The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-05-27
ATLANTA STIRRED
 FOR COMMISSION City Is in Ferment on the
 Proposition EXUM'S VISIT TIMELY Attitude of Merchants and Business Men Will Have Much to Do With
 Outcome Before Gen
 eral Assembly
By CLYDE ENNIS

lloI, IS perLurDeu uncertain ana dIrdlu. The condition Is a result of that mi crobe of progress called for more gen- eral understanding the commission form of government. To upheaye as Bir- mingham has done, to overthrow the admittedly strong gang rule of that much talked of city within a short time, and to pattern after some other city is a prescription that the suffering patient Atlanta does not view with calmness and serenity.
 The visit to that city of Culpepper Exum, president of Birmingham's sim pie arrangement, and by Webb ". Crawford of the American Trust bank and by other well known and we'll in formed Birmingham men has done more to precipitate the campaign for com mission form of government than any single development
 It would be unwise to attribute the activities there solely to what Bir- mingham has done and 1t would be a statement i'll founded. But it is ultra conservative to say that Birmingham medicine has been taken eagerly by the sick city and its curative value is only dependant upon what the city does between now and the convening of the legislature, next week.
 Atlanta differs widely from Bir- mingham in her study of the question. Although city officials of great political strength are against the commission government teeth and nail. and will do all they can legitimately to kill the microbe, at the same time they will not, at least, they have not, stopped to packing any meetings which have been held or called for a general study of the proposition. Every man of i'm portance is willing to learn of this city's experiment and is instantly at attention when any person of informa- ton can explain.
 Attitude of Merchants
 A most wonderful feature of the commission study in Atlanta Is the at titude of all the merchants and es- pecially Chamberlain Johnson DuBose. On Thursday one entire page in the Atlanta Constitution, which cost a neat sum of real money, was devoted to the commission, and it was boosted to the sky. The advertising manager of that firm is l.. E. Jones, who Is ardent ly in favor of the plan. For weeks he has been injecting commission infor- nation into his ads and upon Thurs day he let out the real dog of war with full page advertisement.
 The other merchants are evincfng the same unselfish interest to get and ab- orI, Inf fn fha general end that the city may not go astray in what some believe Is a mere popular move and an issue the death of which is in evitable in few years. The informa- tion that President Exum and other citizens of this city were able to give was received with the closest interest. The citizens seemed to want facts of accomplishment, not theories and in- tentions. When told of the vast trim ming instituted here. the easy fiota- tion of a S500,000 loan in dull times at 3% per cent, the trimming of political sinecures and other real meaty in- formation the people of Atlanta were then really and deeply engaged over the proposition.
 The city has been stirred by this movement of progress for many weeks The question is being agitated in all the prominent cities of Georgia in an ticipation of the general assembly con- vening next week. At that meeting it is the freest opinion that some char ter will be arranged and applied to the cities of the state which desire to adopt the simple business way of ad- ministering affairs.
 When this has been done the cities so desiring may vote upon the commits sion form. There cannot be any ques- ton but that the legislature will bow to the widespread demand of the peo- pie and adopt the commission laws for them.
 Effects of Exum's Visit
 It is stated that the visit of Pres ident Exum to Atlanta Thursday has added to the campaign a great deal and that the most energetic steps will be taken to get the question before the lawmake CTS when they convene.
 According to gossip in Atlanta the business men and leaders of that city will take the front ranks in the fight and launch 1t upon board, high plane. They have thus far manifested keen but inactive interest in the proposal. But now there seems to be the rapidly brewing sentiment among the leaders that as they would operate their mills and railroads so should the city be operated also.
 Therefore those capable and un- daunted citizens who have performed such awe inspiring tasks for Atlanta will get behind the commission and will put into office those men they desire.
 This crowd elected Robert F. Mad dex to the office of mayor as an in- dication of their interest in civic af- fairs. They put MT. Maddox in that of fee because the nominee had rudely shattered their ideals of what mayor sh ould be in certain particulars and be- cause Mr. Maddox as banker and financier possessed amazing qualifica- tions as a physician to suffering or ganizations.
 And when the commission goes into effect there if Robert F. Maddox can be persuaded that he can spaSe the time his name will be placed at the head of the ticket. Mayor Courtland Vim will also be a commissioner as well, perhaps, as Jack Conan, of the Atlanta Journal, who Is one of the most widely known and popular men in Att lanta.
 Verdict Given for Defendant
 The jury in the case of M. w. Parsons