The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-08-27
SOUTH STILL SOLID
WITH PROHIBITION
Alabama Joins the Rest Try F,lerftrsg
Men at Primaries Who Stand
Against Booze

The solid South remains > solid unit
on the temperance issue. The hope
81 the liquor interests of breaking
southern unity by defeating ratinca-
! tion candidates for Alabama leRisla-
turs has been blasted Al result OF
tho recent primaries. which gave the
/ liquor people an overwhelming defeat
\ governor. an avowed friend Of rati-
I hcation, and an overwhelming major
/ tty Of the members Of both branches OF
| the legislature have been nominated
upon the ratification issue.
Alabama was the one state in the
South that the liquor people expected
/ TO hold against ratification. They en-
/ tered thu campaign with every other
i issue in the background The whiskey
! trust pursued it's policy Of nisrepre-
| sentation and vilihcatton Of opposing
candidates The most prominent men
In public life that could he gotten as
i open advocates against ratihcatt IN
were indicted into the campaign. The
| Ereat outstanding argument was that
| ratification of the national prohibits m
! amendment would result IN the In
/ fringement OF free state government
United States Senator Underwood. lead
er Of the liquor interests in Washing
| ton, came to Alabama to night the pro-
htbttion amendment. Here is a gem
reported from one Of his speeches
IT you are willing TO write prohi-
bition into the constitution OF the
United States You are willing TO give
up your liberties and you stand for
| the kind Of government that our BOYS
are fighting against in Europe. II
| would destroy tho fundamental prin-
| ciple If freedom and this would no
longer be a free government. This
| amendment could never be changed.
| and If YOU are In favor of it's adop-
ton you should stop hEhting the kali
!. - Al . 49,
believe that he is ruling by the viii of
Cod o..
II you oppose the right Of the peo-
pie to vote on constitutional changes,
| Washington should be changed into
Berlin. and ALABAMA into province
governed by federal reformers and
financed ny Rockefeller and directed
by unspeakable hired elements.
we will change our constitution at
our peril"
Such gems as these coming from
the mouth Of United States Senator
| Underwood, backed an by n most vi
| cious and slAuderous campaign against
those favoring the national prob ton
amendment, stirred the state OF Ala
bana in this one Of it's most historic
campaigns The liquor advocates at
3 tempted to show that ratification OF
the prohibition amendment would de
feat the sacred principle of states
rights. taking away state Rovernm en- {
on this issue, and that such a change
I should only he made amer referen-
Il dunn vote 81 tho people themselves tn
stead Of submitting to vote of the
Legislature as is the provision made
mandatory by the national constitu-
/ tton.
i The decent elements IT Alabama en-
i gagged In thu struggle nrst by putting
4 their endorsement mon clean, fear
less, capable and dependable men. The
| Issue was then carried directly to the
| people on a basis Of fair statements,
| Alabama while already "A prohihi-
| tiou state. suffered to the maximum
| from Illegal selling and bookkeeping
mauipulattons. Alabama la dry through
the desire u the people OF the state.
! The people themselves recognize that
success Of their prohibition law is de-
pendent upon the complete destruction
/ Of the source of supply and thereby
I were strongly in favor of the national
! prohibition amendment an the only
! method whereby they could protect the
\ prohibition order in their own state.
And when the ballots were counted II
was manifest that the people ruled and
u not the liquor politicians. They had
selected governor and an overw h M
ing ajority in both houses Of the
legislature fayoring tho issue Of rati-
fcation.
Alabama therefore, has reaTirmed
! herself and the prohibition advocates
II the nation viii welcome this action
on he part % this state Of the south
I which now. having thGs aligned her
self takes away corpletelf the hope
I ~ the ltquor tntetea 10 hold any pro-
/ EHhition state In me against ratjtca-
ton. This Alabama achievement "a a
dieastrous blow TO thu liquor traffic.