The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-08-21

is expected to stand, irrespective of the
position or stand taken by him dur
ing the campaign. Therefore, the as
sertion attributed to me by Messrs.
Goodall and Ratliff, that the result of
the May primary election meant a re-
pudia ton of statewide prohibition"
(although l did not so express myself,
Is correct, otherwise a ma Jority of the
delegates to the convention would have
been "state-widers" and an entirely diff
ferent plank from local option" would
have been inserted In sthe platform. A
democratic majority having repudiated
statewide prohibition 1t remains for the
minority to conform to that good old
time democratic principle of majority
rule and submit to the will of the
majority.
A democratic majority having repudi-
ated statewide prohibition the mem
bers or the 1911 Legislature are moral
ly If not legally bound by that action.
Yet, notwithstanding this fact, the
Anti Saloon league is now and for some
time has been at work and proposes
to continue to work in an cndeavor Ito
stampede the legislature Of 1911, as
1T did the unhonored one of 1907, and
force upon us a continuation of condi-
lions that were repudiated by q large
majority of the democratic voters of
Alabama on May 2, 1910" Not only are
copies OF the blank petition I mem
toned in my former communication be-
III gsent out in all the mail leayinx
the Anti-Saloon league headquarters,
but only last Thursday MIR. Brooks
Lawrence announced for publication to
reporter of an evening paper that he
proposed to spend considera BILE time in
Montgomery together with stron 9.
delegation from the Anti-Saloon league
during the meeting of the legislature
to work against losing any hold that
prohibition has already in this state
and said to the reporter who inter
viewed him:
Yes, you can quote me as saying
fhat will be in Montgomery and will
use every effort against any chang
ing of the prohibition laws"
l am an old-fashioned democrat and
welded to the idea that every candi-
date for office is in duty and honor
bound to stand upon each and every
plank OF the platform framed by the
duly accredited delegates to the cor =
vcntion, and were candidate and felt
that l could not stand upon the en-
tire platform, then instead of accept
ing the planks that suited me and re-
pudiating all others l would retire from
the race and let some man who woulc
STAND SQuarely upon tHe piatlorIil ia Q
my place.
The democrats in convention as
sembled in Montgomery on May IL
having framed a platform that is the
Instrument to be looked at as a. guide
for the legislation to be enacted by
the legislators nominated on May 2,
and that instrument Is the one to be
looked to by the incoming governor
when any measure is submitted to him
for his signature. 1t is certainly Il
document superior to any verbal or
written post-election platform-at
least from a moral point of view.
/ still assert without fear of sue
cessfu1 contradiction. that the result of
the democratic primary on May 2. 1916,
was a reputation of statewide prohi-
bition. THOMAS M. RO.\s4S.
Birmingham, August 20, 1910
Express Rates in Alabama
To the Editor of The Herald:
Your editorial in Saturdays Age
Herald. Merging Express and Other
Business" asserts that the express
1o,.oontao 90 tho IrnitaI StateS have