The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-27
Pr0hibitiOnists Will Not
 HarmOnize and an Open
 Fight Seems Inevitable
(COntinued From Page Five)

all of the Presidents friends, regardless of their attitude to prohibition, that a declaration in the democratic platform for federal prohibition or any acrimo- nious controversy over that issue would be fatal to the chances of the democratic nominee; and, to show the unanimity of that view, it was stated to me that in response to a proposal by MT. Hobson to MT. Bryan that they should join hands to force a declaration for federal prohi- bition in the democratic convention, Mr. Bryan had dissented and expressed the opinion that it would be fatal or very damaging to democratic success, aad that the harm accomplished would vers, greatly outweigh any good that might result.
 For this reason, it was explained to me that harmonious delegation from Alabama, which would avoid any con- troversy within the party in this state and assure against any agitation of fed eral prohibition at St. Louis, was de- sired.
 WILLING TO ASSIST
 T was, of course, willing to assist in any way that I could and imme- diately conferred with democrats in Ala bama-prohibitionists and otherwise-all of whom concurred cordially in the sug- gestion.
 At the meeting of the committee in December, the expressed desire of the friends of the President that there should be a harmonious delegation on the line above suggested was definitely made known to the leaders of the majority faction; and without exception, so far as l recall the idea was approved, and the | assurance was given that certain Of these gentlemen would remain over after the meeting of the committee and confer, with the idea of calling upon democrats | in whose disinterestedness the people of | the state could rely to become candi- ' dates; believing that while this would in no sense be binding upon the people or prevent any gentleman who wished to 1 announce from becoming a candidate, the good sense of the effort to avoid con- | troversy over a mere party honor and comply with the earnest wish of the l Presidents friends would be recognized l and that the names suggested would of themselves be sufficient assurance | that no factional advantage or purpose was intended.
 DID NOT REMAIN
 | The gentleman representing the ma jority faction upon the committee did not remain over for the conference agreed l upon. Constantly protesting that they would take up the matter in a few days, time passed, and in one of the inter- | views which I had with MT. Sessions, he expressed the definite wish to avoid any contest on the basis desired by the friends of MT, Wilson, and his inten- l tion to assist in every way possible and 1 then stated that he had just given out MT. Carmichael's announcement as dele- gate from the state-at-1arge. I thought | and stated to him, that this might pre- | cipitate the matter and make it diff cult to carry out the idea which had been requested; but finally reached the conclusion that it would not prevent the effort, as Mir Carmichael had undoubt- | edly been agreed on as one of the men who would be selected or suggested by l MT. Sessions and his associates in a har-
 monious delegation
 NO EFFORT TO COMPLY
 On that occasion MT. Sessions was
 on the eve of departure for Wash
 lngton with message to Congress from the recent legislature and as
 sured me that he and his associates
 would meet immediately on his return
 and so forward with the idea Not withstanding these continued assur-
 ances that they would within a day
 or two, proceed. further time passed
 without any apparent effort on their I part to comply, and three of the gen.
 tlemen who had been repeatedly men, ] tioned as the selection of MT. Sessions I and his associates announced for dele
 gates from the state at large
 "On February 16 I received a letter from one of the gentlemen with whom MT. Sessions had been conferring-and for whose entire good faith in this matter l am willing to vouch--to the effect that he had received no fur ther communication from MT. Sessions 1 relative to the matter, and frankly stating that it therefore seemed inad- i visable to pursue further the sugges- l tion looking to harmonious action
 As had been responsible to some degree for the general impression that had gotten abroad that the Presidents wishes would be respected. I consid- cred it necessary to make a final ef- fort and l wrote letters to representa- tive democrats in each district, includ- ! ing consistent statewide prohibition ists. in final effort to go forward 1 with the matter: and this final effort ( was frnitless, for the reason that Als. Sessions and his associates, although yet professing that they were on the