The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-11-27
DATE !; AFFECTS THE CITY Mayor Wants Committee to Set
 Primary Time HIS COGENT ARGUMENTS Business Men Desire a Late Date. Present Administration Has Same
 Vlews-What the
 Mayor Says.

Even a slight touch of the pulse of Bir- mingham's business circle will show un- mistakably that there is positive opposi- ton to an early municipal primary.
 Interviews with some half dozen promi- ! nent citizens bring this fact to light It ! is argued that Birmingham has had its share of political campaigns, and that a rest Is sorely needed. It is urged that when the gubernatorial election was con cuded on August 27, the race for sheriff had it's inning. This race practically amounted to three separate and distinct campaigns It is argued that January primary would seriously interfere with business So strenuous is this opposition in some quarters, that there seems to be demand that the city executive commit tee have it's meeting immediately and set date months off in order that discus- sions regarding this matter may subside | for the winter.
 Interviews with some of the members of the committee favor an early primary while others are determined to have it late, probably in April.
 Doubt Affects City. 1 The present city administration favors a late primary. The Mayor talks freely about this matter. He thinks that the committee should meet at once and take action. The doubt concerning the date of the primary especially affects the city, because several of the men on its pay roll are candidates. This Is especially
 true in the case of the chief of police race. Of the five candidates, Chief Wier, c. W. Austin George H. Bodeker, Luke
 Perkerson and J. Bruce Morson, all but
 the latter are employees of the city. The
 Mayor argues. too, that late primary
 will prove advantageous because the date
 will then come after the meeting of the legislature, at which meeting important
 legislation affecting Birmingham is ex-
 pected
 The Mayors Opinion.
 The Mayor expresses the following opin- ion in an official interview:
 "It seems to me that the city executive committee should step up like business men and settle definitely all this talk [ about a primary.
 There are a great many people on the cityS pay roll who are candidates Tor one 1 thing or another, especially for the office of chief of police. These men cannot carr their salaries or attend properly to thu : peoples business and run for office a the same time. This Is about the Christ
 mas season, therefore the busiest time o the year. and their services are neede -' exclusively by the city.
 "A late primary, say April 15, should b agreed upon. The business men would b
 relieved of the worry for some time. Al
 further talk about the date would be set a tied. No candidate would be given al e advantage over the other. }, Committee Should Meet. II This committee meeting should be hell at once. In addition, the committee whe 'I it meets later on to outline plans vii B. be able to adjust itself to any laws O e changes in laws that may be made b Is the coming legislature.
 n Neither the people, the committee, no s the candidates have anything to gain b U. a premature campaign, and everybod, al except the grafter, stands to lose by tn
 unnecessary expense of running Tor hl months instead of one"