The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-02-04
But As to Method Will Leave Entire Question
 to Committee
REFUSES TO JOIN IN
 EFFORT TO 'DICTATE''
Tells Brandon He Will Not Sidestep Issue and Will Continue to Fight for
 Ratification

Anniston, February S.-(Special) Lieut.-Gov. Thomas E. Kilby Of this city, the only one of five candidates In the race for governor who has gone on record as being in favor of ratify- Ing the prob ,ition amendment to the federal constitution, has given out reply here to letter from Judge ". W. Brandon of Tuscaloosa, who sug- gested that candidates for governor unite in urging the state executive committee to submit the ratification question to the people by having it specified on the electoral tickets--a plan which, in the opinion of the An niston candidate, might look like an attempt at evasion-a sort of sidestep- ping of the issue"
 Mir. Knby calls attention to the fact that he introduced a resolution in the legislature of 1911, providing that the people of the state be given an oppor- &unity to decide by direct vote between local option and statewide prohioi- ton as the fixed policy of the state, and that this resolution was promptly Killed by the votes of the local option senator's" He says he is willing to abide by any action that may be taken by the constituted authorities but that an attempt on the part of candidates for governor to dictate to the state committee might be regarded as "un- warranted interference.' Regardless of their action, he says, he will do ali in his power to have the amend ment ratified, as he thinks the issue ought to be put squarely up to all candidates for governor and the leg1s- lature His letter follows:
 February 2. Hon. w. W. Brandon, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
 My Dear Judge: Since receiving your letter of January g, have been confined to my home with severe case of tonsilitis, and hence the delay In answering.
 q have never >held any other opinion than that this matter should and would be decided by the people voting di- rectly on the question or speaking through representatives chosen with particular regard to their views on the question. MT. Wallace, in answer to a similar letter addressed to him, calls your attention to his own ac- tivity along the same line, going as far back as last fall. Without desir- ing to raise the question of priority of record in the matter of submis- sion to the voters, I may be pardoned for recalling that I introduced in the senate of 1911 a resolution providing that the people of the state be given an opportunity to decide by direct vote between local option and statewide prohibition as the fixed policy of the state. The resolution was promptly killed by the votes of the local option senators.
 Tt so happens that new legislature will be elected before that body meets again in regular session. Candidates for the state senate and the house of rep resentatives will make their position re- spccting the amendment perfectly clear to their constituents and when. the new legislature meets the members will be fresh from the people and there will be no shadow of doubt about instructions as to how votes on the amendment shall be castN l do not doubt for moment
 
 eration of the people and that their voice will be supreme in it's settlement.
 ''In view of the fact that the ques- ton is going straight to the people in the regular way or by the adoption of some other method provided by the duly con- stituted party authorities. it seems to me that action by gubernatorial candidates, looking to disposition of the matter, is not only unnecessary but might be con- strued as an unwarranted interference. It might look like an attempt at evasion "a sort of sidestepping the issue. l do not care to occupy such position, for I rave no desire to avoid the issue. I pre- fer that the question should be put straight up to the candidates for gover-