The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-25
CITIZENS ENDORSE
THE SMYER BILLS
Mass Meeting in Interest of
Greater Birmingham
MANY SHORT SPEECHES
Prominent Men Discuss the Measure
and Mr.. smyer, Who Drew the Bill,
Is Highly complimented.
Candidates Present.
MANY SHORT SPEECHES

The Commercial club rooms were filled
to overlooking last night at the mass
meeting for Greater Birmingham" At
the meeting resolutions were passed en-
dorsing and ratifying the two Greater
Birmingham" bills-one supplemental of
the other-drawn by E. J. Smyer. which
will be introduced in the next legislature
An outline of the bills was published In
The Age Herald of July 49,
The meeting, at which representatives of
a number of the other municipalities in
the county were present, unanimously
thanked Mr.. smyer for his interest and
his labors in drawing up the bill. which
was declared by more than one person to
be one of the best pieces of constructive
craftsmanship that they could recall.
After the meeting was called to order
Sterling A. Wood was elected chairman
and j. b. Babb secretary. E. J. Smyer
was requested to explain the features of
the two bills which he did. He went into
detail in regard TO the various features,
and after he sat down the opinion was ex-
pressed that there could be nothing In
either of the bills which could be objected
to by any corporation or individual tax
payer inside or outside of any of the in
corporated cities in Jefferson county.
Candidates Present
A number of candidates for the legis-
lature were present at the meeting and
all of them declared that they heartily
endorsed the bills and that they would
support them earnestly in the legislature
If they were elected. All the candidates
declared that the bills were just to every
cratic, as they provided that nothing could
be done except by majority of the people
In an election.
L. II. Motion made a motion that the
meeting endorse and ratify the measure
j. A. Rountree introduced resolution to
the same effect, but including a clause
thanking Mr. Smyer for his lahors and
also thanking the Greater Birmingham
committee for its labors and urging 1t to
continue until Great Birmingham was a
certainty, The action was unanimous
Judge Samuel e. Greene was introduced
as man who previously opposed the
dItdltI birmingham movement DuI as h
man who now favored it.. He explained
that he favored 1t because the bills Great
ing Greater Birmingham were so liberal,
stating that the arguments put forth in
behalf of the bills were, in his opinion, un-
answerable.
Mayor Starbuck of Avondale said that he
favored the bills as they stood and that
the people of Avondale would favor any
bill when they thought they were getting
fair treatment. He said that the trouble
in the past had been that the suburban
cities had not had fair treatment
Rufus n. Rhodes spoke in favor of the
bill. declaring that 1t was a masterful
piece of construction. and that 1t seemed
absolutely perfect. Col. T. G. Bush also
favored the bill, saying that it met the
requirements and that 1t should be pa ssed,
as 1t would provide such superior san
itary conditions and would be a great re-
lief in the sanitation of the county.
MIR. Bowron's Views.
James Bowron referred to a meeting
held number of years ago when he
spoke in favor of Greater Birmingham.
and said that he had never seen any
reasons for changing his views on the
subject. He said that II would be a great
thing for Birmingham, as 1t would make
It the greatest city in the south. He said
that 1t would mean that a number of
southern headquarters for large houses
would be moved 10 Birmingham from
Atlanta and other cities, for then the
world would realize that Birmingham was
truly the biggest city in this section.
The candidates for the legislature who
spoke on the bill, all favoring II and
promising their support to it, were J. T.
Glover Sam Will John. W. f. Urquhart.
w T. Stewart. Charles Denegre, Ben r.
Barbour and T. C. King
letter was read from Nathan l.. Mil
Ter, candidate for senator from Jefferson
county, endorsing the bills and stating
that he would support them because he
believed them to be fair and lust to
everybody and reasonable
Letters were also read from A. w
Smith of the Continental Gin company
and Col. T. o. Smith, a large property
holder endorsing the bills. Both had
been opponents of the Greater Birming
ham movement before these bills were
drawn.
T. II. Motion said that he had been a
member of the sanitary commission for
several years and that that body had
made careful study of the SANITARY
question in the county. He said that If
for no other reason than health the bills
should be endorsed and passed. and he
also said that 1t would serve to keen the
industries in the county together and pre-
vent them from being spread all over
everywhere
DR.. Stage.
The Rev. DIR. John w. stagg wanted
the bills passed so that his varacity would
not be doubted in the future when ne
told people that Birmingham drew d-
rectly from a population of 10000 or
10000.
City Attorney Kennedy of Woodlawn
said that he favored the bill and that
If 1t had been drawn ten years ago there
would have been Greater Birmingham
today He said that he did not see that
there could be any objection to the bills
as they are now.
E. J. Hudnall mayor of Pratt City, said
that he had talked TO a large number Of
the citizens of Pratt City and that they
had agreed that the measure was all
right as soon as they found out that
1t provided for a vote to decide whether
they should come into the Greater Biz
mingham. and that they favored any bill
which submitted the question to the
people.
Of, Laro In 70 Of