The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-15

closely associated should I receive the
appointment, and woh has indorsed an
other man for United States marshal, to
judge as to my fitness; and II Judge
Grubb ever sees me under the influence
of liquor during my term as United
States marshal | am more than willing
to Immediately resign.
Now as to the statement that I have
always been heart and hand in the liquor
interests, want to state that this is every
word false and that you occupy the po-
sftion of slanderer. l have never re-
ceived 81 directly or indirectly from the
sale of liquor, from liquor interests.
1t is true that in 1890, when a member
OF the Alabama legislature, and the people
OF this (WalkeD county were clamoring
for the legalized sale of liquor, prohibi-
tion having at that time proven a COM
plete failure and farce, refused to pass a
law authorizing the sale of liquor in Wal
ker county, but passed in lieu thereof at
their demand, bill limiting the sale to
three towns in the county, subject to the
vote of the people, towit: Jasper. Carbon
Hill and Oakman, Ala. This plainly
shows that I was a local optionist then
| believe in it's principles now. l don't
believe that morals can be legislated into
the people. Acting on this theory / voted
against the constitutional prohibition
amendment that you espoused. l have
always recognized whisky as an evil, but
men differ as to the best way to control
the evil. | believe that local option is a
solution of the problem in this state
did not vote for whisky when my county
voted dry some years ago, and I would
not vote for it tomorrow, although as a
democrat | do believe that the majority
OF the people should have the right to set
tie this question by their votes | take
the position that Walker county should
not have the right to vote Mobile dry, and
vice versa.
Regarding Intelligence
In your letter of August 25 you insult
ingly state as follows;
In view of the liquor situation it seems
almost a reflection upon your intelligence
to expect the people of the district to ac-
cept you as United States marshall
In regard to reflection upon your in
telligence," it is well for even man of
your distinguished ability and monument
tai egotism to reflect and see If he can
stand to be measured or governed by the
same rule. Was It not reflection upon
your intelligence when you undertook TO
brand before the people of Alabama the
late lamented United States Senator Jo-
seph F. Johnston as pernicious politician,
ana to have the audacity to believe that
the people of Alabama would allow YOU to
defeat him in primary. Was it not 81
reflection upon your intelligence, to saw
nothing of your honor, when you recently
indirectly branded that illustrious and dis
tlnguished Alabamian, Hen. Henry d.
Clayton, as tool of the whisky inter-
ests, as was done when you openly
charged that Charles Lewis, the whisky
interest magnate. dictated his recent an
pofntment to the United States Senate
1t Is reflection upon your intelligence.
captain Hobson, to say that you did not
know that you were slandering Hon.
Henry ID. Clayton when you made such
charge. You know that the hardest
blow that the whisky interests has ever
suffered was when the Webb bill was
recently passed by Congress, which pro-
hibted the shipping of liquor into dry
territories. You must have known thar
he was chairman OF the judiciary commit
tee: that he openly espoused this bill and
made the fight for it in his committee and
on the floor of the House. Thus he did
more for the cause of temperance than
you have done, will, or even can hope to
accomplish. The Pastors union of Bir-
mingham and other cities of the state Of
hcially thanked Mr.. Clayton for the great
work that he had done in the cause of
temperance, and here you are at this
late date, hurting sanders at Mr.. CLAW
ton, simply because he is your political
opponent, just as you have done with
everybody that dared to oppose you in
Alabama.