The age-herald., 1899-04-11
NED BRACES
 CHAT OF A DAY

I am sorry that one of my newspaper
 friends should construe my remarks on
 gambling Sunday as part of a plan to
 make trouble for Mayor Drennen. am
 sorry, too, that Mayor Evans friends
 thought the facts brought out might be
 construed into reflection upon his admins
 tration.
 In regard to the latter, Frank Evans has
 made a splendid mayor. But he has had
 no power to enforce the law, because the
 police force is not under him, in any sense
 of the word, and he has no control over
 it. The only power he has is 10 remit fines, | and it Is a wel-known fact that Evans
 has never rcmitted any fines imposed for gambling or keeping bar room open on Sunday.
 Now as to Drennen-Mel Drennen is a
 good citizen, a thoroughly upright and
 honorable gentleman, and everybody knows that he will try to make a good mayor.
 And he probably will make good one,
 and believe every good citizen in Birming
 ham will help him.
 Upon examination of the new city char ter I find that the new mayor will have no control over the police force, but he can have certain amount of influence over
 it. and I feel quite sure that Mel Drennen I will do his part toward bringing about those reforms which are necessary in this city, and those reforms which, be it said
 to his credit, Mayor Evans has endeavored
 to bring about.
 Because reform cleaning up and purifca-
 tion is suggested these suggestions must
 not be construed into reflections upon the oifx off ar pitv nfi O-ba
 It is the duty of every good citizen to do
 his part toward making Birmingham the
 best residence town, as well as the best | business town, in this any other coun- try. l propose to do my part and I hope
 every other citizen will do his. talked with MT. Drennen about the very things I sug- gested in this colmun Sunday, and MT. | Drennen agreed with me thoroughly. The difficulty in this city is the law. The l mayor and the chief of police and the sheriff, and every one under each of these | officers, should work in perfect unison. The | law should provide that they do this And | yet l don't believe in too stringent laws. l don't believe in interfering with any mans liberty or his rights, so long as he attends to his own business and does not make himself odious by his acts or his bus mess to his fellow citizens. I believe man | has as much right to take his beer or his | wine on Sunday as he has to take it on any other day, provided his indulgence does not offend the sensiblities of other people who are opposed to such things. There is
 no reason why the citizen should not have what he cares to drink in public hotel or
 a public restaurant with his meals, and cbo to +bo taurant as well as to the rich mans. But all of these things should be kept within limit and under proper legal surveillance.
 
 What is the matter with tho governor? Is he out to either rule or ruin? Why, when the legislature had up the constitu- tional convention bill, didn't he advise | against its passage? Why didn't he write | a letter to the democratic convention? h. stead of either, he has waited until the leg 1 islature has acted, the democratic conven- | tion has declared itself, and the people are | arraying themselves in favor of a consti- l tutional convention, when he suddenly comes out and sends a circular letter to the members of the legislature asking their | advice as to the calling of another session | of the legislature to repeal the constitu- | tional convention act, which act this very | legislature passed and which act he ap- | proved What is he driving at? Why does | he want to defeat the convention now? I | hope he will explain himself He has been tickle. How are we to know but that he | would change his mind again, and he | might, under a second change. veto a bill | repeating the constitutional convention. NED BRACE.