The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-07-14
PREJUDICE AROUSED AGAINST AGREEMENT
 BY MEASUREMENTS
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 -~~-~~~-~~~-~-->~-~--~~~~- -~~~S-~-~D~~~~~o~~~>--e was under consideration, protesting against being put o.l flat rate
 The length of this paper will not ad- init of illustrations as to houses Of all sizes, but l will notice one, and the others are in similar proportions Take, for in stance a three room house: The present flat rate in old Birmingham is SS per an- num- The proposed flat rate is S6 per annum, a reduction of 25 per cent. Un- der the new arrangement, however, such a consumer can secure a meter, which he cannot now do, and secure a minimum charge not to exceed 7o per cent of the new flat rate charge, or $4.5O per year, which, at 20 cents per 1000 gallons, would allow the use of 22,500 gallons per year. or 5625 gallons per quarter. Thus the consumer will have the opportunity to save 43% per cent of the present fiat rate.
 Quotes From Agreement
 "As to the printed al d oft repeated statement that the new ordinance ties Bir- mingham up for ? years, there is not a line, not word in the ordinance to war rant any such gross reinstatement of 1 facts A complete answer to this untruth, like many others which have been eircu- lated, is found in the ordinance itself, which reads as follows:
 Tt is not the intent hereof and the ac- ceptance of this offer shall not operate, to extend the term or duration of the contract of the water combany with the city, dated June 9 1888, or any part there of or of any other franchise or contract of the water company
 "On the other hand, il is stated In sec ton of the ordinance. That if at the expiration of the contract of June 2, 1888, fl. ate,x. rarlyc. as provided in said contract or. in any other way it may be agreed upon, the city shall have the right to purchase said waterworks, with all its plant. of every kind and desrr.ption, and upon such purchase the old Birmingham con- tract and those of all the other munich palities taken into the city and covered by the purchase. shall cease and determine.
 The further erroneous statement that the ordinance will prolc an obstacle to municipal ownership is refuted by para graph g of the ordinance which reads as follows:
 And 1t Is further expressly under stood that by the acceptance of this offer or proposition, the city will not waive, lose, surrender, prelueice or affect any present or future right or power which it would otherwise have to construct or ac- uuire by purchase or otherwise, and to operate a municipal waterworks plant or plants.
 Demand for Municipal Ownership
 "When confronted w.th the facts some critics can only reply that the reduction in rates is so substan,ial as to possibly abate the popular demand for municipal ownership Such a fanacy is not only a very inferior argument. but is really a frank admission of me merits of the new water ordinance It should be added, any municipal contract can be condemned for public use when so authorized by the legislature, and upon just compensa tion being paid All of the commission CTS are sincerely in favor of municipal ownership,
 The reason why the present substan- tial reductions could not be obtained by ordinance without an agreement, as was accomplished in the case of the lighting rates last winter, Is simply because the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company had no contract with the city as to light rates to private consumers; whereas. the water company has 10 such contracts as to water rates some of which run until 1899. Every municipal lawyer of any standing understands this difference. However, the percentage of reductions obtained by agreement in the water rates is considerably greater than that secured by the ordinance in light ing rates, and who Will dispute that , every householder using lights has had his monthly burdens i;ghtened by the 1 change in the light contract.
 Able lawyers disagree as to the valid | itv of the referendum in this and the lighting case, and if thss question should be decided against the city. in the present case, it might reinstatc the 10 year light ing contract abrogated by the referendum las winter,
 "The commission has secured a sub stantial revision downward; it has not been contented to give the people il- lusive promises, but has already made things come to pass in both lighting rates and water rates; and it7 record along this line ought to be convincing proof of its plans for the future.
 Former Administrations
 "If any former administration refused the chance to secure similar reductions in
 water rates. the mistake has already cost consumers hundreds of thousands of dol | lars. and to now repeat the bluader would be worse than folly.
 For more than three months the board invited advice and information, but no for mer official of the city responded, al- though some were called over the phone and asked to appear before the board, and | it was not until the ordinance had been finally adopted, after repeated postpone ments, that the newspa pers became filled with objections from some officials. who, while in office, wholls failed to try out | any of the sovereign specifies which they now adyocate in the daily press. With