The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-08-10
President Sibley Replies to Some of the Recent Criti-
 cisms Advanced
CITES CONTRAST OF
 FULTON COUNTY, GA.
Last Three Grand Juries Have Care fully Investigated Local C0ndi- tions and Recommended the
 New Buildings

President John w Sibley of the Bir- h,ingham Chamber of Commerce, last night drafted the following reply to some of the recent criticisms that have been raised against the proposed county bond issue:
 no the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 A number of letters have appeared re- gently in opposition to the proposed bond issue dilating upon the phrase, "A pie ture and a promise" and appealing to prejudice and seeking to befuddle the sit- uation.
 "A picture and a promise" lie at the foundation of all business and when backed by faith and confidence have builded larger cities than ours and thus become "the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen"
 I have not seen any answer to my chal- lenge that figures and estimates be pro- duced from reputable architects to show that the courthouse and jail needs of this great county can be adequately supplied for the Insignificant sums that these sagacious writers would have the public believe.
 put l Ndo lp llOtt liidL At1iiile1t Wheelock submitted the figures to. show that a million dollars would pc needed The man associated with him in prepar ing these plans is the architect in charge Of the new million dollar courthouse, be- ing erected in Atlanta, and tl's investi- gation and actual bids received in con nection with that contract evidently con- vinced him that Jefferson county, with population already in excess of Fulton county Georgia, could not get along with cheaper buildings and equipment.
 The authorization of a million dollars of bonds does not mean that the bonds will actually have to be sold until the contract has been let for construction If competitive bids show that we can get the buildings for less money the county will surely be the saver.
 The board of revenue has repeatedly assured the public that they would will 1ngly give heed to any suggested changes in more economical construction and con- drce to more convenient and profitable transaction of the business of the courts and the officials of the county.
 It is unfair to inject fight over these details into this campaign. We can thresh them out later. Even if they were dis posed to do so, the board would not dare to ruthlessy toss aside recommendations that were backed by public sentiment of large and representative body of cit- tzens of this county
 I spent the past two days in the city of Atlanta and saw results of the incomparable get-tosether spirit of that wonderful community that made me wish that our entire citizenship might spend few days there and get the Inspiration to pull hard for anything that makes for progress and civic bet terment. l am told that last year an election was held for authority to is- sue s250,000, 900 of bonds by the city of Atlanta, which is practically Full ton county, for waterworks. sewers and city hall and of the 5000 votes cast only few hundred were in opposi- tion. Is 1t any wonder these bonds sold for the highest premium ever known in the south?
 One of our papers raised a hue and cry about the old issue of si00,00O of jail and courthouse bonds to fall due in a few years. Judged by the price of private property in the same neghborhood. the lets alone would sell for enough to pay the bonds and l dare say the bondholders would be glad to take the property for the debt. These bonds can easily be re- funded at a lower rate.
 Not a sound business reason has yet been advanced against the bond issue.
 l would again call the voters attention 10 the fact that the last three grand juries who gave careful thought and investiga- tion to the matter, unanimously recom- mended a new jail, courthouse and hos pital. Practically all the county officers have said it is imperative, all the news papers have clamored loudly for it, and urtil recently no voice was raised in op- position.
 Even those who are now fighting it, ad- init that present conditions are insuffer- able. If the same sophistry were put into private business as has been used in wag ing this rfare, the march of progress in Birmingham would be halted and we would fall far short of the destiny to which we have been called
 Let every voter who has the good of our county at heart be sure to go to the polls next Monday and there will be a good majority for the entire bond issue.
 Respectfully, JOHN w. SHELBY. s
 Birmingham, August 9, 1912.