The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-14
Rivals Over Liquor Question Have More Respect for
 Each Other
LESSONS ARE DRAWN
 FROM REGENT YEARS
Time Has Come When Candidate on Whom Rev. Brooks Lawrence Has Breathed Blessing
 Is Doomed
By HUGH W. ROBERTS

The people of Alabama have become more tolerant.
 The anti-prohibitionist is beginning to realize that all the prohibitionists are not fanatical. The prohibitionist is beginning to realize that many of the anti-prohibi- tionists are good men and sincere men.
 The maximum of fake with which prohibition agitation has been infested is appreciated by all the people of what ever faction. And the time has come when doomed is that candidate on whom Brooks Lawrence has breathed his bless ing.
 The truth of these assertions has been evidenced in the results of recent politi- cal campaigns. Alabama, if it goes dry" in its every integral part will go dry through the operation of local option.
 Fruit of Local Option
 The reason is not difficult to find. The prohibitionist who was fooled for eight years has walked up to the fact that he has secured more territory with promise to hold that territory through the oper- ation of local option-a voluntary opera tion-than he had previously secured in his intolerant effort 10 thrust sis doc trines and beliefs and paternosters down the threats of unwilling subjects. He has acquired 50 of 67 counties. His law In those counties is the strongest that man can write because it puts the bur- den of the proof on the back of the ac- cused. Federal ant-shipping bills pre- clude the possibility of a vitiation of the expressed will of the people
 The DrOhibitionist in tho rural distriete wants to keep his own territory dry" lie Is beginning to realize that the surest way in which he can endanger his own territory is to endeavor to make other territory do as he wils-not as the peo- pie or that other territory would do
 The Fake" Demonstrated
 Alabama is essentially local option pro hibition, that is, the ma jority of the peo- pie will vote dry in their counties but would not support a statewide prohibition propaganda would not blndly follow any nltimatum expressed or published by their hitherto political leaders
 The fake in the prohibition move- ment has never more clearly been dem onstrated in Alabama than this year Eariy In January the political prohibi- tonlsts, headed by the Rev. Brooks Law renee, made an ugly assault on Oscar w. Underwood, an able Alabamian a ciean, upright American These political agitators called upon the prohbitionists of Alabama to knife that Alabamian who had reflected more glory on his state than any other Alabamian in recent years The prohbitonists refused, fatty refused They rebuked their former leaders Mr Underwood was elected to the Senate over Captain Hobson by a majority of 34,732
 When the Rev. Lawrence showed his Teeth in the Underwood campaign he split ms own ranks. His soldiers saw 'the handwriting the wall" They saw perhaps for the first time-below the sur 1 face.
 Betrayal of Seed And then in the gubernatorial cam paisn the prohibition politicians showed their hands. They withheld a genial, wholesome indorsement of Wal ter D. Seed. They had seen MT. Seed fnimolate himself in behalf of Colonel Mallory They knew that MT. Seed had been led to believe that in future cam paigns he would have their support And they betrayed him because they believed that he could not win.
 It was not principle for which these leaders contended. It was power.
 As result of their dual indorse- ment of MT. Seed and MT. Conner, they split their forces. They made of their forces two rival factions and neither the one nor the other was imbued with q spirit of love for it's brothers. In the run-oNer campaign this truth was dem onstrated. The following of Walter D. Seed did not turn with vim and en- thusiasm to Braxton Bragg Conner. In- stead it turned with vim and en- thusiasm to Charles Henderson MT Henderson was the candidate of the local optionists. He had promised to veto d statewide prohibition bill in the event that one was passed by the a f cast Tor Conner. no candidate could have defeated Conner.
 The Present Condition.
 The situation in Alabama is not cha otic. It Is safe and sane" situa- ton The people in the rural sections are dry" They will not attempt to dictate to Birmingham. Mobile and Montgomery. They know that if they do the worm will turn and in the end