The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-12
Prominent Citizen Says Mo-
bile Is Assured PrOhibi-
tiOn Is Not an Issue
LETTER FROM CONFER
GIVES HIS POSITION
Prominent Citizen Says People of
Mobile Have Become Convinced
That Railroads Are Discrim-
mating Against That Port

That the liquor inssue will not be
involved in the gubernatorial contro-
versy and that Mobile county, on ac-
count of its belief that the railroads
have Disseminated against the Alabama
port, will go overwhelmingly for b.
b. Conner. candidate for governor, were
opinions expressed yesterday morning
by Harry T. Hartwell, one of the prom
inent citizens OF the city of Mobile.
Mr.. Hartwell. who is president of the
board of education of Mobile. and who
was strong enough in contest against
Pat Lyons to come within 10 votes
OF the presidency of the city commits
sion. stated that Mr.. Conner in let
ter to Frederick I. Thompson, editor of
the Mobile Register, expressed his will
lingness to permit the present solution
of the whisky problem to stand
''Mr. Conner" he said, has given as
surance that while he is always for
temperance he will not involve the
railroad rate situation by injecting pro-
hibition, unless the fight Is thrust upon
him. He has written Mr.. Thompson
| that he Is willing for the present sit
uation to continue unchanged
Prohibition Dead Issue"
Mobile will go overwhelmingly for
Conner. In his last campaign, when
the liquor question was the issue as
far as we were concerned, Mr. Conner
was hissed and hooted in Mobile. Since
that time, however, we have realized
that the railroads were discriminating
against our port. Mr.. Thompson has led
the fight against the railroads and has
converted Mobile. We know that he is
honest and that his paper is clean.
| Therefore we Will follow his lead and
give the county to Conner.
There is no reason to believe that
prohibition Will be an issue. Mr. Conner
is unwilling to make it an issue The
anti -prohibitionists, with local option
in their possession, are satisfied They
could not want more. The prohibition
lists, knowing that Conner is stronger
than Seed, will not indorse Seed. and
fnasmuch as Conner has not declared
for a return of prohibition, they are
necessarily very inactive. They will
await the coming of a more favorable
opportunity
THE liquor situation in Mobile is
as good as 1T could be. / understand The
same conditions prevail in MONTGOMERY
and Birmingham. There are very few
wet counties In the state. Therefore
there Is no reason why prohibition
! should be made an issue. The faction
which endeavors to make 1t an issue
whether that faction be the prohibi-
ZIONIST or the anti -prohibitionfst, will
meet a Waterloo
Clarifying the Situation
The statement of Mr. IIartweu Is
more positive in regard to Mr. Comer,s
present position on the liquor problem
than any other which has been made
In the current campaign. Mr.. Conner in
his debate with Walter d. Seed his on
ponent, and an avowed prohibitionist.
declined. when questioned in public. un
equivocally to commit himself lie has
given every indication that he is un-
willing to make prohibition an issue.
Mobile county Is perhaps the most
rabid ti-prohibition county of the
state and 1t is agreed In political circles
that in the event its votes 90 go To
Conner 1t will be the result of ITS un-
derstanding that he will not Interfere
with Mobiles right to express its opin-
ion In regard to open saloons and a
result of its belief that the port of
Mobile has been and is Disseminated
against by the railroads.
Mr.. Hartwell after remaining in Bir-
minsham for several hours lett in the
afternoon for French Iicl< Cnrsnoe