The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-04-21
O'NEAL WANTS THE RULE OF LAWRENCE BROUGHT ID AN END
Says If "Gunman" Is to Be Sent to Senate, Good Marksman Should
 Be Chosen
of Birmingham, Ala Statement February 2Sth. 1920. rnE c0IfpCEG

If I am elected senator legislature will follow that will carry out the will of the people instead of the will of Brooks Lawrence" said former Gov Elm met O'Neal' in an, address before an audience of Ensley citizens last night. He was. replying to attacks recently made upon him by his opponents for the short term in the United States Senate, who have stated that the election of O'Neal will not have the effect of modifying the Weakley prohibition bill which gov erns in Alabama.
 Ed Warnck introduced George Bon durant, manager of the O'Neal campaign in Jefferson county, who then introduced the candidate. Heavy rains prevented 8 large attendance, though nearly 200 citizens gathered at the Elks' hall to hear the ex-governor whose advocacy of the manufacture and sale of light wines and beer under a modification of the VolStead act and the Weakley bill has numerous supporters in that community
 The speaker declared that the supreme court is the only power that can nullify the, eighteenth amendment during the present generation, as it's repeal would require the action of thirty-six states: but that Congress has. the power and authority necessary to modify the re- strictions in the Volstead act, which classes all beverages containing more than one-half of 1 per cent of alcohol to be intoxicating beverages. Even a prohibition bill should tell the truth, ' he said.
 Governor O'Nea1 showed that one of his opponents was quoted in a Birmingh ham newspaper as saying in recent speech that any man who advocates the sale of wine and beer should be defeated To this he replied that if his opponent has made $tIpb a arlxf hat take down the flag of states rights un- der which he has been fighting and hoist in it's stead the black flag of intoler- ance; the flag of Brooks Lawrence and the Anti Saloon League.
 To the statement that modification of the Volstead act Is not an issue he re- piled by reading a reported editorial from Rank and File, organ of the Vet erans Association, demanding in the name Of that organization that the sale Of such beverages be permitted and de- nouneing the members of Congress who voted for the measure which deprived the American people, in the absence of B. 00c.000 soldiers and sailors during the war of the privilege of voting on the issue. Referring to the veterans of the World War he expressed the opinion that no reasonable request that they might make should be denied by the country and it's people and denied that thev are
 
 nation which they offered their lives to save.
 The former executive created much merriment by his remarks on the recent attempts attributed to Mr Heflin to re- vive the gro-shooting exploit as a po- litlcal asset. He referred to Mr Heflin's bad marksmanship. since the record shows, he claimed, that an innocent bv stander was the real victim while inc negro target was merely shot in the foot He said that any southern man would go to great lengths to protect a ladv and would do so without claiming a hieh political office as a reward for defective gun work; that if a gunman is desired one should be selected for the Sena ta who can hit an object as large as grown negro without wounding innocent bystanders.
 capt. Frank s. White and Dr. John W ADercrombie were both described aa al vocates of the sacred yolstead law With its spy system and other un-A inert can features
 governor O'Seal will speak at the l.. ~, shops aFt Albany at noon today eiu III one or the theatres of that city at night. The campaign for tha sh,..t term apparently is warming m as st hears its close,