The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-10-17
BARKER OPPOSES
THE AMENDMENT
Gives Out Ringing interview At
Mobile
HOME is lE0PARDlZED
Gulf City Postmaster Gives His Rea-
sons for Voting Against Pro-
posed Change in State
Constitution.

Mobile, October 16.-6Specia1) p. D.
Barker, Alabama member of the republic.
an national committee and the republican
leader of Alabama, today came out
strongly against the constitutional amend
ment.
Colonel Barker, in a ringing interview,
says:
There is no need for the amendment
1t is entirely unnecessary and, If passed,
will leave the state In chaos and uncer-
tainty as to the real situation. We have
ample statutes regulating and prohibiting
the liquor traffic. If the law cannot be
enforced under these it cannot be effected
at all. The issue is no longer one OF
liquor OF no liquor but has resolved itself
into the proposition of whether the people
are going to continue to govern them
selves, or are going to place unlimited au-
thority into the hands of a few fanatical
legislators The pro-amenders have been
apologizing ever since the legislature
passed the amendment for submission to
the people. They have everything for
which to offer apologies. The most
stringent measures that have ever been
enacted now find place in the law of our
state and the most drastic prohibition
regulations are now in effect. To add in
suit to injury these lovers of our great
state would make prohibition part of our
fundamental law.
'They would bar the sale and manufac-
ture of liquor from our state forever with
out giving the law already enacted fair
trial The working of this amendment
is plain. 1t debars liquor from the state
forever in the first section, and in the
second section takes away from the peo-
pie some right that is now in the consti-
tuition.
THE last Legislature went to mans
doorstep with it's laws and 1t was only
the constitution that kept it from enter
ing the home, The only place In Ala
bama where intoxicating liquors for medi-
cal or other purposes can now be kept is
in tho home. AS citizen of this state
claim that this second section is aimed
at the barricade that stands between this
mans home and the ruthless and fanati-
cal lawmakers who would undo our grand
old commonwealth. Pass this amendment
and this barricade is torn down, your
guns are spiked and there Is no law on
our statute books that make your home
immune from the ravaging searches OF
the sheriff and his deputies.
THE opponents of this amendment are
not allied with the liquor interests, but
wish to preserve their personal liberty.
This amendment will place the homes
of our citizens at the mercy of the spies
and henchmen of the intolerant
Governor Conner and his friends are
responsible for these conditions. When
he was indicted into office millions were
in the states treasury while now heavy
deficit exists. The prohibitionists call the
amendment the peoples movement 1t is
nothing more than platform for those
seeking high political honors.
THE eelction was called in the fall be-
cause there are 100000 men in Alabama,
who have not paid their poll tax who are
disqualified because they did not antici
pate an election this year. They are
trying to cloud great principle with
deceits and shibboleths. They must do