The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-24

pushed many negative vote will fine
it's way into the ballot box. The
amendment does not commit the voter
to a tax levy. 1t merely gives the
people in each county the right to say
whether or not they shall tax them
selves for the betterment of school
conditions. After the amendment be-
comes law it may require little time
to educate some of the counties up tt
the point of availing themselves Of its
provisions. But the paramount idea
to be kept now before the people is
that it is the duty of every elector tc
vote for the amendment, no matter
what his individual attitude toward
school taxation may be.
The amendment once in effect, IL
literacy in Alabama will be doomed
According to the federal census OF
1910 Alabama's percentage of litter
ates over 10 years of age was 22.9
1t is somewhat less today, but persons
at a distance who study statistical
tables only take the census figures
for comparison of conditions in states
and groups of states. With well di-
rected effort illiteracy in Alabama
should almost reach the vanishing
point by 1920.
"A Names state election APP
N proaches - September II -ex-
citement in both the democratic and
the republican camps rises to white
heat. Governor Curtis, democrat, who
seeks reelection, has made an excep-
tionally strong rec
Intense Interest ord, and the two
Centers in Maine democratic candi-
dates for the Uni
ted States Senate-Johnson, to sue
coed himself, and DR.. Kenneth Stills,
dean of Bowdoin college, for the va
cancy caused by the death of Senator
Burleigh-are highly esteemed. Sen
ator Johnson is an astute politician,
but Dean Stills has had no political
yet as the latter is a
splendid type of the scholar in politics,
his friends think that he, as well as
his running colleague, will have fair
ly good chance of winning.
The only time the republicans ever
failed to carry Maine in presidential
election was in 1912, and that was on
account of the progressive bolt; but
several times the democrats have
elected their candidate for governor.
If the republicans were to lose Maine
next month it would have depressing
effect on Mr.. Hughes candidacy and
for that reason his campaign COM
mittee is making an extraordinary
fight to carry the state. ...-.
The fact that Maine always goes
in it's gubernatorial con-
tests in a presidential year would
make the blow felt all the more keen
ly were the rule to be changed this
tine. Even in 1912, when Wilson re-
ceived Names electoral vote, the Sep
TENDER election was republican by a
safe plurality.
The only possible chance for Will
son to carry Maine in November IS
for a large part of the progressive
vote to stay at home, or, better still,
to support the democratic standard
bearer. One of the progressive lead
ers, Frank Haskell, has come out for
Wilson, but many of the others have
followed Roosevelt back to the re-
publican party. The rank and file,
it is said, are remaining silent and this
silence has alarmed the republican
Roosevelt is to make speech in
Maine August 81. 1t will be his only
in that state, but the re-
publican old guard are expressing
great hope that it will count for much.
The trouble with the colonel and the
moose is that the sincere progressives
look upon their one-time idol as a
traitor. His presence in Maine should
have, therefore, the opposite effect of
what the republican leaders expect.
While Wilson's prospects of carrying
Maine are not as bright as they were
in 1912, the situation is such as to
make it worth while for the democrats
to try. And they have begun to shell
the woods.
." HE activities of "vice squads" in
the larger cities, and in the
smaller cities as well, have not been
such as to commend this form of cru
sading to thinking people. The an
nouncement that the police "dragnet'