The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-04-08
The May Primary

All political campaigns in which large issues are involved are naturally exciting and they are often bitter. The state campaign which has been in progress for many weeks is of the utmost importance.
 On May a democratic primary willbe held in which a candidate for the gover- norship, candidate for the lieutenant governorship and candidates for other offices and for the legislature will be chosen.
 The distinguished democrats who aspire to the position of governor represent well defined issues on state policy and the most pronounced of these issues relates to the prohibition question. Col H. S. D. Mallory and Emmet oNeal, the opposing candidates subject to the action of the democratic party, are both men of ire proachable character and unquestioned ability; but Colonel Mallory was instru- mental in forcing the prohibition amend- ment election upon the people of Ala bama last fall and was an aggressive leader in the amendment campaign. while Mir. O'Neal was instrumental in a.rra a;,i,r +i,a ,,,o1-arnant fo defaat fha obnoxious measure and performed heroic service in defense of the constitution. The proposed amendment threatened the sanctity of the homes of the people, and had it been approved by the voters Ala bama would have been dominated today by fanatics and been ruled by an iron rod.
 Colonel Mallory, Judging from his cam paign utterances, still believes in the prin- ciple of constitutional prohibition, and he wide prohibition as he was when the ultra prohibitionists were in control He stands, therefore, for radicalism. MT. o'Nea1, on the contrary, while believing that the present prohibition laws, drastic though they be. should have fair trial, feels that the democratic doctrine of local option is the true doctrine touching the prohibition question. He is a champion of all that is just and reasonable in the matter of personal liberty and is broad minded statesman as well as an earnest patriot. Thus it is that in this race MT. O'Neai stand for conservatism as against radicalism.
 The proposed amendment which sought to write prohibition in the organic law was rejected by a majority of more than l 27 OOO votes. It was the first time that the people had had an opportunity of voting on any rhase of statewide prohibition in - general election, and the result showed unmist akably that Alabama was not only opposed to constitutional prohibition, but that i. was opposed to the sumptuary measures that a feather-legged legisa- ture, frightened by fabricated clamor, had adopted.
 The defeat of the amendment had a very | far-reaching effect for good. for it in- 1 dicated to the investment world and to | horneseekers that the tendency in this state was nc longer radical and destruc- tive, but that the conservative element had regained control.
 II is safe to say that there are oompara- lively few thoughtful men in Alabama
 now but who favor some modification of
 the present intolerable prohibition laws The Fuller act and the Carmichael act
 have had fair trial already and they
 arc far too extreme to satisfy any but
 fanatical prohibitionists. Just what
 changes the next legislature will make kit remains to be seen; but material
 changes there will surely be-
 MT. ONeal will be Alabama's next gov.
 ernor. But the fair-minded people should
 not be satisfed with anything less thar
 landslide majority. It is believed that
 of the rewly qualified voters 80 or 90 pei cent paid their poll taxes for the expres.
 purpose of casting their ballots for tn,
 gentleman who led the fight against the
 amendment. and there is good reason tt think that ONeal will be nominated or May ? by a majority exceeding that cas-
 against constitutional prohibition on No
 vcmber 2g. It will be so if all the liberty
 loving men of Alabama do their duty. ' It is gratifying to know that so far thi