The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-29
EVEN COY. HOOPER ADMITS TIGERS
 RULE IN CITIES Some of the Excellent Pro- visions of Alabama's
 New Law CITIZENS TALK ON LOCAL OPTION PLAN Prohibitionists Will Hold Their First Meeting of Campaign at the
 Chamber of Commerce
 This Morning

T notice" said A. Leo Oberdorfer, in yesterdays papers that Governor Hooper of Tennessee, elected as I re- call, upon the prohibition ticket ad- mitted, in reply to a telegram from Texas, that prohibition was not en- forced in Nashville or Memphis. We thus see that regardless of the sympa- thy of the executive, whether under Hooper of Tennessee, or Conner of Ala bama, prohibition has never been en- forced in the larger cities, and no one who will frankly face the issue would hesitate to say that high license sa- looms, strictly regulated by an excise commission Is far preferable to prohi- bition with its many blind tigers.
 'In 1907 the people were told that prohibition would be enforced, and in 1911, after four years of experience the people know that it has not been en- forced, and that the proba bilities are that it will never be strictly enforced, and that the presence of a difficulty enforced or unenforcible law breeds dis respect for law and lawlessness. Under the Smith bill there would be but one saloon to every 5000 population, with a high license of 5000 a year; with pro- vision that the applicant must be recom- mended by the citizens; with provision that no brewery or wholesale dealer can own or operate the saloon, or be interested therein; that no amusement or loitering can be tolerated that a bond must be executed by the licensee in the sum of 5000, payable to the parent or family of any person of known incorporate habits, to whom he may sell, or payable to anyone else that may be injured by his negligently selling to any minor or person of in temperate habits; providing for the closing at II o'clock at night and open ing at o'clock in the morning; pro- viding for the sheriff and chief of po- lice to constantly visit the place; pro viding that any citizen may object to the granting of a license to any per son, and his objection given a hearing and providing that the license can be forfeited for any violation of the ex else regulation, without a right of ap peal from the order, but otherwise the license automatically renews itself.
 There can be no doubt that saloons under the strict regulation of a high class excise commission, with high li cense, and limited in number, would be a great improvement over the present regime of constant violations of the law.
 ''The blind tiger is in our midst The dispensary wouldsnot eradicate him. Go to Charleston, s. C., and witness the open blind tiger competing with the dispensary. The thirsty can drink in the blind tiger, while he must take his drink far away from the dispensary The licensed retail dealer is the great est foe to the blind tiger: a man will not pay a high license and submissive ly stand by and see a competitor en- gage in the same business without license, nor will the public sneak into a blind tiger when for the same price they can be served in a licensed place. This alone will starve the blind tiger to death"
 "I have just returned from short visit to the mining districts around Brookside. Mineral Springs and Repub- lie, and found an overwhelming senti- ment in favor of local option." said Burr Ferguson. "I conversed with many of the leading citizens and found them much dissatisfied with the results of prohibition.
 T was informed that blind tigers flourish on every hand and are oper- ated in open defiance of the law that they have cast a demora lizing influence over the community and have brought about a condition that Is most unde- sirabe to the best citizens. Many who were strong advocates of prohibition are now openly espousing the local op- ton cause and will vote for a return of the saloon as being the logical solu- ton of the situation. Personally I am for the high licensed saloon and be- lieve it should be strictly regulated. I would prefer the removal of all sa- looms from the first floor, either to the upper floors or basements, that they might be removed from the eyes of those who are conscientiously opposed to them, including the women and chill dren."
 "Although I am total abstainer' said Capt. E. J. McCrossin. T am heartily in favor of the high license saloon as out lined by the local option committee, as the best solution of the much discussed liouor question The regime of prohibit tion, that does not prohibit, has proved a failure and proved the undoing or many good citizen.
 "It has bred a disrespect for the law and it's officers, and has been the means by which our courts have been clogged and large sums of money expended in the efort to enforce 1t.
 T do not believe the dispensary would