The age-herald., 1902-03-30
Heavy Vote PoIled.

Steiner plan, with which you are fa- miliar, but of which the public is not yet informed.
 The first lasting monument to your economy and business administration is this addition of $524OOO to the funded debt of the city. What did the public get for 1t I again quote from your mes- sage:
 Among the more important matters that I wish to call your attention is the expenditure of $314,433 for perm anent street Improvements; the construction of three new school buildings at a cost of $54,403 and new. city hall, which is modern and imposing structure and credit to the architect, the contractor, the administration and the city of Bfr- mingham, costing $200,000, making grand total for permanent improvements of S56S, 7S6'
 You failed to state that of this total of s56S, ,736 the $314 433 for street improve ments came out of the property owners directly, and not out of the proceeds of the bonds or city revenue. You inform the public that although the revenue of the city was $441. .39S, an increase of $9S,070 over 1900, and nearly double what it was in 1896, that the deficit was $22355.
 How Expenses Grow.
 In other words, by your methods of business and economy the annual ex- penses of conducting the city govern ment, including interest, has grown from s296.S7S in 1898 to s468. .69S in 1.Ol, an in- crease of $166,S15 per annum.
 In view of the fact that you are a can didate for reelection, and boast of your economy, I would suggest in friendly spirit, that you had better get some ex- plantations ready, for the ordinary citi- zen does not understand economy and business to mean continued increase of both debts and expenses.
 You very truly state in all of your mes- sages that we have been enjoying a period of continued prosperity since you were first elected; but for this fact the city would now be in default under your ideas of business and economy, and should depression come, as is almost certain, you will see the public schools close again for want of means to keep them open, and the city driven to the necessity of resorting to another Steiner Plan" of increasing its debts.
 Of course every public spirited citizen wanted a new city hall and recognized the necessity for 1t. but no sane business man would regard it as either good busi- ness judgment, or economy, to build on credit fine new house, when he was unable out of his income to pay his or dinary expenses and interest on his exist ing debts.
 Creation of Debt Easy.
 Those of us who have experienced it, know that the creation of debt is among the easiest of things to accomplish, but 1t Is a little out of the ordinary to hear a business man boast of the fine build ing he is erecting-with other peoples money-when he accompanies his boast with a statement of his affairs, showing that he is each year spending more than his income.
 You must not imagine that this com munication Is prompted by any spirit of personal hostility, for have none, but merely desire to call your attention to the fact that it would not be prudent to risk your reelection on an economical business administration of the city's af- fairs.
 If you will permit me to suggest 1t occurs to me that public utilities, or good roads, or something of that kind, with which you are somewhat familiar which would divert scrutiny from the cold hard figures and facts, would make a much safer platform upon which to base your candidacy.
 The auditors and treasurer's reports are not yet printed, and so I cannot ask you now, certain questions which I ex- pect to propound when these documents are available, in the hope that you will be able to explain some other things which are not now clear, and which may explain more fully your ideas of economy.
 Mayor Drennen Replies.
 When asked last evening if he had re- ceived Mir Londons open letter and if he had made reply to the same Mayor Drennen made the following statement for publication:
 ''Yes. I received a communication from MT. London but have not had time to read 1t with sufficient care to answer 1t. I presume that MT. London's letter is along the line of a reform movement per taining to municipal affairs. If it is hope he has not overlooked the relation ship between the people of Birmingham and the Birmingham Water Works Com pany, of which I understand him to be a stockhclder and director. and know him to be the attorney which company now expresses all the people of this city, and
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