The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-22
Great Majority Wants Some
 Kind of Relief From '. Present Conditions sl.
CAREFUL CELEBRATION
 WILL MARK ALL ACTION
He Finds That Expressed Will of
 the People Is Not Being  Carried Out
BY HUGH ". ROBERTS

Montgomery, January 21.-(Special)-
 The situation as concerns the statewide
 effort to modify the existing prohibition
 statutes is:
 n) A great majority of the members of
 both houses of the legislature are willing that in some respects at least, the pres i ent lamentable condition be relieved.
 @ There Is so far no one plan before
 the legislature to which working ma
 5ority can be pledged.
 (s) On account of the numerous meth ods for relief that have been suggested, ard on account of general desire to do that thing which is deemed wisest, the members of both houses are determined | to work carefully and with that marked \ deliberation which is essential to states | msnship.
 (D Because of this deliberation, the ul a-prohibitionists, to whom deliberaton 'lts an unknown quantity, are endeavoring 10 scatter over the state an unfounded report to the effect that they have won 4 their fight for the retention of the present T statewide laws
 (5) The anti-prohibitionists because of the fact that the legislature has been 1T, session for two weeks. and the state I wide laws have not already been repu- I diated, are possessed of a fear that the .I present demoralizing condition will be lperpetuated.
 The Governors Position
 It is the general understanding that the ' ternperance committee of the house, with out drastic action on it's part, hopes that ;rvit tx, which intends to modify the statewide 1laws-will come together of it's own ac- cord in support of one broad and wise land conservative measure. T In case this state of affairs cannot be d brought about, it is the general belief that the committee will introduce a com fnnittee bill, which bill will have the sane 1tion and stamp of approval of Governor O Neal.
 !, It is expected that such an adrninistra- tion bill would be passed by the house fwithout serious opposition. But in case Ithe cohorts of Brpoks Lawrence wage q sistrenuous campaign in an effort to handi- leap this legislation, it is confidently be- 4lNeved that Governor O'Neal will hurl himself actively into the fight to carry Iout the blanks of the platform on which hIhe was elected and which is the will of Ithe sovereign people
 Fl It is known that Governor O'Neal flhopes that such action will not be neces- lsary. But it is practically a certainty ItIthat from a sense of modesty he will not ls withhold his arm when the prime object iIof the people who nominated and elected him becomes endangered In spite of the l, boasts of the tra-prohibitionists. it is a practical certainty that were Governor .tO,Neal to get actively behind any meas 5vre and fight for its adoption, the myth Heal opposition would fall away as dried 1leaves before a wind. The letters which are coming now to members of the legis- lature, written by the constituents of I.lthose members at the instigation of that tireless Ofioan, would amount to noth- ing.
 ll H Compromise May Occur N | But it is believed that even should Gov ernor O'Neal refrain from mingling in
 matters of legislation, there is no chance flor the continuation of the present state lwide prohibition laws.
 That they are farcical and demoralizing iil their influence has shot home. The
 
 saloonIsts or Montgomery, at the present time, are presenting too strong an object lesson. tf
 But 1t may happen that without the in-
 terference of the governor, no agree
 n1ent on substitute can be reached. There would then necessarily be but two
 courses either the retention of statewide
 prohibition or the adoption of compro-
 misc
 That compromise might provide for the sale of light wines and beers in certain cities. That compromise might be em- lbodied in bill providing for system
 Of dispensaries.
 I1 But there is no reason to believe that prohibition, as 1t is today. will remain Q live letter further to demoralize through hts ineffectiveness and further to cause a N lhRlf-scornful regard for all law.