The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-20
Temperance Committee VIII
 Formulate a Bill
COME THICK AND FAST
Reconcile Them All md Will prob ably Draw Up q Measure
 of It's Own
BY HUGH W. ROBERTS

Montgomery. January 1s.-(speciaL)- been introduced for the purpose of secur- ing repeal or revision or modification of the drastic prohibition Legislation now ex- isting. are important and of value simply for the reason that they are as straws which indicate the general direction of the wind.
 The idea of seriously considering each and of endeavoring 10 bring together in harmonious accord the many ineompati- ble tones has been abandoned It is now admitted that to proceed along such a course would be extreme folly.
 On the other hand, the matter of eau GUS of the friends of the new administra- tion, out of which would come the gen. eral anti-prohibition bills, Is no longer discussed. It Is equally as positive that concerted action will occur in an effort to wipe from the books as much as pos sibe of the prohibition inconsistency and to substitute Legislation of such tolerant nature that peace out of strife may hover over Alabama
 Committee Bill Probable
 John V Smith of Montgomery chair man of the temperance committee of the house, said today:
 Tt would be impossible to consider at length all the bills dealing with the liquor question which have been introduced. The toll in arranging the many ideas into one measure which would be popular is too great. No report will be made on any bill which has been introduced up to the present moment. It Is highly probable that bill will soon be presented, how ever which will be in the nature of q committee bill.
 When that committee bill is presented, then will ensue the battle which will be the feature of the current administration. That committee bill is expected to be the administration bill. In other words. it is believed that that bill will have ttf1r ap- prova of Governor o'Neal. and that the | friends of the administration will know that it comes 10 the house with the ap- proval of the governor.
 It is expected that the bill will provide for the repeal of the Fuller and Carmich- ael hppodromes will pave the way for the return of local option for all of the counties in the near future. and will pro- vide for the legalized sale of vinous H. quors in Birmingham Mobile. and Mont gomery almost immediately.
 Personnel of Committee
 As has been pointed out in this corre- spondence, the temperance committee of the house Is strongly anti-prohibition in its belief. On the committee are i2 men who have no sympathy for the dras- tic legislation of the Conner La wrence- 
 that six members of the committee are residents of Jefferson, Mobile and Mont gomery counties, the counties more stren- Iousiy opposed to the present mode of liquor prohibition than any others of the state. and the counties which have suf- fered more mserably result of that prohibition than all others combined.
 From the personnel of the committee. therefore it is a safe prediction that the bill, which comes as that committees bill, will be, while temperate, of course. one which will appeare the majority of the people of the state. There Is no reason- able doubt but that the bill, when it is presented, will pass the lower house with out serious opposition. As is generally known. the majority of the members q the lower house are opposed to the reteY ton of the present drastic legislation.
 Senate Committee status
 As a matter of fact, no serious difficult ties are expected in the senate. The sell ate temperance committee is not as posi- tive in it's views as is the house commit tee on temperance. But the senate com mttee Is one which, it Is believed, will proceed judiciously toward the correction of the evils of the present, slowly indeed, but certainly withal.
 As has been pointed out before Senator Morrow, in naming the temperance com mittee of the senate, used rare judgment, as is illustrated In the result that each faction has representation. Senator Moody, chairman. is dispensary advo- cate. Senator Spragins, second in conn mand. stands for a dispensary for his county but from a statewide standpoint party platform. The prohibition stand patters of the committee are Senators Norman, Crumpton and Miller The members who stand for quick and per ranent relief-whatever form that relief might assume-are Senators Stevens, Jus tice, Atkins. and Rogers.
 From a conversation had with Governor ONeal this morning it is indicated that he will not endeavor to srab the legislative cording to the allegations, Governor Co., mer Governor O'Neal states that he has no "big stick with which to drive into line those who entertain views not in line with his own.
 q have stated my position on the tenn perance question in S5 pages of my mes sage. I do not intend to take very ac- tive part in any fight which might arise in the legislature" he said.
 But 1t Is no secret that the governor sincerely hopes that such steps will be taken that prohibition, as is today. will be relegated to that past of which intol- erance was the prime characteristic.