The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-18

\ Inc grand aO. and her wiit.sh..li Tered escortC.with an eye more single Q the materi1listic. an,wered..-haI to the Parks measure. the speaker said that it was not only a mistake, bus quite probably unconstitutional. Tt would be held void," said the speaker, because of its uncertainty. It is not sufficiently specific" The speaker said that the bill was indefinite because it had no regulations.
 Reference was made by the speaker to the apparent condition that only the cities of Montgomery and Mobile de- sired the saloon. The rest of the state, he said, wanted dispensaries or prohi- bition.
 Admittedly Wrong
 Senator Moody said that the Parks bill was admittedly wrong in every sectlon- He referred to it as an absolute evasion The legislature of Alabama, he said, ought to know what they are voting on.
 T know that the gentlemen who wrote that bill are eminent lawyers, but l say to you that the measure was too hastily written. The supreme court of Alabama would defeat it on common sense grounds, if no other"
 The speaker derided the relief which the bill sought to afford. Tt provides for dispensaries. saloons or prohibition he said, but 1t leaves the kind of saloon, dispensary or prohibition to the credulity of the legislature, ana to the credulity of the voters.''
 Senator Moody compared the bill to the subject of an essay, without the subject matter. There is only the title,' he said, 1 but no regulations
 The speaker closed his address of al most two hours length by urging the senate to permit the liquor to be enough, without blandishment. If you are de- termined to let whisky come back he said in the midst of overwhelming ap plause, "I beseech you, gentlemen, to get rid of the attractions"
 In the course of his remarks the speaker referred often to illustrations which touched upon the subject He called upon the senators to remember that each one held one-eighteenth of the responsibility for whatever laws were passed
 When he took his seat he was given a great ovation, the applause of the sen- ators and gallery alike filling the cham Der.
 | Immediately at the end of his remarks Senator Spragins moved that the senate remain in session until the question is disposed of. Senator Frazer moved as a. substitute that the senate adjourn until 8 o'clock, but the substitute was lost by a vote of 27 to '.
 Spragins Takes Floor | Senator Spragins of Madison county fol- lowed Senator Moody, agreeing on the l purpose which animated the preceding speaker. He called attention to his atti- tude in the previous legislature, when he stood out for local option, with the coun- | ty as unit. He paid Senator Moody a | high compliment because of his temperate views.
 | The speaker at once challenged the statement recently made by the superin- tendent of the Anti-Saloon league that local option could not be passed save by methods of the grossest corruption "I challenge that charge" said MT. Spragins, and I demand that it be proved' The speaker admitted that his reference in that connection was beside the question under consideration.
 l We have before us," said Senator Spragins, the dispensary measure of Senator Moody. My observation is that | the dispensary Is the wisest solution of a vexing problem Drinking is neces- serily lessened when whisky is purchased at such establishments
 Many people tell us that prohibition | in Alabama has not had a fair trial If prohibition were to remain on the stat utes for another four years there would be found just as many who would say that prohibition has not had a fair trial. It Is a question upon which men will al- l ways differ"
 Referring to the temptations which con- | front young man in wet" towns, the speaker stated that the question was one | which had to be fought out individually. | By himself alone, the senator stated, the | boy must win or lose.
 Present conditions in Alabama were de- nounced by Senator Spragins as intoler- afle While admitting that change should be made, he stated that the mat ter of liquor legislation should be left to | the counties. If I lived in a big city, he said. T believe that I would favor a
 dispensary. just as we now want in Huntsville. But believe that the people there should decide the question: Referring to the democratic platform,
 Senator Spragins said that the matter de-
 served serious consideration. With regard | to himself. he stated that he had been
 elected on a dispensary platform for his
 county, and as such that he was going
 to so vote as would enable his county to
 secure the dispensary.
 The speaker called attention to Senat tor
 Moody's reference to the vodness of the
 Parks bill. If 1t Is void," he said. .'why
 should the senator be troubled? I would call his attention. however, to his own bill
 which would undoubtedly be held uncon- .. stttutional If 1t went to the supreme
 court. His bill has no reference, in any i. part, to the Be it enacted clauses, but
 that. of course, could be readily correct ] ed. just as the Parks measure can be corrected
 Senator Spragins then addressed him.
 self to the Parks bil urging that the
 measure should be adopted as carrying
 ont the platform of the democratic party
 The speaker said that a whisky tragedy
 was to be found in nearly every family and that it could not be avoided. He concluded by committing himself tc