The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-23
LEGISLATURE VOTES
 DOWN AMENDMENTS
 TO PROHIBITION BILL
(Continued from Page One)

TO PROHIBITION BILL (COntinued from Page One) | antee to the people of other counties that in midnights solemn noon liquor would not be surreptitiousy carried across the borders, then I would vote to submit this bill to the people themselves. I came to Montgomery with the Intention of taking the government in one hand, and my people in the other. and lifting both onto a higher and nobler plane. The opposi- | tion speaks of revenue derivabe from | traffic in liquor I would rather for my people to be covered with seed ticks and bedbugs to go in their shirts and feed upon acorns rather than permit the state to be maintained by money accrung from that source."
 Mr. Judges remarks were vigorously applauded.
 Debate Grows Interesting
 At this point MT. Grayson of Mobile called the attention of the chair to the fact that the point at issue was the adop- tion of the amendments of the governor
 He pointed out the fact that orators had waXed eloquent on a foreign topic, that is the iniquity of liquor. Having been sustained by the chair. he proceeded to show why, in his opinion, the bill should be submitted.
 Let us make clean election laws" he added, and then submit this irritat- ing question in that it might be for all time settled in Alabama. Every four years under the present method of do- ing business. the legislature undoes what the previous legislature accomplished Let us permit the people to settle the ques- tion with the understanding that we will abide by their decision when it is eX- pressed in that freedom and honesty .s..t, IL I.... antee.
 MT. Greene of Dallas, following, said ::
 -Four years ago. asked that local option be referred to the people. Our request was not granted, And as far as a referendum is now concerned We had one last April when the members of this house were elected and we will have another in four years. And I wish to state here in reference to the remark of the gentleman from Madison. that we do not need wet nurses or any other kind of nurses. As matter of fact, he will soon know that we are "A of the
 manifest men he has ever put eyes upon."
 Prohibition and Conviction
 MT. Fuller of Montgomery, in his ar gument. declared that when prohibition obtained in Montgomery, the juries de- clined to convict in 95 per cent of pro- hibition cases, whereas now conviction
 and fines are generally the result of the hearing of evidence.
 Are you afraid of the people?" he asked. "If not, submit this bill and the people will enforce the law which they themselves will have produced"
 Mir. Brown of Jackson attempted to excuse the prohibitionists for their use
 of the steam roller He told the story of the cartoon which represented MT.
 Roosevelt, torn and bleeding arising from ( f1IIn nf tl,o
 steam roller operated by the forces of MT. Taft in the last republican conven- ton.
 MT. Roosevelt, continued MT Brown,
 Ifs represented as saying, And just to
 think I made the durn thing
 However" continued MT. Brown, you are making in my opinion, the fatal blum der of rolling your machine too fast
 Matter of Referendum
 Mr. Davis of Walker made the point that it was apparently undemocrat1c for local optionists to demand referendum when the constitution makes nos provi- sion for a referendum.
 And it is interesting to note," he con- tinued, that the local option papers which now insist on our referring this matter to the people were very vigorous in ridi- culing the idea of the referendum even when advocated by such man as MT. Bryan. In pursuing the course that we have pursued and will pursue, we are merely carrying out the instructions of the people,"
 MT. Chamberlain of Mobile said -Four years ago the prohibitionists wanted q
 referendum. Today, not a one of them
 have said that they were at that time in error in believing that referendum was proper. So let them be consistent and stand with us now. Let us all get to. i, thA ~le in order that it might be settled forever, and thus eliminated from politics of this state.''
 Rogers Is Dramatic Mir. Rogers of Sumter, making the prin- ciple speech for the local optionists, pre- sented the argument, with peculiar strength and logic, which local optionists have for several days been presenting. He concluded with great dramatic skill as follows:
 Do you assume you are endowed with virtues superior to those of your friends, the people? A philosopher once said: Every encroachment on the liberty of man is made under the pretense of doing good for the people, I do not charge that you are pretending. l do charge that you are believing in thus encroach- ing on the liberty of the people that you are doing good by the people. How far will you go in your guardianship of your fellow man? This body may be tolerant. But how are, we guaranteed that those which will follow will be as wise as we? Let the time soon come when men shall live by rule of reason.''
 Merritt Closes Debate MT. Griffin of Marengo. following Mir. Rogers. contended that he and his col | league had been elected on the prohibit ton ticket. and that the people of Mar engo were satisfied with their representa- . | tives. Mir. Merritt of Macon, father Of the prohibition legislation. closed the debate. | He began by referring to the fact that Governor Henderson had recommended | that the Smith and Parks local option bill | be so amended as to eradicate that fea- ! ture which prevents, it is said. a wet {, county from voting dry He appar- | ently rejoiced in that the point over | which in the past he had argued had | for the first time, in his knowledge. been | admitted by local optionist. He re- l ferred to the fact that four years ago he I had asked for referendum and hIs re- I quest had been refused by the local op- l tion majority. He aroused interest by stating that Judge Parks of Covington county. author of the Parks slocal option bill. had urged prohibitionists to stand by
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