The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-01-07
ALABAMA JOINS "DRYS"
FIVE HUNDRED SALOONS CLOSE
IN THE STATE.
Governor Conner is Doing Little Talk
ing, but Will Call Extra Session
if Necessary.

Mobile, Ala, Jan. with the
opening of the new year. the saloonG
Of Alabama are placed under tI.e
tan, and after that hour it will he
AGAINST the law to sell liquor within
the confines of the commonwealth
Speculation is rife over the State
as to how the liquor men are going to
regard the law, but the general opin-
ion is that they will observe it to the
letter in most of the cities and viii
lagos. Soft drink establishments will
in most cases take the places of the
saloons, but it is admitted there will
be blind tiger or so. Already the Ii
quor interests are preparing to con-
test the constitutionality of the stat
ute, and the saloons of this and other
cities have contributed to fund to
carry the fight into the higher courts
of the land, if necessary.
The question in the minds of a
great many people of the State is how
Alabama is to fare with the revenue
that is derived from the liquor trattlc
cut off. The citizens of Mobile and
Mobile county are especially interest
ed in the answer to this problem, as
at present all the school funds for
both county and city come directly
from the taxes levied upon the sale
of intoxicants.
Information from the various
chiefs of police and sheriffs through
out the State are that they are going
to enforce the law to the letter.
In 1907 the State derived reve-
nue. of s223,000 from the liquor traf-
fic. This year that sum was consld-
erably reduced when the barrooms In
BIRMINGHAM and several other places
were closed. The revenue for 1908
will however, amount to $4,000.
The loss of this revenue is regarded
as a serious one in some quarters and
predictions are freely made that the
State will suffer for lack of it.
Mobile and, Mobile county are pc
culiarly affected by the new law. The
schools of both the city and county
are supported by the liquor tax,
every cent of which goes to their
maintenance. AS the law stands now
the schools of the county get about
$4,000 annually from the saloons,
and those of the city about half that
sum. With. the; dawning Of the new
years sun. a. new condition exists
and the schools viii have to discover
some other source Of revenues. An
appropriation by the legislature OF
$4,000 for schools Of the county
will, however, soften the effects OF
the blew.
It's estimated that about 500 sa-
looms were closed in the cities OF Mo-
bile, Montgomery, Selma and Annls-
ton, the principal towns of the State
not already dry when the prohibition
law went into effect. An authority
on the subject has figured that each
place supports at least fifteen people,
counting the owners and the en-
ployes and their families. Accepting
these figures as correct, it will be
seen that $500 people will be direct
ly affected by the closing law, to say
nothing of the man who has been &C
customed to getting his teddy when
ever he desired.
Gov. B. B. Conner is doing little
talking in regard to what action VII!
be taken by the State authorities II
the saloon interests continue to fight
the law. This much is certain, how
ever, that he will call special ses-
sion of the Alabama legislature to
strengthen the laws.
"There has never been any doubt
where I stand on this question: said
the governor, when discussing the
prospects of an extra session. Ihe
State has passed certain laws that
are thought to be good and whole
some, and it is my duty, and will be
carried out, to see that they are en-
forced, if, indeed, it becomes neces-
sary to take any action at all. l have
said that things seemed to be shaping
| for an extra session."