The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-03
TWO BILLS WILL
BE PRESENTED
One Will Name Conditions and One
Will Not.
THE ANNEXATION QUESTION
Some Opposition to the Granting Of
Special FaVOrS.
LETTER FROM PROF. DEWBERRY
He Claims That Woodlawn's Income
Will Not be Sufficient to Provide
Public Schools on Same Ba-
sis of City System.

Considerable opposition has developed to
the bill annexing the suburbs, and at the
same time granting them certain fayors for
term of years. This opposition comes
from influential citizens residing in both
the city proper and in the territory which
it is proposed to annex.
That the city council may discuss the
matter thoroughly. and pursue the course
it deems wisest, two bills have been pre-
pared. The first, a synopsis of which was
given in The Age-Herald yesterday, and
another which provides that the
same territory be annexed without any
special conditions being imposed. In this
bill the aldermen from the outlying dis
tricts do not form board of revenue, and
in fact there is no condition, except the
liquor clause.
Mayor Evans said yesterday that 1t wits
possible that the committee would not re-
port at the regular meeting of the board
next Wednesday night. The committee de-
fires to hear more views the matter of
granting special conditions. Then there is
no desire to get the bill before the egisla-
ture prior to the holidays.
The opposition to the Condition feature
Of the annexation bill first cropped out
from the suburbs, and since then several of
the more influential people of the city have
taken stand against it.
suburban Point of View.
Some of the reasons are set forth in the
following letter to Mayor Evans from Prof.
]. NJ. Dewberry, of the Woodawn public
schools:
II am interested in and favor Greater
Birmingham At Woodawn there are
those of us who have from the first favored
annexation but must earnestly protest
against some of the conditions an
nounced in the papers Any money con-
s,deration granted us in the way of RETAIN
ing our taxes or any other similar way
is not only class legislation and unconstitu
tional but will work an injury to Wood
lawn. If we are desired and may become
real part of Birmingham, with equal
rights, privileges and duties, every other
part of the city, it would be well for us,
and, we trust, for you. But the duty 20
give us our taxes carries with 1t the duty
or privilege of combining us to our taxes,
whatever the conditions be. With the
identity of our local government gone we
shall be helpless if not recognized as
factor and not mere beneficiary in the
city government.
Further the plans as outlined will be
more expensive Lnan our present gov
eminent, though not more expensive
than we need. Even with the l per
cent. tax the total income here will not
give us a free school on the basis of
the city schools, a division of the mu-
ncipal court, police protection, water
plugs, electric lights and keep our
streets up The results will be, | fear
that these interests will conflict and
their representatives become antagonis-
tic. With increased expenses for water
lights, sanitation, police, streets, etc.,
our school will be a part of the Bir-
mingham system in name only, and we
shall have no recourse.
II make no apology for making the school
question prominent, as l know that l write
and one who readily recognizes it as funda-
mental. Unless the school question at least
be entirely and completely divorced from
all conditions not common to the entire
territory, some, and l may safely say,
many of the strongest advocates of annex
alton will oppose the measure at home and
in the legislature. Woodlawn is not in
need of a mere guardian of her funds but
If we can unite our interests and our er-
forts with those of this great valley, l say
Let us do so upon a common, equitable,
fair and one and the same basis. Yours
truly, ]. M. DEWBERRY