The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-02-20
ADDRESS IS ISSUED
 BY THE VETERANS Urge Voters to Be More Careful in Their Selection
 of Men for Office

The Confederate Veterans Better Government association has issued the following address:
 ITO the Citizens of Alabama:
 We. a number of Confederate vet erans of Jefferson county in discussing the cause of the great amount of law lessness existing in our own county. have reached the conclusion that one prolific source of this lack of respect for, and the consequent disregard of, law is found in the character of the men we frequently elect to office and believing that such men are elected
 largely because of the indifference of many good citizens and on the part of others a woeful lack of apprecia tion of the responsibility that the posses sion of the elective franchise imposes. have decided to use our ballots and whatever influence we may possess to correct this great and growing evil by supporting only men of known and ap- proved qualifications and moral fitness.
 With this aim in view and animated solely by desire to cc-.secrate our last days to the efficient service of our country we, with others having like convictions. have organized ourselves into the Confederate Veterans Better Government association and have adopted the following constitution and declaration of principles:
 "'The object of this association is to exert all honora ble means to pro- mote the welfare of this community by securing prompt and impartial ad- ministration of all the laws of the state and by taking greater interest in the fitness of the men who, in vari- ous offices. carry on the business of government in state, county and mu- nicipal affairs.
 "'AIl citizens of good moral char acter who will subscribe to this con stitution and who are elected by the association shall be eligible to mem bership in this association.
 "'No candidate for political office or officeholder shall be eligible to mem bership in this association.
 Amy member of this association becoming a candidate for public of flee shall be dropped from the rolls "'No candidate for office who does
 not possess a good moral character shall be supported by this association and the association stands pledged to lanalyze carefully the character of can didates and to make unbiased compar- isons as to competency, qualification and general fitness for the office to reasoning and persuasion to secure for those best suited for such positions the support of the members of this as sociation and voters in general From this 1t will be seen that the only purposes of our organization are to endeavor to effectively unite all good citizens in the effort to elect only mora and competent men to all positions oi public trust end honor: and to assist in every legitimate way possible the elevation of the citizenship of the state While we have organized primarily tt improve conditions in Jefferson county yet as they are more or less similar elsewhere, we believe that our organlza ton can accomplish great good and have an important part in the elevation of cit | izenship. wherever it may be established i we therefore. make this appeal to oai comrades throughout the state to organ ize along similar lines and for the same purpose and without regard to party alignment or mere political differences
 and we invite and urge all good citizens
 who advocate the principles of our con-
 sttution to join with and support them in this effort
 Any responsible persons willing to or ganize club of the Confederate Veterans Better Government association. and wh1 will state in writing their alligeance to i the principles of our constitution, will be l furnished information and assistance ,.n applicationttoo our president and secretary whose names are signed hereto.
 we hope that in a few years the or ganization will become most potent fac tor in the elevation of the civic life of The state and the entire south, but it will take l time to accomplish a state wide organiza- 1 ton.
 1 Meanwhile. we in Alabama are now confronted with a situation of far req cil- ing importance. We are on the eve of county. state and national elections. and we feel that the more the principles of | our organization enter into those coming | elections. that the greater will be the | beneficient results to good governmen, and civic righteousness.
 Therefore. we make bold to appeal tc
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