The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-09-07
SPEAKERS FLAY
WATER CONTRACT
About so Present at Meeting
Last Night
APPEAL TO VOTERS
Weatherly, Shapiro, T. R. Walker, DIR.
A. ]. Dickinson and Others Spoke
at City Hall Meeting
Last Night

Shapiro and James Weatheriy addressed
an assenblage of about 50 citisens' The
meeting was presided over by j. r. Horn
ady.
The thought expressed by all Of the
speakers was that higher questions than
those of merely carrying the referen-
dunn election were at stake in the cleo
ton of next Monday and the right Of the
ncpal ownership and the right OF the
people to rule was to be brought forci-
bly, before the public. No one present
seemed to doubt that the election would
be carried and the contract defeated.
7. r. Walker of Wylam was the first
speaker and urged the voters OF the city
to be out in full strength at the polls
Monday Sentiment from East Lake to
Wylam is opposed to the ratification of
the contract, he said The main thing is
to get the voters out Monday. Every
one is opposed and the measure will be
defeated, but if we stay at homo be-
lieving that our vote will not be needed
It will be an argument against the ref
erendum. If we do not exercise this right
there is no need for us to have it. 1
appeal to every man here to use his
best efforts Monday to get his neigh
bors out to the polls. The important
thing in the meeting tonight is to devise
means of getting the voting strength out.
The vote ought to be ten to one against
the contract
DIR. Dickinson Speaks
Dr. A. j. Dickinson spoke for some
time on the idea of municipal ownership
and oldsof the reorganization of the mu-
nicipal ownership league of Birmingham.
"Cities are like men," he said. They
have their periods of infancy when they
need a nurse; their tperiod of boyhood
and finally they become of age and are
able to know and get what they want. l
believe that Birmingham has reached the
age of q and that for one thing we are
c, mpetent to furnish ourselves with good
water. This new contract must be de-
feated in order for US to have good
water for the next 20 years. Municipal
ownership has been laying low. but 1t will
have its chance next year.
Il noticed the other day that Birming-
ham ranked third in the list of cities in
the United States showing these with the
highest cost of living We must fight
central organization of the municipal
ownership league with headquarters in
the city hall and an organization in each
ward of the city. We should discuss the
Questions of municipal. management. i
think that $1,000 would bring a man here
well versed In the lines of municipal
work. will venture to say that there is
no. a man in the state of Alabama Mr.
oates included, who knows what mod
ern Jail is. A professor in Chicago uni
versity has made a life study of jails and
therefore would be able to advise us on
the matter. 1t is a fact that the city of
Birmingham can operate her own schools,
but cannot operate a water plant" Mr..
Dickinson also spoke in behalf of a park
plan for the city and urged all men to
ge, out and defeat the water contract
at the polls Monday.
Bulldozing Public
Isadore Shapiro declared that the
waterworSs company was trying to bull
dose the public by saying that the mat
ter would be carried into the courts.
There was no legitimate reason why the
referendum election should not have been
held on the 18th of August" he said
Two of the city commissioners in favor
of the contract, beholding defeat were
anxious to postpone that defeat as long
as possible. 1t was agreed to In a meet
ins of a majority of the commissioners
to hold the election on August %, but that
date was disagreeabe to certain interests
and the date was set for September g. II
seems to me that this was part of
scheme Matched by some one to have the
election die natural death, but at the
election Monday gerat victory for US
is absolutely certain.
Even the waterworks company is
scared. 1t is characteristic Of the water
works company to disregard the mandate
of the people. If they decide to go to
court. so shall we and we will carry on
the fight with renewed vigor, no matter
where the battle ground shall be. The
company says In one breath that the con-
tract is a Door mans contract and that
they will lose money on it and in the
next breath they say that they will go
to court to see that the contract is nut
in. When you vote against the contract
1t is an assertion of your manhood and
1t means that we are the masters and
not the servants of the waterworks COM
pany."
Referendum Legal
Commissioner James Weatheriy declared
that the referendum was entirely legal
THE extension. the enlargement of the
iidHeHlso give US the r1gnt OF referen-
dunn, he said. THE waterworks COM
pany has worked us for matter of Is
years. There Is great deal involved In
the coming election-large questions
touching on municipal ownership. WI.
want good roads, lights, water, SANTA
ton and SO forth. but men realize that We
must put our power and hopes together
and work with fire and enthusiasm in
order to get them. You want to use the
city government as your tool to work
out the happy destiny which you dream In
your dreams. The officials must be your
servants and responsible to you at ali
times. If not-you have the recall Don't
let them make any long time contracts.
am glad the referendum beat my effort
along that line, and took my medicine
like man. Mr.. Exum, being more
robust, needs a little more medicine, and
Judge Lane, who administered the dose
at that time, like all good physicians. is
opposed to taking his own medicine. but
I am sure that little Of It would make
the judge better man.
The day OF the private monopoly has
asssed Three-fifths of the cities Of over
1900 population In the country, own their
own waterworks plants. We must begin
relentless warfare on all private
monopolies"
Mr.. Weatherly read from statistics to
the effect that for 60 cents a citizen in
Atlanta could purchase 700 gallons OF
water where citizen of Birmingham
could get only 1000 gallons for the same
price. He also stated that laundry in
Birmingham. under the old contract, paid
. monthly water bill Of $50, but that when
the new contract went in the meter reg