The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-07
ALMOST UNANIMOUS
 FOR COMMISSION Walter Moore Wants People to
 Vote on Bill COMMENTS BY OTHERS Alderman Perdue Says He Knows From His Own Experience That Alder men Are Incapable of Con-
 ducting City's Affairs
COMMENTS BY OTHERS

in the question of commission government for Birmingham.
 During my travels over the United commission government" said Charles w. Thacher, the Good Roads Apostle,' last night 'T have had the opportunity of observing the working of the commission plan in many different sections and it has impressed me very favorably. It seems to be government by the people without discrimination and I believe that with the right men as commissioners the plan would be successful in any city. I have not had an opportunity to famil- iarize myself with MT. Percy's plan but from what I have heard I should think that 1t was all right. It includes the recall, which is necessary for it's success anywhere. as 1t places the people in a position to displace any man guilty of wrong actions"
 James 1T. Gaudin
 I am very much in favor of commits sion government" said James T. Gaudin last night. Commission government has always appealed to me as being the idea, method of governing American cities. I heartily indorse MT. Percys plan and agree with him in all particulars but one. l think that 20 per cent of the voters should be able to call an election. Of course, the great difficulty would be to get the right men for commissioners, but with the salary sufficient to pay them for the loss of time do not think there would be any difficulty in doing this.'
 Graham. perdue
 
 From the experience have had as a member of the City Council I have ar- rived at the conclusion that the commits sion form of government will prove in- finitely better and more satisfying than the present system,'' said Alderman Gra- ham Perdue. q am, therefore, in favor of the adoption of such a plan. I have not given MT. Percy's bill a thorough study, but l do not believe there should be any material disagreement on the details.
 "At the time the last legislature met I was requested to help fight the move- ment, but declined, as I had not fully made up my mind. Actual experience as an alderman has taught me since then that body of men who have pressing private business interests cannot give to the business of the city the time that Is necessary to preserve the city's best in- terests. I cannot say how 1t Is with the others, but I frankly confess that I can iiOl successfully IHdDdSe ID6 ClIY 5 DuS- mess affairs and my own at the same time.
 'The viaduct tangle is an apt illus tration of conditions Three or five men who devoted their whole time to the city's business would certainly have seen the folly of virtually donat- ing to the railroads property which, within the next 10 or 20 years, will be of the greatest value to the city. rhau hou h surd precedent as is now in the process of being set. Two or three hours a week of the valuable time of a body of men like the City Council js not what the city's interests need and de- serve, and no one feels 1t more keen- ly than I.'
 Walter Moore
 Walter Moore said: q am opposed to any bill providing for a commission form of governmnet for Birmingham, the provisions of which do not call for a submission of that bill to the peo- pie I am in favor of the people of Birmingham having a vote on what kind of bill shall be adopted-if it Is determined by the legislature that some such bill shall be adopted"
 Alderman John Williams
 q am in favor of commission form of government for Birmin gham," said John Williams, the alderman, yester- day, because the people want it, but can see no reason for criticising the City Council for it's failure to adopt Alderman Huddleston's resolution We'd nesday night.
 "The majority of the aldermen are willing to let the people have what they have asked for, but why should the aldermen be continually called upon to admit their incompetency and de- mand that they be removed? That is not our fight. We are down here to look after the city's interests and each alderman, as man, no doubt believes that he is serving the people of his ward to the best of his ability.
 "If aldermen talk about how glad they will be to be legislated out of office, let them resign. It would only require three minutes to resign. I have never yet heard of a single case where a resignation was not accepted.
 What is the necessity for our pe- titioning the legislature to remove us? Is there any more reason than that we ask them to return open saloons to Birmingham or that we ask them to keep the prohibition laws on the books? When the public understands that Mr. Huddleston is the big nega- tive on the council who opposes ev- erything that comes up, it will cor tainly understand why the council re- fused to cater to his whim and pass a resolution by which he hoped to put us on record"
 James Weatherly
 James Weatherly, the well-known law yer, said in speaking of the commission form of government:
 ''The essential part of the proposed en-