The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-04
extended him by the club. Mr. Smith re-

tired
MIR. Drennen's speech
A committee was then sent over to the
Florence hotel. where Mr. Drennen was in
waiting, and he was escorted over to the
hall. After the usual Introduction and pre-
1iminary remarks, Mr.. Drennen spoke, in
substance, as follows:
II thank you for the privilege of being
allowed to come before your club this even
ing. I want to say that this is the first
time In my life that have not been able
to offer a substitute when called upon to
make a speech. In fact, this is the first
time I have ever attempted to make a
speech in my own behalf. While almost all
my life have taken a hand in politics,
have never held an office that paid sal
airy, although I have always been con-
tributor to the democratic party. In order
that you may know how l stand on some of
the leading issues that will arise during this
campaign will read to you my platforms:
IN August, 1897, great many complaints
were made about the quality of water that
was furnished by the Birmingham Water
Works company to this city, and The Age
Herald would come out almost daily and
say Boil your water These complaints
were SO general as to the quality of the
water that Mayor Evans appointed COM
mittee of five from the board of aldermen,
1 being a member of the committee l do
not think 1t necessary to go into all the
details Of the investigation, but will say
thai I made minority report, as 1 found
the quality of the water very bad at that
time. l found also that the Birmingham
Water Works company was violating its
contract. by charging a higher price for
water than their contract called for, and
is continuing to do so at this time. The
price for a ten-room dwelling In Birming-
ham with water closet and bath tub is
$22 per annum. For a ten-room house In
Atlanta, IL you do not waste your water,
such a house Is s7.56 per annum In case
a woman owns a house in Birmingham and
decides to keep boarders, the Birmingham
Water Works company invariably puts In
meter, which they have no right to do, and
not only charges 80 cents per thousand gal
Ions for water, but also charges for the
meter, while in Atlanta you have to pay
only 10 cents per thousand gallons.
81 believe in license schedule justly and
fairly proportional, and in many instances
lower than it is at present. For instance,
the license for selling powder in Birming-
ham is $50 wholesale and retail, and $25 at
retail. Only few firms here handle pow
der on account of the high license. You
will find in Montgomery or Atlanta that
almost every wholesale grocery store han
dies powder, while here almost none of
them carry it. If this license was, say s25,
for wholesale and retail and $40 for retail.
he aitv Of rhat MI
most double the amount of income it now
receives on powder. L could mention
number of other licenses as unjustly high
and exhorbitant.
1.-THE opportunity for obtaining a COM
mon school education must be put within
the reach of every child in Birmingham. 1
will say right here, that some of the sup
porters of my opponents claim that 1 am
net an educated man, and that L am not
entitled to be mayor of Birmingham on ac-
count of a limited education All 1 have to
say in answer to this argument is that if
1 am elected mayor of Birmingham your
children will not have this fault charged to
them, If it be in my power. cloud APP
plause.)
II believe the white and colored prison.
ers in the city Jail should be separated and
kept apart. At the present time, if a
white man is arrested, he is either put in
a cell about feet square or turned loose
down in the lobby with all the criminals
and negroes who happen to be in the
prison at that time who usually number
almost one hundred.
II believe in keeping the city clean and
police and fire department up to the high
est possible standard.
81 believe in an economical administra-
tion and in filling the offices with capable
men, and in case there are not enough
offices to go around, 1 do not believe in
making trades in order that the old ring
may all be cared for If l am elected,
will see that the citys revenues are used
exclusively for the benefit of the city and
not to keep lobbyists in Montgomery try
ing to abolish the police commission or to
get through the Greater Birmingham bill
or to increase our taxes from one-half of
l per cent. to l per cent.
you have club of about five hundred
members. You have not only organized to
elect some of your members on the board,
but it is your duty to elect a good COM
petent man mayor of this city. With the
membership of your club and the influence
of the railroad men in Birmingham you
can control this election, and If you do
not take advantage of the opportunity, you
will never cease to regret it.
Now gentlemen. 1 have stated my
platform upon which l expect to make my
race for mayor If your club endorses me
and l am elected, 1 will play no favorites
and will enforce the laws regardless of
race or color"