The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-16
RESPECTS PAID
TO NEWSPAPER MEN

Burt Denny, introduced as a news
paper man and a man who had had con-
siderable experience in regard to travel,
was extremely indelicate in his refer
ences to newspaper reporters, and at
times lascivious.
He attempted to become ultra-sen-
sational, and demanded of the audience
II 1t would wear I'VE Walk" badges in
the. event of strike.
The question. however. edid not meet
with boisterous response. few an
swers in the affirmative. a big voice
reminded that at the present time, the
Ttdewater was in operation.
He referred to Alabama as "cave
dwelling Alabama. He declared for
woman's suffrage, and for Eugene "
Debs.
In answer to repeated cries from the
audience, he confessed that he WAS
working for circulation for the Hearst
Sunday American, and placated his
hearers with a statment that he did not
have to read that paper. He boasted
of his success in getting subscribers to
a paper which he contended was after
the money, and then advised the people
not to subscribe for any paper until
someone was found which would give
labor an opportunity to make financial
headway
Gibson Followed
Mr.. Gibson followed, and created a
furious clamor of applause when he
stated that he, too, had been followed
"by thugs of the street railway COM
pany."
He was followed by Clement r. Wood.
His appearance precipitated a demon
stration. The young barrister made
valiant though futile efforts to stem the
popular clamor before it had reached
appeared to be embarrassed by the tu-
multuous expression of approval which
his very appearance had caused. He
spoke very briefly, in firm vioce, and
did not go deeply into the sensational.
He reviewed, of course, the trial of Mr..
Gray, and the part which he in that
trial had played. He referred to the
telephone deal as the "brother-in-law
DEAL" and the telephone steal" He
declared that the city government was
exerted in behalf of the rich and against
the labor class. He dealt extensively
with infractions of the moral code, and
charged that the city commission
valued the chastity of a girl at SIS. He
referred to the fact that sensational
trials had been held in private, and de-
clared that the fine was generally SIS,
(which the man paid
He declared with apparent pride that
he had been informed that since his
dismissal four cases of this nature had
been tried behind closed DOORS
Gam Last Speaker
r, E. Gam, president of the state
federation of labor, was the final speak,
er. He volunteered the Information that
the street car operators had organized,
but not for the purpose of violence or
striking He also stated that the
thugs of the street railway company
had made an effort to locate him FRI
day and Saturday nights, and had
broken into his room at the Empire
hotel.
He declared commission government
to be .'rotten," and boasted with con-
siderable pride that he had aided in it's
defeat in his home city of Admission.
The meeting adjourned following the
yaledictory of the chairman. In con-
clusion Mr. Drake stated that the
commissioners were the servants of the
people and that the humblest citizen
had the right to address them. He
urged the retirement of c. Exum, presi-
dent of the commission, to private life
when the date of the election arrives in
September, and expressed his opinion
that James Weatherly was the best of
the three This tart admission that
there was a vestige of good in the COM
mission did not encounter very en-
thusiastic reception.