The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-06
ELECTION AFTERMATH
From the New York Globe

A LABAMA is the Kansas of the
~ south-the readiest to take up
4 \ with new things and to try gov
of hospitality and free living-on the
theory that the bottle was bad for Sam
DO and that Buckra would probably fin6
ways to get invent in for statewide
prohibition, Alabama went in for it n
little harder than her southern sisters.
A law was passed warranted to be liquor
tight. Clubs could not minister to their
members, it was crime for newspa-
per to carry liquor advertisements, the
buffet car was not allowed to have a
stocked locker.
After trying this extreme form of dry
ness for a year, Alabama, at the demo-
cratic primary yesterday, indicated its de-
sire for relaxation. The candidate nomi-
mated for governor is the wettest one who
offered himself. A majority of 10000 is
rolled up against the carrier of the state
wide prohibition banner, and the estab-
lishment of a local option system under
which liquor can be legally sold in Mo-
bile, Montgomery, Birmingham, and other
lS CltlcS 10
The eastern states tried statewide pro-
hitition forty years ago and gave it up
as impossible--as bringing in greater
evils than it suppressed Twenty years
ago the west tried 1t, and experience
taught the same lesson. During the last
two or three years the south has been
trying 1t and is reaching a similar con-
clusion. Each section, not willing to be
instructed, has fought through the mat
ter and has been led to see that a liquor
law which Is against the desires of a
Community is not good thing-that local
option secures the best practical results.
The primary in Alabama is significant
in another direction. The party faction
that enacted the statewide prohibition
law also was distinguished for Its anti
corporation fury. Governor Conner has
thought that day lost whose low descend
ing sun did not see some new tail-twist-
ing begun. Emmett O'Neal, the success
full local option candidate, as another
ground for appeal. made bold to suggest
that the corporations doing business in
Alabama were not enemies Of the people.
Tile result thus signifies subsistence of
southern radicalism and a swing Of the
pendulum toward conservatism. Alabama
Is cooling. and by inference other states
of the SOUTH
New Orleans Picayune: But Colonel
O'Neal made q fight against the PROPOSE
ticn, and decisively defeated 1t. Now he
has been put up in a state primary for
governor, and has been nominated by a
majority of not less than 10000, fact
which seems to show that public sent-
ment in Alabama is changing, and that
the next general election may substitute
regulation for prohibition.
Sooner or later the American people
will come to understand that no human
means can change human nature, and
that no legislation can convert mankind
into mere mechanical contrivances oper-
ating by an unchanging rule and working
according to an established routine.
Houston Post: The result of the Ala
bama primary election Monday has been
for eshadowed for several months. When
several months ago the state defeated the
Constitutional amendpent submitted for
the purpose Of rivetinA prohibition In the
organic law, 1t was clear that Alabama
had tired of the farce Of statewide pro-
hibition and would at the opportuni-
ty return to local option, the only prac-
teal and efficient method Of regulating o.
prohibiting the liquor traffic.
| Emmett A. O'NeaI. who led the fight
against constitutional prohibition, became
the local option candidate for governor
AMI the returns indicate he has swept the
state by almost NJ large majority a.
was given against constitutional prohibi'
ton. II Is quite possible that a lesisIa.
ture In sympathy with the declared will
OF the people mas been nominated
Alabama has declared against state.
wide after full and fair. trials7sIt hal
had experience OF clubs, lockers, bootleg.
feers. speak easies. blind tigers and Other
devices for the sale of liquor. 1t has
found that statewide meant liquor with.
out regulation where public. sentiment
preferred license. and, thet. the former lc,
cal option counties were overrun VIVA