The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-07-31

is claimed, would more than Offset her
present revenue deficiency In other
words, she wishes to control and util-
lie her own revenues.
Mr. TerrySs fourth reason Is that
the health of the county would be
impaired" by division of the county.
This is a conclusion that strikes us as
rather inscrutable. The genesis of this
reason seems to be that there Is a
trunk sewer running down Jones val
ley and one down Postum valley, unit
ing near Bessemer, and empts1ng below
into Valley creek. These trunk sewers
void the sewage above and at points
along their lines. division of JEFF
ferson into three counties with di-
vision lines running athwart these
sewers would not cut them nor gorge
them nor wall them up; the lines would
only be imaginary, just like a division
line passing across a public road or
thoroughfare. Sewage would flow down
those trunk sewer lines just as free
ly. municipalities along them would
connect their sewer systems just as
readily Repairs and extensions would
continue to be maze as required by
the people in whose jurisdiction tho
lines ran. If anyone's health was I'M
paired 1t would certainly require one
of the unusual and magical scrutiny
of Mr.. Terry to discover Ii.
These are the only reasons alleged
by Mr. Terry for his opposition to the
division of Jefferson county. If there
were any other reasons he undoubted-
~ would have asserted them. We ques-
ton If any Intelligent, fair-minded man
would attribute 10 these given any
force or influence.
a
reasons for the division of this great
and cumbersome county into smaller
commemorative
/. The inalienable right of citizens
to- local self government. which Is de-
MED them under conditions existing in
this county
2. Economy in the administration of
local government, which seems practi-
ca1ly impossible under present condi-
tions. We will illustrate:
The Bessemer city court dockets
about one-eighth of the civil and Grim
inal cases of the county, and with con-
current jurisdiction, would docket one
NTH of them. The records show that
1t tries or dlsposes on an average of
three cases a day. which is three times
as many as the courts in Birmingham
average. The revenues of the court
are more than self sustaining for they
Nodid iiiOiS lIdn pay I'LL VI It's ca .
penses were they not forced by law to
pay the receipts into the county fine
and forfeiture fund so that witnesses In
II that could be paid their fees In
cash have to wait six years or more
for them. For instance, Court Clerk
Huey has paid In 10 months into the
county treasury $500 more on account
of solicitors fees collected than the
solicitors salary for a year. and In the
no he has int n ha fin nd
forfeiture fund $4,000, $1,000 of which
had to go TO Higdon on account of
the iniquitous fee system. And to fur
Their illustrate we would have a court
house building adequate for all bus
mess needs instead of one erected for
exhibit and fustian, the interest on
the bonds to erect which would pay the
whole expense of county government.
This character of economical admin
istration would govern all incidents
OF 1t when the right of self govern
ment is given the people.
3. The advantage of smaller and
moro compact counties. bringing the
people into neighborly contact and In
terest and enabling closer supervision
of public matters.
4. The avoidance of outside or ex-
terror domination in civil. political and
public matters. And SO reasons could
And now brief reference to items
on the same subject in your Issue of
today f30th1.
/ Regarding the address of the spe-
cial committee of the Chamber of Com
merce. This address rather vauntingly
recites that the Chamber of Commerce
is composed of 1000 members who rep
resent and stand for best interests
etc. That it's president presided over
a f,tih1io af he rt n
July 25, and that the bond Issue was
Endorsed by an overwhelming vote"
What makes this address fit sub
Ject for ridicule is that 1t simply i'm
plies but dares not assert that that
1000 members of the Chamber of Com
merce favor the bond issue or that
even fourth of them Will vote for
it: and that there were not to ex-
coed 25 people at the public meeting.
among whom, as probably as able men
as any others present, were Capt.
Frank White. Arlie Barber and f. M.
Jackson, who all spoke opposing the
bond issue and when the vote was
taken several declined voting because
rot members of the Chamber Of Com
merce ana others thinking the whole
rather farcical wouldn't
vote; and as 1t was the reverse quite
a number of mos" emitted. We have
as authority on this point gentle
man who sits by our side as we write,
Mai. Thomas T. Huey
That address does not seem 10 be
very powerful argument for anything
except as a warrant and Justification
for the county and state back tax com
missioners gorging up assessment
values
q The other item on the subject of
division is the expression of views OF
DR.. w. Prude McAdory and Judge c. c.
Nesmith. These gentlemen concur In
the proposition that birmingham
municipal lines should be extended to
the boundaries of the county and cover
the whole area with municipal govern