The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-07-18
THINK OPPONENTS
 AFRAID OF FIGHT Jones Moore Talks About
 Latest Tactics THE PETITION IS SAFE Says It Contains $500 Bona Eide Names When Less Than 1000
 Are Necessary to Call
 Election

There were many callers at the local option headquarters yesterday who had received cards from the saloon opposition league reminding them that they had signed the petition to submit the liquor question to a vote of the people, and suggesting that they request the probate judge withdraw their names from the petition Those who called were indg- nant at the implied suggestion that they had signed the petition under misap- prehension.
 When Chairman Jones G. Moore was seen in reference to the cards he made the following statement:
 This effort to dscredit the demand of the people for an expression at the polls as required by law. shows plainly that the opposition Is not anxious to submit the issue to the people The Parks bill is the result of the pledge of the dem- ocratic party. in convention assembled which recognized the right of the people to express their wishes by the inalienable right of the ballot.
 Ut looks to me as though the prohi- bltionists, for some reason satisfactory to themselves, are anxious to avoid an election. They recognize that the senti- ment of the people is strongly against the present reign of open law violation
 "The petition calling for an election contains about $500 names of bonafide electors Less than 1000 are necessary. We have no fear whatever that the pe- tition will be found not to comply with all requirements and I have no objection to the closest scrutiny"
 Secretary Fred Staley, secretary of the local option committee. is about the busiest man In town these days, checking up the names of those who have volun- teered to serve on the campaign commit- tee, receiving the numerous friends and visitors to the campaign headquarters. and supervising the general work of the office. He is not the least disturbed by the various statements made from time to time that names have appeared on the petition that were not authorized, and in speaking of this matter said: AS regards the names signed to the petition filed with the probate judge and the al legation that some of them were unau- thorized, I can say this, that no name was submitted to the probate judge on that petition that had not been carefully checked and investigated. Of course, with so large a petition was filed by the local option committee, containing many thousands of names, mistakes may have arisen Especaly is this true when the names are transferred from the original list to the mailing list, and again when letters are addressed and sent out. It would indeed be remarkable if a few mistakes were not made under such cir cumstances."
 The following correspondence in refer ence to this matter is self-explanatory:
 Birmingham, Ala, July F, 1911. Hon. James P. Stiles, Judge of Probate
 of Jefferson County, Birmingham, Ala.
 Dear Sir: It is come to my notice that some parties have claimed that their names have been signed to the petition calling for an election under the Parks bill without their authority. l would thank you to give me the names and ad- dresses of any parties making such claims as well as the names of any parties who claim that their signature was forged to said list
 "Thanking you for an immediate reply, yours very lruly, T. J. oifAi<Ait Secretary "Birmingha Ala, July IT, 1911. "Mr J. F. Staley, Secretary, Birming- ham, Ala.
 Dear Sir. In answer to your letter of this date asking for the names and ad- dresses of parties claiming that their names had been signed to the petition calling for an election under the Parks bill without their authority and that their signatures were forgeries, have to say that I have no such notice. l have, how ever, the names of some few who say that if their names are signed to the petition 1t was done without their author ity and ask that they be stricken off Most respectfully, J. P. STILES,
 Judge of Probate"