The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-06
BIC LOCAL OPTION MEETING AT ENSLEY OberdOrfer, Farley and
 Others Speak IS MUCH ENTHUSIASM Jones Moore Makes Short Speech and Predicts an Easy Victory for His Cause-General and Society News

| The local option meeting held last night at the Ensley opera house was rousfng success and was attended bv large and enthusiastic crowd. Ev cry speaker was given hearty recep- ton and their remarks literally ap- plauded. The Italian brass band was in attendance and rendered pleasing selections. M H. McDowell, chairman of the local optionists, presided over the meeting. He made a short address and introduced the speakers. | Leo Oberdorfer of Birming gham made the first address. He spoke of the evils existing under the present reign of blind tigerism, and stated the issue was whether the present conditions should continue or not. He explained
 the Smith bill in full. touching upon the | 30-room hotel fallacy. and other fea- | lures that were attacked by the oppo- sition. In speaking of the failure of prohibition he cited figures to show that it cost the county nearly S300,000 in the futile effort to enforce it and that the city and county had lost nearly $4O0,000 in revenue, enough, he stated, to build all the scho oolhouses and all the, highways that the county could need. He was given close attention and was the recipient of much ap- plause
 He was followed by w. R. Farley, who made a splendid address. MT. Far ley directed his remarks against the claims of the prohibitionists. He stated that it was a decided failure from moral as well as every other stand point He showed how the working men would discriminate against the operation of the dispensary system, should it be put in effect He also re- ferred to the increase of crime and the secret drunkenness that were known to exist under the present con- ditions. MT Farley's remarks were well received and he was frequently ap- plauded.
 pr H. A. Elkourie was the next speaker He made fine speech de- scribing some of the evils that prohi- bition had brought about and the utter inability of the officers of the law 10, check them He spoke of the women and children being engaged in the illegal sale of liquor and of the fact that many decent homes had been con- verted into blind tiger resorts. < The meeting was a decided success
  paign of beat 45 are confident of car rying the precinct by a handsome ma jority. Toward the close of the speak ing Jones G. Moore, Jack Wood and Leon Friedman came into the hall. The entrance of these gentlemen was the signal for loud applause. MT. Moore was called upon for a speech. He re- sponded briefly, thanking the audience for their reception and assured them of his cooperation in all their efforts to bring about a change for the bet ter conditions and stated that splen- did victory was in sight. At the con- clusion of MT. Moore's short address there were loud cries for Chief Bod eker, who was in the hall. Chief Bod elxer expressed his appreciation of the compliment, but asked to be excused on account of the lateness of the hour A meeting was also held at Wylam by the local optionists. large crowd assembled in the lower part of the Masonic hall and a splendid meeting was held r. A. Smith, chairman of the local optionists of Wylam. called the meeting to order and introduced the speakers.
 Chairman Jones G. Moore, who was received with enthusiastic applause, was the first speaker. MT. Moore spoke of the deplorable conditions that now exist under the illegal sale of liquor and urged the voters to stamp them out by an avalanche of ballots on Au- gust 24.
 He gave brief outline of the cam paign and the bright prospects for a sweeping victory. MT. Moore was loudly applauded at the conclusion of his address.
 Jack Woods, president of the Bir- mingham Trades Council. and Leon Friedman also made addresses in which they advocated the return of the high license and strict regulation as the logical solution of the liquor ques- tiop in this county