The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-03-05

= oughly sustaining Senator God . bold in his action. . The resolution referred to ex- ' onerates the senator of any du- -< . plicity and comments his course. '
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 Montgomery, March 4.-(Special )-Rsy, Brooks Lawrence, superintendent of tAs AntiSaloon league of the state, issued a statement today in which he agah charged Senator Godbold of Camden wftk having deserted the prohibition interessS when he voted for the Parks local option bill. Similar charges are also made by Rev. A. E. Page, associate editor of the Pine Hill Blade of Pine Hill, Ala. which are attached to the statement of the Rev. Brooks Lawrence.
 In making his charges, the Rev. MT. Lawrence asks several questions. two of which pertain to Senator Godbolds at tendance on caucuses of the prohibition senators. The Anti-Saloon leader asks why, if MT. Godbold came to Montgomery for the purpose of voting for local op- ton measure he attended these prohibi- ton caucuses: why he permitted himself to be selected as one of the floor leaders with Senator Crumpton to fight the bill, and why he visited the rooms of the Anti Saloon league In the Bell building.
 MT. Lawrence charges that Senator Godbold had led the prohibition leaders to believe that he would support their cause. and that they had counted on Sen ator Godbolds aid until three or four days before the bill came up in the sen- ate.
 To the statement of MT. Lawrence is attached an interview with the Rev. A.
 E. Page, associate editor of the Pine Hill
 Blade. The Rev. MT. Page charges that Senator Godbold was elected on a prohl-
 bition platform. and that he had said be- fore coming to Montgomery that he would fight to maintain the statewide laws. It was announced from the Lawrence
 headquarters this morning that another
 statement would be issued within few
 tays. in which 1t is stated q clearer ex-' scented.
 The statements of Rev. MT. Lawrence and Rev MT. Page are appended:
 Lawrence Replies ''I wish to merely profound few questions i'll my answer to Senator Godbold's deiverances in the senate on March l.
 "First-If Senator Godbold came to intending to vote for d local option bill why did he sit in the caucuses of the prohibition senators where they were discussing the means | of preventing the passage of such d local option bill?
 "Again-If Senator Godbold came to Montgomery with the intention of vot- | ing to break down the state wide pro- hibition law, why did he sit in silence in caucus of the statewide prohibi- tion senators and allow himself to be elected to joint floor leadership with Senator w. C. Crumpton of Conecuh icounty in the fight that was then a clearly defined battle against the Parks local option bill. the bill Senator God bold voted for and helped to make a flaw?
 There was present at that meeting when Senator Godbold was elected joint floor leader with Senator Crumpton to lead the fight against the Parks bill. Senators Plowman, Crumpton. Miller. Nance, Godbold, W. T. Brown and Rep resentative Henry F. Merritt If Senator Godbold came to Mont gomery with the intention of voting for | a local option bill, how does it come that he was a frequent visitor to the headquarters of the Anti Saloon league where plans for the defeat of the local option bill were under constant dis cussion?
 If Senator Godbold came to Mont gomery intending to vote for a local option bill can he explain how all the state wide prohibition senators counted confidently on his support until Tues day, February 1 f. just three days before | the bill was to be voted on In the senate? 'I wish to state that l never asked Senator Godbold or any other senator | to vote for the Moody bill nor was any
 one connected with the Anti Saloon
 league authorized in any way to make
 such a request
 T regret that MT. Godbold did not | tell all he knew. l hereby release him | from any charges of being unjust, so
 far as I am concerned. and hope he l will not hesitate to tell all he knows.
 This ought to be interesting inferma ton.
 'I wish to state most positively that | I had no knowledge of MT. Page's au-
 thorship of the article l quoted in the Citizen from the Pine Hill Blade, as
 one of the conditions under which he
 became assistant superintendent or the l Anti Saloon league was that he sever
 all connection with that paper | So far as MT. Pages connection with the matter is concerned, he is amply
 able to take care of himself in every
 way, and I append his statement, | BROOKS LAWRENC E. | Pages Statment For over a year I was pastor of the Fine Hli Baptist church, and while there
 entered into the organization. with a number of other citizens, of the Pine Iiill Publishing company, a partnership or ganization. for the purpose of publishing ] the Pine Hill Blade. I was elected editor
 and Dr. P. E. Godbold business manager.
 Or Godbold owned. when my connec- ton at Pine Eill ceased, the largest num- Der of shqres in the Pine Hill Publish- ] ing company of any individual and was | reputed to own a controlling interest. At the termination of my connection 1 in Pine Iiill January IS, 1911. when I | came to Montgomery. my connection | with the Blade as active editor ceased, it | being understood that Dr. Godbold should assume all responsibility of editing the paper until another editor could be choseu | and the use of my name as editor on tho l editorial page since February 1 was . | ---..~