The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-21
Members Defer to Presi-
dent Gunter.
BROWDER CUSTER PLANS
TEMPORARILY AT END
Mayor-Elect Felt the Delicaey Of
Position.
Alaermsn Listens To Pies Md Agrees
That Measure De Laid On the
Table with leagues
Veto.

When President CASTOR Gunter, oil
matter of the saul ordinance. and
ask ed the councilmen to vote against
IT for his sake, all of the Influence
which had been brought to bear for
Its passage, melted. 1t was killed, by
q unanimous vote of the council. af-
ter 1t had been returned with Mayor
leagues veto.
President Gunter declared that he
had been placed in a false attitude.
that he had been quoted as having
known Of the ordinance from the first,
whereas. he declared. he knew moth
ing OF IL until informed, by Mont
gomery newspapers. in New York.
But a great many will believe /
was awere of the ordinance" he said,
unless take the stand that / do
tonight and ask you not to pass 1t.
"For the first time in my hfe,' ne
said. Il am going to ask this council
to vote, not as they think. but an /
think: ask II as favor to myself.
"A month ago l left on q trip to
New York. l was informed. before /
left, OF movement on foot not to
confirm the appointment which 1 mad
promised to make as to the chief OF
the IRE department In a converse
ton, / notified Chief Browder that an
opposition had formed against the
confirmation OF his appointment, but
that did not think 1t would be sue
cessf,ll.
IN New York." he continued, ~ saw
two newspapers, In one of which was
the statement. as q fact, and current
ly believed that knew of the ordl-
nance to make the fire chiefs office
elective by the council, and that / had
purposely absented myself, 30 as not
to be embarrassed or to embarrAss the
passage Of the ordinance.
This. would like to say, is abso-
lutely false. in toto: there was not
one iota of truth In 1t. / stated to u
reporter that the man who gave him
the information, gave him informa-
ton that was not true. and which he
knew was not true, for there was
nothing to predicate the fact.
Each OF you here know whether /
knew Of the ordinance or not. Durin&
July told Chief Browder that /
would appoint him, and made the
statement bona fide. 1 don't know that
there Is anyone within the sound OF
my voice who would dispute 1t. But
great many will believe. unless 1
take this stand. that knew OF the
ordinance.
But don't agree with the state
ment of the mayor in his veto mes
sage that taking II from the hands OF
+ the mayor and putting IL into the
hands or the council will take it out.
or put 1t in politics. any more than ~
Is now. 1t is Just as much in politics
now as Ii would have been by the or
dinance. You can't take anything out
of politics, In fact. l don't know that
1t Is a safe thing to take 1t out OF
politics. Politics, as politics. is moth
ing objectionable; 1t is merely the dis
cussion of things for the political wei
70 ha G4af
1t doesn't mean trading. but better
ment.
I'm this, l must ask you gentlemen
not to pass this ordinance"
Saul withdraws.
Alderman Saul yielded to the desires
OF Mr. Gunter. He, as author of the
measure. moved TO lay 1t, with the
mayors veto message, on the table, In
difference to the position of President
Gunter.
'As author of the ordinance" he
said. II can say that Mr. Gunter knew
nothing of 1t. / believe 1t Is a good
law. 1t will take the position out OF
politics and OF the practice Of adding
votes. But l stand here, ready TO with
draw ordinance. IL 1 believed it would
defeat any appointment promised by
Mr.. Gunter."
The vote being unanimous to lay the
ordinance on the table. President
Gunter walked over to shake hands
with Alderman Saul. signifyinE his
thanks for the Difference to his re-
quest.
Theordinance. which provided tina
and Fire Chief be made elective by tn,
Council. was introduced and passed du
ring President Gunter's absence. Mayo
league vetoed 1t, and IL was up again
last night on the question as to whe
Their 1t would hA passed despite the
veto. Gunter's appeal killed it finally
The veto message of the Mayor was
Mayors Veto.
Montgomery, Ala, Sept. IA. 1909.
To the Honorable City Council of Mont
gomery.
Gentlemen:
return herewith. without my ap
proval, an ordinance entitled An or
dinance to provide for the election of
Tax Assessor. Tax Collector and Chic
of the Fire Department, and dehp,
their duties"
II has, for number of years, beef
made the privilege of the Mayor to ap
point the Chief of the Fire Department
and this has been done, without tn
confirmation of the City Council Tn
efficiency of this department under tn
Mayors appointee stands as an opel
record. and those of our citizens win
have concerned themselves with tn
examinat lon of same. have given vote
to it's praise and the commendatio OIL
from them has been indeed unusual
The fact that 1t has been customary 70
the Mayor to appoint a Chief of tn,
Fire Department. has made that office
responsible to one person and not to
dozen or more as would be the cas-
should that appointment be transferre,
to the hands of the City Council. TIL
Mayor Is condemned or praised accord
ing to the success or failure OF his ad
ministration. and surely there is NJ
Justice to him in taking out of hi
hands the appointment Of the head o