The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-08-11
Barge Construction, How ever, Assures Citizens the
 Warrior Will Be Utilized
CAMPAIGN FOR CITY
 OFFICES IS NOW ON
Strong Sentiment in Tuscaloosa Against Commission Form of Gov ernment Which Has Proved
 Entirely Satisfactory
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

Tuscaloosa. August 10-(Special.)-By the impending failure of the rivers and harbors bill Tuscaloosa is harder hit than any other city of Alabama. For that bill contains an item in favor of the Warrior river of $750O00, the amount nec- essary to complete the work of opening nm that stream, a work which has been constantly under way for 25 years, which has already cost the government s11,ooo.- 900. and which will eventually mean new industrial epoch for the state.
 Naturally, on account of the necessity of postponement, the city of Tuscaloosa is depressed. There is corresponding spirit of elation. however, in that reas- surance of eventual fruition of industrial hope is given by the continued activity in construction by transportation and indus trial corporations of modern barges. Shortly following the beginning of the new year, the company with New or leans headquarters which is operating self-propelled barges at the present time, will make such additions to it's service that ten barges will be moved on regular schedule. one leaving and one arriving at Tuscaloosa each morning.
  company. with Birmingham headquarters, is building six barges. A carload of ma terial reached that point last week. The barges will be "A feet by no feet, capa- ble of transporting 300 tons of coal per load and will be ready for business March l. There are new rumors of fur ther development in the Warrior coal field-one of the richest in the state-and as a result Tuscaloosa's depression re- garding the failure of the rivers and har- bors bill is being supplanted by spirit of buoyancy. It is the consensus of opinion that while the delay is irksome, the ulti- mate realization of hope is a certainty of the near future.
 In political way Tuscaloosa is inter- ested in its municipal campaign. There are in the field five candidates for the presidency of the commission which s. H. Spratt will yield September 21. The list follows: V. B. Crabtree, of the Crabtree Lumber company, former alderman; Dave Foster, a member of the fire de- partment: s. w. Friedman, proprietor of the Toggery shop; D. B. Robertson grocer and former city clerk and A. J. Roby clerk for Rose X Sons, dry goods merchants.
 It is with difficulty that citizens are
 
 what is said and suggested, however. 1t appears that MT Foster and MT. Robert son are the strongest candidates, with the probability that they will be in the run-off. It would cause little surprise were MT Foster in the first election to lead the ticket, and were MT Robertson, in the turnover. to win the prize.
 If there are any issues they are not clearly defined. This fact has caused a movement on the part of philosophical citizens for a mass meeting to be ad- dressed by each of the candidates Each will be required to state his position on several municipal problems and to sug gest wise measures which, if adopted, would result in civic growth and devel- opment. The movement for a mass meet ing is being made on the idea that no better line a mans weaknesses can be obtained than when he is subjected to the test of public speaking.
 +s%
 At the present time there is tendency on the part of a considerable portion of the people of Tuscaloosa to change the present form of municipal government. Some years ago, when the fever of gov ernment by commission was at it's height, Tuscaloosa. by a practically unanimous vote, adopted the new and untried. Since then sentiment has veered. It is very probably true that a majority of the voters of this city would fail to indorse the form of government existing today unless certain changes in legislative pro- visions and inhibitions were guaranteed.
 The chief trouble seems to lie in the fact that the salary paid commissioner is so small that citizen who could not afford in the old days to become an alderman, cannot now afford to become a commissioner. While there are notable exceptions to this rule. it is beginning to appear certain that the promise made by advocates of the new form of gov ernment is not to be realized and that politics and not unadulterated patriotism will continue to be here. as elsewhere the guiding star in municipal life
 If would cause little surprise should Tuscaloosa be the first city of Alabama to begin an agitation for an even nor, centralized form of municipal govern ment-that is, government by a munic ipal manager. to be elected by aldermen serving without salary and for patriotic reasons.