The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-20

saloon. You to have the opening and conclusion of the debate. Your opening speech to consume one hour and a quar- ter, and your closing speech to consume 10 minutes. I being allowed one hour and ashalf between your speeches. | This letter was handed you by MT, B. I A. Pepperman about 2:15 D m. this inst. To this letter I have received no reply, but MT. Pepperman informed me that you stated I was to be extended the courtesy of a reply shortly.
 "The letter above referred 70 was ! couched in parliamentary language and dictated by the kindliest feelings on ny part I have known you for many year g and have been your law partner for decade. During that time our relations, socially and otherwise, have been entirely friendly and most agreeable to me. Up to this moment I have believed that yo entertained the same feeling for me that 1 have always entertained for you.
 But a communication which appears on the fifth page of this afternoons LedSer has wounded me more than can tell you. | In this communication among other things you take occasion to say that you will not wait to receive a letter from me for fear that I would change my mind in the matter but that you avail yourself of the opportunity of replying through the columns of the Birmingham Ledger. You also say that you do not propose to be diverted from the main issue in this case which is, wet or dry. But that if will agree to include that issue in the dis cussion, that then you will accept my challenge, even at the expense of can ceiling other important engagements flat you have for Wednesday evening"
 Tn your letter you say that it will give you great satisfaction to get a chance at me before the people on the | intquitous Smith bill. with it's liquor trust excise commission, it's 3O-room hotels and it's other evils. Why did you not conclude your article with that sen tenoe? But you did not, you went further-went out of your way to in- suit a man who has never done you any wrong and never entertained any feel ing for you but feelings of affection.
 Calls It Direct Insult
 Tn your article to the Ledger above referred to, you say according to rumor | the leaders of the saloonists have hesi- tated about the wisdom of using you on the stump; they seem to fear that you would hurt their cause. It was our | intention not to meet in joint debate | anyone, without they had papers of credit from the officers of the opposing 1 organization However. So anxious am l l to get a joint discussion with you | that WILL NdlNb lillS III SOuI CdSt anu will be glad to meet you at any time or place before the close of the cam I paign.
 If I had thought for a moment that the accepts of the challenge for a joint discussion which you have from time to time been extending through | the public press of our city, would have brought forth direct insult. I certainly would never have invited you to meet me.
 Feeling however, that 1t is probabl that some good can or will result from full and free discussion of the is sue, and that. when the smoke of bat tie clears away on the 24th inst, no scars will be left, I am persuaded to accept your amendment and include the same in my former communication. which is to say, the subject of debate shall be:
 q. Shall the manufacture and sale of intoXicants be permitted in Jefferson county?
 70 If permitted whether by dspen- sary or by regulated licensed saloons.
 You to open the debate, as former ly stated, in a speech of one hour and 15 minutes and conclude with a l5 minutes reply, myself to present our side of the issue, intervening your speeches, with an address of one and one half hours, in which, I assure you, nothing VIII De Sdiu iO ollcl Nod tiiN least personal offense. Very respect fully. P. G. BOWMAN.
 Moore Issues Statement
 Chairman Jones G. Moore also issued the following statement last night:
 'I notice in this afternoons Ledger statement from C. P. Beddow that ru- rlor was aioat to the effect that we had ho sitated to the wisdom of using Col. | P. G Bowman on the stump, as feared | his influence would hurt us. I wish to 1 say to Mir. Beddow that if such a rumor | ever existed it was without foundation. | ln fact, we esteem it a privilege to have a man. who has lived in this community for .25 years and has won the esteem of tl'e great masses. as Colonel Bowman las, to not only favor our cause. but to advocate it from the public rostrum. No further evidence of Colonel Bow rhans appreciation by the people is need ed than the magnificent tribute paid him. when, in response to a petition signed by several hundred voters, he appeared at { hc Bijou theatre couple of weeks ago and was greeted by the largest and most enthusiastic audience that ever appeared before any man in this county. Colonel Bowman has more genuine friends than ali the public speakers on the other side combined, and his advocacy of the legal ss ie of whisky, in opposition to its il- legal sale, which has been rampant in tlis county since so-called prohibition be- came operative, is appreciated not only by the local option campaign committee, but by every citizen of the county who is in favor of law and order