The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-05
Gives Out Statement IN Biz
minsham.
STANDS FOR PROHIBITION;
OPPOSES THIS SCHEME
Expected That Johnston VIII Take
Sane Position.
1tunnins Blew 10 Anenders ana Fine
1spsrts Csme From All over !
H. state--CIayton May
Oe.e ont Asai.st
Measure.



M WILL r. sHEEHAN.
Birmingham. Nov. Especial. -
United States Senator John II. Bank
head tod6s in Birmingham announced
his public and positive opposition to
the proposed amendment to the Con-
s.tutfon. He viii In the next few
I4ys issue an address to the voters Of
Alabama setting forth his reasons for
opposing the amendment.
He said this morning:
You may announce that am OPP
posed to the amendment. 1t Is unnec-
essary ana under conditions that exist
In Alabama. II Is extreme, The ques-
tion Of prohibition IL not involved In
this campaign. supported prohibits
ton whenever the issue was raised But
this IL no prohibition or anti-prohibi-
fion tight. A useless and unnecessary
light has been forced on the people OF
the State.
my opposition to the amendment is
not new. No man who knows me well
could have doubted where stood. My
friends knew where I stood. The cam
paign has become SO warm, the people
0&t0 UEIQAt6 ~ atxEkEQ VI 0fCI tAA0t
I feel that both sides should know my
position. am no fence rider and
do not want any man to be able to say
after the campaign, Yes. you said pri-
vateiy you were against It. but you
would not come out publicly while the
fight Is going on. am therefore
making the announcement that am
actively opposed 70 the amendment.
Senator Bankhead's statement, which
H. kors Ia ~
lie next Tuesday. An Interesting rea-
son lies behind the delay OF two or
three days. out Of friendship for I'D
3tor Frank ". Evans Of The Walker
County News. the home paper of Sena-
Tor Bapkhead,. he agreed 70 hold -
4nti the punlicatfeN Z ~ ~ lzzB6s News,
80 that paper could publish It as soon
as the daily newspapers.
A ztnGEexlng Blew.
The announcement OF Senator Bank
head deals staggering blow to the
political hopes that are wrapped UP In
the politics of the amendment. It IL
gossip In Birmingham that another
blow TO these same hopes will be
launched. This gossip Is to the effect
that Senator Joseph f.. Johnston will
also make clear his opposition to the
measure. This gossip is not authorized
by Senator Johnston. But he will issue
q statement Saturday, dealing with the
campaign. and in which his position
viii be made known.
Senator Johnston said todaya
mo announcement of my position on
che amendment Is authorized will
j, issue statement to the people Of Ala
bama Saturday which will make clear
my position. feel that II is public
duty for me TO take . position. and
will do So
II the gossip should prove correct
II Senator Johnston should declare
himself opposed to the amendment as
Senator Bank head has done, It will be
another stunning blow to the amend
ers at time In which they are badly
In need OF encouragement.
AZ defender headquarters they are
more than confident--they are jubi-
liant. They claim that the finishing
touches OF a successful campaign are
now being applied and that the ma
1ority against the amendment will be
larger than has been expected at any
time since the campaign.
yere King Reports.
Hon. Jere C. King came In this
morning from the fighting ground In
northeast Alabama where he has been
on q speaking tour. He toured Chero-
kee and Etowah counties and from
that section he brings the most en-
couraging reports.
THE amenders are beaten UP there
he said. 1.-THE campaign has passed
beyond the doubtful state I have
never seen such enthusiasm as was
manifested at the Cherokee and Eto-
wah meetings. Mems eyes glistened;
tears ran down their faces as we talk
ed OF this fight. They threw their
hats In the air. and yelled wildly when
we made a telling point"
The same report was brought in
from DeKaib. by Hon. Robert c. b.
Briokeil who has made seven speeches
in DeKalb.
"DeKaib II not only not doubtful"
he said, "the sentiment Is one sided.
spoke In seven beats and in six of
these beats the sentiment against the
amendment was simply overwhelming.
One beat only is considered doubtful"
DIR. r. M. Cunningham. who made a
brave, single-handed fight against
overwhelming odds for Governor three
years ago, will take no part in the
present campaign. He win make no
speeches and issue no statements, al
though II Is an open secret in Jeffer-
son county that he Is opposed to the
amendment and will quietly cast his
vote against It..
Butler county is to have one of the
sudden fights which the pro-aunend-
Tnent people are given to making now
and then. It was said that the pro-
amendment leaders had decided to
start hot fight in Butler One lead
or. It was reliably reported said: Lee
Long AMI Jesse Stallings appear TO
think they carry the votes of Butler
county in their vest pocket. We viii
show them something before the cam
paign is over"
Chairman Long smiled when the re-
port was brought to him. Butler
county, he said, lined up against the
amendment before he did. II he had
not been opposed to the amendment
he would have been out OF line with
his people.
Clayton May Announce.
Not the least interesting gossip of
the day was the report generally be-
lieved that Congressman Henry d,
Clayton, of the Third District, would
come out against the amendment.
CONGRESSMAN Clayton for the past
week has been at the Waterways Con-
vention in New Orleans. It was SAID
some time ago by HIS personal friends
that he was opposed to the amend
ment, but that It was doubtful II he
would actively oppose the measure