The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1910-06-10
WHISKEY NEWS
FROM ALABAMA
Is Sent Out to Mislead the
People.
Editor PALATKA NEWS:

| CoPtOs
Editor PALATKA NEWS:
There is so much wrong information
afloat in Florida regarding prohibition
in Alabama-Some people even having
got the notion that Alabama has 'gone
Wet again--that | crave space in you
valuable paper to set forth the real facts
These are as follows:
Alabama has NOT "gone wet' again
Every law against the sale of liquor il
Alabama enacted by the last Legislature
remains in full force and effect today
Just as when it was written.
There is not one saloon in Alabama
today-from Athens to Mobile.
No vote on the return of saloons ha.
ever been taken in Alabama, so that Ala
bama has never said she wants saloons
again.
Anybody except, perhaps, the rank
est liquor partiSan) who knows Alabama
conditions will state that the vote on the
Amendment last fall involved so much
aside from the mere question of SALOONS
or no saloons that it was not an expires
sion on the merits of the case.
To hold that the spring primary, just
held over there, indicates "wet" vic.
tory is the rankest nonsense. Mr.. EN-.
nett O'Neal, who opposed the prohibi-
ton amendment, was nominated for
governor by majority of 1900. But
Mr.. O'Neal, always and everywhere dur
ing the campaign, stated on every plat
form that he would oppose all efforts to
repeal the prohibition laws now in force
Mark that down and remember it. His
opponent, Mr. Mallory, made no strong
er promise.
Another fact: In the race for lieuten.
ant-governor, Mr.. Walter D. Seed was
nominated by II 900 majority-almost as
much as that of O'Neal for governor.
And Seed favored the amendment last
fall The pro liquor crowd fail to tell
that But ii is fact If O'Neal's cleo
ton means that Alabama wants saloons
again, what does Seeds election mean?
Still another fact: The Birmingham
Ledger says that the state-widerS have
elected a majority of the legislature.
And that legislature is the only body
that can repeal the prohibition laws.
Where does the much vaunted "liquor
victory" show up in these facts2 And
they are facts, too. The following edi-
torial from the DeSoto County News is
in point. Note that w. B. Hare is an
Alabamian. quote the editorial:
Misleading Alabama News"
"We do not condemn any paper for
publishing its view or news. That is its
privilege. Still it is amusing TO read the
Alabama letters u published in about
half a dozen Florida papers. These let
tiers in laguage are the same.
THAT they are sent out in the interest
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 little careful about
such stuff. We do not know everything
about the political situation in old Ala
bama. However, we happen TO know
something
These famous letters, in describing
the failure of statewide prohibition
make many misleading statements.
'ln a recent letter, ii was stated in
substance, that the Birmingham News
the greatest evening paper in Alabama
had seen the error of its way. 1t sup
ported the statewide program, including
the constitutional amendment The
paper was now AGAINST the whole
thing, and was for LOCAL OPTION D.
What is lacking TO make that the TRUTH
THE PAPER HAS CHANGE D
HANDS. General Rhodes, the former
owner and controller of The News is
dead. The majority of the stock of the
paper is now the property of Frank Glass
(and aSSociateS), the wet editor of the
Advertiser. OF couSe ii
has changed its policy!
every well-informed southern edi-
tor knows that Frank Glass has never by
word or rvote helped TO secure or enforce
prohibition in county or state.
at was also heralded as news G) in
those letters that NOT A MAN who
supported the prohibition amendment
BE ELECTED.
Let's see. True, O'Neal was elected
governor, but that was not the WHOLE
truth.
"Walter D. Seed, a life long prohibi-
zionist, won for lieutenant governor by
IL, 200. Many other men who supported
the amendment have been elected to the
Legislature. In fact, the Birmingham
Ledger states that the state -widerS have
majority.
Pour of the Alabama congressman
Taylor, Burnett, Hobson and Helm
supported the prohibition amendment.
All of the four have been returned, some
without opposition. And Heflin, upon
whom great fight was made, has swept
the field, carrying every county save
one, by overwhelming majoritieS. Like
Frank Clark in Florida, Tom Heflin
spoke against the liquor traffic, and like
him he has been returned TO congress.
"Yet these wonderful letter-writerS
from Montgomery had every one 'repudi-
ated' and defeated.
1--WE are not a prophet or a reformer
We want our Florida brethren 10 be fair
in giving the news"
The liquor folks are welcome TO all
the comfort they can get from Alabama.
Their comfort will be Short-lived. They
place a Tremendous discount on the in
ielligence of Florida citizenry if they
lhink our people are to be SO easily mis-
lead by arrant falSehoodS and gross mis-
of facts.
(Signed CHAS. l.. COLLINS
Supt. Florida Anti-Saloon League.
Jacksonville, Fla, June 4, 1910.