The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-10-04
Enslen Wants Retrenchment.

 tected'
 Enslen. Wants Retrenchment. Christian F. Enslen, president of the Jefferson County Savings bank, who served the city as alderman in the Van Hoose administration, said: Easing an opinion on the statement published in The Age-Herald Sunday last, 1t is very clever to my mind that retrenchment in the city government is absolutely necessary to prevent financial disaster. This going backward each year, deeper and deeper, in debt can mean only one thing, and that is plain to every business man. The growth of the city and its prospective future strength IS not a sound basis upon which tC figure. Let us take care of the present.
 Tn the first place the present salary list is too high. Take the mayor for in- stance. He is paid too much for the per sonal service he renders the city. Then these trips to conventions by the mayor and the heads of departments-mere junketing pr pleasure trips-ought to be paid for oy the officials who enjoy such cuttings and social affairs and not by the the city. You will find no warrant for such expenses in the city charter.
 T do not believe 1t would be wise for the city to increase its appropriations for any of the several departments because l cannot see that it is able to do so. Take for instance the fire department. think we have a good one, quite sufficient for all needs, and well managed. If 1t has a weakness, it is in the fact that we have not enough fire plugs. Additional plugs should be procured and placed in use without additional cost to the city of water Probably not a drop more of wa ter would be used than Is now consumed at fires, and the water works company. which is largely interested .n the progress of the city, would doubtless lend assist ance in this respect.
 This would simply mean more ex- tensive distribution of the quantity of water used under the present arrange ments. The city might buy and erect the plugs at it's own expense, which would cost but lttle.''
 Thompson Suggests Firmness.
 B. A. Thompson, a former mayor of Birmingham, asked for his views on the subject, said
 With the lights before me I do not regard the city as being at all danger ously in debt. It will only require skill full financial management to overcome the apparent difficulty. Of course you must understand that urgent demands which are constantly made by certain classes and heads of departments for in- creased appropriations must be carefully considered by the administration, and if necessary, resisted with force Therefore forceful men should be in charge of the citys affairs.
 There has never been a year In the history of this city and it's government that there was not call for the in- creased and strengthening of each of the several departments that meant the ex- penditure of funds beyond the ability of the city to acquire.
 Birmingham is growing and all de- pends upon economy in present adminis- trations and continual increase of popula- tion and wealth.
 Copeland Not Afraid.
 Alderman John R. Copeland, candidate for mayor, said: "Of course l am in favor of economy in the management of the city's affairs. Those who know of my business career are aware of the fact that