The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-16

in their wisdom determine they have proven failure and see fit to alter, amend or repeal them.
 \ "The word people in this platform is evidently used as synonomous with leg islarure. for under our system of gov ernment the sovereign power of the peo- pic to make or repeal laws is delegated to the state legislature. The republican platform. therefore simply declares that the present prohibition laws must be tried until the legislature in their wisdom see proper to alter, amend or repeal them. By the terms of this platform the power to determine when full and fair trial has been had is committed to the
 legislature. By declaring in favor of a thorough trial, the legislature Is made the sole judge of how long that trial should be had and whether or not sue cess has followed such. trial No man in Alabama can object to the declaration that the laws are to be enforced as long as they remain on the statute books, and that the power to amend and repeal them is vested alone in the people speak ing through their legislature. This was my declaration, when I announced as a candidate for governor, and this IS the declaration of the democratic party.
 Tn my formal announcement as a candidate for governor I used the fol- lowing language:
 "'The laws constitutionally enacted to carry out this (prohibition) policy must be enforced as long aS the peo- ple of Alabama in the exercMe of the sovereign power of self government see fit to keep them on the statute books, and until they express their will. Athrough the Legislative depart ment, to revise, modify or repeal them.
 My position thus expressed in my public declaration and repeated in all my public speeches received the ap- proval of the majority of my party. But if the laws the subject or prohibition are amended or repealed, how are they to be amended or re- pealed? If repealed are they to be re- pealed only on demand of major fly of the people of county or locality affected under the principles of local option, or repealed at the ar bitrary caprice of the legislature The republican platform is silent on this question. The demands of their platform would be satisfied If the leg isla ture repealed every statute on the books on the subject of prohibition and restored the sale of liquor in every county in the state of Alabama. Tn e Thompson platform leaves the whole question to the legisla ture without any rule or guidance for their action. Toe legisla ature could comply with this re- markable platform by ignoring the wishes of the people of the county af- fected The democratic platform on the contrary speaks plainly on the sub ject It renews allegiance to the doc urine of local self government and no liquor must be sold against the wishes of a majority of the people of the county or locality affected and, if au- thority is given by the legislature for the sale of liquor in any county it will necessa rily be in the nature of an eX- ception to the rule of prohibition. The Thompson republican platform does not oppose the repeal of statewide prohibi- tion it says that the matter must be left to the people and the people have already committed the power to mak e or repeal laws to the legislature IL ignores the right of local self-govern- ment. The democratic principle of To- | cal self government is a protection to the people of each county against the unlimited power of the legislature.
 "The platform of the Thompson wing of the republican party on the liquor question is a miserable makeshift and cowa rdly straddle. Declaring neith- CT for statewide prohibition or local l option it leaves the whole question to the Judgment of the legislature with out laying down any rules or principles for their guidance. Yet, in the face of these facts MT. Joseph o. Thomp- son has the effrontery to appeal to loy- al democrats to desert their party and ally themselves with his mongrel com bination. I am inclined to believe that even the democrat who may be dis satisfied with his party platform, who is unwilling to yield his judgment to the com bined wisdom of his party ex- pressed by delegates elected by direct vote of the people, will pause long be- fore he foreswears his allegiance and aids in restoring to power a party which has heretofore brought upon our people the most frightful forms of mis- s-government, and to whose record In this state we believe that even Mir. Thompson would hesitate to point with pride. Yet, In his public speech, MT :. Thompson declares that he Is in full accord with and indorses the platform adopted by his state convention. He declares that he does not deal in de- cietful platitudes and ambiguous phrases and yet in one sentence he indorses platform which commits the whole question of prohibition to the judgment of the legislature. and in the next declares that he is unalterably op- posed to the sale of whisky In any place in Alabama To a person or ordinary understa nding, there would seem to be some ambiguity and uncertainty Is to his position. If, in the judgment of the legislature, the sale of whisky I should be restored in certain places in Alabama, he would favor that policy, and yet would at the same time oppose the sale of whisky in any place in the | state. It would seem to an ordinary observer that MT. Thompson is carry ing in one hand the white flag of pro- hibition and in the other the red fla g of the demon rum.
 Tt has been truly said that the past year witnessed two events of unusual interest, the discovery of the north pole | by Dr. Cook and the revision of the tariff downwards by Senator Aldrich of Rhode Island, each in its way an unique hoax It remained for the present year, 1910, to witness the greatest hoax of all- the appearance of MT. Joseph o. Thomp- son and his black and tan party as the defenders of the faith and the guard ians of the morals and virtues of the people of Alabama.
 Two Strong Parties
 MT. Thompson declares that the main | purpose of the constitutional convention | which assembled in 1901 was to free the | white man from the shackles of an op- | pressive political servitude and to create two strong political parties in Alabama. 1 Tn his published interview he states that | the democratic party is endeavoring to | cover up the real issue by resurrecting A dead one and that when we asked the | people to ratify the new constitution the | plea was made that two parties were | necessary.