The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-07-22
FIND SOME FLAWS IN
HORNADY PLATFORM
Weatherly and Lane Discuss
Changes Suggested
BOYD GIVES VIEWS
City Attorney Says Finances Consti-
tute Chief Issue and Wonders
Why Candidates Have Moth
ing to Say on Subject

The platform of John r. Hornady, can
didate for the presidency of the city COM
mission, providing for drastic changes in
the system now in vogue, is not indorsed
by the members of the present commits
sion.
While Mr.. Exum was out of the city
yesterday. it is known that he would ex-
press himself in opposition to the Horn
ady plank. which provides for increasing
the number of commissioners from three
to five. Judge A. o. Lane objects to prac-
tically all of the changes proposed by the
candidate. Mr.. Weatherly is strenuously
opposed to that plank which provides for
a division of the city into four wards.
each of which would be entitled to the
election of it's own commission.
Should that plank be adopted" stated
Mr.. Weatherly, "the city would again be
made up of wards. Each section of the
city is entitled to vote for and secure
three commissioners, whereas We're such a
change as suggested by Hornady made,
each section would have but one commits
sioner. And again, were four divisions
to elect four commissioners each COM
missioner, instead of being the guardian
of every section or ward or division,
would be impelled to represent particular
ly the ward from which ne drew his COM
mission. Otherwise. the platform of Mr..
Hornady is good
Mr.. Hornady states that his plank pro-
viding easier methods for securing a re-
call would obviate all of the dangers
which Commissioner Weatherly believes to
lie concealed in the proposed division of
the city.
I,tdo
of dividing the city into wards, of in
creasing the number of commissioners and
reducing the salary of each from $1,000 to
$1,000, and of changing the present pro-
visions In regard to the recall.
"rhe city of Birmingham" said he,
'should be careful always to elect real
men to the presidency of the board, and
you cannot get real men to leave their
business and devote their time to the city
for less than what is generally considered
large salary. If Utoplan ideas are put
into effect, they might result in the near
future in the election of men who do not
measure up to the intentions and require
ments of the commission government bill.
Birmingham needs men, real big men, at
the head of its government, and nothing
should be done to make it possible for
other than big men to gain a seat on the
commission This is a broad view, and
of course is not to be taken as a refer
ence to the present members of the COM
mission"
Romaine Boyd, city attorney, did not
criticize any of the planks of Mr.. Horn
ady, but made the following informal
statement:
The great question confronting the peo-
pie of Birmingham today has to do with
finances. Some means must be adopted to
put more money into the exchequeri Bir-
mingham cannot operate on it's present in
come and remain in a heathful financial
condition.
1T strikes me that at least one of the
candidates, instead of rushing in with new
and Utopian ideas, should devise some
worthy method of increasing the income
of the city without increasing the burden
of the people, and on that plan pitch his
campaign.
up to the present time. no man, be-
lieve, has offered remedy for the con-
dition as it is today"