The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-13
Asks Voters of Alabama to Relieve Jefferson County
 of OnerOus Burden
ADVANTAGES TO
 THE ENTIRE STATE
Believes Untrue the Assertion Ere quently Made That Other Coun- ties of Alabama Are Hostile
 to Jefferson

 pie of Alabama Is issued this morning by Walker Percy, chairman of the state campaign committee for the adop- tion of the proposed amendment to the constitution in reference to the fees of the county officials of Jefferson county.
 MT. Percy, in urging the people of the state to support the amendment, goes into details concerning the evils of the fee system as 1t obtains in Jef- ferson. He speaks of the enormous officials as a result of the system and declares that the love of money has inspired lust for office. resulted in the oppression of the poor and the ignor- ant, debauched the electorate and estopped white immigration.
 He predicts that if the amendment Is beaten Jefferson will have no relief from the evils of the fec system within the next 2b years. and also that the evil if permitted to continue in this county will spread its nefarious effect into others.
 The Open Statement
 Mir. Percy's statement follows:
 "I believe that I voice the senti- ments of almost every man and wom- an in Jefferson county of every polit- ical persuasion when I ask the voters of the state of Alabama at the ap- preaching election to cast their bal lots in favor Rf the amendment pro- posed to the constitution of the state with reference to the fee system as 1t prevails in our county.
 Never in the history of Jefferson county has there been public ques ton upon which the people of this county were so united and so enthu- eiastic. In view of the fact that the proposed amendment directly affects no other county in the state. and in view son county to a man are in favor of the amendment the voters of the bal ance of the state might well record thier votes in favor of the amendment. inspired only by their characteristic feeling of kindness and good will to- ward this county.
 From time to time I have heard 1t said that the people of the other coun- ties of the state were jealous of Jef- ferson. My own experience and ob- servation convince me to the contrary. As a member of the state legislature I found keen interest and sympathy from every part of the state in the important local questions affecting the county of Jefferson and the city of Bir- mlnghan. The interest and pride of the people of the other counties of this state in the growth and prosperity of the city of Birmingham caused the passage of the Greater Birmingham bill, notwithstanding strenuous oppo- sition from some of the prominent cit- izens and public men of this county. In my efforts to secure the passage of bill providing a commission govern ment for the city of Birmingham l received enthusiastic and able support from representatives of many small rural counties and there are good req sons for the sympathetic interest dis played on SO many occasions by the votres of the state of Alabama in tho domestic problems of this county. There is not a county, there is hardly a ham let, in the confines of the state of Ala bama that has not contributed of its people and it's money to the upbuild- ing and development of our commun- ity.
 Birmingham and Jefferson county are united by bonds of interest and kinship with the people of every coun- ty and community in the state. More over, the position of this county in the state of Alabama is so important that the vital problems of this county rise far above the level of local politics l believe if the voters of the state of Alabama understand the proposed Jeff ferson county amendment and the req sons for its submission, the majority in its fayor in the approaching cleo ton will be as great In every other county in the state as it will be in the county of Jefferson.
 Fees in Jefferson
 / The constitution of the state of Ala bama, Section 1O4. provides that the legislature shall pass no special or local law increasing or decreasing the fees. percentages or allowances of public of ficers Under this constitutional pro- vision no law can be passed reducing the compensation of the sheriff or pro- bate judge of Jefferson county that does not at the same time reduce the compensation of the sheriff or probate judge of every other county in the state of Alabama. and no law can be passed increasing the compensation of any county officer in the state of Alabama that does not at the same time increase the compensation of the same county officer in the county of Jefferson.
 As a general rule. the county and state officers of the state of Alabama are rnodestly if not ipadeoi1ately com