Omaha daily bee., 1909-12-01
WET WIN BY BIC MAJORITY
Prohibition Defeated in Alabama by
About Twenty Thousand.
PERSONAL ELEMENT IN FIGHT
II Cannot ne BeEsrded NJ a straight
AUTHORIZATION Victory-Gov-
ernor Conner Wa an
Issue.

BIRMINGHAM. Ala. Nov. So.-An lndi-
cations point to a majority Of %56tween
1900 and 10000 in Alabama against the
prohibition constitutional amendment yes
terday. Chairman ]. Lee Long, who has
been in charge Of the fight against the
amendment, claims that the majority
against the amendment will be fully 10000.
The early returns Indicated a landslide
against the amendment and succeeding
bulletins fully bore out the early indi-
cations.
Jefferson county, in which IL Birming-
ham, the largest city IN the state, I'm spite
OF the fact that the fight has been con-
centrated here, gave a majority OF over
1000 against the amendment Mobile, Mont
gomery and Cullman counties show the
largest maiorities on the victorious side
and Il appears the amendment has carried
but three counties, Tal,adega, Macon and
Sumter, with Lee in doubt.
Not "A Straight victory.
Today's election cannot be regarded as
a straight anti-prohlbitlon victory because
Of the personal politics that has been in
jected into the ISSUE
It's association with the administration
Of Governor b.. b. Conner and his reported
ability to name a successor to the gov
ernorship IN. Judge S. d. Weakley, author
of the prohibition bills, have figured promi-
nently IN the result
A significant feature Of the result is the
fact that sentiment against the amend
ment is so widespread. Rural precincts,
small towns and cities alike. for the most
part returned substantial majorlties on
the winning side.
Interest In Contest.
A fact Of special interest in today's cleo
ton on a constitutional amendment maxi
ing prohibition effective throughout all
Alabama was that twas the first time in
the history of the state that an expression
OF the whole electorate vote had been Sc
cured on a prohibition question. The state
wide prohibition bill was passed by a legis-
lature which had been elected on a local
option platform, and while several counties
had declared for prohibition under the
local option act, the voters of the entire
state had never before been called upon
to pass on the question direct.
The polling places In the country pre-
cincts closed at 5 o'clock and in the cities
at 0 o'clock, and the count was rapid, be-
cause there was but one proposition sub
mitted.
MHMy RAGMA NJ GoAAhs
In Birmingham the election was the most
exciting ever witnessed. Hundreds of peo-
pie were crowded around each polling
place, women and children were, singing
and brass bands, stationed by the anti
amendment forces. We're playing patriotic
airs, Each polling place was enlivened by
its quota Of fist fights. there being so
that IT was imRossIble to keep track
OF them. Feeling was so. high that a few
words were sufficient to bring on a blow.
Practically every other voter was chal-
lenged and required to make affidavit that
he was a qualified ~elector, This delayed
tho casting Of ballots considerably, but in
spite Of these handioaps the vote was
heavy.
AS an instance of the deep feeling dis
played, a minister went to the polls and a
young woman attempted to pin a white rib
bon upon him. The minister declined, tell
ing her that he considered it Improper for
young women to speak to men on the
streets, whom they did not know. The wo-
man began crying and the minister apollo
gized for hurting her feeling, but he con-
sidered the polling places improper places
for the young woman to be, The affair
was taken up all over the city and partl-
sans commended or denounced the conduct
Of the minister accordingly as their senti-
ments on the question dictated.
Country Counties Against 1t.
MONTGOMERY, Ala, Nov @.-Returns
in the Alabama election indicated the pro-
posed amendment TO put prohibition in the
constitution had been defeated by a de-
cisive vote. From the country precincts
the reports indicated the farmers vote
was largely against It. The majority in
Montgomery county against the amendment
may go to 1,5o0. The Indications are that
the amendment lost In a majority Of the
counties. Most OF the large counties went
heavily against the measure. While women
and children were at the polls in many
places, their presence did not affect the
vote to any extent.
Oscar Hall, tax commissioner OF Bald
win county, fell dead at hts home, a few
minutes after voting for the amendment.
Physicians say death was due to heart
failure Induced by excitement.