The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-21


thing of the Swiss plan," the Russian
experiment" the Gothenburg system
the "Holland law" and other European
ways of dealing with the sale and con-
sumption of alcoholic spirits, as all these
systems were devised primarily as tenn
perance measures by learned committees,
after giving the subject much thought
and study, and | am sure these systems
possess many virtues, while not claiming
for them perfection. ! shall tell of them
In succeeding letters to The Age-Herald.
OF course Alabama already has statu-
tory prohibition, and for fear that an
other legislature may repeal the law the
radicals want to place 1t In the constitu-
ton, and with 1t the undemocratic, ty-
ranical absurd and unconstitutional sec
ond clause, as an aid to the enforcement
of a Russian or Spanish policy in one of
the fairest commonwealth of the great
republic, which has always prided itself
upon its fidelity to the inundated prin-
ciples of the immortal Jefferson and en-
phasized by the ilustrious lamented
Grover Cleveland. Shall democracy re-
ceive a death blow upon its favorite soil,
while 1t is singing the funeral dirge of
monarchy and high-handed oppression in
its worldwide conquests by putting Into
its sacred chart constitution law that
violates the privacy of a mans "castle?'
What would Jefferson, Calhoun, Davis
and Morgan say of such a measure?
What, may I ask. is the opinion of the
leading statesmen of the two great par
ties upon this question? Roosevelt, Taft,
Hughes and Cummins, all temperance
advocates, are upon record against such
sumptuary laws, and I am sure that the
real leaders and brains of the democratic
party are against all such measures, for
have not Harmon Of Ohio, Marshall of
Indiana, Watterson of Kentucky and
Senator Bailey of Texas registered their
protests against all such nonsense as the
proffered amendment contains? I do not
know personally Governors Harmon and
Marshall, nor am I SO fortunate as TO
be one of Mr.. Wattersons literary
friends, and I merely know the able and
fearless Texas statesman, but I am
doing other able statesmen of both par
ties no injustice when I mention the
leadership of the foregoing statesmen, and
l would remind Alabama that she gave
the world that great constitutional law
yer and international authority, the late
Senator John T. Morgan, the very per-
sonihcation of democracy.
During a midday journey between
Cologne, Germany and Brussels some
weeks ago with Dr.. Van Zandt shall
never forget g. remark the eminent Phil
adelphia physician made In reference to
prohibition, when he said: 1.-THE trouble
with prohibitionists is that they forget
that the desire of the human organisms
is for some sort of stimulant, and as
this is a fundamental want, II not neces-
sity, of course prohibition is dream and
a fallacy," and so it Is absolutely GRIM
inal folly to legislate into being a law
that is palpably incapable of execution.
according to such eminent authorities as
Marshall, Webster, Gladstone and Bis
marck
We hear much about Georgia being
prohibition state, but how about Savan-
nah, where public opinion sustains tho
saloon and Atlanta, where the near
beer places meet the demand, and had
not the legislature 1egalized the mild beer
conditions would be much worse in that
grand old commonwealth. The fact Is,
and it Is glorious fact, as 1t operates
against the tyrant, demagogue and fan
attic, that In a pure democracy the law
is no stronger than public opinion, and
while rural county may enforce the
most drastic measure, that same county
cannot compel a neighboring city to fol-
low in its train. st. Clair, with no large
towns, may be able to enforce prohibit
ton, but 1t cannot dictate for Birnling-
ham and Mobile. I mean 10 far as
saloon goes that county may prohibit 1t,
can order from Birmingham, or, IL nee
essary, New Orleans, and IL he does not
do this he can get good substitute in
the drug store labeled Tonic Bitters,
etc. So even with the saloon abolished
drunkenness may abound.
Had Georgia and Alabama been con-
tent with the option enactments the dem
agogues would be out of a dob, and the
ministers would be busy trying to save
:. L,.t..
Christian teachers, for II ever cause
was hindered by an army of insists, par
asites and ignoramuses 1t Is certainty the
church; an ignorant upstart is incompe-
tent; parasite Is of no earthly account
and a misfit should seek his level, and as
for the religio political demagogue-well
he is the limit
A friend writes me- saying: 1T suppose
you find much degradation, ignorance and
superstition amongst the priests In Rus
STA, Turkey Austria, Italy and SPAIN"
and I said In reply, Indeed I do, but why
not include Germany. Sweden. England
and the United States. and preachers, as
well as Greek and Catholic priests, for
are all preachers saints and all priests
demons. and is an ignorant, dogmatic
bigot any better In England or America
than the same thing in Russia or Spain?
Thousands of pulpits the world over have
been turned into semi-political rostrums,
self-advertising bureaus and entertain
ment platforms, hence we must painfully
witness the decline of the church as g.
spiritual agency, while the long suffering
laymen pay the bills, and what Is worse
still, the political parson has no knowl-
edge Of craftsmanship, and as an enter
tainer he cannot compete with the varie-
ty show and the most advertising he gets
out of 1t is the sef-written euloglstic no.
tiecs gotten into the newspapers through
tho forbearance of accommodating edl-
tors, for after all the editor (not Journal
ist or author) is the most patient and
long suffering man In the world. and
could prove this assertion by the minis
tiers and politicians were they to testify.
The prohibition political parson in
America, or the socialist sky-pilot in
England, has no moral right to make
political speech In the pulpit. even If he
heads his harangue with a text OF Holy
Writ and calls 1t a sermon. Surely the
world misses Spurgeon. Moody and Phil
lips Brooks, great men of God, who
preached the gospel, and the political
world longs for other Gladstones, McKin-
leys and Clevelands.
In Alabama the cry for constitutional
prohibition is a confession that the stat
utory act is a failure and also an indict-
ment against future legislatures: but
what about constitutional enactments in
Ohio, Iowa and Maine? Are they not
practically obsolete. and will it not be
just as easy to disregard constitutional
prohibition as 1t will be to repeal the
present law?
The fact is, when a free people regard
q law as being unjust inefficient and
derogatory to the best interests of the
political unit involved. they disregard 1t