The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-10


 local which concerns the homes of every
 man and woman in the state. Grows satiricaI Speaking of the Parks bill, MT. Merritt
 was satrical in referring to the meas 1 ure, stating that the temperance com
 mittee had reported the bill and the amendments without even fully knowing | the provisions of the bill. He discussed the bill atFlength, pointing out what he considered to be defects in the instru- | ment. The bill, he stated, allowed every municipality in the state to open up sa- | looms without any regulations. MT. Mer- ritt further declared that was the opinion of a number of eminent lawyers whom he had consulted on the question. He said he did not question the hon esty of the men who advocated the
 Parks bill. but that he did not think | they were right.
 The prohibition laws are as well enforced in this state" said MT. Mer- | ritt, "as any other law on the statute books"
 MT. Merritt concluded his speech by | saying that when he went pack to his people he would be able to say he had kept the faith" MT. Merritt spoke | 37 minutes and was heartily applauded I by the gallery.
 He was followed by Mir Sanders of Pike, who said that the principal ques- 1 tion at issue was whether or not the people in the 67 counties of the state have a right to pass upon the propo- sition. Mir Sanders said that proh ibi- | ton originated with the system of local option. The prohibitionists, according l to the speaker. were autocrats, a reno vation of the system of government by divine right.
 l MT Smith. chairman of the temper ance committee. followed MT. Sanders. | He said, referring to Mir Merritt that he had not stated his position on the | subject, which was whether or not the l Almon substitute should be adopted | MT. Smith declared that Mr Merritt had evaded the question.
 T am not afraid to submit the ques- l tion to the qualified electors of the state,' stated Mir Smith, launching out on his subject. He then explained the
 purpose of the bill stating the intents l and purposes of the Parks bill. He said the bill gave the qualified electors the privilege of expressing their opin ions on the subject and that he could | trust them to act wisely in the mat | ter. He said that the failure of the last legislature to trust the people had brought pandemonium into Ala bama.
 Mir Mulkey ask ed MT. Smith if lle trusted the people of the state, why he did not first submit the question I to the whole state before submit ting | it first to the counties.
 l MT. Smith replied that he could see
 the handwriting upon the wall-that
 such action would be contrary to the | principles of local option, which first
 applied to the localities of the state. He said he was in favor of driving every blind tiger in the state to the ,~~r~ Rut- the state wanted to see the evil driven out more than he did.
 Motion to Postpone Upon the conclusion of Mr. Smiths speech MT. Merritt moved to indef- | nitely postpone the question before the house. Just before the motion was l made Mir. Mulkey caught the speakers eye and was granted the privilege of l the floor.
 MT Mulkey said that he had come to | the legislature for the purpose of l fighting the restoration of liquor to the l state and that he wanted to do so. 1 Discussing the legal phase of the bill, Mir Mulkey said that the Parks bill made l it possible for a saloon to open on every l cross-road in every county in the state. He declared he stood for law and order And that to repeal the law on murder would not work a more deleterious effect l in the state than the restoration of the saloon.
 Speaking of the enforcement of the pro- | kibition laws, MT. Mulkey said they could be enforced and that if the governor were to call into his office all the sheriffs in the state and tell them that the pro- Eibition laws had to be enforced that 1t could be done.
 MT. Mulkey next launched into a de- scription of the evils which result from the operations of saloons, declaring that they were the sources of crime and vice. In regard to dispensaries. Mir. Null
 key said these were orderly; that they were well regulated. and he showed that he favored the dispensary. When we put ourselves on record in this house." said the speaker, let us
 put ourselves on record as being in favor of order and sobriety."
 Concluding his address, MT. Mulkey