The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-03-05
GREAT PROSPERITY IN ALABAMA
UNDER Strict PROHIBITION LAWS

forts of service common -saleens.
IL one buys beer he win drink 1t from
the bottle and pay from twenty to
twenty-five cents straight for IL. If
one wants a drink of whiskey he may
have IL, but II will most likely be
of an inferior grade and selected from
about two or three brands. a thirst
that calls for mixed drinks of any
character will have hard time in
Birmingham or any other city in Ala
bama.
There are a number of small hotels
and one or two more pretentious that
make a regular practice of selling beer
and whiskey. 1t is said that ia one
or two first class cafes whiskey and
beer may be bought. If whlskey is
ordered it will be brought to the table
In demi- tasse; il beer, in large
coffee cup. When whiskey makes it's
appearance on the boards at any of
the private suppers served at gooe
hotels ii is usually in a quart sauce
bottle or in some other disguised form
which would not arouse the suspicion
of an officer or the uninitiated.
How Tigers Arc Run.
A few soft drink stands are still
maintained in places that were once
used as saloons, and most of these
sell beer and liquor in a limited way.
But the ground floor tiger Is very
much exposed to risk. and the man
who would sell intoxicants finds the
life of his operations considerably
heightened by moving upstairs, and
having his residence in the same place
with his business One room. with pos
sibly a bed and n dresser. may be
used for drinking, while the forbid
den fluid Is hidden about in various
places ingeniously selected.
To these places any man who Is
known TO the proprietor may go tc
tylacf mtg thirst, An unKnOwn mar
can pass In with a man who Is known
without challenge. A stranger who
Is not properly vouched for cannot
The proprietor knows when he 1;
serving the drinks that he Il
liable to be captured in some one 81
the sudden swoops that officers make
on places that come under suspicion
Therefore he Is In hurry to serve the
drink, get his money and hide the
| evidence. The customer knows thai
! II he is in the place when a raid Il
made he cannot escape being held al
witness and subjected to unpleas
I ant notoriety. He Is In a hurry to ge
/ his drink and leave. Many places dea
/ only In bottles, not caring To TAKE
| the risk of having the stuff drum
on the premises. All of them are
particular to see that no intoxicated
man gets into their places. They ar'
more particular to see that nj
drunken man goes out staggering
Such a thing would only bring the
officers down Immediately.
Drinking More Circurnspect.
With the seller knowing that he L
| liza BILE to arrest at any time and witt
the purchaser knowing that he can
not escape embarrassing compllea
ttons If the place 1s pulled whit
he is present, liquor drinking In Ala
bama Is much more circumspect thar
Ii is where saloons are licensed ant
can sell to any man who has th'
price The present statutes of Ala
| bafna permit of no cvasions All tn
liquors disposed Of in public places ar
so handled in direct violation of tn
law; all liquors stored In n publ
place are SO kept in violation of tn
law and are subject to confiscation
all liquors drunk in public places la
the drinker open to be handled TO
creating q public nuisance. The lay
Is after liquors kept anywhere excep
In the home. There are acts provid
ing for the abatement of liquo
/ nujsances, and still others proyid
for the removal of the officers VIII
do not perform their duty when fur
nished with reasonable ground TO
suspecting that the liquor laws ar
being violated.
With these conditions existing, Ala
bama probably has at this time tn
best enforcement of prohibition tina
can be found in any State in tn
Union. Understanding these things
ono must readily characterize tn
false impression that anyone can &c
liquor in any of the places where
is sold as absurd The risk is te
big in this State 1t is estimated tina
less than twenty-five per cent. of tn
amount of whiskey and beers HANDLED
here under the saloon system nov
find their way into Ala bama and int
Illicit traffic The first class socia
clubs Of the State do not sell liquors
nor do they permit them to be DRUM
on the premises. The standing %
these clubs went when the State wa
forced to go after the bogus socia
club, the evasion practiced under tn
old State wide law and which brough
about the drastic laws under whicl
, whiskey violations are now handied
Can BE Enforced.
) Alabama's experience is that pro
hihition can be enforced But etcrna
! vigilance IL Inv N'i.it t'i' 'ftsi'
| has to pay The great danger nov
, is that the effect of the laws be no
uulliaed by the election OF officers VIII
) will wink at" violations The law
are on the books and the machiner
!. has been provided. The matter
? now one for public sentiment to dea
with The only question is whcthe
: the people VIII not tire of watching $
closely and being so constantly en-
gagged in a struggle 10 protect them
! selves and retain the ground the
have gained, and that sooner or late
they viii come to license the sale o
/ beer and light wines under the mos
rigid restrictions and excise regua
tons as the easiest and most perma
nent cure for the perpiexing trouble
The cry sent around the world b
those most interested that Alabam
had repudiated prohibition by the de
feat of the constitutional amendment
! Nov. %, by nearly twenty-seven thous
and votes. was misleading. ii was no
4 reputation of prohibition. Back o
the light as II appeared on the sur
face was going on battle of politica
giants The railroads, some big cor
porations and some Of the politica
enemies of the Conner administrator
took advantage of Governor Conner
pet measure. the prohibition amend
ment, to administer a rebuke for fou
years OF radical government and t.
regain some of the political powe
that was lost when they were utterl,
routed In the last election of Stat
officers. Enemies of men who jump
ed into the amendment tight with tn
\ idea of making political capital ant
riding in on a popular wave paid Of
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