The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-12-04

Meridian Star: The result of the cleo
ton In Alabama Monday was not VIC
tory for whisky, nor defeat for prohi-
bition. It was victory of conservatism
over radicalism, that sought to write
police regulation in the organic law OF
sovereign state, and rebuke to those who
thus sought to degrade that instrument.
Thousands of men bitterly opposed to the
saloon voted against the proposed rape of
the constitution, and they were justified.
Jefferson county. for instance. under
local option, drove the saloon out OF Biz
mingham; but it gave big majority
against the amendment yesterday. The
best friends of prohibition are those who
stand for local option, and the leaders
of that movement will find that out after
a few moro tests such as that made In
our neighbor state yesterday. Every
community should be permitted to pass
upon this question for itself, and then
we will know that the law will be meas
urably respected and enforced.
Columbus Enquirer-Sun: While this
(amending the state constitution was the
real issue, there is no doubt that the
Fuller prohibition law, which had been
enacted by the legislature, and which is
one Of the most drastic laws of the kind
in any state In the union, Is, In large
measure, responsible for the result. The
prohibitionists had already secured the
as whole did not see the necessity Of
going to further extremes, and they re-
fused to do so. The proposed amendment.
therefore, acted as a boomerang to tho
prohibitionists. They were not content to
let well enough alone, and the majority
of the people have, by very decisive
vote, told them that they must do So;
that they will not submit to further re-
striction and abridgement of their per-
sonal rights and privileges.
Florida Times Union: But there was
probably a change Of sentiment in Ala
bams- Birmingham, which recently voted
| liquor out gave q decided majority
against the amendnaent. The prohibition
lists in the legislature furnished it in
| plenty. The excuses to which they went
| in their fanatic legislation at the recent
session were calculated to disgust any
sane man. They were as drunk with
! fanaticism a. ever man were with WHISKY.
| Gloating over the power they exercised
| and besotted with zeal that knew no
| evil except whisky, no good except its
| destruction, these men went beyond all
| reason, and the voters Of Alabama ex-
| pressed their opinion Of them yesterday.
We cannot judge confidently by the vote
| in Alabama, but so far as It 10 any indi-
cation at all. It Is an indication that the
| tide is rsceding. It is not improbable that
the prohibition Juror which has swept 80
many southern states dry, or pretendedly
dry, will ultimately do harm rather than
| good to the cause. When men can vote
on this question by counties. a decision in
favor Of prohibition means prohibition.
The laws are snforced by counties. and q
county that viii adopt prohibition by
popular vote will enforce It. The open
sale of intoxicants In q number of Geor-
gia counties shows that the people Will
not enforce prohibition law that is
forced on them against their Will. Under
local option prohibition was steadily gain
ing ground. We doubt whether the uiti-
| mate effect Of this statewide agitation
wifi be an addition to the dry territory.
Nashville Banner: But, apart from the
poiitfcal complications in the Alabama
oampaixn. the defeat Of the proposed
amendmeut Is significant IN its rebuke Of
the extremists. The people Of Alabama
in one of the largest votes polled In the
stato within recent years, have declared
that they reserve the right to themselves