The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-10-29
Prominent Men Express Conf dence in Mayor and Disap-
 prove Mass Meeting
MEETING WOULD BE-
 REFLECTION ON EXUM
W. W. Crawford, Walker Percy, Wal- ter Moore Think That Mayor Exum Is Getting the situa-
 ton We'll in Hand

With the utmost confidence in Mayor Culpepper Exum, and the belief that he Is in every way capable of enforcing the prohibition laws, the business men of Bir- mingham are opposed to the idea of hold Ing mass meeting. Many of them have refused to take any part in the agitation, and declare that it is useless to excite the public when the mayor has the situation well in hand.
 "Wind jamming at a time when action
 Is needed will do no good. and might re- suit in a great deal of harm," said w. w. Crawford, president of the American Trust and Savings bank.
 "We need no mass meeting The peo- pie, the tax payers and the business men have the utmost confidence in MT. Exum and believe that he will enforce all the laws By an overwhelming vote the peo- pie expressed this confidence at the polls but few months ago. They know that his administration will be a business-like one, and that he is capable of handling any situation.
 You can't turn the course of a river in few days, but I think the mayor has made a magnificent record. Ten or 12 blind tigers have been raided every day. The detective force las been doubled and the lawless element Is on the run. The men who assaulted Arlie Barber are under arrest.
 'Theer is no more need of having a mass meeting because there was fight in that drug store than for any other street fight We have heard enough har- anguing already. Leave 1t to Culpepper Exum, and the situation will be met in busines-like manner.
 Walker Percy said:
 "The cowardly and brutal assault on Mir Barber has made the blood boil in the veins of every law respecting citizen of Birmin gham regardless Of whether he favored prohibition or ap- proved the utterances of MT Barber preceding the outrage and their feeling of indignation is intensified by knowl- edge of the fact that the immunity enjoyed by these lawbreakers and hoodlums for past crimes has led them to believe they could commit thls latest outrage with impunity. Moth ing so breeds contempt for law as its habitual safe violation. No wonder Dick Wray and his associates felt they could commit their crime with safety Acduiesence in blind tigers has produced IUt lOe lcdl iCSuit-
 will this band of thugs, who here tofore, profiting by the open illicit sale of liquorshave now almost committed murder, be punished as they deserve?
 "Uncertainty as to this. inquiry has caused many to call for mass meet ing. Frankly the chief of police has not enforced the liquor laws. The criminal courts have seem bahled. Must we have a public meeting to quicken public officials or to arouse a sluggish public conscience?
 "Personally 1 believe in Mayor Exum's courage and announced inten- tion to enforce the law. Let us walt on his action.
 But there is no place in law abid- ing community for Dick Wray and his ilk-and If the chief of police and his force cannot promptly and vigorously drive out the blind tiger, me gambler and the numerous keepers of houses of bad character, there should be reorganization of the force from top to bottom. Let us give the mayor a chance I believe in him. If the laws are un- wise the next legislature can change them. The officials of Birmingham can exercise no discretion in the enforce- ment of existing laws"
 'If we want more frenzied bombast- ing and more anarchistic bulldozing, then let's have a mass meeting,' said Walter Moore. "All such law break ing and anarchy as was displayed in the attack on Arlie Barber is to be condemned, but I think the men who turn loose their tongues with inflam- atory language are equally to be con- demned.
 Mayor Exum is handling the situa- ton in a fbusiness-like manner. The people elected him to that duty, and this is no time for a mass meeting