The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-25

S and set up the rule of a few lead 32 S2 CTS in ambitious towns who will s2 62 be responsible to and accountable S2 oS to no one for the justice and equity 32 9S of the boundaries which may be 52 8 adopted for such new counties" 32 % Introduced by Senator Nat l.. 3S S2 Miller and adopted by a ringing s2 2 vote s
 
 The opponents of the new county amendment gathered last night at the city hall and set forth their reasons why the whole state should oppose such a measure. The keynote of the meeting was the declaration that the amendment does not provide for home rule, but for home ruin. and kidnapping, and that it is vicious enactment.
 Col. T. G. Bush presided, and in open ing the meeting said that he could not understand why new offices should be created and new buildings erected, unless there is some reason for it. My un- derstanding is that the reason new coun- ties are organized is for the convenience of the citizens to attend to their busi- ness. No necessity for another court house 12 miles from Jefferson county courthouse, with the car lines and trunk lines and connections can possibly exist. The question is simply not debatable."
 However, Colonel Bush considered the principle involved very important and serious one. Tt is not unfair to say that the whole scheme originated in Bessemer. In order to perfect their scheme it had fo 1aa fo ha xxybn cfo ta told the other counties that under the provisions only a few new counties are possible, but it will get around to all of them sooner or later. They talk about home rule, but I consider this amend ment a violation of all the principles of home rule. Five hundred men can get together, count enough noses and compel slices of various counties to come in. The people are powerless if the population of overpower them
 Here is this magnificent county with it's strength, wealth, resources and popu- lation. Why should it be carved up with out the consent of the majority of the people in this county? Under present pro- visions we all have voice before the leg islature, but they propose to take away this right from us.
 'If there is any goou reason why Bes- semer should have county it ought not to be formed under the provisions of this vicious amendment. It is not fair, reasonable proposition, and if the people of the state should realize that they would be doing an injustice to vote for it, and since it will eventually react on them I feel sure they will kill the amendment"
 Postmaster Carter Speaks.
 J. Rivers Carter said: T have lived here. the greater, part of my life and at all times there has been one impulse which moved the citizens of Birmingham toward a much greater Birmingham. The paramount issue has always been expansion. This dismemperment means a subtraction from our greatness, and a disparagement from the greatness of the people of the lower part of the valley.
 q have heard Bessemer people use the example of the boy who had grown to maturity taken his part of the world goods and set up happy home for him self, but I never heard of boy survey ing his daddys land and taking just what he wanted.
 Tt is all our fault. We send our rep resentatives oown there and should keep a watchful eye on them at all times, but we must kill this and let it resolve back into the general assembly where 1t be- longs, where everybody interested will have an opportunity to be heard and not have to submit while a Ceasars hand stretches out and takes all it desires"
 Senator Miller Gives Reasons.
 Senator Nat l.. Miller said: "I am against any division of Jefferson county. I said so when a candidate and have stuck to it all the way through. I saw before going to Montgomery and l asked to be put on the county boundaries com mittee. I killed that bill in the com mittee. Then this constitutional amend ment came along, passed through the house and got through the senate with only one vote to spare.
 ''The viciousness of the proposition is not on US surlace. u Hieans that you have got to have 600 square miles to make that county. I can mark out for you five square miles that will absolutely dominate the politics and business of that county while the 595 other square miles will not have one word toe say about it, simply being yanked by the neck. This will be done by little committee of a half dozen, not representing anything except their own selfish interests who will go in and select the boundaries. The ing whether they are coing other sec tions an injustice or not.
 'It hasn't the slightest element of home rule. It is the most vicious piece of