The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-21
Provides for Vote On Dis DensarieS In Towns of
 0vef 1000 Population
ALLOWS ONE D|SPENSARY
 FOR EACH 10000 PEOPLE
Charge Is Made in House That Attempt Is Being Made to "rhrottle Liquor Legislntion, By Failure to
 Publish Bills
BY HUGH W. ROBERTS

Montgomery, January 2o.-tSpeclaL)-ih view of the fact that Senator Moody IS one of the ablest and therefore one ot the most influential members of the leg islature the introduction by him today in the senate of general dispensary Dill is of more than ordinary significance tJIhe bill provides for local option to this tsxtent-each county shall have the right to choose between prohibition and the legalized sale of liquors through dispen- saries. The probate judge of each coun- ty will be authorized to call local op- tion election when one-fifth of the voters ? Of the county petition him to that end.
 Every town and city of the state under the Moody. bill of 1000 and more popula- ton will be entitled to a dispenasry pro- vkled the people declare themselves Tn favor of that method of liquor traffic. No town of less than 1000 population unless it be a county seat. will be en- titled to a dispensary.
 In larger cities dispensary for every 10000 persons and fraction thereof will he authorized This means that Birming- ham, in case the Moody bill is adopted, will have IA dispensaries. The bill pro vides that 60 per cent Of the proh's oi the dispensary or dispensaries shaii go into the treasury of the city wherein such ar, located. and that 40 per cent shall ! eos to the county. Each city and county will he permitted to make such use Of It's dispensary revenue as is deemed wise.
 Dispensary as a Compromise
 Senator Moody, in discussing the bill Tor The Age-Herald, stated that 1t was his purpose in drawing the general dis nensarv bill to be progressive and con- servatiye at the same time. "lt seems that 1t Is necessary to remedy the evils .h.t exist @,n many of the cities of the 5rtste. s>he said. .'This bill. ! believe, wlll furnish Nhe remedy, and will not prlng about orA of those drastic and positive departuresIn the matter of government which generally work an evil and the results of which are generally to be de- plored."
 The senator is "a strong advocate of the dlspensary, asfis generally known. For this reason he naturally does not adhere to the theory that the dispensary has never put the blind tiger out of business. and he does not adhere to the other arguments, one of which alleges graft, that are made against the sys- tenn.
 The Moody bill was referred to the committee on temperance, of which Sen ator Moody is chairman. It will receive early consideration, and with the sup port of its maker, there is hardly doubt but that it will figure materially in the solution of the liquor problem. Senator Moody has always been considered the conservative between the ultra-prohibi- tionists and the radical ''antis.' Already if has been whispered abroad that as q, compromise the Moody bill should be enacted into law The argument is made that the bill should meet the approval of all the prohibitionists save the ultra class, and the approval of all the anti prohibitionists except those who are de- termined that old conditions shall re- turn.
 Publication of Whisky Bills
 Incidents occurred in the house this morning, also, which indicate that req action in reference to the liquor ques- ton is about to occur Practically every member of the lower house either by open statement or by voting, agreed that bv all means the most important legs
 
 deals with the whisky problem.
 A strenuous debate was precpitated when Representative Paige of Conecul introduced a resolution providing for the < qualification of all bills dealing with the ; liouor problem which have been intro duced. Representative smith Of Mont romery, chairman of the temperance com mittee of the house, objected to the reso lution on the ground that the publca. tion of many bills, several of them o exceptional length and others differing ii only minor detailsf would inhict upor the state a large and unnecessary ex 4 penditure of money.
 Representative Pitts of Dallas. in sup port of the resolution, protested agains what he selected to term an attempt tt lf "throttle luuor legislation" which al legged attempt he intmated preceded { plan to transact this important legisa N ton under cover and without proper pub licity. He argued that all bills, whethe local or general should be published. il order that every member might qualf. himself to vote wisely and with under standing on all propositions which mgh arise.
 Smith Resents InsinuatiOns
 MT. Smith keenly resented the insnua NJ tions of the gentleman from Dallas. anl immediately withdrew his opposition l. f the resolution of MT. Paige. He declares that 1t was not the purpose of the com mittee to discharge it's duties either ar bitrarily or in secret. and that the onl purpose of his opposition was to proven an unnecessary expense on the part o the state.
 MT. Paige desired that instead of hi resolution going through the usual chan nels to the committee on rules, the rule should be suspended. and the resolution adopted Representative Long of Butle then arose on a point of order callin attention to the fact that the questio was upon the suspension of the rules and that a four-hfths vote was neces sary. The vote was 54 to 20 in favor o suspending the rules, but the four-ffth vote was lacking, and the resolution wer to- the rules committed.
 {, That 1t will receive favorable repor fs the general prediction.
 Inrriainnn 0lfisinl Dcnd