The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-19
ANT|-SALOON MEN HAVE BIG BANQUET Judge Weakley and Captain White Chief Speakers LETTER FROM COMER At the Close $3400 Was Raised by Subscription - Beddow, Burr
 and Rice Report on the
 Campaign Work

Campaign Work
 The banqueting hall of the Hotel Hill man rang time and again with cheers at the rally and dinner given last night by the saloon opposition league. About 200 representative citizens of the county, in- cluding men prominent in the affairs of the state, professional men, artisans, and men of almost every calling gathered around the board and enjoyed the elegant course dinner served.
 At the conclusion of the banquet anu speaking which was carried on to late hour. subscriptions to the campaign fund were received and several thousand dollars were raised in amounts ranging from s25O to 8 bill.
 A feature of the affair was the un- bounded enthusiasm when a letter was read from former Gov. B. B. Conner re- gretting his unavoidable absence and ex alty to the cause and his pest wishes for success.
 Chairman C. P. Beddow and Vice Chair man Burr sat at the head of the table. Mr. Burr acting as toastmaster Among. the notable men present were: Judges s. D. Weakley, Capt Frank s. White, R. M. Goodall, R. s. Munger and Nat L. Miller.
 The enthusiasm was spontaneous and unbounded and while the speakers were few they received the closest attention and were given generous and frequent applause.
 At the conclusion of the banquet Mr. Burr, in his opening remarks, referred to recent elections in Mobile and Mont gomery as bloodless victories, and in speak ing of the fight in this county said the enemy had not even struck the outposts of oppositonists, and that by standing shouldetto shoulder and joining the lead CTS in the fight against the return of the saloon. they could give the saloonists the fight of their lives, which would end in a glorious victory. He then briefly intro duced Captain White, who received a creation ovation as he got up to speak.
 Captain White Introduced
 
 several memorable conflicts during his life, that when he shoudered a riusket in the eos he did it because his heart was In the cause. He referred to the stirring times of the reconstruction period and the part he played in it, and the various con- flicts he had been engaged in since that time. He reiterated that it was .n obedi- ence to the promptings of his heart. but that proud as he was of. those causes he was still prouder to be enlisted under the banner of a cause more glorious and more far reaching than the others, a cause not for country, not for prosperity, but a cause for the uplift of humanity and for God.
 In speaking of the elation of tEe local optionists at the result of the recent cleo tions in Mobile, Montgomery, Colbert and Russell, he said it was like rejoicing at taking candy from a babe, and that in tho coming fight in Jefferson county they would find out that they had met a bull dog.
 He denied that blind tigers were In evi- dence for they kept within their lairs and asserted that the present conditions were not as bad as the establishment of one saloon on prominent corner of Bir- mingham.
 After paying his respects to the officers for not enforcing the law, if it was vio- lated and commenting on the great power and danger from the excise com mission he closed by urging a strong uni- ted effort on the part of the prohibition sts to keep the saloon from being re- established in the county.
 Weakley Speaks Next
 Judge Weakley was given a great re- ception, which he gratefully acknowI- edged. He said it was the first oppor- turity he had had to speak on the sub ject of prohibition for some time and that from his personal observation of 20 years of saloon regime and three years of prohibition he saw no reason to be other than gratified at the good the prohibition laws had accomplished.
 He stated that with the weapons the present prohibition law gave the officers the charge that it could not be enforced was childish, and that if the prohibi- tonists would appoint 50 men. and if the opposition would appoint 50 men to en- force the law as 1t now stands he said that they could make the state of Ala bama as dry as the desert of Sahara.
 In referring to a recent cartoon he said if boys and girls could locate blind tigers it would seem that the officials could and said the trouble was not blind tigers, but blind officers.
 In speaking of pending appointments, he said 1t was not necessary to attack the governor, and that in his opinion the governor had tried to make good ap- pointments and in the main had done so, but said there were not three men in the state of Alabama good enough to have the unbridled power which the Smith bill conferred on them. He also gave it as his opinion as lawyer that the city commissioners would have no power over the excise commissioners and that they would be supreme in the regu- lation or control of the liquor traffic.
 He said he was an uncompromising prohbitionist. and as such was against the sale of whisky either by saloon or dispensary and advised against the ad- vocacy of the dispensary except as last resort.
 He discussed the smith bill at length and stated he would at a future date more fully unearth it's iniquities.
 Mr. Beddow, MT. Burr and MT Rice made a report of the work accomplished since the organization of the league. and gave minute details of tho workings and expenses of the office. An appeal for funds was made which resulted in the sum of s3400 being raised
 
 DALE ALLOWS
 HuNvvy n UoUNCy