The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-06
Gov. Corners Leadership
Occasions Comment.
FR0HIBlTIONlsTS on DEFENSIVE
Aggressiveness Contributed by 0p-
ponents to Amendment.
wsre At work Before Final Vote was
Taken In senate--Arsping
Tkat Prspesitiea was
Pure Politics.

With the campaign for and against
the prohibition amendment a bare two
weeks old. Alabama Is plunged into
ono Of the liveliest political fights of
IL history. The campaign has devei-
8 oped one surprise after the other. and
one Of the greatest Ii the fact that
s Governor Conner, considering the night
\ against the amendment q fight against
his administration. has assumed lead
ership OF the amendment forces and "a
7 going up and down the State In its
advocacy.
The early aggressiveness of the cam
paign has been contributed by the
opponents OF the amendment The
importers OF the amendment had not
expected to make a three months cam
paign They had expected to start
about six weeks before the election on
November 20 and make q fast and fu-
rious campaign for the remainder Of
the time Rev. Brooks Lawrence. tired
out with his exhaustive labors with the
Legislature, even went out of the State
4 on q vacation trip.
But the opponents OF the amendment
were at work before the final vote was
taken In the Senate ordering the cleo
tion. While that vote was being ta-
!. ken. the Safe and Sane League was ar
ranging mailing lists and preparing to
send out literature TO every voter OF
the State. Before the Legislature got
away from Montgomery this literature
was going out and conferences were
being held with local leaders from va
rious sections OF Alabama, as to the
sentiment Of the people and a. to the
best means of making the night.
Fight Begun EARLY.
A few days later another wing OF the
opposition composed OF $50 Of the most
prominent Democrats of Alabama cali
cd a conference TO meet In Montgomery
nm, Ga r,fo has ta
means OF lighting the amendment The
list of names signed to this conference
was a revelation to some of the consti.
tutionai prohibitionists. They had not
expected men of such character to take
part in the opposition. This call was
/ notice to them that the opposition
would be strengthened by many of the
leading citizens of the State, and Z
was realized that an aggressive fight
was on.
From the very start. the constitu-
fional prohtbitionists were on the de-
fensiye, and this was the first surprise
to everybody. It was freely said ov
members Of the Legislature when the
amencmect was pending:
There will be no fight before tho
people. The amendment win carry by
from 10000 to $4,000 majority. The
opposition will lie down and not fight
Such was the general gossip among
the Senators and Representatives The
most enthusiastic constitutional prohi-
bitionist now realizes that this was a
sznistahe- They realize that q tight, ami
q hard Tight, IL on. The informed poll
ticians say Of the present stage Of the
campaign.
1.-THE amendment would be badly
beaten IL the vote was taken right now
But the election - nearly three months
of. You can't tell what the preachers
and women will do In that time. II
depends upon the preachers and the wo-
men. for just now the amendment IS
beaten"
The constitutional prohibitionisrs
have full confidence In what the church
organizations will do. and they are
still confident that the voters will be
lined up when the time comes.
Organisations Made.
On the other hand the opponents of
The amenment claim that the PROPOSE
fion IL 30 badly beaten, that It viii be-
q political landslide. Other members
OF the opposition, more conservative,
say that while sentiment at present Is
strongly against the amendment. they
fear the combined influence Of the
preachers and the women.
Two strong organizations in Mont
gonery are working against the
amendment. The Safe and Sane League
OF which Leon McCord is Secretary. has
IN tnt ncdOqudTtcT5 IN Iue Bell
ing petitions signed by 10000 voters
OF Alaba ma protesting against the
amendment. The details for the con-
ference on September Is are in the
hands of Secretary ]. Lee Long, who
daily hears from each county in the
State. There IL no split or differences
between the two organizations. nor are
they working together. Both are
working to the same end, but are US
ing different means. There is no dis
cord; one organization welcomes the
other In the fight. and allows 1t to do
its own fighting.
The anti-amendment people havr
been successful in one important I'M
dertaiSing, they have been able TO
persuade large proportion OF the vot-
ers of Alabama that the amendment
was conceived in politics and brought
forth in trades. In arguing that the
proposition Is politics. pure and simple,
they have involved the administration
OF Governor Conner. and Governor CO.
mer, not satisfied with the turn affairs
have taken, Is on the stump fighting for
the amendment And just now he 20
pears to have full charge Of that side
of the tight.