The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-01-07
Did the Mayor Discriminate in
Enforcing Ordinances?
PURL|c OPINION IS DIVIDED
Three Aldermen Support Heidt-Moore
Says 1.-THE Hit Dog Hollers"-Pep-
perman's Affidavit-Murray
Speaks Up for Mayor.

Alderman Heidt's spirited condemna-
ton of Mayor Drennen's alleged dis
elimination in enforcing the coal ana
weights and measures ordinances stirred
up city hall and mercantile circles In
Birmingham yesterday as they have not
been aroused In many a day.
Alderman Heidt's telephone was kept
busy from o'clock yesterday morning
till long after noon, many persons IN po-
litical and business circles ringing MIN
up either to congratulate or to reprove
him for the spicy attack he had mace
on the Mayor. Mr.. HEIDI took occasion
to tell them all that he had said every
thing that he had been represented as
saying, but that, upon reflection ne iell
that perhaps 1t might have been as wen
lie he had expressed his views somewhat
less frankly.
Opinions Differ.
Opinions of politicians and the pubic
differed sharply regarding the propriels
and accuracy of Alderman Heidts crit
icism, Some said unreservedly that MT.
Heidi was right and that he had done
public service in drawing attention 10 'he
Mayors alleged determinations In en-
forcing the ordinances. Others salo quiee
as emphatically that Mr.. Heidts attach'
while correct in principle, was iil-aoVlseo'
for the reason that the Mayor was out
of town. and that Mr.. HEIDI did not
know all the circumstances that inriu-
enced the Mayors action.
Some business men and the olsinter-
ested public felt strongly that Mr.. Heiot
was justified in seeking to suppress us
honest methods In business and TO pro-
tect the general consumer from oeing
cheated,
OF five members of the Board of Alder
men who were interviewed, three In
dorsed Mr.. Heidi, one was non-committal
and one was inclined to dissent from Mr.
Heidt's views.
Here is what the five aldermen said:
Forneys Views.
Alderman Forney: ut goes without
saying that executive officers are required
to enforce the laws. I can, however,
conceive of conditions which would JUS
tify the mayor of {. city in temporarily
staying the enforcement of law which,
in his Judgment, had been ill-considered
at the time it was enacted"
Alderman Simms: This is Heidt's and
Drennen's fight. think HEIDI is right.
I don't believe in making fish of one
set of business men and fowl of another
set do not favor discrimination In the
enforcement of law. I favor equal and
absolute justice in its enforcement"
Mr.. Copeland Talks.
Alderman Copeland: II think the
Mayor has done wrong. He should have
enforced all the weights ar measures
ordinances. He has no right to favor
the mercantile interests. II the ordi-
nances are unjust the remedy is to re-
peal them. but so long as they are laws
they ought to be enforced. I won't say
chants because he is a merchant That
may or may not be true. 1t may or may
not be true also that Heidi is kicking be-
cause he's a coal dealer.
"Self-intcrest influences all Of us. You
can't always tell what are +he reasons
that control mans action"
"Hit Dog HoIIers."
Alderman Moore: "All have to say Is
that the hit dog always iollers' I'm
busy. but the hit dog always hollers.'
No, I didn't want to talk about it, but
the hit dog always hollers,' just the
same"
Alderman Barbour. the acting Mayor:
1.-THE law explicitly defines the duty of
the Mayor. believe the law
on weights and measures, except the fee
SYSTEM is a good one and should be en-
forced. If there are any hardships on the
dinance, 1 would readily vote to amend
the ordinance so that it would not cause
a hardship on any one. The public needs
all the protection that can be had. I
know no better way for the I-lblic to get
1t than to pass equal laws and enforce
them
Didn't Like 1t.
p A. Pepperman, the Mayors secretary,
was very busy and somewhat excited
throughout the day. He didn't like what
Mr.. Heidi had said of the Mayor, and he
especially objected to what the Seventh
ward alderman had said about the
Mayors secretary. Mr.. Pepperman in
sisted that he had sent to Mr.. Heidi a
copy Of the letter delivered to the other
aldermen. In order to clinch the point.
Mr. Pepperman gave out this affidavit
in the afternoon:
Pepperman's Affidavits.
Here are copies Of the affidavits made
by Secretary Peppermint:
IT hereby certify that I, B. A. Pepper
man, the secretary of the Mayor, did on
December 49, 1904, address and do all that
was necessary to deliver to Alderman
Heidi the letter dictated by the Mayor to
each member of the Board Of Aldermen
regarding the weights and measure ordi-
nance.
"B. A. PEPPERMAN,
Secretary to Mayor
"Sworn to and subscribed before me this
9Th day of January, 1905.