The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-06
Has Modified His Views

While many prohibitionsts may hope to see saloons kept out of Alabama, few, I imagine, believe that the Fuller law will remain unchanged said a promi- nent man who has been allied with the prohibitionists ever since the Anti-Saloon league was organized in this state.
 q was an ardent prohibitionist and voted for the amendment, but I realize now that constitutional prohibition would have been a bad thing for Alabama. and am glad. therefore, 1t was defeated realize, too, that the statewide prohibit ton we now have is a failure. It Is too extreme.
 T am still a prohibitionist, and would regret to see a return of the retail liquor traffic, but rather than have the present farce continued would say, have few saloons in the large cities, the same to pay high license and be strictly regu- lated.
 After all, the democratic doctrine of local option is right It is fair and just and I can now see that if we had not cast that plank of our party aside, the state would have been better off morally, financially and politically Under the local option law Alabama was about 90 per cent dry. The temperance sentiment is as strong today as it ever was; per haps stronger. And with a restoration of local option I believe even more than 90 per cent will be dry. Many of those prohibitionists who protest against any change in the statewide enactments do not really mean all they say. and are not taken seriously by their friends. This leg islature is democratic on the good old democratic lines, and I will be perfectly content to abide by it's acts"
 About Persons
 B. NJ Starks, general manager of the Louisville and Nashville railroad was here yesterday, engaged in an inspection of the local conditions. He was later accompanied on his journey south by T. E. Brooks, superintendent of the local division.
 President George Gordon Crawford of the Tennessee company has returned from Macon, Ga., where his little daughter was in a hospital on account of a slight in jury to one of her eyes by the explosion
 
 accident to the child was not at all se- rious.
 Lauderdale county in the legislature, passed through Birmingham yesterday en route to Montgomery.
 David Almon of Tuscumbia was in Bir- mingham yesterday en route to Montgom- cry. He will remain in the capital city for some time in the interest of the candidacy of E. B. Almon for the speak ershlp.
 Sheriff Johnson of Tallapoosa spent yes- terday in Birmingham. MT. Johnson did valiant work against the prohibition amendment and for Colonel O'Neal In his race for the nomination against Colonel Mallory. He Is an applicant for a posi- tion on the state convict board, and his friends insist that he will land
 Lee Cowart, one of the many who will receive an appointment from the incoming administration, returned to Birmingham yesterday from Florence, where he has been in touch with Governor-elect O'Neal MT. Cowart states that Colonel O'Neal will pass through Birmingham Sunday en route to Montgomery. MT. Cowart predicts the election of Lee Long as speaker by a handsome majority.
 J. B. Powell, member of the state tax commission. and one of the prominent citizens of Butler county. is visitor to the city.