The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-06-14
v. c. 7. j. WORK
The Alabama Situation


much wrong information afioat in Flor
ida regarding prohibition in Alabama
some people even having got the notion
that Alabama has gone wet" again
that L crave space in your valuable
paper TO set forth the real facts. These
| are as follows:
Alabama has not gone wet again!
! Every law against sale or liquor IN
Alabama enacted by the last legisla-
ture remains in full force and effect to-
Gday-iuSt a. when il was written.
i There is not one saloon in Alabama
4todav-from Athens TO Mobile. so that
! Alabama has never said she wants sa-
looms again
Anybody teXcept, perhaps. the rank
est liquor partisan) who knows Ala
hama conditions will state that the
vote on the amendment last fall involv-
ed 30 much aside from the mere ques-
tion of saloons or no saloons" that
it Was not expression on the merits
of the case.
. To hold that the spring primary just
closed held over there. Indicates a
wet" victory is the rankest nonsense
Mr.. Emmett O'Neal. who opposed the
prohibition amendment, was nominated
for governor by a majority of 1000
But Mr.. ONeal. always and everywhere
during the campaign, stated every
platform that he would oppose all eff
forts to repeal the prohibition laws
now in force. Mark that down and re-
member it. His opponent. Mr. Mallory,
made no stronger promise.
Another fact; in the race for lieu
tenant governor, Mr.. Walter D. Seed
was nominated by 1000 majority-al-
governor. And Seed favored the amend
ment last fall. The pro-liquor crowd
fail to tell that. But it is a fact. If
IONeals election means that Alabama
wants saloons again, what does Seeds
detection mean?
Still another fact: The Birmingham
Ledger says that the State widers have
elected majority of the Legislature.
And that Legislature is the only body
that repeal the prohibition laws.
Where does the much Wanted liquor
Ivictory' show up in these facts? And
they are facts. too The following edi-
torial from the DeSoto County News is
in point. Note that Editor W. Il. Hare
Is Alabamian. | quote the editorial:
..NisleadIng Alabama News
| We do not condemn any paper for
publishing its views news. That Is
the Alabama letters CD published in
about half Il dozen Florida papers.
These letters in language are the same.
I THAT they are sent out in the in
terest Of the liquor traffic is not known
to the masses: but we know they are.
We do think our worthy Florida eX-
changes should be a little careful about
such stuff. We do not know every
thing about the political situation in
old Alabama. However we happen to
know something.
These famous letters in describing
the failure of state wide prohibition
make many misleading statements.
I'm recent letter it was stated in
substance, that the birmingham News
the greatest evening paper in Ma
bama-had seen the error of its way.
1t supported the statewide program.
including the constitutional amend
ment. The paper was now against the
whole thing, and was for local OPP
itiontD. What is lacking TO make that
the truth? The paper has changed
hands. Gen. Rhodes. the former owner
and controller of the News, is dead.
The majority of the stock of the paper
lis now the property of Frank Glass
tand aSsociateS) the wet editor of the
Montgomery Advertiser. OF course 1T
has changed its policy.
Every well-informed Southern edi-
tor knows that Frank Glass has never
by word or vote helped to secure or
ienforce prohibition in county state.
1T was also heralded as news 90 in
Those letters that not a man. who sup
iported the prohibition amendment,
. would be elected
governor. hut that was not the whole
governor, but that was not the wholoe
. truth.
'Walter u. Seed, n life long prohibit
Zionist. Won for lieutenant governor by
. 1900. Many other men who supported
the amendment have been elected to
the Legislature. In fact. the Birming-
ham Ledger states that the state wild
iers have 4 majority
-Four of the Alabama congreSSmen-
Taylor. Burnett. Hobson and Helm
supported the prohibition amendment
All of the four have been returned
some without opposition. And Hefiin
. upon whom great fight was made, has
swept the field. carrying every county
save one. 10y overwhelming majorities
Like Frank Clark in Florida. Tom
Helm spoke against the liquor traffic
and like him he has been returned 10
congress
Yet these wonderful letter writers
from ntgomery had every one 'repu-
dated and defeated.
We are not a prophet or reformer
We do want our Florida brethren to he
fair-especiaNy in giving the news"
The liquor folks are welcome to al
the comfort they can get from Ala
tbama Their comfort will be short
lived They place tremendous dis
icount on the intelligence of Florida
citizenry if they think people are
10 be easily miSled by arrant falsehoodS
AMI gross miSrepr-s entationS of facts
Charles l.. Collins.
Superintendent Florida Anti Saloon
League
Jacksonville. Fla. June 4, 1910.
Uncle sam Respects state Prohibition
A. the Result Of orders received from
Washington by the local collector Of