The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-11
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BY c. M. STANLEY.

Montgomery, August 0.-(Special 1.-The
 constitutional prohibition amendment will
 undoubtedly be passed by the senate when
 it comes up at noon tomorrow. A care
 full investigation fails to lead to a belief
 in any other outcome. Quite a number
 of senators will vote for what they be-
 leve to be an unwise thing, but they
 believe their constituents want it and they
 are here to represent them.
 The pressure brought on senators is
 terrific. One man known to be against
 the bill has received letter from a sis
 ter whom he dearly loves. In this let
 ter she tells him that crowd of ladies
 came to her to sign a petition to her
 brother to vote for the bill. T signed
 it," she writes him, but I was coerced.
 l want you to vote as your conscience
 tells you to vote. Disregard a petition
 which I was actually forced into sign
 ing"
 Telegrams by the hundreds are written here in Montgomery by the prohibition leaders. They are then rushed to the
 home counties of various senators, sigma lures are procured and they are wired back to the capital in a constant stream.
 
 as thls? Certainly not the present senate of Alabama.
 Senator John w. Overton of Randolph.
 who has consistently voted for every pro-
 hibition measure that has been submitted, caused quite a stir by his announce ment that he would offer an amendment
 to the constitutional prohibition bill pro- viding that the election on the subject shall be held in November, 1910 at the time of the next regular election. Tomorrow he will speak in the senate on his amendment but he has no hopes that 1t will carry He will point out that an election held within three months after adjournment will cost the state no less than $50O0O. As a consistent prohi- bitionist he also believes that the carry ing of the amendment by the people will be endangered if they hurry into an election and try to thrust it down peo- ple's throats' as 1t were. He thinks the election will be very bitter and that it will divert the attention of farmers and others at one of the busiest seasons of | the year.
 1 His amendment has not the slightest | chance to carry because the prohibition | leaders do not want it. They have every 1 thing sewed up. What they want they | get and what they do not want the other | fellow gets.
 | Senator Miller of Jefferson is regarded | as one of the most conservative men in | the senate He announced definitely for l the first time this afternoon that he will l vote to submit the amendment to the 1 people He takes the position that the l people of the state want to vote on the | question and that after all they are the l ones who should decide question of this | kind.
 There is an interesting rumor going the | rounds that early in the session Governor l Conner was assured by certain leaders l that the biennial sessions and prohibition | amendments could not both De carried, | that either could be put through alone, | but that a choice must be made between | the two The rumor goes that the de- | cision was then reached to concentrate | all efforts on the prohibition amendment | This agreement may or may not have l been made. but if it was it is only another l evidence that the bill is certain to pass 1 tomorrow.
 | The senators who are reasonably cer- | tain to vote against constitutional prohi- | bition are: Spragins of Madison Ham | ner of Etowah, Blackmon of Calhoun. Moody of Tuscaloosa, King of Marengo, 1 Jones of Wilcox, Thomas of Barbour, Gamble of Pike, Hamburger of Mobile | and White of Coosa. This makes Il and
 Is probably the strongest showing that | could possibly be made for the opposition. l It would require 13 opposing votes to | defeat it.
 | So you can set it down that you will have an opportunity to vote on the ques-
 ton yourself about three months hence.