The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-14
LETTERS TO EDITOR
PAYS Respects to Knockers.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald;
After l have finished reading the cur
rent news, baseball dope, and have taker
cognizance of Scoops latest feat, I take
interest in what Paul Cook has to say
and then drift to the column set aside
for kickers and boosters
Today, that column. under tho headline
of Letters to Editor" presents two ar.
ticles, both being in their last ANALYSIS a
kick against the present administra ton
of the commission form of government
take 1t that most men like myself read
| these items because they have not quite
finished their after breakfast cigar and
feel they cannot get down to work until
the cigar Is finished
| But let me get down to the point Most
of the observant citizens of Birmingham m
know that there are some people in the
city who have never been satisfied with
the commission form of government as
| put into practice here-first because
they did not believe In abolishing the old
system, and second, after its abolishment
neither they nor their friends were made
commissioners-hence the present kick
on the part of those who were disap-
pointed If they only knew that there are
people in the world who sometimes watch
mems records in public life who endeavor
to think out for themselves a proper So
luton of every public question and rea-
son with those in authority, giving them
! dt may be-, the benefit of the doubt that
they like every one else, are trying TO
make good" these habitual kickers
| "a
| understand that their effervescence
amounts to nothing more than very mild
alkali coming in contact with strong
acid in an open container.
| AS to the article in today's issue by
| Mr.. Eustis, l have nothing to say, fur
| ther than that I am an ardent admirer
of Mr. Ward-not for his personal beauty
or attractiveness, but for his record as
| mayor of Birmingham. I also have great
| respect for Judge Lane. During his ad-
ministration al mayor he, too, made an
enviable record. Conditions have changed
since both of these gentlemen's admin
istrations in the mayoralty. Perhaps in
those days neither Judge Lane nor Mr..
Ward foresaw Birmingham's great des-
tiny, and they met problems as they arose
for Birmingham proper Now it is Great
er Birmingham and that means not only
Greater Birmingham as we see it to-
day, but it means the Greater Birming-
ham of the future Both of these gentle
men have had greater experience since
the days of old Birmingham, and maybe
both are better capable of meeting pres
ent and possible future conditions by
/
may arise in a sane, impassionate and
| sound business-like manner. Neither of
| these gentlemen. so far as l know, has
] tried to ride into office by affiliating with
any secret fraternal society, but they
have stood for office upon their own rec
ords and individual worth
But / must not dwell upon the thought
that would lead me into other realms
The second article for consideration in
| today's issue of knockers is that writ
ten by Mr.. George H. Rodgers bearing
the beautiful and soul-stirring title, "Our
Streets" If l remember correctly, this
is but one of a series of pathetic articles
written by this same gentleman within
the past few weeks. 1t reminds me of a
part of a couplet that is perhaps apropos
in this instance:
Il am growing older every year
II Gray hairs are getting thicker
Less capacity for ticker,
II And I'm more and more a kicker,
Every year."
Everyone who knows anything about
H Birmingham, rene bers when people
used to kick about the mud that nearly
came to the shoetops along the main
thoroughfares. Then came the Belgian
blocks that served their day and gem
eration," but which were the cause of
many kicks during later years. 1t
was finally decided that they must go.
and they are going. Just whether or
not the people who are not taxed for
their going and those who have to foot
the bill, expected to say presto change"
and find on the morrow the wood
blocks in their places, resting upon slow
setting cement with the tracks of this
Birmingham Railway Light and Power
company reballasted and reset in this
same slow setting cement, / do not
know, but 1t would seem they have not
heard or else do not understand the
| full meaning of that old saying, Rome
was not built in a day."
| / am not courting a newspaper con-
! troversy-at least I shall not be welded
| to one, but simply wish to say that as
| a wit, Mr. Rodgers seems to be a star
of the first magnitude. At the same
time his wit could be used to greater
| advantage for the betterment of Bir-
mingham than 1t Is now being exercised
in the daily press.
| His reference to the carload of grind
stones being unloaded, and his sugges-
ton that they replace the wheels of auto
mobiles and grind down the streets quick
ly. while 1t is an unique idea, yet I am
of the opinion none of the automobists
would look upon such a proposition with
the least degree of favor, as those who
own automobiles in Birmingham are, as
rule trying to build up the city, not
grind it down, and by building it up let
1t be understood to mean the employment
of day and skilled laborers to do the
work, thereby putting money into circu-
| lation, not the dust from ground rocks
to be blown into the eyes of pedestrians
by the hot air of men who have time to
stand on street corners and muse" while
4 the sparks fly or flew"
| We need more ''pushers" for Brming-
ham and fewer Knockers Sometimes
being 'knocker" may get one into the
lmelight, but it doesn't get Birmingham
anything. When the hatchet was buried
at the potlatch celebration the Chamber
Of Commerce should have set aside a
burial ground for Birmingham knockers.
past, present and future. Certainly mine