The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-30
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
That Action of Presbyterx.

That Action of Presbytery.
 The so-ealled action of the North Ala bama Presbytery indorsing the constitu- tonal amendment was no action at all" said minister who belongs to the presby- tery. Some of those present refused to vote at all on the ground that politics was not a proper subject for church ac- ton. The Rev. pr. W. I. sinnott of Cen treville, who has been clerk of the Ala bama synod for many years spoke against the resolution, although he was counseled by other opponents of the reso- lution to keep silent The ultra-amend- CTS in the presbytery apparently had everything their own way. but when the matter Is explained it will be seen that the so-called action is virtually null and void. The whole matter will be taken up to the synod and probably to the gen eral assembly. Speaking of Dr. Sinnott no abler arguments against the amend ment have been presented than appeared in his letter of october !. I am glad to see that that letter has been printed in leaflet and that it is being sent broad cast through the state It is full of pithy
 
 man who knows the world and the trick cry thereof
 !" The amendment blows hot and cold at the same time. It's first promise is false. its second is true. The amendment is a combination of a falsehood and a truth, a combination that probably pleases satan, as he prac9ised such deceit on Mother Eve to ruin her and Adam, and he has often tried this method on Eve s daughters since to.catch the sons of Adam also.
 Tn his study of administration, MT. Sinnott says. Governor Conner had grown unpopular because he had waged such a campaign against foreign capital as to cripple the business interests and stop the building of railroads. He had emptied the state treasury and spent $S7s,- 592 70 besides-for that is the amount of deficit for the year ending October l, 1909. The administration, therefore, was getting into disrepute and something must be found to shift the public eye from the financial wreck of the state. Imagining that the good people could be aroused over prohibition, the Governor assembled the lawmakers in his fourth session to pass more laws. Prohibition had already been adopted statewide, but a dozen more laws were passed on the subject All of which was all right; but did the agita- ton stop .there2 Not for moment, be- cause an ~ssue was needed on which the Governor might run for the United States Senate, and his personal lawyer friend Judge Weakley, for Governor in 191O And now we have the interesting spectacle of Judge Weakley an announced candidate for Governor and the most conspicuous speaker for the amendment with the Gov ernor a close second. Some preachers mistake the fight for a moral issue and naturally and honestly plunge into it, urging you to vote for the amendment. But with the facts before you as a voter, you must exercise your choice from a political, not from a moral standpoint. man can vote against the amendment, and, like Hon. Frank s. Moody, the old est temperance advocate in Alabama, as well as many preachers. can claim to be real and reasonable prohibitionist But there is no doubt but that Governor Conner would take the adoption of the amendment as an indorsement of his ad- ministration He would, indeed, hail it as an approval by the people of his vio- lent warfare on invested capital and con- tinue to build his powerful machine for control of state politics for another four years. Yes, the amendment has politics written on its top, on its bottom and on it's sides, and saloons or no saloons" Is a false cry like dragging corpse from it's spotted shroud.'"