The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-09-03
'FA[SE,' SAYS FIFE IN TART REPLY ID WEATHERLY CHARGE Declares Practically Every Statement Made by Com
 missioner Is Untrue BUT HE ATTRIBUTES a IT TO IGNORANCE Legislator Says Weatherly Is Almost as Ignorant About Bill as He Is
 About Running City
 Government
By L. s. BETTY

Montgomery. September 2-(Special.) ) Representative Fred Fite of Tuscaloosa today issued caustic reply to the state ment of Commissioner James Weatherly in today's Age-Herald relative to the Y commission-manager bill, which passed the house a few days ago.
 Representative Fite declares he would not have answered MT. Weatherly's state ment were it not for the fact that cer- tain of the latter's utterances are untrue, and concludes with the declaration that MT Weatherly is almost as ignorant of the operations of the city manager form of government, judging from what he says in regard to 1t, as he is ignorant as to the proper way to run city gov ernment."
 Commissioner Weatherly in his state- ment, as is known. charged that the bill, amended so as to apply only to Birming- ham among the larger cities of the state, was the result of the lobby's activities, and suggested that somebody wanted the job of manager.
 In his reply to Commissioner Weather 1y's statement. MT. Fite said:
 T have just seen the statement of MT. Weatherly. I would not attempt to an- swer 1t but for the fact that 1t is false almost from beginning to end, and in measure reflects upon my integrity as legislator and the motives which actu- ated me in offering the bill in the house.
 MT. Weatherly states that the bill has lain in a state of coma for some months. This statement Is untrue The Dill was introduced at this session of the legislature on July 13. He further states that the bill was hauled out of bed and made a special order for Au- ic m tt>t.a 1. ni1 called up for passage under unanimous consent of the house. He further states that the amendments excluding cities and towns of 5000 or less and Mont gomery and Mobile from the operation Of the bill were agreed to unanimous. ly This statement is untrue and the same newspaper reports of proceed lngs had in the house while the bill was being considered, from which MT Weatherly got his information con- 4 cernfnS the passage of the bill will prove my statement that the allega- ton referred to is false
 MT. Weatherly further displays the imagination of Hugo in stating that the cohorts of the so-called lobby as- semb1ed, put the Dill through etc. and then retired It Is strange that man occupying the position that Mr. Weatherly does would so flagrantly cast aside all reason and all regard for
 
 1rtely unfounded in fact and which, If Investigated by him, he would know to be false. I will state that I have never attended conference of the 'so- called lobby, and no member of such lobby ever approached me concerning the bill. It rather strikes me that MT Weatherly speaks more through fear that Birmingham, if given a noppor- tunity, will adopt the manager plan of government. rather than as trying to establish the unwiseness of the move ment.
 "I am rather constrained to believe from MT Weatherly's interview, that he is almost as ignorant of the oper- ations of the city manager form of government, Judging from what he says in regard to it, as he Is ignor- ait as to the proper way to run a city government, IS Judged from the numerous bond issues which he has called upon the people of Birmingham to ratify'