The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-12
COMMISSION VIEW
OF C|TY'S AFFAIRS
PRESENTED BY WARD
Makes Extended Reply to
Ned Brace Comments in
Sundays Age-Herald
GOES INTO FACTS
ABOUT SITUATION
Says the Great Ship Birmingham Is
Battling Bravely With Waves
But She Simply Needs
More Fuel


George Ward letter yesterday which
will be read with interest.
1t was in reply to the comments in the
Med Brace column Sunday and was
written in a personal vein. 1t is both hui
morous and serious and goes into facts.
1t is as follows:
My Dear Barrett: Please hand this note
to Colonel Ned Brace and stay with him
until he reads it.
The colonel is good fellow. but he
hops from peak to peak without seeing
the struggling in the boys and swamps
below.
If he will look into the situation he
can show by next Sunday that the city
government is not 'in jumble"; that
The commission has not made mess
of things nor does there exist in this
workings as some of the gentlemen who
were "recused" several years ago would
have the people believe.
Those gentlemen still hope-fondly hope
there will be downfall of commission
government. on the theory that any new
system may be one on which they might
break in.
And this theory might prove true, for
in all debacles and times turbulent, the
frothy, the irresponsible, the loud
mouthed and the designing get in con-
troll temporarily
But reverting to 'jumbles and messes."
am reminded that when good old Brace
gets the right angle and all notes in the
bank renewed for proper period, he
can be the most optimistic genius we
have.
Therefore please let him sally forth and
look around.
He will find that never before was this
government administered with a frmer
hand, nor making steadier strides to-
wards fixed ideals.
That never before were the 700 city en-
ployes welded into such an homogeneous,
effective and COMPACT force; that never
before were the vast number of laws or
dinances, ETC., which we have sworn to
uphold been administered with more GER
tainty, system and impartiality.
That never before has there been so
little discord and such harmony and CO.
operative work between the departments
| themselves, as well as between the COM
mission and all departments and the
public.
That never before has the absorption
and settlement of the thousands of prob
| lens arising from the merger of the nine
suburbs been so thorough as now.
That never before has there been such
Jofa Ill, Ra;a
pervision of funds spent. of favoritism.
of personal profit and nepotism, of use
of public property and waste of time by
city employees, as has taken place under
commission government.
There is no bank or corporation in Biz
mingham that can be checked up with
more economy and speed or can show it's
actual condition at any day or hour with
more accuracy than can the city or Bir-
mingham.
All these things are worth much to the
tax payer who is putting up the funds
primarily for honest government. Furth-
ermore he will find there is absolute har-
mony and cooperation between the three
commissioners. They vote together as one
man on So per cent of the matters coming
before them. 1t is true that they may
| have different opinions as TO systems of
taxation and at times as to the con-
struction of contracts with public utility
corporations.
People Radically Divided
The people themselves are radi-
cally divided on. both propositions. How
ever, both questions are in process Of set
| Element in the only way they can be per-
manently settled.
A. l. -.
are studying and analyzing the various
| tax systems.
| Second, by the courts. which are stead
| lily handing down decisions and settling
points that have been raised Before long
there won't be any points left to be set
] tied.
| My predictions would be that when the
Weatherly case comes back from the SUI
preme court. the trading will begin.
| 1t appears that Colonel Brace thinks
| the commission Is unwise In putting the
question OF more revenue and how to get
| it squarely up. to the people themselves,
| in mass meeting assembled. He should
| effect that the commission cannot waive
a magic wand and instruct the Jefferson
| delegation to pass its plan through the
legislature nor order the public to accept
its plan toward raising more money.
| No more than you can order all mer-
! chants TO enlarge the space III edcn issue
81 higher rates. ~
1 IN each case the man putting up the
money must be convinced it is the right
thing and the wise thing to do. Else there
will be no money forthcoming. The JEFF
ferson delegation will not accept the Plan
of any Birmingham commissioner uni sss
they approve it. and. further. unless they
think the people will approve 1t.
The Birmingham commission is don
WINGED that its wisdom is not greater than
the combined wisdom of a couple Of hun
dred patriotic citizens. The Jefferson del
egation is doubtless convinced of the same
thing.
| The citizens on this committee and the
masses they represent are loyalty trying
to build a great city They have the ca
pacity to decide big questions and, most
important Of all. they are to be factors in
deciding the fate of any plan when it
comes back to be voted on.
i Therefore, in my Judgment, the deliber-
atoms and findings of the several CON-
mittees. their massing OF facts and fig
ures, the interest their work has stirred
up, marks the greatest stride Birming-
ham has yet taken toward foundation
for permanent relief and future growth.
Wolf Is Actually Here s
Every administration for years has