The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-19

J. Saunders, John R. Copeland, John B. l Reid, Morris Adler, John W. ONeil, Ike l Adler, T. c. Mcdonald, W. V. M. Robin e son, w. V. M. Robinson, Jr, John A. Lusk. C. J. Smith. Walter Smith. Solon t Jacobs, J. w. Mcqueen, A. A. Adams,
 Peter Lellande. Edward Wilkerson. J. V. ' Allen, R. A. Brown, Robert F1enwider, I E. J. Fox and Dr. L. c. Woodson. l Crawford Makes Brief Talk Mr. Crawford called the meeting to l order and stated that he was glad 10 see 5 so many of the business men of Birming- ham present, which refuted the statement of the opposition that the business men were not in sympathy with the local op- ton movement He. stated that as tax payer he claimed he had the right of free 1, speech, although the opposition did not seem to think so.
 He said that while there were many excellent and worthy citizens on the cp- position side, they had not all the ability nor all the brains in the county with them. He paid tribute to the commits sopers of Birmingham for the stand they had taken in this measure, and also to IGovernor O'Neal. He stated that the governor had informed him personally that he would appoint men the ex- else commission who would represent the business interests of the county and who sl would work in harmony with the city commissioners. He referred to the charges and criticisms of the Smith bill as being rot and not being borne out by facts. lrT. ola ;e t;li running and would remain so until the u campaign closed.
 | Mcqueen Next Speaker Q He introduced J. W. Mcqueen as the
 first speaker MT. Mcqueen made a a short address He referred to former
 campaigns in the county, and said that @ three years ago, when they opposed , prohibition. they made the assertion :, that prohibition would not prohibit 3 and that they were right then and are
 right now He referred to the blind , tigers and their evils
 In speaking of the dispensary, he gave the experience of South Carolina. He said it was an acknowledged fail
 ure in Charleston and would be a fail .
 ure here. He said that under the high license and strict regulation saloon the blind tiger could not exist and that women and children would not be en- gagged in the traffic. He also said
 that the prohibitionists In advocating the dispensary were straddling the
 fence-voting first dry and then wet,
 which he said was not an honest way
 to handle the question. He closed the short address with an appeal to the ] voters to vote for the high license reg ulated saloon.
 Glass Is Introduced
 Frank P. Glass was the next speaker, who expressed his pleasure of having , an opportunity to address citizens of Brmin gham. He stated that it was the first chance he had to address them, and that while he did not belong to the old guard of Jefferson county he had been in the fight for many years. He attacked the prohibition fallacy and [ said it was utterly impractical Re- ferring to the dispensary he stated that the prohibitionists had abandoned the 1 issue and. were advocating the sale of
 liquor by the state. He said that the
 blind tiger evil would be increased un- der the dispensary system, and in t speaking of the blind tiger said that Y they were made by the men who patron
 ized them. He said the prohibitonists c were attempting to stay proceedings . by advocating the dispensary, realizing V that prohibition was doomed He re- t ferred to the fact that the dispensary
 idea was being fostered by the Saloon Opposition league for the purpose of '' creating an unsatisfactory condition p which would bring on another cam
 paign He closed by paying, a fine
 tribute to Governor O'Neal. and said he believed he would appoint men on
 the excise commission that would hest
 serve the interests of the county.
 J. R. Copeland Speaks
 John R. Copeland was then intro D 1l To hnr toll
 well received. He spoke of the failure
 of prohibition in the city and of inc
 urgent necessity of a change in present
 conditions. He said that the prohibit
 tionists, realizing their defeat were
 now attempting to substitute the dis
 ponsary, but that he did not believe tho
 people of Birmingham could be fooled
 in voting for this impra cticabie idea
 He closed by urging the voters to gc
 to the polls and vote as their conscienc,
 dictated.
 J. T. Collins, Jr., Called Upon
 John T. Collins, Jr., was then intro
 duced and made an excellent and ogica
 address. He said it was evident iron | the looks of the large assemblage tha the death knell of blind tigerism in lief
 ferson county was sounded He said tha
 the issue was not prohibition or anti
 prohibition. was not wet or dry, but that the only issue was legal as against tho
 Illegal sale of liquor He went into fths
 details of the Smith bill, explaining it. r. many excellent features He referred te , the existing conditions of Jefferson coun-
 ty resulting from the blind tiger evil anc y said the dispensary would never eradi ' cate them. He closed his splendid ad ' dress by urging the voters to vote foI l. the saloon under the Smith regulation 7. bill.
 < Edward Wilkinson Next
 Edward Wilkinson was then introduced
 and made a clear and excellent address T. He said his experiences with the bint n tiger were very limited, that he realize, ' the influence they cast nn the lnmn1ln nj