The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-28
Says Their Proceedings Are of the Regular Star
 Chamber Variety
TREATED WITH CONTEMPT
 PETITION OF CITIZENS
Claims Aldermen Are Violating Law Every Day By Being Interested In Work Paid For By
 the City.
litor of The Age-Herald:

have been a consistent advocate of Greater Birmingham since the time when the suburbs began to grow up around the original city, and your editorial a few days since touching the immediate an- neXation of Woodlawn appeals to me- There is certainly very small amount of patriotism among the officials of Woodlawn, and a very large amount of selfshness, for they are vigorously fight ing the immediate annexation of Wood lawn; and in their vigorous opposition to this very desirable step, they have either forgotten, lost sight of or are ignorant of the existence of law which may be brought forcibly to the attention of those interested in it's violation.
 In small towns, where there are no daily papers, little is ever heard of the governing body of the town or village. I suppose Woodlawn can be classed as such a village, for no publicity is given to the acts and doings of our solons. This has possibly been a means by which they have been able to carry on many questionable practices, which are really violations of the law.
 So bold have they become that when a reputable citizen appears before them with petition signed by 54 citizens of Woodlawn, asking for the passage of an ordinance providing for an election by the qualified electors of said town of Wood lawn to decide whether or not the said town of Woodlawn shall be annexed to the city of Birmingham this citizen is treated with contempt and indifference. The Mayor stated that there were sev- eral whose names were signed to the pe- tition who had asked him to have them removed and there were a good many who were not qualified electors. When asked to name those of either class he could give only one who wanted his name taken from the petition, and none who were not qualified electors. This petition was referred to a partisan committee (and it would be difficult to find any other kind among the membe. 3. who, I am informed, went out among the 'qualifed electors and expressed sur prise at their names appearing on said petition. and proceeded to persuade them to withdraw their names from the peti- tion, with what success I do not know.
 But I do know that while this citizen was present at the council meeting there were read from minutes of previous meet ings enough to satisfy anyone that this council is possibly the closest corpora ton in existence. For instance, it was learned that it is proposed to build a city hall fire department and prison com bined, costing some large amount of money, I am not certain, but something like $3O,OOO or $35, ,0O0. In view of the early coming into Greater Birmingham this seems to me to be an extremely unneces- sary outlay of money This money had better be spent in other improvements which would bring greater pleasure to the people than a city building. Parks and sewers, for instance, would be bet ter means of spending this money
 Then it was learned at this meeting that one alderman rents his teams to the town for hauling materials used in and about the town; that two others sell lum- Der to the town; that another alderman, while serving as alderman, has been ap- pointed plumbing inspector, a very inn portant office, created since he was elect ed and while serving, I am informed, he is man who never did any plumbing; that another alderman has the contract for building two school houses; that an- other is interested in a concern which sells large quantities of material to the town.
 Section 1193 of the code of 1907 says: "No member of any City Council shall during the term for which he has been elected, be appointed to any municipal office, nor shall he be interested directly or indirectly in any contract or job of work or material or the profits thereof or services to be performed for the corporation"
 Section 1194 says: No alderman, or off, icer, or employe of the municipality shall be directly or indirectly interested in any work, business, or contract, the expense, price or consideration of which is paid from the treasury ."
 These two sections have been laws of the state of Alabama since August 13 1907, and it is not to be presumed that any man capable of assisting in the run ming of town the size of Woodlawn would claim ignorance of the existence of these laws; nor is it to be presumed that they could continue to violate these laws forever without somebody taking excep- ton.
 In this connection I would call the at tention of the property holders and quail flied electors of Woodlawn to the fact that it costs very much more to run the town of Woodlawn as it is being run than if 1t were part of Greater Birming- ham; that the statement made by off cials of Woodlawn mat we won't get any more Improvements after we get into Greater Birmingham, is twaddle, and needs only to be heard to be denounced by intelligent people. All who are in- terested in coming immediately into Greater Birmingham should get their names on the petitions being circulated. T. c Buckshaw. s. J. Drintle and William M. Lindsay each carry petitions. and will be pleased to give all an opportunity to sign them wherever you happen to meet them or at their respective places of busi- ness. Respectfully,
 WILLIAM M. LINDSAY.
 Woodlawn, June 27, 1908.
 
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