The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-02-06
Every Man Heard from is in
Sympathy With Municipal
Ownership League
WARD AND O'BRIEN BOTH
FAVOR THE PROPOSITION
Various Aspirants to Aldermanic Board
Also Favor an. o." But Some of
Them Are More outspoken
Than Others.


niclpal office is opendly in favor of one
important issue. The recent cartoon of
Blackman, appearing in The Age-Herald,
in which each candidate claimed to have
seen the recently Matched M. o. league
first is borne out by the open statements
of those running for office.
Several days ago Secretary ]. A. Roun-
tree of the Municipal Ownership league,
wrote letters to the candidates for the
mayoralty and the candidates for the
aldermanic positions, asking If they IA
vored the principles of the league, and
If, In case of election, they would work
in it's behalf.
Answers from the great majority have
been received and every one answering
is in favor of the league and its pur-
poses. Only one of the five candidates
from the First ward has answered. Only
one of three candidates from the Third
ward has answered. One of two candl-
dates from he Fourth has answered. The
two unopposed candidates from the Sec
ond and the Fifth have opendly expressed
themselves. The two candidates from
the Sixth have declared their positions,
as have two of three from the Seventh.
Both of the candidates from the Eighth,
and all three from the Ninth, have an
swered the questions in the affirmative.
In addition, the two gentlemen in the
race for the mayoralty have come out
openly in favor
Asplrants for Mayoralty.
candidates. for tho
swer as follows:
George B. Ward I'm reply to yours
of the 31st will say, in 1908 when l ran
for Mayor my platform contained the fol-
lowing:
'Second-In regard to municipal own
ership Of waterworks, ii is my belief that
the sooner we get possession of the pres
emit system the less it will finally cost us.
and that we should proceed with caution,
but act promptly
ION becoming Mayor later and realizing
our responsibility in properly handling the
water problem, l appointed a special COM
mttee naming B. H. Cooper chairman,
known as the water committee of the City
Council, to investigate and report on
the ways and means of bringing In more
water for industrial purposes and to work
also for cheaper water for both domestic
and industrial uses.
/
better for every community to own its
own water plant than to have 1t con-
trolled by private interests that must
necessarily operate largely for revenue
/ am in favor of this as a citizen and
in my official capacity will work to bring
ii about"
Frank P. oBrien: Answering your
esteemed favor of recent date, beg to re-
fer you to my platform published In all
I
favor of any and everything that will go
to the building up of Birmingham and
/ believe that municipal ownership of
waterworks through which our citizens
and large enterprises can purchase wa
ter at low living rates. will do more i'm
that direction than any move published
can suggest"
Aldermanic Candidates Write.
First Ward-M w. Parsons: 81 desire
to say that | am very much in favor of
the movement and answer both questions
by saying yes I think this is one of the
best moves for the city and its people
that could be agitated.''
Second Ward-John w. O'NeiI: Eyes,
yes"
Third Ward-James A. Oden 81 shall
work in my official capacity and as a
citizen to bring about municipal own
ership of waterwoPks. I shall also favor
laws that are Just and give to the peo-
pie full benefit of owning their water
works system both for industrial and
domestic uses. Count me one Of the best
friends of municipal ownership of water
works"
Moore and Cooper.
Fourth Ward-Walter Moore: Il have
always been in favor of the city owning
and operating waterworks Nothing has
fra n gnirpd n cbnnua viz Aq ~
alderman Of your city at present, and II
I should be fortunate enough to be re-
elected and the people of the city want
the waterworks. I shall do all in my
power to carry out the wishes OF the peo-
pie.
Fifth Ward-B. II. Cooper "A water
supply is so essential to the general pros
perity of the community and is so closely
related to the comforts and health of
every citizen that its supply should not
be entrusted to those whose primary OBJ
ject is profit. Holding such views, / am
strongly In favor of Birmingham owning
and operating waterworks and will at all
times look for an opportunity to work
and vote to bring about municipal owner
ship of waterworks."
From the Sixth.
John c. Forney: II am convinced that
we should take immediate steps to own
our waterworks. This proposition should
be worked out solely and carefully with
the determination to give the people of
Birmingham cheaper water than can be
found in any city or town attempting to
do the same as Birmingham 1t will take
possibly 5000 600 to install a waterworks
equal to the occasion in Birmingham.
will vote for the issuance of this amount
of bonds. whether 1t be to create a new
waterworks or to buy and improve and
49,. ell.
There Is great deal more which could
be said about municipal ownership in
Birmingham than these simple questions
of waterworks."
John F. Williams: II am heartily In ia
vor of the city owning and operating its
own system of water works, II 1t can do
so and save money to the consumer
which | presume can be done. Our crying
need Is more water and cheaper rates.
Whatever alternative the people of Bir-
mingham vote upon, to-wIt, either to Is
sue bonds and purchase the present wa
ter works, or to build a new system Of
its own, | will feet myself duty bound,
If elected one of its aldermen, to cham
pion to the best Of my ability, provided
after thorough investigation of the
scheme, 1t proves feasible"
Heidi and Grant.
Seventh ward G. c. Heidi writes: Il
have been in favor of municipal owner
ship of water works for Birmingham since
the inception of the idea by d. j. Fox
when Mayor. / will work as an official
In accordance with the wishes of the
people on this question
w. B. Grant writes: II have given con-
siderable thought to our water condition,