The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-26
'LEvER|NC OPPOSES 1. LOCAL OPTION LAWS
May Be Presidential NOmi-
 nee of PrOhibitiOnists
LAW IS INEFFECTIVE
"Ad' x >s of Local Option Would
 Q S' About Prohibition By De- >4'
 >.'S grees :. But no Prog y ress Is Made"

1 Baltimore, February 25,-tSpeeial.)-- Joshua Lowering. president of the South l ern Baptist convention, which meets in l Jacksonville, Fla, next May, and one of the most prominent prohbitionists in | this country, if he listens to his party, will be their candidate for President of the United States. He was the prohibi- tionist candidate for President some years
 back. and now the leaders believe the
 time Is ripe for him to again be their | standard bearer.
 MT. Lowering is in receptive mood and if the nomination is unanimously rendered him at the national convention in July at Atlantic City he will accept The Maryland state prohibition conven- ton met during the past week here and elected delegates and strongly urged, the
 nomination of MT. Lowering for the pres idency. Other states have pledged their votes to him. and 1t is a foregone con
 clusion that he will be the next prohibi- ton candidate
 Opposes Local Option l In an interview today Mir Lowering says he does not believe that local op- | tion legislation will put an end to the liquor traffic He is absolutely opposed as a great moral issue
 There is probably no one man more conversant with this subject than MT. lowering, who has for many years been
 identified with the prohibition party and who has been a consistent advocate of its principles. In season and out of sea. son he has stood for national legislation which would render impossible the sale of alcoholic liquor as a beverage, and
 of his life. In speaking of prohibition he said: Ours is political party and we be- lieve that only by putting into power men who would enforce the laws we advo-
 cate can the traffic be extinguished. This Is a great moral and church issue and
 is, therefore. noo to be compromised" Then you are not in accord with those
 who advocate local option?' he was asked.
 With all due respect" replied Mr. Lev erng. "I would say that this Is in the na-
 ture of compromise. It practically recog nizes the right to license the evil by df- rerentiating between dry and wet. terri , tsr Besides. iocaf opliNn' lli.s n1 be- effective where it has been tried, for the ! reason that those in control have not en- 1 forced the law. Unless sincere advocates of prohibition are in position to compel obedience, no legislation, however strin- gent, is made effective"
 Prohibition in Maine
 Continuing, MT. Lowering said: We
 have had prohibition in Maine, yet the n fc nt nkco .A1 haa ft
 properly enforced. and it was due to this
 fact that the republicans were deprived of control If the officials are determined to bring violaters to justice there is no difrf- culty about enforcement. The trouble is that transgressions are winked at and the class always ready to take advantage of an opening promptly avails itself of the opportunity. It is so everywhere. "I will give you one illustration. Be- fore Oklahoma became state one section
 had been deeded to the Indians, with the express provision that liquor should never be sold within the prescribed boundary. Sight was lost of this contract. and even after the state became dry. liquor was obtainable. The United States government in an authorized statement called atten- ton to the prohibition, and, taking their cue the violators promptly desisted and
 this section closed up as tight AS drum dfu was uTN dS ltit cdlldIH utStTt. SDDU after there came quiet tip that one eye
 would be closed immediately the sale was resumed.
 No Progress Made This goes to prove that when the au- thorities are in earnest there is no diff culty in enforcing a statute. The adYo- cates of local option would bring about
 prohibition by degrees, but these continual elections always bring about reaction and no progress is made Take Ohio. Here number of districts went dry some
 years ago, and at a recent election they swung back. It is like these spasmodic reform movements such as we have had in our city. Earnest citizens arose in their might and after vigorous campaign SUE
 ceeded in overthrowing the political re- gime in power. Having accomplished their purpose the reformers desisted and the politicians, who have prepared for another