The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-26

and dumb class. pr Gray will return to Birmingham tonight.
 that shook like aspen leaves on windy day.
 MT. Oliver moved the adoption of these
 The Resolutions.
 "RESOLVED, by the Real Estate as sociation of Birmingham. real estate agents and property owners, In meeting assembled for the purpose of considering the measure pending before the city council of Birmingham. known as the Barbour plumbing ordinance
 '1. We do most earnestly condemn said ordinance. finding that there Is entirely too much red tape about it and too many objectionable features to heron enumer- ate.
 "2 We hope the time will never come when the city government will clothe the plumbers with such power as is pro- vided for in said ordinance.
 "3 We are of the opinion that any educated, practical civil engineer who makes the subject study. should be far more capable of understanding sanita- ton and proper construction of plumbing work than the average plumber. We would therefore much prefer such a man inspector of plumbing than a Mas ter Plumber Practical plumber Jour neyman Plumber or any other kind of plumber.
 "A. We do not deny that the plumbing ordinance now in force should be al- tered and amended. but we are advised that the original ordinance has from time to time been altered and amended by resolutions of the city council, which resolutions might now be. with other amendments, Incorporated into a new or dinance.
 "5. Should the city council see fit to revise the old ordinance or adopt new one. we respectfully ask that the com mittee of the council to which such or dinance is referred for preparation con- fer with a committee of three to be ap- pointed by the chairman of this meeting and prepare such an ordinance as will be satisfactory to the property owners, as well as to the plumbers of this city
 'G. We would also suggest to the city council to confer with some of our lead ing architects as to such ordinance as should be adopted
 '7 That the chairman of this meeting appoint committee of five to present these resolutions to the city council at its next meeting and that said com mittee. If the members thereof deem 1t advisable verbally present some of the views and criticisms on said Barbour or dinance that may be expre essed in this meeting. or their individual views as to the objectionable features of said ordl- nance"
 Barbour Talks.
 MT. Fulenwider seconded the motion to adopt the resolutions.
 It looked as though the resolutions utffl, .ttcb xpb IT, al, of sudden Alderman Barbour got up out of lis chair, pulled down his vest and asked permission to say word or two The guardians of property de- cided to listen to what he had to say. somewhat after the manner of the sheriff who permits his charge to make a final statement before his body drops through the trap.
 MT. Barbour proceeded to explain how the pluml ing ordinance originated and how 1t was drawn. He said that eight or ten months ago the trades council had requested the city council to pass new plumbing ordinance and select plumb- ing inspector. In response to this re- quest he had drawn the ordinance. In drawing it. he had taken the Atlanta plumbing ordinance as model. and had made the proposed ordinance as nearly like the Atlanta one as local conditions would permit.
 Others Had co-operated.
 Though he had drawn the ordinance and had introduced it and was, in that sense, responsible for It, MT. Barbour explained that other members of the board had co-operated with him. and that the ordinance was their work as well as his. He protested that the reso- lutions, as offered. reflected unhappily Ia a1a faI 11 Itt injustice. He said he had repeatedly stated, In and out of the council cham Der, that if the ordinance was opposed by any aldermen or any citizen he would not champion its passage. for he depre- cated doing anything that would tend to put him in the position of using his official influence to legisilate in favor of a business in which he was interested.
 He read letters from the Mayor of Att lanta. the plumbing inspector and q skilled plumber there. all of which ap- proved of the Atlanta plumbing ordi- nance. after which the one he introduced had been modelled
 While speaking MT. Barbour was re- peatedly interrupted by questions.
 Mr. Motion said that the purpose of the resolutions was not to condem MT. Barbour but to condemn the ordinance. He said the ordinance, if adopted, would cost the city S100,000. He objected to the ordinance especially because t prescribed who should do the plumbing work. He was an employer of union labor but he didn't think a law should be passed that would compel real estate dealers to employ only union men. "This is a free country" said he.
 Mr. Leedy Speaks.
 Mir. Leedy, who had listened attentlvely A. .1t Jo .s..lt.