The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-21
PROHIBITION WILL WIN BIC VICTORY ]. SAY ITS ADVOCATES Large Gathering at Bijou Yesterday Encourages
 Itself EX-GOVERNOR COMER MAKES SHORT TALK Georgia Campaigners Make Criticism of Saloons and Are Warmly
 Applauded = Wouldn't
 Let Upshaw Stop
 

of Georgia was the chief speaker. MT. Upshaw was late in arriving, but when he did appear at about o'clock he was greeted with tremendous applause, and held his audience well for 45 minutes. In fact, the speaker made two attempts to stop before he was allowed by his hear CTS to do so, Zach suggestion that he was about to close his discourse being greeted with a general cry of "Go on! Go on. Several speakers preceded Mir. Upshaw.
 The meeting was opened with music and prayer by Rev. Allen R. Moore, after which Borden Burr took the floor. Me Burr predicted the success of the prohi- bitionsts at the polls next Thursday, and said that the opposition already kne " that 1t was beaten. He said that the local optionlsts had called in the flying squadron and called out the ''whirl- winders.'' Asking for contributions for the cause from the large audience, he said that every penny contributed had been nodded into bullet and used with telling effect. MT. Burr introduced R. o. Broyles of Atlanta as a plain business man who had done more for the cause of prohibition in Georgia than any other cit izen of that state.
 Mir. Broyles speech was an emphasis upon, and reiteration of, the proposition that the question which he was discussing was one without argument. The su n total of the oppositon's argument" sail he, lis dollars against principle. The question of policy rules most men. Rut on this side of the fight are men who are not looking at policy; they are men wno ask no reward save duty well per formed The speaker denied that the re turn of the saloons would mean the crease of business. "The whole fight is of righteousness against villainy, of vice against Christianity he said.
 Dr. l.. c. Branscomb was next called upon by Chairman Beddow as man wl,o had already rendered valiant service i'll the fight. Dr. Branscomb, too, sounded the note of triumph, proclaiming that tic win when they had the women with them 'T congratulate Commissioner Exum, T said Dr. Branscomb, .'on saying his little speech so nicely. It was expected. Tn saying what he did, Mir. Exum was as wise as serpent and as harmless as a dove. He was as harmless as dove in this, that his statement can hurt no side, not even his own; he was as wise as a serpent in this, that his statement has raised no old, outworn argument that an 1s-year-old boy could answer" The speaker referred to the Scrptural argd- ments of the opposition, saying that Bot Ingersool in his palmiest days never wrote sentence as inexcusable in it's blasphemy as were some of it's. Several minutes were given to refuting the idea that the working man gets anything out of the liquor traffic, and the speech was closed with a condemnation of those who set liquor as responsible for the crimes men commit when under its influence.
 Ex-Governor B. B. Conner was cal ed upon by Mir Beddow. Mir. Conner said: T had not expected to speak, bu, am glad to lend my voice to the cause of prohibition. For Judge Lane I have the utmost friendship and kindliest feeling. We were schoolmates, and roomed together at college. But Judge Lane, in saying that he wants saloons is making a mortal mistake. Whisky y is bad in the family, in the state, in the nation. The commission govern ment Is here because Birmingham could not trust a whisky government. It is race of liars and untyustworthy If this is true, isn't it time to get rid of it?"
 At the conclusion of MT. Corners ad- dress Captain Frank S. White took the floor. Captain White called attention to the fact that the voters of Jefferson county are now facing crisis in city and state such as has never before been faced. We have once before met now fighting the liquor traffic under vicious, vile legislation,-th iniquitou. Smith bill. This bill should be named instead a bill to regulate the liauo, traffic. a bill to regulate the polite: of Alabama. It is a scheme by whicl the liberties of the people are sough, to be destroyed. No greater crisis could face people than the danger that they are about to be submerged b, that which debauches ruins, depraves sinks into the depths of sin the mar who drinks it.
 Just as Mir. White finished his speecf MT. Upshaw entered the room. As he tok the speakers stand after an intro duction by Mir. Beddow he was giver a rousing ovation.
 MT. Upshaw said in his introduction that he was present in this campaign because he was interested in the human race, because he made 1t his business te fight booze" all over thIs country. q am volunteer in the cause, fighting for humanity. It has been promised by the opposition that they will regulate that saloon. There is no such thing as a regulated saloon. You might as well try to regulate a polecat. The innate nature of the saloon prevents it's being regulated" Mir Upshaw took up the defense of the preachers who had been called by the opposition DO litical parsons" Any pastor" he said .who will not tell his congrega tion how to vote when moral issued is involved, is not fit to be the pastor 5f a coop of chickens He called upon The. members and officers of the churches to do something besides pray. "Get up and knock the stuffings out of the saloon,' he said. The speaker closed with an exhortation to the pro- hibitionists to go out believing that they would win, and the victory would besassured. sfesA Fss st s''