The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-30
No Politics Discussed at
Meeting of State Com
missiOners Yesterday
MR.. AGEE DISCUSSES
SUBJECTS TREATED
Those Attending Believe Meeting Will
Do Much GOod-Determined to
Insure Strict Enforcement
of the Smith Bill

Unqualified denials were made by ex-
else commissioners of Birmingham last
night of the statement that the meeting
held here yesterday was for the pur-
pose of discussing means of defeating an
extra session of the state lawmakers,
runors as to which have been heard since
the Lacy defalcation.
That DR.. A. p. Martin Of Cullman ''rose
up in the meeting and denied a state
ment accredited to him to that effect was
another statement of members who at
tended the meeting.
w. c. Agee of the jefferson county ex-
else commissioners presided at yesterday S
conference. He said that the meeting
was attended by excise commits
sioners of various cities In this
state, foreign brewery agents and
others interested in the regulated liquor
traffic. Mr. Agee said that absolutely
no mention was made of prohibition OF
an extra session. And only one time was
Governor O'Neal referred to and that was
when the chairman read a message from
the governor wishing the meeting well.
Secure Uniform Regulations
The announcement was made that the
IntctlnR was IOT Int puTpOst Ol 6tlliilG
uniform set of regulations in this state
for the licensed saloon and to improve
the conditions under which the liquor
business Is conducted in this state. The
commissioners of Montgomery, it was an
nounced, allow 10 minutes after the clos
ing hour to count the days receipts and
other details. In Birmingham the closing
hour is enforced strictly. In Mobile one
rule applies while elsewhere another Is
iad 10 IN pat thaca rtllpe worked
out in uniform way that the meeting
was held.
The meeting was called by w. C. Agee
of the local commission and although e.
Wilkinson is president of the state excise
commission association, the former pre-
sided. The meeting it was announced
lasted for three hours and was produc-
tive of a better general understanding.
The excise commissioners are determined
to enforce reputation for the regulated
saloon than is now enjoyed by them.
Politics of every description was ex-
cluded from the meeting and it was an
nounced nothing was done except what
was of general interest TO the excise
commissioners of the various cities.
Agee's Statement
Mr. Agee in connection with the meeting
made this statement at its conclusion:
The meeting today was of excise COM
missioners from various cities that have
regulated saloons and foreign brewery
agents The gathering had been sus-
gested for some time and had beer
worked on for months and could not have
any connection with any other recent
events in this state. The discussion was
about better enforcement of the Smith
bill and to arrange uniformity of the
regulations that are in force throughout
the state.
mo politics entered into tie meeting
and it is absolutely untrue that any ex-
ira session proposition or other matters
of politics We're talked over. | will say
that DR.. Martin of Cullman, who is cred
tied in an afternoon paper with making
certain statements, arose in the meeting
and said most positively that the state
ments accredited to him were not so
The meeting was very satisfactory ano
will no doubt be productive of great good
At least all of us believe this to be true
Regulated saloons have been successful
in this city and Alabama and we wish &c
maintain that reputation at all COSTS
The following were asked to attend AMI
In most instances were present;
Colbert County-Leighton: Alexander
Everett. chairman; Henry Hurley. Claude
King, Sheffield; DR.. w. II. Blair, chair
man: s. b. McTyer, j. ID. Kirby. Tus-
cumbia: j. c. Spraggins chairman
Charles A. Rowland, J. c. Keiner.
Cullman County-Cullman: d.. A. r
Martin, chairman; Fl. b. Howard, }. IL
yoss, Garden City: J. w. Green, chair
man; r. Saerdlin, Hans McAnaily
Hanceville: ]. II. Bland, chairman; e.
Malchow, A. G. Fowler.
Jefferson County-Entire County: W
C. Agee, chairman; Sydenham Moore, u
Wilkinson.
Mobile County-C Chronicle: John Sim
mons, chairman G. Ross Chambers, A
j. Johnson.
Mobile: Joel w. Goldsby, chairman; IL
NJ Friend, sydney Douglass
Montgomery Montgomery; DR..
A. H. Montgomery, chairman; Il. q
Banks George w. Hailes.
| Pike County-Banks: w. II. Harris
chairman; George Brantley, j. w. Smith
Brundige; Frank Woods, chairman; Gus
Hicks, ]. w. Reynolds. Goshen: r. ~
Mount, chairman; j. p. Wilson, j. II
Furlow. Troy: j. F. Johnson, chairman;
| w. E. Griffin. A. l.. Crouch.