The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-10-24
Percy Says It Is Shame Man Who Barely Escaped Peniten-
 tiary Should Be Alderman
BIRMINGHAM READY 10
 DEMAND RADICAL CHANCE
Commission of Three Men Would En- able Citizens to Place Responsi- blllty and They Could Be
 Held Accountable.

gard to a commission for the government of Birmingham, will be read with interest,"
 It deeply concerns everyone In Bir- mingham.
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Recent happenings In our municipal af- fairs and discussions in the pending prohi- bition campaign have caused the thought full citizens of Birmingham who feel that this is their permanent home, and Who hold dear the welfare of the community to realize the unsatisfactory form or our present city government. All such men on both sides of the prohibition contro- yersy are dissatisfied with existing con- ditions. As the result of some intelligent policy, low dives, the loafng places or worthless and criminal negroes, must De closed. Saloon men must be taught that liquor cannot be sold to minors and that disorderly and disreputable saloons will not be tolerated. But the dissatisfaction of the people of Birmingham extends believe, beyond the present treatment of the liquor business.
 The charges of graft against certain members of the Board of Aldermen and the low esteem in which the personal character of certain members is held by the community have accentuated popular and well-grounded dlstrust in aldermanlc government. Every large business cor poration in the district pays to it's direct ors for attending meetings some small compensation. The aldermen of the city of Birmingham, who are the directors of the municipal corporation, can only be elected after personal campaigns, when usually cost both time and money. They are expected, under our present form of government, to run for these offices, pay for their personal campaigns and then to give to the complex business of city ad- minstrat ton a large portion of their timc and thought without compensation.
 Good Citizens Have Filled Offices.
 I am proud to say that number of worthy. philosophical citizens have filled and now hold these offices without any other thought than the public good. and at large personal sacrifice. but we all know that many others seek the alder manic office for what there Is in 1t. It IS the popular belief, and one which frankly l personally share. that some aldermen seek the position. not with the idea of directly footing the public treasury but expecting to sell to the city those things which it buys and which they are en- gagged in selling. Where one alderman wants to sell the city certain commod- ity at a good profit, he Is not apt to criti- cize the price of another commodity pur- chased by the city from fellow alder man.
 We have had l believe, d better gov ernment than we have right to expect under such a system, but l confidently assert that until the system is changed, no permanently satisfactory administra- lion of city affairs can be expected. The aldermanic position is one of minor im- portance; the honor does not, as rule, appeal to the best class of our citizens, who are too much disposed to shirk thelr civic duties. The occasional citizen of ability, intelligence, honesty and civic pride, who is willing to accept the alder manic position, is kept busy watching other aldermen actuated by entirely diff ferent motives
 Worse Under Greater Birmingham.
 Difficult as the situation now is Greater Birmingham will make 1t infinite lv worse Forty aldermen handling a much larger and more complex city ous- mess, with more valuable franchises at their disposal, with greater public im- proyements to authorize and the tempta- tions to unlawful profit increased, are apt to give us a worse instead of bet ter government. As a rule, not only does the aldermanic office fail to appeal to but few of the best of our citizens, but the voters in different wards attach too little importance to the selection of the two aldermen out of a large number, and do not give the proper attention to the candidates. 1t is q burning shame that a man who barely escaped sentence in the penitentiary for running q gam bling house in the heart of the city in defiance of officers stationed at hls door, should have the audacity to ask with success, voice In the control of our important municipal affairs. l believe in encouraging reformation, and when such a man adopts respectable vocation and quietly attends to the duties of pri- vate life he has my sincere good wishes. When, however, he seeks part in pub lie administration and receives the chair manship of committee which can be
 
 of q political compact 1 think it is time for the good people of Birmingham in stern tones to protest. There are others who command no greater amount of public confidence.
 Too much of the time of the Mayor of Birmingham has been taken up in watching aldermen. If prohibition carries all good citizens should join in it's en- forcement and a strong city government will be needed to that end If prohibi- ton fails the present condition cannot be longer tolerated.
 Suggests Commission Plan.
 suggest to the good men on both sides of this controversy that we adopt the plan whch has been in successful operation in Galveston and other large cities suggest that the members of the legislature from this county draft a bill applying to municipalities in the state of this size. giving the citizens of such municipalities the right to vote on a government by commission. If such government be adopted the Board of Al dermeu to be abolished and the city to be governed by three commissioners. who shall have entire charge of its affairs, the majority of whom shall control. These commissioners to be elected by the people for term Of years. with the provision that at any time 50O or 1000 registered voters can file a petition demanding an election within a certain date to deter mine whether any all of the com missioners shall continue in office. These commissioners to he paid salaries com