The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-07
Thinks Much of Lawlessness Due to Citizens Who Arc Unwilling to Take Part in
 Politics

two recent grand jury reports and permit them to be forgotten in three weeks with
 out action; that the leading men refuse
 to act because they are afraid of mixing in politics, and that the sheriff's office
 ''winks" at law violations.
 The federal revenue department sent three officers here to break up the blind tiger evil because of the alleged failure
 of the other officers to successfully handle the situation. At least that is the state
 ment of Chairman Agee. One of the of- flcers was accidentally injured a few weeks ago, but is rapidly recovering, while the other two revenue agents were
 assigned to another task for few days.
 Renew Campaign Without Delay MT. Agee says that the agents will re-
 new their campaign for the betterment
 of conditions here without delay.
 "The revenue agents have with the aid of this commission almost broken up the blind tiger keepers" said MT. Agee. Il do not hesitate to say that fewer blind tigers are operating now than ever be- fore in this district. The reason for that is that We have the exact information
 on them and have caused their arrest and the United States revenue depart ment is behind us. 1 think it is positively a reflection upon the officers of this city and county that a state and county body such as the excise commission must ap- peal to the federal government to handle our police problems. Yet that is what this commission was forced to do. Tt is silly and absurd for any man to say that blind tigers cannot be broken up. I do not hesitate to say that even in prohibition times if I set my head to root out the tigers they would go. 1 think it absurd and equally silly for any ofTi- eer to confess that a lawless agent is superior to the law. That cannot be true.'
 Discusses Garbling
 In reference to the prevalence of gamb- ling in this city Chairman Agee, Commits sioner Sydenham Moore concurring, said; "There is not a gambling house in the whole of this county operated by any direct connection with a licensed saloon There are said to be some gambling I houses above some saloons. In order C get those matters straightened out we caused the operators of those saloons to appear before us. We examined their leases and contracts to find that they did not have the smallest thing to do with the upstairs We went further. Not a saloon in this county has an inside stair
 
 caused several saloon men to absolutely tear up and remove staircases on the interior of their stores. This was because we did not propose to allow the slightest doubt to exist in reference to alleged gambling houses. This is literally true, eN- cepting the Motiot saloon in Pratt City, where a garret is used for the storage
 of liquor.''
 MT Moore and MT. Agee deprecated tl.e thnN- l S. suming police powers. They both said they did not have. as all well informed persons know, any police powers what ever. Yet it is said by the two officials that a vast number of complaints reach them about gambling and other ills of the community over which they have not the slightest control.'
 Agee's Formal Statement The formal statement issued by MT. Apee yesterday reads as follows: "J have noted through the daily pa . ners va pious inquiries and the reasons given for the enormous and unparai- | leled number of homicides committed in Jefferson county. In my augment the whole trouble can be traced 10 one cause. and that is to the class or officers the people have allowed to be elected to office and in consequence of which the people themselves are re- sponsible When this proposition IS pre- sented the business man agrees With YOU. but he does not want to take the l initiative. He does not want to get | into politics.' in other words he wants to be gentleman and let the other | f, How do the dirty work, but after | the election he sets up bigger howl than anybody after he sees the aeplor-
 able state of affairs.
 I For example, there is no better Illus 1 tration than the sherihs office or coroners S office With an army of dep
 uty sheriffs all over the county, thor
 oughly trained under two admin stra - tions to 'wink'A at violations of the I law, one crime begets another and hence our condition today After is-
 suing some 115 licenses in Jefferson bounty we found that there continued lsome 750 blind tigers undisturbed by | the officers, in fact, we found some l of them at small country stations, ac- tually receiving goods in car load lots After taking in the situation and find l ing that the sheriff made no effort 1 the law. but to the contrary, was pro- | tecting them. we solicited the aid oi | the United States internal revenue de- partment, and with the aid of three of | ficers furnished by this department we | have practically, with three weeks WOTk, DrOkeIl up the Diinu tiRer. and the layman might well ask what the
 sheriff's duties are.
 About Fee System
 "A great deal has been said about
 the fee system. and while I think the I fee system Is all wrong, is out of date | for Jefferson county and ought to be abolished, what has the fee system to
 do with a high officers enforcing the law?
 1 The remedy is for the representa- ! tive business men who desire the at mosphsre cleared to get together and see to it that none but the proper men are elected to office The work should be taken upe with each election and if I this policy is vigorously pursued we
 would not only soon get the right men i in office, but the left overs, which we might not see fit to impeach, would icome pretty nearly enforcing the law. We have right at hand the election | of a board of revenue, the most inn portant commission in the county. I understand there are some sixty can l didates already in the field and l ap- prehend before the election comes off | there will be seventy-five or more. Probably some good men are offering, but I know there are lot of poor ones
 also offering, men in nowise suited for