The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-02-02

Mother Nature depends the ample sup ply or the scarcity with which the mouths of the multitude are filled, or whether the laborer in far off Lancas- tershire will be furnished with suf- fcient material to keep him at work and procure his meat and his bread Tor | his family"
 The health also of our people ought to be carefully guarded. Science has made rapid strides and many discov- cries looking to the stamping out or some of the terrible diseases so disas- 1 trous to our people. Many of these dis eases are now known to the medical profession, and can, in a large measure l be controlled. I believe that with the health department, great good may be accomplish ed and many valuable lives be saved.
 If there is one enterprise of the state more important than another to our people 1t is public education. To facil- itate the preparation of its youths Tor the responsibilities of life and citizen- ship, the state should pursue most generous policy toward every educa- tional interest of the state.
 While every safe investment brings it's own reward, there should always be such surveillance of the finances as to guarantee the liquidation of obligations as they mature without embarrassment or danger of checking the progress that has been made heretofore. The finances of the state should be so guarded as to protect the appropriations made by the legislature without laying unreasonable burdens upon the taxpayers, but no nig- I gardly policy should be followed by any progressive commonwealth.
 In view of the recent history of the pol itics of our state eliminating with the bitter and acrimonious fight over the constitutional amendment. any declara- ton by a candidate for the high office of governor would be incomplete without some refernce to his position on the liquor question.
 On Liquor Question.
 My position, in common with thous- ands of others, was simply that, however we may view the prohibition question we should not do violence to well established principle of free government for the purpose of promoting any new experiments. Since time began temper ance has been regarded as virtue, but the system of man Is so constituted that he Is not always able to make his &C., tions conform to his Judgment. As dem- ocrats and free men we have had the principle of local self government instilled into as one of the cardinal principles CT repuDllCan 10TH or SONerHlIlelt dHu we have been taught that no law can be successfully enforced without the sym pathy and sentiment of the people behind it. In the progress of our struggles against the evils of the liquor traffic we applied the principle of local government and forced the barroom first from the rural precincts to incorporated town and gradually from these until 1t has been l banished from 90 of the counties in the | tafA Thtt1 xvbf ha n ance was gaining the public gradually conformed to the change that was talk ing place and the territory in which the | liquor traffic could be carried on was consistently encroached upon. Those who understood best the situation and who had long been fighting this evil had req son to feel proud of their work for they saw ahead in the no distant future the decline of the saloon and the prospects of it's passing away entirely.
 Should Enforce Laws.
 It must be admitted that any social evil is 6 revolting sore, whose quick rid dance lis consummation devoutly to be wished" but in attempting nasty and | ill-advised action we must consider how much rancor and unnecessary bitterness will be aroused and to what extent hu- man passion becomes lashOd to violence. The fact remains. however. that we now have a law prohibiting the sale of fn- toxicating beverages within the confines of Alabama and 1t Is our plain duty and the duty of every good citizen to give thse laws fair and just trial. If elected I would firmly enforce them.
 If, however experience should demon- starate the impracttcabiiity of such laws it would be my policy to recommend such legislation as will restrict the evils of the traffic as far as conditions will war rant.
 There are other demands pressing up- on us for attention and we should not content ourselves or permit others to continue a period of bitter strife and agitation over a question that should be settled by conservative, calm, strong minded and patriotic citizens. There are