The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-14
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Board of Examining Plumbers

To the Editor of The Age Herald: I see in the report of the actions of Birmingham's commissioners, pub
 lished in Wednesdays Age Herald
 that the commissioners have appoint ed board of examining plumbers and that hereafter all plumbers, before do- ing any plumbing in Birmingham. must
 pass examination before said board. Now I ask what authority or right
 have the commissioners to create such
 a board, and what is the necessity for
 same, since the city has already paid
 plumbing inspector whose duty it is to see that all work is done according to prescribed rules and regulations as re- gards safety, hygiene, etc.
 Again, if we must have a commission appointed board to pass upon plumb CTS, why not have like boards to pass upon carpenters, blacksmiths, jewel CTS, barbers, bricklayers, doctors plas- terers, lawyers, butchers, photograph- CTS and all other classes of laborers, artisans and professional men. Why | have such a board for plumbers only ? | Is 1t a scheme to make opportunity
 for graft and special favoritlsm? Is | 1t in behalf of some union or special | trust?
 Has not every man who takes out license to do plumbing the right to do such work as he is capable of do- ing without having to humble him. self before such a board seeking their favor, or having to submit to a graft
 levy to obtain their permission to earn his bread by working at his trade? Os Is 1t possibly only a matter of pay | ing pre-election pledge to some or ganized class of would-be grafters? If | not then why such a board for the plumbers when the paid city inspector | Is supposed to be on his job all the while? Again. by whom have the mem
 bers of that board been examined to ascertain whether or not they them | selves are honest and qualified ex- | perts in the high art of pipe cutting and extortionate time charges. etc? l know of but one other such board l in existence, and that is the medical state board of examiners of doctors of medicine, and I will just here re-
 mark that if the Great Physician oi Galilee should come on earth again and attempt to go through Alabama per forming His miracles upon the sick the halt and the blind before first joining the national medical trust and | obtaining the permit of their board oi examiners for practice according tc their methods and ethics, that he would be fined and sent to Jail without re.
 gard for any good that he might b, | doing.
 And it seems to me that this actior | of our commissioners is only another
 device to create and maintain a clos.
 shut communio nof favorites who onl;
 may be permitted to further gouge oul ] citizens when needing the services O. 1 a plumber.
 was an earnest advocate of com mission government, but such action. as the creating of the board referred to and many other outrages, of whicl
 the telephone steal or deal is not for gotten. are fast wearing away my en | thusiasm for such autocratic govern ment. and in concert with hundreds O
 others I am beginning to think we hat
 better have another change in ou | form of city government if We are t'
 reserve to ourselves any rights or priv
 re~es or liberty in matters Of our dail, 1 business. O. T. sDOZIER. Birmingham, November 12, 1914.