The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-02
FIRST BIZ GUN IS FIRED AT 0RPHEUM Beddow, Burr and Rice Are
 Speakers AROUSE ENTHUSIASM Beddow Uses Strong Language Against Some of the Option
 Advocates-Burr Analyzes
 the Smith Bill
AROUSE ENTHUSIASM

audience was representative and included a fair sprinkling of ladies. The speakers were greeted enthusiastically, and every pointed statement made was generously applauded
 On the stage were many prominent oiti- zens and leaders of the prohibition cause, including Judge s. D. WealSley, R, w. Goodall, F. M Jackson, Dr. Branscomb Walter Sessions and others.
 The speakers were c. P Beddow, Bor- den Burr, and Charles E Rice. chairman. vice chairman and secretary respectively of the Saloon Opposition league
 MT. Rice acted as chairman. and made the appeal for ammunition to continue the fight, MT. Burr confined his remarks to a discussion of the Smith bill, while MT. Beddow's address was principally an ar engagement of the Birmingham News and one of it's owners.
 On the first row of the lower floor sat Marcus Well, who has predicted the de- feat of the prohibitionists by over two thousand majority. and who was referred to by one of the speakers as having made a wrong bet
 Chairman Beddow called the meeting to order and introduced Rev. L. c. Brans- comb, pastor of the First Methodist church, fwho opened the meeting with a short but eloquent prayer
 Charles E. Rice made an informal little speech. Expressing his gratitude at such a splendid gathering of patriotic men and fair women and said that it was en- couSaging to the leaders in the fight against the return of the saloon
 Introduces Borden Burr
 He introduced MT. Burr as a man who stood high in his profession, in city, county and state, and who stood for right in every cause under which he enlisted. who would explain what every voter ought to know, the various provisions of the Smith bill.
 MT. Burr was given a great ovation as he arose to make his address In his opening remarks he stated that he had been assigned to speak on the Smith bill and that he was going to give Bill Smith the dickens" He referred to the fact that the local optIonists had asked why they paid so much attention to the Smith bill and said they were afraid to learn why. for they had endeavored to get them on the stump in joint debate on the question, but the optionsts had refused.
 He stated that the saloonists would soon find out why they attacked the Smith bill, for while as yet they had fired but a few shots,- the artillery has been unlimbered and grape shot and cannon ball would be poured into their camp ere the cam paign ended.
 Excise Commission
 He spoke of the endorsements coming from outside camps. referring to the statement issued by Sydney Bowie, which, he said, took the skim off the Smith Dill, and that many good men and true who had fought them in the anti-amend- ment campaign would now fight with them against the return of the saloon. He spoke of the extraordinary powers invested in the excise commission under the provisions of the bill and insisted that trey could build up political machine that would be absolute in the state He contended that the excise commission of New York had proved a failure and had been repealed. and that wherever des- potic power is invested in any set of men, good or bad, it will be used to the detriment of the general good Her spoke of the statement issued by Chief Bodeker, and said the figures were confusing, in that where a large increase of crime was shown, 1t was caused by the passage of the Greater Birmingham bill. which added miles of territory and thousands of citizens. He said that the figures proved that prohibition had not been a failure. Coming to the section of the Smith bill in reference to number of saloons. he said that while open saloons might be restricted in number. there was no limit to the 30-room hotel or restaurant He also stated that wholesale houses had the right to dispense whisky for sam md fxef ta1 tl exist in great numbers. In summing up the defects and objections to the bill, he said the 30-room hotel was the most dan gerous
 To bear out his contention that 30- room hotels would be established, he called on a railroad conductor, who runs to and from Mobile who stated that the hotel in which he has been nt the habit of stopping while in Mo bile had only "A rooms, and that at the present time they were dividing up the rooms and "building stalls" as he expressed it, so as to come to the limit.
 He spoke at length. on the corpora ton feature of the bill, which he de- scribed as most dangerous as it took away the jail sentence for law viola tions. In conclusion he stated that while it was not impossible under the Smith bill for good men ta hold the whisky traffic in check for the time be- ing, she said there was nothing but danger in the future. He closed with an appeal to the citizens to vote against the return of the saloon, which, he stated. under the Smith bill. would be less regulated than fin the old days Mir Burr was loudly applauded at the conclusion. of his very able address
 Secretary Rice again made. a brief talk, setting forth the great work the prohibitionists had done in the past and said that if the proper effort Is made by the right thinking men and with the help of the good women, the county will stay dry by a handsome ma jorfty
 He made an earnest appeal for funds to carry on the campaign. and while the contributions cards were being dis tributed he told of tho work that had been done by the leaders in the fight Mir. Rice then introduced Chairman Beddow, paying a high compliment to his ability and earnestness. and eulo- gized him as great lawyer, great patriot and great man.
 Beddow Greeted With Cheers
 When Mr Beddow arose he was greeted with applause that lasted sey- eral minutes.
 After thanking the audience for their welcome, he briefly stated few mat ters relative to the campaign and in speaxIng of the prediction of Chairman More that the wets would win by a large majority, he stated MT. Moore's prediction was wrong aud that the opposition would never reach the post ahead of them.
 MT Beddow read Commissioner