The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-10-06
FEE SYSTEM FIGHT
 WELL UNDER WAY Altman Outlines Plans for
 Jefferson County WORKERS ARE NEEDED
WORKERS ARE NEEDED
Says Funds Will Be Needed to Con- duet Fight Properly and Points Out the Urgent Need of
 Spirited Battle

The fight against the fee system is well underway.
 Campaign headquarters presents busy scene. John w. Altman, chair man of the campaign in this county, is hard at work, for he realizes that the fight, if 1t is won, will be won by the votes of Jefferson people
 We are going to have hard fight We have long talked of the abuses of the fee system The time has come to strike the shackles off. We cannot afford to lose. and apathy. if 1t con tinues. will cost us the victory.
 We need workers and we need money"
 This was a statement of the county chairman. Continuing. he said
 "A very evident fact, to those who have been conducting the campaign, is that we need funds with which to op- crate. Up to this time I have, from my own very limited means, paid the expenses of the campaign with the ex- pectation of having the amounts ex pended by me returned from the fund which must be raised. Do you ask-- How Is this fund to be raised? The only proper way l know of Is by vol untary subscriptions from the people. This campaign is being conducted for the good of our community and in the interest of humanity, the fight Is es- sentially the peoples highland from means necessary for the proper con- duct of the campaign.
 The County's Expense Looking into the situation. believe that our expenses in this county will be from s1200 to s1500. Some of our people may be surprised to learn what the ex- penses of campaign in Jefferson county amounts to. For instance the cost of getting out a letter dncluding 2-cent stamp and cost of circulars, etc, inside) to the voters of this county is $750. Using 1-cent stamp the cost is $500. Think of that for. one letter. The cost of mailing list Is over $500. However, I have practically furnished this myself In addition, there is office rent. Then, we have the printing of stationery, and of literature, renting of typewriters, salaries of stenographers. etc. I have stated to Colonel Jackson. of the state campaign committee, that if the county committee had funds and the state committee was in need there of, we would allow the state commit tee to draw upon us as freely as nec- essary.
 Handling of Funds
 q will handle all of the funds that may be subscribed for this county; will |. af,l xxrf11 Iigl1 in the newspapers the amounts sub scribed and the subscribers except where a contributor shall indicate that he does not wish his name to appear, and then the amount only will be stated. I will keep books on all dis bursements, which books will be open to the inspection of the public at any time and at the windup will publish statement showing receipts and ex- penditures. The balance on hand, if any, I will divide equally between the Foundlings' Home and the Orphans Home in this county.
 q hope that everyone will give something. l propose to give practi- cally my entire time from now until after the election to the work
 No Politics. Possible
 Let me say that there is no occasion for any kind of politics to enter into this campaign It matters not that a man be democrat, progressive re- publican (bull mooser), a socialist, re- publican or what. If he be man, IT he has in him the love of his country and of his fellow man, if he wishes to do something for the benefit of his com munity and for the betterment of hu- manity, he can join with all of us in an effort to accomplish a purpose which can but result in good
 Experience of Nashville
 'If we are successful and the amend ment carries in the coming election. we will, at the next meeting of the legisla- ture have but to work out the details or the change from fee basis for our county officials to a salary basis. Our officials will be well paid for the work they do, and the salaries fixed will be suf- fcent to guarantee good men for every position in the county. l have been in formed that in Tennessee, in the county in which Nashville is located. the change was made some years ago. and prior to the change some feared that good men might not offer for the various positions under the salary system. But the experi- ence there has demonstrated the fact to be that better men and better service is had under the salary system than ob-,