The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-18
BETTER MINING LAWS
ARE ALSO ASKED FOR
Rights of Corporations-Suprem
Court Justices to He Nomi-
mated BY Convention
BY BURR BLACKBURN

After four hours of heated discussion,
in which the leading democrats of the
state participated, the state demo-
cratic convention at 1870 o'clock to-
night completed it's work, and by a
vote of S72 to 241 adopted platform
upon which it's candidates shall run
in the November election.
In the face of an eloquent stand by
Carson Whitson of Tal.adega, and Sem
ator Moody of Tuscaloosa, old-time
democratic local option was Reimbursed
and while efforts were made to qualify
that expression, the convention ruled
that nothing shall stand between the
people and their will.
The word conservative" was re-
turned to the name of the party, where
1T was before the Conner convention
of 1906. The legislature was asked
to safeguard the rights of the public
and the corporations, and to make
stringent mining laws, while the con-
vention determined to nominate candi-
dates for chief and associate justices of
the supreme court by convention.
Chairman T. M. Stevens report was
finally adopted after every effort to
amend it was tabled by decisive votes.
The section of the 1906 platform, which
was reaffirmed, read as follows:
1--WE favor laws establishing and gov
erning the principles of local option
for the sale of intoxicating liquors in
the state of Alabama"
The whole night session was oc-
cupied with the adoption of the plat
form. and the only fight was over
the adoption of the local option plank.
First came a minority report by Ed
DeGraffenreid, ]. F. Aldrich and R. J.
Goods, which prohibited the legalized
sale Of LIQUORS in any county of less
than 5000 people, and declared that in
rural counties and small towns the
sale of liquor should not be legal
tzed
Tom Long of Walker made ringing
speech for 'home rule for ireland.
1--WE are willing to play poker, but we
don't want the limit so high we can't
get to it. / can take shotgun In my
County and in 80 minutes kill more BIND
tigers than Roosevelt could kill in the
1urgles of Africa with Hobson's navy
In 80 years. Prohibitionists who want
to shut up blind tigers should stop pa,
tronizing them, and 60 per cent would
close up"
The substitute was laid on the table
by vote of 442 to 15S.
Then came Charles Henderson with
a resolution to the fleet that money de-
rived from license of liquor should go ex-
clusively to the public roads. rms was
lost by a vote of 400 to 19S
Then came Carson Whitson, with the
atatewiders, and a motion to strike out
the local option plank entirely. Pointing
TO the grave differences in the convention
threatening party disruption, he called
cut. "Be not drunk with power. for your
Victory over men as honest ana as pure
as yourselves"
Senator Moody of Tuscaloosa supported
Mr. Whitson and in a speech of 30 min
utes declared that the convention was
going to an extreme and acting In the
absence Of judicial temper, in the spirit
Of intolerance.
''There has been no vote on local op-
tion. and you stand pledged to the Mont
gomery conference, which declared for
fair trial of the present laws"
He also threatened disruption, and used
Walter Seeds election as an example that
the people favor statewide laws
Senator r. E. Spragins replied: "It IL a
singular thing to me that what four years
ago was q great temperance move, and
the heralded salvation of the democratiY
party is now an extreme liquor measure.
Local self-government and home rule has
been for years a democratic principle. Are
we to be forced from our moorings by
threats of disunion?"
The Platform Ii Adopted
Following is the platform adopted by
the convention:
]. From and after this date. in all plat
forms and declarations of the party, 1t
shall be characterized and known as the
democratic and conservative party of
Alabama"
2. We reaffirm our answering and un-
olterable featy and allegiance to the
time-honored principles Of the democratic
Darty, as promulgated by Jefferson.
8. We are unalterably opposed to the
present high tariff, for which the repub-
lean party is responsible, and condemn
n for its faithless failure to revise the
tariff downward. as pledged in its plat
form; we charge the present era of al
most prohibitive high prices to the instru-
mentality of the tariff and favor such sub
otantfal reduction and readjustment
thereof as will relieve all classes from
any unjust burden and from the effect
Of unjust discrimination which may tend
tc oppress the many for the benefit of
Che few and we declare that the amount
lDf public revenue raised by taxation
Should not exceed the requirements of an
economical administration of the affairs
ct the government and the proper devel-
lopment of such works of public improve
onent as may under the constitution of
Che United States be properly under
taken by Federal authorities.
Protection for Capital ~
l. We pledge, not only to citizens of this
1otate. but to citizens of other states, that
ion capital invested in legitimate enter
IDrises in Alabama, whether foreign or
domestic. corporate or private, shall have
1.-The equal protection of the laws and the
loqual friendly consideration of those who
(odminister the laws.
Local Option Plank
We favor temperance and sobriety as
Dromotve of good citizenship and good
government; but we deplore legislative at
Itempts to enforce the prohibition of the
4 manufacture. sale. or other disposition of
l]j1rtoxicants against the expressed wishes
u yof the communities effected. and we re-
Roffirm our adherence to the principle of
n local option approved in the platform of
Y the party adopted, In 1906, believing that a
!