The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-25
Writes Strong Letter to Chairman Armstrong
 of Montgomery
WHAT HE REQUIRES
 OF HIS APPOINTEES
Says You Should do Nothing for Your Friends But All for Your State and f
 City"

NOrcernenL or the lquoi eiuiiiS iiOiii " itics, unselfish attention to duties and strict enforcement of the Smith regu- lation measure are urged by Governor Emmet ONeal in letter which he has written to Dr. A. H. Montgomery, who was on Saturday night named chairman of the Montgomery excise commission In addition to calling the attention of the commissioners to the above essentials, the states chief executive in type written statement of six pages, lays be- fore the recently appointed commission CTS the essential points of the law which he declares should be rigidly enforced, and which he expects to require of all commissions which he expects to appoint to take charge of the liquor question in this commonwealth.
 cognizance of the tremendous powers lodged in the hands of the commssion- CTS Is taken by his excellency, who says in one of the paragraphs of his epistle: .The excise commissioners being neces- sarily vested with important powers, should In my judgment, be those who under no circumstances would take ad- vantage of their position to aid any po- ltical faction, or to advance, by reason of the influence they possess. their own personal or political fortunes, but should be nen who would without fear, favor or affection, justly and impartially en- force the law"
 All for State and City
 Further down in the letter the chief executive states that in all of his ap- pontments of excise commissioners he shall insist upon these observances. You should do nothing for your friends the
 f.r. city,
 The governor, likewise, calls attention in his letter to the pure food require ments which all intoxicants should com ply with. He asks the commission 10 attend strictly to these provisions, ana to sid in the apprehension of all xiolators All in all the letter is strong paper. which is declared by. those who have seen it to be one If the chief exeeudve's abiest compositions since entering the gubernato1ial office.
 It is as follows: Hs9r. ese
 Governor O'Neals Letter
 July "A, 1911. .Dr Fl Montgomery Chairman Board of Excise Commissioners. Montgomery, Ala.
 Dear Sir: am very much gratifed to leorn- that the appointment of yourself and the ether members of the Montgoni- cry excise commission has been received with such general approval. l 1nily real ize that the success of the regulation la3 recently adopted by the legislature large ly depence upon the character of the men entrusted with its enforcement, and es- teem myself fortunate in having had pre- septed tt me for selection so distinguished a list of citizens as those who were ap- pliaants for these positions.
 .arhe legislature. in its wisdom, saw proper to vest in me the power of appoint ;,,t J,a that impOr- taut duty the responsibility was on me to make the choice from many who were enIinently qualified. and in making that choice I undertook to ignore personal or political considerations-to carefully Tn : yestigate the record of each applicant, and to appoint those who, in my 1uds,- nent would best carry out the purposes of the statute-who were not controlled by special interests and who, while giving all applicants for licenses a square deal would i,gidly investigate the record of each reison who sought a license and g.ant it only to those of good moral char acter.
 ..The excise commissioners being neces- sarily vested with important powers should, ir my judgment, be those who under no circumstances would take ad-- vantage of their position to aid any polt- ical faction or to advance, by reason of the influence they possess, their own per sona, or political fortunes, but should be s men who would without fear, favor or af- lection justly and impartially enforce the law.
 .,l have attempted to exercise in the se- lection of the Montgomery excise com misisoners, as l will in the selection Of all , others, the same care and consideratlon and to apply the same tests would deem necessary in making Judicial appoint ment.
 ..Your duties are to; some extent judi cial You are vested with a large but wise C:scretion-a discretion which IS necessary to make the present regulation law effective. In the exercise of that dis cietion it is hardly necessary for me 10 say that YOU should do nothing for VOLT friends. but all for your state and city. You should carry out the pnurposes of the law to divorce the liquor traffic from politics and elevate the standard of the men engaged in the traffic by granting licenses only to those whose personal ana business record is free from reproach and whose conduct has been such as to Jus tify you in believing that they VIII obey the law.
 .As :he present law embodies substan- tialy the recommendations I had the honor to submit to the legislature ana m order that you may fully unde rstand the purposes sought to be accomplished. as well as the evils intended to be remedied, D 1t may rot be improper to briefly review the regulations which formerly existed
 Under the system which heretoiore prevailed in this state prior to the pas sage of the present prohibition statutes sny citizen who secured the fndorsement of 20 householders and freeholders, and who made the statutory affidavit, was en- titled to a license in any county where prohibition did not exist. The probate judge might know that the applicant was unworthy, that his record was one of .awessness and contempt for constituted authority, and even that he had commit ted offenses involving moral turpitude, and had justly worn the stripes of a con vict,syet he had no discretion. His fuffc- tions were purely ministerial, and not ju dicia There was under our law no trip unal clothed with the power to pass upon . the qualifications of any applicant for N license There was no limitation on the number CT licenses to be granted in any community, or limitations based upon population, or any restricted area. There was no law preventing the brewer or dis tiller from setting up any of their agents in business or furnishing the money, ike lures ana equipment There was no trib-
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