The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-01-21
LOBBY WORKING AGAINST REFERENDUM PLEA Steering Committee Keeps Steam Roller We'll Oiled
 at Montgomery WRATH OF PEOPLE
 FELT AT CAPITAL Petitions Seek to Have Issue Sub mitted to People, But Prohibition Organization Is Blocking Movement
Ny HUGH w. ROBERTS

-~D
 Montgomery, January 2O.-(spccial.)
 In anticipation of the governors prob-
 able action regarding the prohibition
 bills which repose on his desk, the rro-
 hibition faction Is unusually active to-
 night. The powerful steering commit-
 tee, which Is the lobby of the prohibi-
 tionists. Is endeavoring through stren-
 uous.- never-ceasing effort to overcome
 the logic of the appeal of the gover-
 nor. The indications are that that conn
 mittec will be successful. The wrath of
 the people. news of which reaches
 Montgomery by every mail which
 comes. Is equally as ineffective, ac-
 cording to indications, as has been or
 will be the force of argument.
 Today. Governor Henderson conferred
 with the leaders among the legislators
 regarding the final disposition of the bills.
 He stated the case very plainly. It is
 the general admission that in his proposi-
 ton there was great strength. There is reason to believe that but for the force Oof tain able members of the lobby, some- thing in the way of a compromise might have been effected
 Reproductive as Whole As whole, the day was unproductive of results The governor in his confer ence with Lieutenant Governor kflby, Speaker Carmichael and other represen- tative men among the legislators who have stood for prohibition, put the burden on the prohibitionists. If they do not fol low in accordance with his ideas, they will have refused more emphatically than they already have done. to trust the peo- | pie. Governor Henderson. 1t is learned let the prohbitionists know that he vii approve any revision of the primary laws ! in order that clean elections might ob- | tain and the question of statewide pro- | hibition. under the most favorable cir. | cumstances, be submitted to the people and, therefore, removed from the politics | of the state.
 | It is known that the leaders with whou Governor Henderson conferred gave nc encouragement. They night have admit 1 ted that with new election laws it would
 be the wiser course for prohibition it.
 self to submit it's fate to the court oi 1 final jurisdiction--the people. But they dit | not indicate that they would so recom mend. As a matter of fact if politica gossip in Montgomery means anything | the members have no option. They mus proceed in accordance with the plar mapped out by the lobby, and if the cur rent impression is correct must stand ir the line into which during the process of organization they were whipped. Has Not Read Bills
 Up to the present time Governor Henderson has not read the two prohi l btion bills which are in his office await l ing his action. Tomorrow night he vii digest them, and reach a conclusion a, 1 to what course in wisdom he should pur. l sue. There is every reason to believe that he will return the bills to the house | with an amendment providing for submis. sion to the people. He will probably send | a message, also, telling the Legislators that the people, when protected from tho ''corrupting influences which Speaker | Carmichael declared to be in existence should have the right which their peti- tions indicate they demand, to express or | the issue their opinion, to render in other words, their final verdict.
 | And then, 1t is highly probable that the 1 prohibitionists will vote not to concur ir | the amendment of the governor, and then re-enact the bills as originally drawn | They will then be returned, if. this plar l is followed. to the governors desk, and there will become law ipso facto in five subsequent days.
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