The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-18
The Liquor Question

|
| Ry w w Screws of Montgomery:
"Be It resolved by the democratic party,
| in convention assembled, That we recog-
nize the evils of the lndscriminate sale
of Intoxicating liquors, and declare pro-
hibition in the rural districts to De the
/ general policy of the democrtic party OF
| this state.
Experience of the past two years mas
fully demonstrated that prohibition laws
forced upon the people of cities and
towns, when not in accord with puphc
sentiment, cannot be enforced, ana en-.
courages the violation and disrespect OIL
all laws
1--WE, therefore, favor local option with
the county as a unit and the best method
of ascertainng whether or not intoxicat-
ing liquors shall be sold within the limits
of cities and towns in such county. Such
option to be expressed by a majority vote
| of the qualified electors In the county
affected or by local laws as the legisla-
ture in its wisdom and discretion may
| determine.
THE liquor question should be, as far
| as possible, eliminated from the politics
of the state; we, therefore, favor all
elections upon this question being held
during odd numbered years. Such cleo
lions not to be held oftener than every
| four years.
.sThe democratic members of the legis.
lature are hereby instructed to carry out
in good faith the pledges of the party
here made by the enactment of all neces-
sary and appropriate laws
By ALI Tunstall of Hale:
THAT the democratic party believes
that 1t is to the interest and welfare of
the people of the state that the sale or
other disposition of liquors or other In
| foxicants shall be licensed or allowed by
law only in cities of the state possessing
| 10000 inhabitants or more and that the
| conditions under which said intoxicants
are sold shall be determined by the quail
fled voters of said communities
| BY Charles Henderson of Pike:
| 'Whereas recent developments have
demonstrated that the people of Alabama
do not favor statewide prohibition as the
best method of restricting the evil OF the
liquor traffic., and,
| whereas, the democratic party of this
state being the guardian of the welfare
of it's citizenship, it is right and proper
that it should, in convention assembled,
declare itself unequivocally for temper
ance and as favoring measures tending to
| this ultimate result in such manner as
| will reserve to each unit of the state the
principle of local self-government, there
| fore,
1 III
party of the state of Alabama, in con-
yention assembled, does again setforth as
it's policy for the control of the liquor
| traffic and for the promotion of tenn
| perance the doctrine of local option, I'M
der and by which each unit shall have
| reserved to it such constitutional rights
as are now given, and,
"Be it further resolved, That the legis-
lature be and it is hereby called upon to
enact such laws as will give erect to
these policies, reserving to the state OF
Alabama the sale taxing power OIL suci
liquor traffic, and.
BE it further resolved, That such en-
actments shall further provide that al
revenues derived by the state from the
liquor traffic shall be distributed prorats
among all the counties, based upon the
population of such several counties. to bt
used exclusively and only for the i'm
provement, construction and maintenance
of it's public highways"
BY w. F. Lay of Gadsden:
Resolved, That we. the democratic
party of Alabama, in convention assem-
bled, recognize as we do that among thu
many customs and regulations governing
human society, we have the politica
branch of society and the moral branch
and,
whereas it has been one of the time
honored principles of the democrats
party as between these two branches o
society TO assume to itself the right o
obligation of participating in the poitica
issues only, and to refrain from the re
spopsiblity of the prohibition question
leaving that issue to be handled by tn
moral branch of society.
Therefore, we do hereby declare tn
democratic party of Alabama to be pc
litical party, and not a prohibition party
and that II is no part of the purpose o
the democratic party of Alabama to as
party"
The judiciary
BY Forney Johnston of Jefferson:
Resolved, by the democracy of Ala
bema, in convention assembled, Tina
willie we are mindful of the desire of al
good citizens that fair primaries shoul
have a permanent place, among othe
party agencies, in the nomination of can
didstes for such offices as involves pop
ular expressions on proper ana dennlt
issues, and should, at all times, be re
served to the people as a remedy agains
the perpetuation of party faction an
sclishness, II Is nevertheless. to be re
membered that three-quarters OF a cen
fury of wisdom and patriotic conserve
tism is sufficient to justify our people !
the belief that the conventions OF TIL
party when given responsible publ
duties to perform, and when not selecte
and held for the perfunctory purpose
ratifying a partisan victory. have beef
and are TO be, trusted by the people {
this state and are desirable agencies ft
the development of state pride, the SUI
preston of sectionalism and the disco'
cry of the strong men of the state; an
Whereas This convention earnestl
realizea that the holding of a. Heneri