The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18
SEVERAL VIEWS OF
 MOBILES CIVIC WAR
The Voters Want Commission
 Form of Government
RING FIGHTS MOVEMENT
Attempt Made to Create Impression at Capital That Mobile Voters Are Opposed, But Baciers of
 Project Arc Optimistic
BY FRANK cRAIGHEAD


 Mobile, December 17.-(special.) .)-Some interest, the identity of which is only suspected, recently succeeded in creat ing in Montgomery the impression that the people of Mobile are not in favor of adopting the commission form of gov ernment for this city. The impression that is general here is quite to the con- tTary. Mobilians who are friends of the movement have good reason to believe that If an election was held today at least seven-tenths of the voters would cast their ballots in favor of the new plan of government. ~
 During the last session of the legisla- ture the late Max Hamburger. who rep resented Mobile county in the senate, led the unsuccessful fight for commits sion government made during that gath ering. At that time there were many persons in this city who followed with great interest the commission government struggle in the state house.
 When Urquhart and his allies met de- feat it was generally understood here
 
 tenant Governor Gray, had baked their plans. This forced Mobilians to the con clusion that there was little hope for the passage of commission government bill at any session of the legislature un- til the Birmingham delegation could be induced to favor it, the Magic City be- ing not only the metropolis of Alabama, but the center of the states most pop ulous district.
 Civic wellwishers among Mobiles cit izens then laid their plants for commits sion government upon the shelf-within easy reach-and proceeded about other business. Practically nothing more was heard about the new governmental form until some months later, when Birming- ham voters. by an overwhelming ma jority, indorsed the plan.
 Then the Mobile commissionists began once more to make themselves heard. Choosing what they thought was a good time, the leaders of the movement ap- peared before the city council with re- quest that the voters be allowed to show their preference at the coming general election.
 By the committee the request was re- ferred to City Attorney BoylSin Boone. who later rendered the opinion that such an election as had been requested by the cemmissionists would not be legal.
 Nobody had contended that 1t would be. Nearly everyone interested knew that no city in the state could establish com mission government without the sanction of the legislature. It is the belief of the local eommissionists that the mem bers of the council knew. this as we'll as son. Nevertheless, the council took ad- vantage of the city attorneys pronounce ment to deny the request for the test election.
 The commissionists, whose leaders had organized themselves as committee of some Is of the most prominent men in the city, arranged for public meeting in one of the local theatres. This meeting, to which came crowd that filled all avail able space in the building. and from which several thousands of persons were turned away for lack of room, was one of great enthusiasm The four or five speech-makers were given close attention and a great deal of applause.
 When, at the close of the meeting, the chairman called for an aye and no vote on the proposed new form of municipal gov ernment, the ayes were given with great shout. When he called for the noes, not sound was heard in response.
 Shortly after the public meeting the committee of commissionists employed two men to canvass for signatures to retition to be presented to the legislature al it's next session. At the end of their first weeks work these men reported that f5 per cent of the men they approached signed the petition that 5 per cent were in favor of the movement, but for vari- ous reasons would not sign the paper. and the remaining 20 per cent were open ly opposed to the movement. There were very few who pleaded ignorance of the subject. The canvassing was continued until 1t began to become difficult to find men who had not been approached. For obvious reasons the committee Will not give out the number of signatures ob- tained, but it Is known to equal large majority of the electorate.
 Representative-elect Albert F.. Bush is believed to be in favor of commission government for Mobile. Representative eject George J. Sullivan has announced himself as being in favor of such govern ment for Mobile if the people want 1t.
 It is not thought that there will be any uncertainty when the legislature meets as to how the majority of the people of this city feel about the matter. They are for commission government and attempts of representatives of the local ring to create a contrary impression at Montgoni- cry will eventually fail.