The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-06
SESSION
OF COMMISSION TO
HEAR ARL|E BARBER
Will Be Held Next Wednes-
day-Barber Explains to
Weatherly Position
He Takes

A special session of the city commission
will be held at 10 o'clock next Wednesday
TO hear the charges to be made by Arie
Barber that the recent telephone merger
in this city was illegal and improperly ac-
complished
I'm with you and will do everything in
my power to aid you" is what City Com
missioner James Weatherly told Mr.. Bar
Der after the latter had explained the OBJ
jeet of his appearance before the commits
sion Later Mr. Weatherly stated that
he favored a free, thorough and open IN
yestigation of the various rumors and re-
ports that have been in circulation ever
since the Peoples Home Telephone COM
pany was merged with the Bell Telephone
| company, believing that such was the only
way oset them at rest. Mr. Weatherly
added that because he favored thor
ough probe did not mean that he believed
there was any graft or illegal transactions
connected with the deal. although he
stated there was legal question involved
which would admit of some dispute.
'If we Investigate at all, we should so
into the thing up to tue hilt," is the way
Mr. Weatherly expressed himself to Mr..
| Barber.
Mr.. Barber was ready to take up the
matter yesterday and was present at the
commission meeting, accompanied by a
stack of data and newspaper clippings
When the meeting opened Mr.. Weatherly
stated that the commission was ready tt
hear Mr. barber, but before the latter
could rise Attorney Augustus Benner'
! bat rat
Percy OF his firm had handled the affairs
of the old Peoples Home Telephone com
pany and as Mr.. Percy was now in Chi
cago, he asked that the matter be post
poned for a few days until Mr.. Percy re-
| turned. Webb Crawford, Henry +. Bad
| ham, r. SEWER and other we'll known
men were present to hear Mr.. BARRIERS
| talk
Mr. Barber stated that he had no objec-
tions whatever to any postponement if the
commission thought 1t best to do so and
the matter was then set for special
meeting next wednesday. Before depart
ing Mr. Barber was questioned by Mr..
Weather1y as to his exact purpose In the
proceedings and from Mr.. Barber's replies
it appears the following might set forth
the case:
First-Mr Barber contends that the al
legged merger of the Peoples Home Tele-
nhone company with the Bell Telephone
and Telegraph company was illegal. lie
did not mention or charge that there
had been any graft connected with the
deal.
Seeond-Ever since the alleged merger,
| Mr. Barber has been In correspondence
| with government authorities attempting
| to get an investigation of the deal
Third-He has succeeded in finally get
| ting a formal case doclxeted before the
! interstate commerce commission, but
| states that there are very small prospects
| Of any further action unless more pres
sure can be brought to bear and more
| data secured
| Fourth--He has eorresponded with the
| Attorney General of the United States
about the matter but did not state what
| the correspondence was
| Fjfth-Fe has acted private Citizen
working FOR no organization and with no
aid or assistance.
! Sixth--He believes that the alleged tele-
| phone merger has worked to the great
| disadvantage of the people of Blrming-
ham in many ways.
! SeYenth-He wants the city commissions
ers to hear what evidence and data he
/ has gathered and then If they agree that
| the merger was illegal or has resulted In
! DANA ging the interests of the common
people. to help him fight the merger be-
! fore the Interstate commerce commission
or in any other way they may suggest
and attempt to regain the advantage anc
rights that have been lost