The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-27
WALTER MOORE |S VIGOROUS AS EVER Resents Talk About Raising
 Tax Rate ITS IN CRITICAL MOOD Says He Formerly Predicted Com mission Would Last About Four
 Years-Thinks Now It
 May Be Less

Walter Moore. president of the Red Star Coal company, and widely known citizen of this city, in an interview given yesterday objects to any tax rate increase or the formation of taxing district proposition which has been discussed by Commissioner James Weatherly and the Trades Council The latter fndorsed the taxing district. MT. Moore says:
 'rWhen this city had representative city government the city was operated at a figure that did not necessitate or require any increases of the people burdens We repaired streets, operated the public schools and carried on other lines of civic endeavor and while we did not have the wildly enthusiastic admiration of everyone we did not ask the same critics of our actions to pay more taxes to govern the city,
 The commissioners tell us that they have cut here and wonder. they have been given $1,ooo,OOO worth of bonds, the schools have been cut, not one stitch of street improvement has been done, not even a hole has been filled with slag. Still the claim Is made that we are operating under rep resentative form of government and on an economical basis.
 "The proposition of raising the rates here is to my mind a most dangerous situation to face the workingmen of this district. The council never un- dertook to do such a thing and if we had even whispered it the town would have been aflame.
 q am inclined to be liberal with the commission but when it comes to giving them more taxes it interests every man vitally. They have the sa = loon revenues, they have cut down the list of employees, their budget was very low, and they have been given s1,000,- 900 by vote of the people, that be- ing the very maximum of bond issues here. They have bought no parks, nor have they improved any streets or built any crematories, nor have they secured the cent car fare. Upon ton of all that the suggestion seems to be going the rounds that the taxes be increased. For all I know the raise may be 1 per cent No one can tell. appreciate the fact that the commits sion is divided upon this vital ques- ton and that MT. Weatherly does not advocate a rate increase. He says that his mind is wide open. I am of the same position. l am subject to convic- ton, provided 1t can be shown that the commissioners have performed as well as the council representing the people after having been given everything on earth asked of the people.
 Some of these misguided citizens who believe in the commission for a cure of all municipal evils will say that my views are those of dis gruntled ex-alderman. 1 expect that, but no proposition could be any more fair than one to stand convinced pro vided the commission can defend it's unprecedented position after all the kindness shown 1t.
 q said once that the commission would last about four years. 1 am now of the opinion that the people of Bir- mingham are tired of the new frill and that the representative free gov ernment will be adopted again by Bir- mingham when the next legislature meets and repeals the commission laws. From my information the same unrest as 1 understand prevails here, is man. ifested in other cities that sought the cloak of municipal righteousness In tho commission government
 Taken by and large and measured from every viewpoint, I think the pres ent record and that which will be vis- ible three years hence will demonstrate to the outlying districts that repre- sentative government is something else than a commission fad"