The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-15
LONDON DISCUSSES
 THE CITY'S INCOME
PROPOSES REFORM PLAN FOR IN- CREASING MUNICIPAL REVE- NuES AND GETTING BETTER FIRE PROTECTION.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 The matter of insurance rates in this city. to which MT. E. S. Moore calls att tention in The Age-Herald today, not only affects directly every merchant and business man, but indirectly and seri- ously affects the value of every piece of property in this city, and it behooves the board of aldermen to do something to meet existing conditions.
 From the figures published by MT. Moore, 1t appears that the total present outlay required to cover the congested district is S1O,775, and the annual cost of maintenance is $36,32O, while the annual charge upon the citizens, from the pro- posed increased rate of insurance, will be about S1OO,0OO per annum.
 The claim is now made by Chairman Gray that the city is unable to bear the expense, and according to his methods of conducting the city finances and af- fairs, this is true, but if the same methods were applied to the management of city affairs as obtain in any other business the solution of this problem would be simple.
 Let us see how the money can be raised:
 First-Obey the plain mandate of the statute, and put the mayors salary where the law puts it, and save per an- mum s110O.
 Second-Put the license tax collector on salary and pass the necessary ordi- nances to see that he does collect, and save s5O0O.
 1lrd-Let contracts for all city sup plies by open competition to the lowest responsible bidder, and save at least s50OO
 Fourth-Prohibt aldermen from con- tracting with the city and save what fair and legitimate competition would bring, at least $1O,O0O.
 A total saving of s21,1OO But suppose I am mistaken in this. A few years ago MT. Gray advocated and voted for the ordinance giving free to the Birmingham Railway. Light and Power company it's franchises in the city. These franchises have since been capital ized at s1O,OOOOOO in bonds which bear Az per cent interest, and thus this gift has been converted into charge on this community of $450,000 per annum. The Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company bears no fair share of the pub lie burdens, and the supreme court has held that the contract limiting the license tax it is to pay is void. Let the mayor and board of aldermen surrender their free passes and put the license of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company at s25,000 per annum, which is less than per cent on the annual gross receipts of the company. and entirely reasonable.
 Then to make up the balance, If any, require the insurance companies to col lect as part of their license ten cents on the $100 of property insured, which they can add to the premiums and pay to the city for fire insurance purposes. And assuming MT. Moores figures to be correct, we have another $15,0O0 or 3D. | 900. and thus all the necessary money is | raised and the burdens fairly distributed. Denouncing the tariff association is like barking at the moon, when it is prac- tically admitted on all hands that we are 1 helpless and it Dehooves the commercial 1 bodies and mayor and aldermen to get ! down to business and do something to re- | lieve the situation. If nothing Is done, | the blame should rest on the mayor and aldermen, where it properly belongs. ALEX T. LONDON. Birmingham, December 14, 1904