The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-05-14
LDERMEN TALK On
TRADING WITH CITY
Cooper Ordinance Discussed by
Members of Council
NEED AMEND DING, SAY MANY
Most of the Aldermen sympathize
With the Purpose of the Proposed
Law, But Disapprove of Some
OF Its Features.
NEED AMEN DING, SAY MANY

OF Its Features.
What do members of the City Council
think of the anti-trading, or so-called
"anti-graft," ordinance that was intro
dueed by Alderman b. H. Cooper the
night George B. Ward entered office as
Mayor?
Do they favor it? VIII they pass it?
Here is copy of the ordinance and
following 1t, one of views expressed re-
Gently by aldermen regarding it;
The Ordinance.
Section /. Be 1t ordained by the Mayor
and Aldermen of Birmingham, that it
shall be unlawful for the mayor any
alderman, head of department, chief of
bureau deputy or clerk in any depart
ment or bureau, or other office of the
! city of birmingham, or for any firm OF
which any such person is member, or
| for any corporation of which any such
person is stakeholder director or Of
! ficer to be or become interested, direct
| ly or Indirectly either as principal OF
agent. in the procuring or performance
| of any express or implied contract or of
! any work or business. on in the sale OF
any article, the expense, price. compensa-
1
payable from the city treasurer or is or
shall be a debt or liability of the Mayor
and Aldermen of Birmingham.
Sec. 3 Be it further ordained. that ev-
| cry contract, express or implied here
after made In violation of any of the
| provisions of or contained in this ord
nance shall be and Is hereby declared to
| be absolutely void and of no effect.
| Sec. 3. Be 1t further ordained. that any
person soliciting, procuring, entering into,
participating In or performing any ex-
press implied contract, any work or
| business or the sale of any article such
as described in section / of this ordinance,
| knowing that the mayor. an alderman,
head of department. chief of bureau, or
other officer of the city of Brming
ham. is interested i'm the same In any
| manner described in said section of this
ordinance; any person who shall in
any other manner violate any provision
or provisions of or contained in any Sec
tion of this ordinance. shall be punished
| for each offense by fine of not less than
/ $40 nor more than 800. and be imprisoned
| at hard labor for the city not exceeding
six month. one or both"
| Here are the interviews with number
| of the aldermen:
Mr.. Moore's Views.
| Alderman Walter Moore: 'T have not
=
nance introduced by Alderman Cooper
l understand that its general purpose is
to prohibit trading between city officials
! and the city. If the proposed ordinance
contemplates safeguarding the city
| against dsadvantageous contracts. or
| what is some times called g aft I am
| quite sure it will enlist. so far as that
| feature is concerned. support inside and
outside the council. If. however, it Is in
! tended to prohibit absolutely all business
dealings between the city and firms with
which certain city officials happen to be
| connected, it would seem to be too rigid
| in its provisions, for In that case. 1t would
| often compel the city to trade with out
| siders and thereby discourage and depress
| local enterprise and local industries. I
| see no reason why business firm that
makes the lowest bid for a contract that
| is open to all bidders should be prohibited
| from getting the contract thereby be-
cause one of its members happens to be
| directly or indirectly interested in the
! general administration of the firms af-
| fairs"
Alderman j. r. Copeland; For reasons
of weight I prefer not to express an opin-
ion on this subject at this time"
Alderman 3. H. Cooper: II sympathize
heartily with the spirit and general pur-
/ pore of the proposed ordinance, though in
| certain details ii may be imperfect These
| imperfections can, however, be readily
| corrected. and will be- l hope and believe
| that the ordinance, when wisely modified
| to meet existing conditions, will be
| adopted"
Nothing New, Says Forney.
Alderman Forney: The ordinance in
troduced by Alderman Cooper is not al
together new in municipal legislation. In
its principal features the proposed law Is
/ should say, on the whole satisfactory
The ordinance viii admit of amendments
so as l. make It practicable / am IN
favor of reasonable Legislation along this
line provided. of course. that we have
authority under our charter to pass such
a law"
Alderman Harry j n IS: 'In its present
form the proposed ordinance is. think.
too drastic 1t reeds to be so amended as
to be adaptable conditions here. It's
general purpose ;, commendable"
Alderman w. r. Gum: II am not in
favor Of 1t, and not think such an Dr.
dr.ance should be adopted by the hoard
| of Mayor and Aldermen of Birmingham.
In the first place 1T IS not just to the CITY.
| composed as the board is, of representa-
tive business men, who in many instances
| are competitors in trade with other NOR
| chants. Taking away, as this Ordinance
| does, this competition, even though those
dealers should underbid others in the