The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-26

commissioner and other officers, decide
on municipal ownership of public utilities
especially a municipal waterworks. and
other matters.
There are many others who contend
shat the city democratic committee does
not exist under the present commission
form Of government in Birmingham, and
hat it IS without power and authority to
hold primary or an election. Several in
terviews have been published in the last
Few days on both sides, and Isadore
Shapiro. well known young attorney and
politician, now comes forth with the fol-
lowing:
rs a Colossal Joke
THE threatened, unsolicited and volun-
tary resurrection of the erstwhile city
Democratic executive committee in the
role of savior IS a colossal Joke. 1t is
a case of the revival OF the unnecessary.
Two phases of the situation present
themselves: First, does the city demo-
cratic executive committee exist? And
seeond, if so. is there any excuse for
such existence?
First, the ushering in OF the commits
sion form of government intended to
effect the exit of such empty, trouble-
some and undemocratic institutions as
partisan political organizations. Birmng-
ham citizens were promised the riddauce
CT petty politics perehnially manufac-
tured by executive committees. The exis-
tence of such committees means the ex-
istence of politics, and the existence OF
politics spells political inefficiency. wher-
H.
nent prevails in other states political
lines have been obliterated. For many
months Birmingham has Jared we'll minus
the city democratic executive committee.
The committee now proposes to recall
itself.
Second, but conceding for the pur-
rose of this discourse that such a COM
| nlittee lives, is there any valid excuse
fer its existence? The answer is de-
pendent upon the basic question: Is there
any legitimate excuse for the existence
o. parties in municipal elections?
Political Lines in City Useless
Political students both in America
and abroad have repeatedly declared
that our municipal government was a
huge failure. The reason is palpable
The ficticious existence and perpetuation
of parties blinds the real issue. In cleo
tions. Good men are subordinated to
party men. Parties present candidates
not by virtue of their fitness to serve
the people, but because of their puppet
ability to serve the party-which means
! the politically fed The existence OF
political parties In municipal affairs
fosters the spoils system. The spoils
system engenders political corruption
and impedes purity and honesty in the
administration of municipal affairs. The
eradication of political lines and the
promotion of n-partisanship Is exter-
minating vice and corruption in Pitts
burg. A like movement is rapidly de-
veloping in New York. All awakened
cities are swiftly recognizing that good
government will come. not by the
strengthening of partisanship, bui
through the united efforts of all citi-
zens for a bettered condition.
| ut is amusingly asserted that city
democratic executive committee is nee
essary in order to preserve the suprem-
| aey OF the democratic party in Bir-
mingham. / ask the question: Are the
people of Birmingham interested in the
supremacy of the democratic party OIL
are they more deeply concerned with
an honest and efficient administration
of the city's affairs? What is the con-
nection between the two? Is the latter
dependent upon the former If not, zeal
Gus advocates of the committee are con-
strained to confess that their ardor is
selfish and not conducive to the we'll
being of the city. How will the preser-
walton of the democratic party in muni-
cipal elections tend to give us a bet
ter governed city? We are vitally in
terested In god government, not dem
ocratic government, and we disdair
Sacrificing the former for the latter
Republican honesty smells just as sweet
as democratic honesty and democratic
corruption smells Just as foul as re-
publican corruption.
| 'sIs Tariff a Local Issue?"
'Will the guardians of the executive