The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-07-06
SUCCESS WITH INFERIOR
COURTS MAKES AMBITIOUS
e. X. Campbell, Too, Depores State
ments of Lawrence and Defends
Supreme Court and Its In
tegrity-Live Subject.

renee which appeared In The Age-Herald
Sunday morning, in which the writer
heaped much criticism upon the supreme
court because of its ruling in favor of
the locker clubs, has stirred up a verit-
able hornets nest, and discussion Of the
contents of Mr.. Lawrences letter is be-
coming quite lively.
The editor of The Age-Herald received
yesterday letters from John L. Glover
and e. X Campbell, both prominent law
yers of Birmingham.
Mr.. Glovers letter is written in no un-
certain language. In one paragraph he
says: IF it has come to pass that the
decisions of our supreme court are to be
censored by the Anti-Saloon league and
that expulsion from office is the doom and
fate of all those who do not surrender
their honest convictions and adopt his
(Mr Lawrences views then indeed is
the freedom and independence of our jul
dietary gone, the liberties of our people
jeopardized and the Anti-Saloon league
more destructive of the welfare of the
people of the state than the anarchist or
Black Hand society"
Speaking of the recent decision of the
supreme court, Mr.. Glover says:
1.-The locker club case which inspired the
doctors deliverance, every wel-informed
lawyer knows to be absolutely sound to
the core, and the announcement of no new
doctrine
Mr.. Campbell in his letter deplores the
fact that Mr.. Lawrence saw fit to attack
the supreme court.
Following is the letter received from
Mr.. Glover:
Mr.. GIover's Letter.
To the Editor of The Age-Hera1d:
have read with much qualification the
very appropriate and timely reply of my
friend, Judge CASTOR, appearing in your
issue of the 9Th inst. condemning the an
archistic assault of the Rev. Brooks Law
renee upon the supreme court of our state
in his card which appeared in your issue
of the 4th inst.
In view of the acknowledged intelli-
gence of Mr.. Lawrence. his deliverance in
this card must be surprise and shock
to even his closest friends Dr. Law
renee and myself have always entertained
opposite views upon the liquor question.
He has always been and now is a fanat-
ical prohibitionist, whereas I am now and
have always been an advocate of local
option, high license and strict regulat ion
as the best method of controlling the
liquor traffic. Though we are nowtse in ac-
cord with the liquor question. 1t had
never occurred to me that his consuming
intolerance and zeal would lead him to
attempt to intimidate the highest judicial
tribunal of the state by threatening its
members with expulsion from office IL
they did not write decisions relating to in
toxicating liquors, not according to sound
principles of law, but to suit his liking.
Menace to State.
Nobody will or can deny the fact that
an untrammeled and independent judi
ciary is an essential safeguard of our
people of every class, calling or condi-
ton, and that man or set of men who
seek by intimidation, threats or otherwise
to fetter, muzzle and gag our courts are,
to be as temperate as the occasion will
admit of, undesirables and menace to
our state.
If 1t has come to pass that the decisions
of our supreme court are to be censored
by the Anti-Saloon league, or the Rev.
Mr.. Lawrence, its reputed exponent and
mouthpieee; that its decisions are to be
dictated by this aggregation of gentle
men or its bigoted spokesman and that
expulsion from office is the doom and
fate of all those who do not surrender
their honest convictions and adopt his
views then indeed is the freedom and in
dependence of our judiciary gone, the lib
critics of our people jeopardized and the
Anti-Saloon league more dangerous and
destructive of the welfare of the people
of the state than an anarchist or Black
Hand society,"
1T Is certainly high time that the lib
erty-loving citizenship of the state of
= Alabama, as well as the citizens of
every other state where the judiciary has
been assailed as has that of the state of
Alabama should sit up and take notice
by stamping the seal of their unquali-
fed disapproval and condemnation upon
all such who share the views of DIR.
Lawrence as set forth in his card
Other Courts Terrorized.
1.-The great trouble with DR., Lawrence
is that he and that association of citi-
zens Of which he is the chief exponent
have, by the means suggested in his
card, for some time held In Intimidation,
coercion and terror certain inferior court
Judges in Jefferson county, and, encour-
aged by his success at home, he now
seeks to broaden his field Of operation
and influence by bringing under his
dictatorship the supreme court of the
state.
Certainly the doctor, during his brief
citizenship In the state, has failed to
acquaint himself with the judges Of the
supreme court, for, had he done SO, he
would have long since Learned that the
present court Is composed Of men as
brave and fearless as ever graced that
bench; ofsmen who will decide cases that
come before them upon what they con-
ceive to be sound principles of law, re-
CARELESS of whom 1t paeses. and of men
who will surrender their commissions
rather than submit to coercion or dicta-
ton.
Locker Club Case.
1.-THE locker club case, which Inspired
the Doctors deliverance, every wel-in-
formed lawyer knows to be absolutely
sound to the core. the announcement of
no new doctrine, and had the trial Judge
been fearless and learned in the law the
case would never have reached the SUI
preme court. for certainly there was no
occasion for it. Respectfully
JOHN r. CLOVER"
Birmingham, July 5, 1903.
The letter from Mr.. Campbell follows
in full:
Mr.. campbeII's Letter.
To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
This is the glorious Fourth. Recalling
the fact, l naturally expected to find a
great deal in the morning paper appro-
pirate to the day. Reminders of our past.
Congratulations for the present. hopeful
forecasts of the future. .
But I found instead some things that