The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-03-04

make 1t on hearsav. make 1t as an eye witness. l. myself. was member of the City Council when many of these things were proposed to be. done. I remember often told Mir. Gunter that he was going too. fast. But now, gem clement. see that my Judgment was mistaken and that MT. Gunter was right. The policy that he pursued with unswerving fldeiity has conferred ines timable benefits on the city of Mont gomery and benefits that will not pass away even with this generation. The City Treasury in q short time will it. self enjoy the benefits of Mir. Gunter's progressive policy, as property in the suburbs will begin to rise in value Mir. Gunter. above all others. is responsible for the Improvements undertaken by the city of Montgomery in the past few years. That is Mir. Gunter's re- cord as a city official; that is the pol. icy that he stands for.
 Of course. all this has cost money. You could not be expected to- accomp- fish these things without money. Carr penters have to be paid. brick masons have to be paid. brick. lumber. lime. iron pipe and sanitary sewers have to be purchased and paid for. The outlay of money for all this has been consid- erable but insist that the returns have more than justified the outlay. A fair
 
 has been spent wisely. justly and in a way that benefits those of us now liv- ing and in way that will benefit those that will come after us. The city of Montgomery owed 1t to herself ana her future to do these things. all of wtaieh Mir. Gunter had been so act- i've afie instruments in bringing about They are to his credit and justify him in aspffing to the of1ce of the chief Enf -f
 There was political meeting over the way the other night in the inter- est of Mir. Gunter's opponent for May or. and at that meeting. according to the newspapers, the impression was given out that Montgomery was in- solvent and bankrupt am glad that can say that there is no occasion for the people of Montgomery, or the peo- pie outside of Montgomery who may be interested here, or who may con- template moving here to reside or to go Into business, to feel alarmed about the condition of this city. Montgomery is not a bankrupt, or an insolvent city, and there is no prospect that Montgom- cry is going to be bankrupt or an insolvent city. Montgomery owes what Is generally known as a floating debt There is hardly a city in the United States, and I suppose in Europe. that is progressing, developing and pushing forward, that has not a floating debt Our floating debt is about s100.000. small compared to our neighbor. Birmingham. suppose that this is the basis of our alleged bankruptcy. and of the gloomy prophecy that we are on the verge of dissolution as a city. We do not share this gloom, We want people to vote for Mrs Gunter and talk for MT. Gun ter and support Mir. Gunter who believe in the future of Montgomery. and who want the city to grow and develop. I am going to show you what caused the l existence of this floating debt. Dur. Ing the past few yeavs the following Improvements of a permanent nature have been made and paid for out of the general revenues of the citsk;
 Extension of City Water System, $40,- 000.00 in excess of the amount for which bonds had been issued.
 Building Of the Goode Street sewer. amounting to Ass.000.00.
 Building of the Whitman Street sew CT. approximately &s,0o0.00. s.s~ Building of the sewer on the Norman Bridge Road. from South Street to Gen. etta Ditch, amounting to s5.5o0.00. Conforming of property for the open- ing and the cost of grading South Law renee Street. from Jefferson Davis Av- enue to Cianton Street. and South Me- Donough Street from Cramer Avenue to Fielder Street. amounting in the aggre- gate to S10.000.00.
 Opening and grading of Madison Av- enue, $3,50.00.
 The building of the Fire Station in North Montgomery and equipping same. l SS,00O.00.
 The building of a Fire Station fin West End and equipping the same. l $S.000.0e.
 Erecting an engine house in High- park n
 Improving and renovatlng Heron Street School. $6.000.00.
 The strengthening of Genetta Ditch from Court Street to Hannon Street and purchase of right of way. sS.5OO.OO. All of you. who live in the vicinity of these improvements realize how pressing they were1- you realize how they promoted your comfort and conve- nience, how they increased the value of your property, and in case of the fire stations, how they reduced the rate of your insurance. It was absolutely essential that these things should be done. Mfr. Gunter was in favor of them. and there is no reason why Mir. Gunter should regret what he did in promoting them. Here then Is the his- tory of this floating debt. It was caused by the policy of the city in improving the annexed territory, and in making the permanent improvements have just detailed. In many communi- ties the cost of the items that have set out would have been defrayed by bond Issue. and in that way and in such communities. there would appear no floating debt at all. But there is no difference between a debt that Is known as floating debt and a debt evidenced by bonds. In short, wish to repudiate as emphatlcally as l can the charge that Montgomery Is insolvent or is fin any danger of becoming a bankrupt city If MT. Gunter is elected Mayor this floating debt will be taken care of with the least possible inconveni- enee to the citizens of Montgomery. (Applause.) Now, gentlemen, is there any reason to be frightened at this floating debt? Doesn't it appear that every dollar and every cent of the money has been expended to the ad, vancement of Montgomery. Do you condemn the policy that initiated and pushed forward these Improvements? Would any of the citizens of Montgom- ery have the work l have mentioned undone and the cost of such work re- turned to the City Treasury? Mfr. Gun ter and hls friends think not. Now, gentlemen. have laid before you Mfr. Gunter's record. and 1 submit that it Is a record of which the friends of Mir. Gunter have just reason to be proud. ment, the people of Montgomery will take pleasure in endorsIfFB0
 Mfr. Gunter has been attacked be- cause he is a poor man. In the history of politics and political campaigns. this E..m