least. in regard to this important matter. as have found 1t difficu1t to do 90 and make myself aa clearly understood as I should like. I have--as | suppose others have given thts question some serious thought. feeling that 1t Is one of no small moment. am unable to con- YIuco uyattL lHAt tuo tbsuc ho PAc- santed to the people is . wise one. feit, as 2 prohibitionist that the se- curing of prohibition under the local option law, and then Statewide pro- hibftion by statute---with sufficient machinery to enforce these iaws--was . great stride in the line of prohibf- tion. and ought to have met the ex- pectations of the most hopeful advo- cates of prohibition
 To adopt the amendment as propos- cd seems to me to be needless, be- cause I think, in itself. 1t is entirely inoperative and ineffective Prohibf- tion in the Constitution. without laws to enforce same. would mean noth- tng~-ase was the case for so many years with reference to constitution hl pyohibition of the use of railroad pesses by state officials. While in my judgment. the adoption of the hp1endment would be of no avail in enforcing prohibition. I can see where harm might result in the future. For Instance, If the majority of the people of this State should decide against prohibition in its present form and prefer some plan of regulation of the liquor traffic. they would be power less -f6 do so with the proposed amendment in force. But 1t is natur- al to assume that under such circurn- Stances they would likely, through the Legislature. repeal or so modify the present laws as to make the situation 'hs to this matter almost upbearabie: i: for we would then have open viola tion of the Consultation without pow br to control or regulate.
 As to the second section of the amendment have no fear that if adopted. it would result in the promis- cuous Invasion. of the homes of our people. for such action would not be tolerated: and. as evidence of that Tact. the advocates of the adoption of che amendment express Themselves against such course, and intimate that that feature of the amendment would not be enforced. If that is true. then 1t occurs to me that such a provision. if intended to be enforced. should not be adopted; and if 1t is iu- tended. on the other hand. not to efl- #. thea. for that reason, 1t ought hot to be adopted. At all events no sech power should be given to the Ecgisiature.
 have been unable to discover that this is an issue only between whisIxev V or no whiskey. On the contrary. the question seems to be very much mixed with undesirable politics. It does an pear that this amendment. probably at one time, was the twin brother of the Biennial Session Amendment: and there is probably some reason to believe that in the early stages of the discussion of this question. 1t was ~intended that both should be adopted by the Lcgis- tature. Governor Conner. in some of his public utterances. has been quoted (sFtthont denial). as saying that a vote for the adoption of the amend- ment means vindication of himself or his administration. and he Iikens ail those who will not vote for his vindica- ton to a very unpopular animal that Is not supposed to be worth more then scent" He further stated, in sub- stance, that those who should vote contrary to his views should be car- ried to Tuscaloosa under military guard if he had the power to do so. If this latter should be done. 1t might be : thought desirable that he should take the lead.
 Now so far as the matter of women making wine at home Is concerned. I think there are not very large num- Der in the State who expect or desire to. make wine. believe they should have the right to do so if they should wish. Tn fact. am confirmed in that belief when our Governor tells them they can go ahead and manufacture wine; and. If arrested he win pardon them. We may not. however. always have such magnanimous executive to ,u..z.z,,...s..