The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-04-03
THE INDICATIONS ARE THAT EAST LAKE WILL GO FOR BOND ISSUE Many Converts Were Made at Meeting Held Last
 Night
JOINT DEBATE IS
 SPRUNG ON SPEAKERS
Supposed Public Meeting Turned Into Meeting of East Lake Civic League and Resolution Opposing Issue
 Is RailrOaded Through


 Indications at a rousing meeting of thu East Lake Civic league last night whicl was addressed by Sydney J. Bowie ant James Bowron in behalf of the bond issue were that the bond issue would be ar easy victor in that suburb at the polls . week from Monday. MT. Bowie ano Mir. Bowron made ringing appeals in be- half of the bond issue and there was every evidence that in this section, where the opposition to the issue seems more bitter than anywhere else in the city many converts to the issue had been made.
 Felix Blackburn, in opposition to the bond issue. discussed the question with the other two gentlemen in 0 joint de- bate. at the close of which q resolution against the issue was adopted by the league by a vote of 9 to F. This same league some few weeks ago adopted unan- issue, so that 12 converts were actually made by the speakers last night and they felt much elated.
 There were near 100 men in the room who heard the address but only the 31 were allowed to vote on the opposing res olution because the others were not mem- bers of the league Expressions among these men after the meeting indicated that practically all of them favored the bond issue, so had the entire meeting been allowed to vote il is believed a ,;, issue would have resulted
 Joint Debate Surprise
 The joint debate was sprung on Mr. Bowie as q surprise, as he had received as chairman of the bond issue campaign committee an invitation to address a pub lie meeting at the East Lake city hall last night The meeting was turned into an East Lake Civic league meeting, how ever, and ir this way the opponents of the bond issue secured control of the meeting. a resolution was rairoaded through calling for the joint debate and the time of an hour and a half was di- vided equally between the two sides, Mir l3owron and MT. Bowie on the one side and MT. Blackburn on the other.
 Mir Blackburn was accompanied by T. C. McDonald of Birmingham
 MT. Blackburn made a vicious attack on the bond issue, the city commission and the noble committee of 1O0'' as he called them. MT. Bowron spoke first.
 He stated the city was not in debt due to extravagance. pointing out how the city government was being run for the benefit of the people of all sections how the money received from revenues was spent economically and wisely. his knowl- edge being based on an examination of the city s activities as member of the committee of 100. He stated some op- ponents Of the bond issue thought the money was to be given to the commits =sioners to spend, but that it had alrea dy been spent for things the people were using and the bond issue was merely a way to pay the debt.
 Blackburn Grows Sarcastic
 MT. Blackburn addressed the crowd as Fellow Eepudiators." He described the bond issue as the child of the Fnoble committee of 100" He alleged that if the people voted the bond issue they would next have their tax rate increased He said tha. if the bond issue passed there would be no money to pay interest on 1t. He shouted the people now had the opportunity of q lifetime to hold them and hold them tight until they give you
 
 the people had been threatened by stat ing the schools will be closed, the police and fire Departments suspended and sim liar measures taken if the bond issue wa g not passed.
 He used sarcasm, ridicule and irony in talking of the actions of the city com missioners and the advocates of the bond issue.
 MT. Bowies answering speech of 40 $ minutes was listened to with close at tenticn as he went from point to point and explained the lack of logic and the many errors in MT Blackburn's address. He stated he was not surprised at the action of the league in opposing the bond issue previously when MT. Blackburn had addressed the body and there was no one present to point out how full of errors were his remarks. He expressed surprise at Mir. Blackburn's attack on the tax rate bill and equalization bill recom- mended by the committee of 100 as MT. Blackburn was d member of that com mittee and voted for those bills in the committee. He showed the mistake of MT. Blackburn about the sinking fund.- that it had been used in paying interest on all of the bonded indebtedness of the city instead of just part, as Mir Black burn had wished He said equalization of taxes was assured and told of the progress the bill was making in the leg islature showing that it had no connec- tion whatever with the bond issue ques- tion.
 Bowie Explains
 He then launched into an explanat ten of the reason the bond issue should be voted and his arguments appeared to be changing the minds of many men who when he started were opnly antagonistic. At the close of the meeting Frank Feltus, member of the league stated he had been somewhat incensed at being named member of the bond issue cam paign committee, before he had made up his mind himself. but after hearing the arguments both for and against it, he now felt like congratulating himself for being associated with the men who were working for it and promised to do everything in his power to make 1t sue cessful.
 The resolution against the bond issue was introduced by J. D. Truss one of the leading opponents of the bond issue
 The party from Birmingham included Mir. Bowie Commissioner James Wealth erly. MT. Bowron and newspaper men.
 Veterans Get Pay
 Mountain Creek, April 2.--(Special --Thr old veterans at the Alabama old Soldiers Home were paid by Capt J NJ. Simpson <t. tl,, t.