The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-22
OPEN CAMPAIGN AT
 NORTH BIRMINGHAM
Shapiro and Others Make Addresses on Local Op-
 tion at the Meeting

The meeting of the local optionists held last night at North Birmingham, was a success from every standpoint. The crowd taxed the capacity of the Consol- dated hall, where the speaking was held and great enthusiasm was manifested throughout the meeting. Tho principal speaker was Isadore Shapiro, the well known young attorney, who made an able and convinVing address. Chairman Jones G. Moore. pr. Jenkins and Ed Wood also addressed the meeting
 Ed Wood, chairman of the North Br- mingham Local Option club, called the meeting to order and introduced Dr. Jen- l1ins, who was invited to preside.
 Dr. Jenkins made an excellent little talk on the question at issue, which was well received. MT Moore was given rous- ing reception and briefly outlined the plan of campaign and complimented the North Birmingham club for the splendid results thus far and urged them to great CT efforts.
 MT. Shaprio was introduced by Dr. Jenkins and it might be said fired the first gun from the actual firing line in the present campaign. He was given close attention and as he attacked and tore down opposing arguments he was round- ly applauded.
 MT. Shapiro spoke of the failure of prohibition in the county and its attend ant evils, and pointed out the splendid features of the Smith bil dwelling upon the stringent regulations that would safe guard the people. He showed that the excise commissioners by being appointed instead of elected would be absolutely free from politics. "The opposition s sroundless fears" he stated, "are based purely upon the supposition that the three excise commissioners will be the A,,reatest crooks that ever occupied public offices | This reflects upon the citizenship of the county, and is an argument as fiimsy as 1 it is fallacious. Don't you know that these commissioners wouldn't dare per | init a saloon in a neighborhood where the people objected to it."
 | MT. Shapiro then took up the hotel fea- | ture of the bill
 "The bil." he said, provides for the | licensing of certain hotels to sell liquor The opposition have tried to make capi- tai of this by misleading the people into believing that the county would be full of dives-as many as exists under the blind tiger regime.
 Tn the first place. the hotel permitted to apply for a license must be bona l hde hotel, that is, the business of operat- ing hotel must be primary and the sale of liquor merely incidental Moreover, il
 does not apply to boarding houses. The hotel must contain 30 or more rooms. Thi. was done to eliminate the hundreds ot blind tigers that have sprung up under a farcial prohibition system, q system oi lawlessness which our opponents ask you to continue and perpetuate.
 | Now, there are about 30 hotels in this lcounty having 90 or more rooms. Sun tract from this number those that ar,
 not bona-fide, those that would not ap
 ply for license, those that could not af
 ford to pay the 5000 license, and thos
 that would be refused license. See hoy many you have left. Where are the hun , dreds of dives our opponents see?
 1 "The opposition would further have yo