The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-11


 declares would have easily carried:
 'Whereas, There is now pending be- fore the legislature of Alabama, now In commission, how cities having tried It had never gone backward to little miser- able ward politics, explaining the referen- dunn, initiative and recall features or the bill. and declaring that it Is democratic, that if causes no more elections than un- der the aldermanic system. That's not what they're afraid of." he continued, they know it will eliminate little ward politiciansl who can get a coterie Of their friends behind them and put them 1n' right or wrong, with the reins Of govern ment in their hands and the privilege or robbing the people," This was also fol- lowed by prolonged applause.
 Good Men Can Be Found.
 Referring to the argument that four yood men cannot be found to run, MT. Beddow turned to Mr. Tomlinson. saying: .I hone you won't make that kind of an argument. You ran three times for an office that paid only 5000. Why let lot
 
 government for nothing? If Alabama can get men like Stone, Mcclellan and sam weakley-" At the mention of Judge Weakley there was loud applause, then loud hissing, followed by another round of applause The two factions in the audience were now very evenly divided. ..When these geese quit blowing I'll go
 ha mentioned Judge Sharpe and A. o. Lane as men who have served the public for salary Of s3Oo0. "All honest men in Birmingham are not dead yet.''
 He then referred to Birmingham as a city which has as capable, honest and upright men as can be found anywhere in the world. rDo you want this city conducted by a lot of ward-heelers and politicians? Asked MT. Harding who ar gued against the commission last night, and whose bank. by the way, Is some what of city depositary right now. What would he say if man came to him and asked to handle his deposits for nothing, and, if necessary, to spend two or three thousand dollars to get the job?
 'There are three kinds of men who work for nothing-fools, rascals and pa triots. Until O man had resigned a s100 job to keep his position with the city, which paid nothing, I had never heard of but one other such patriot, and that was Old Mortality. who went around cleaning tombstones in Scotland and I thought that was fiction"
 Telling the joke to the effect that home-comer could recognize no old land marks until he saw Gray, Jones and Moore in the city hall, he said: "I am in favor of putting them on the retired list. They have gone down there night after night, drawn bills and performed ardu- ous duties from time not recorded. They have done enough for Birmingham"
 He said that painter visiting the city hall had been asked by an alderman for his opinion of the life-size picture of a former alderman. The painter had de- clared that it was no good because, 'He's got his hands in his own pock ets''
 s.Henry, the ex-treasurer, the ex-alder- man and the ex-lieutenant governor, knew that if this bill was left to the vote of the people it would carry by 10 to 1 in Birmingham. Now is your chance to rise up and let's get commission form of government. This city would blossom like rose.
 TomIinson Greeted by Cheering.
 ''Now we have with us Colonel Tom linson, who will tell you why you should allow this rottenness to go on." MT. Tom linson was greeted with loud cheering.
 'I did not intend to make speech here tonight. came up with MT. Urqu- hart oh the train tonight and he invited me to come around to see what you did. I would not say word here tonight ex- cept in response to your call end the