The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-07
Commissioners Sensational Statement Regarding the City's Sinking Fund Bring Out Tart Rejoinders
SON SAYS FATHER
 WILL MAKE ANSWER
 TO THE ALLEGATIONS
Blackburn and Evans Say Commits sioner Invited an Investigation of Fund and They Simply
 Complied With the
 Invitation

to the startling statement of George B. Ward president of the commission, in The Age-Herald yesterday morn ing in connection with the sinking fund discussion. Herbert Steiner. in the absence of his father, B. Steiner. an swered, as did Felix Blackburn and Frank V. Evans former mayor of Birmingham.
 Mir Steiner says that his father. who is in New York, will no doubt make a suitable answer to the state- ment of MT. Ward, and then charges Mir. Ward with incompetency, and with making an effort to hide his failure to handle the city's finances by at tacking someone else.
 The statement Mr. Steiner issued at Steiner Bros bank follows:
 T am surprised that such an unwar- ranted attack had been made on my father, and know he will at the proper time fully and satisfactorily repudiate Mir. Wards abusive trade
 Tn the meantime l deny the refec- tions and insnuatons cast on my
 
 who know both Mr Ward and MT. B. Steiner, will readily see that this is merely an effort of disgruntled and disappointed iinancier, who has shown his ineompetency to manage the city's affairs. and so egregiously discred- ited the commission form of govern ment by his inability, and is now seek ing merely to cover his failure by at- tacSing former citizen in his ab- sence, hoping thereby to create false excitement and hide his admitted in- competency to manage the affairs of the city in an economical way, as had been expected, by raising cloud of false imputations. insinuations and reflections on it's citizens and a finan- cial transaction which was urged and approved by the then city officials and had the legal sanction of one of our most eminent and trusted lawyers, Hon. Samuel D. Neakles.
 As to the insnuations against ATr J. c. Waldrop. MT. Frank V. Evans and MT. r. E. Blackburn, these gen. tlemen are fully able to defend them- selves, and 1 am satisfied in due time will fully and ably prove the true purpose of the unjustfied attack made upon them"
 Blackburn Makes Reply
 Felix Blackburn, when asked if he ha, inything to say in reply to Mir Ward ssued the following statement:
 Who started this thing. anyway? Wh, nv fad inc jet. ion of the citys finances? MT. G. Ward Who seems now to be taking exception, because he was taken seriously and tn, linking fund investigated by some on, 'ther than the committee of his own ap ointment? MT. G. Ward. Who appears low to be ready to say and no doubt t, himself has said. Can't you fellows talk, l joke?' MT. G. Ward.
 T expressed my views In regard to tn, ieficit of S7o9.000 in the sinking fund open y at the last meeting of the comimitte, # one hundred I had previously stated 70 MT. Ward at the city hall, and repeat sd at the meeting, that I charged no on, with corruption in connection with thi 'und, but that I did assert and charg, md do now charge that money pelolginl 0 the sinking fund had been illegally ant without authority in law withdrawn iron
 
 lial, or that the figures of Accountan Frank V. Evans were not correct? MT Ward takes fling at me because I an lot rich man. wish to say that I hay, been living in this county for over 3 zears and have a wife and three husk, children, and in the language of the i'm mortal Governor Oates, What have yol yer done?' MT. Ward seems t. 'bject to anyone except capitalists in 'estigating or ascertaining the city's tru, inancial condition and he complains tha have never explained why should dar, ook into what is going on at the city lall. Well, in the first place, he invited IS; if he did not mean II, he should lave said that he was only joking. In thu lext place, the constitutional amendmen the 50 cents increase in tn, ak rate provided that such special tax o be applied exclusively to the payment if interest on the bonds of said city o, heretofore issued in pursu. Ince of law or now authorized to be is. ued and for a sinking fund to pay of, aid bonds at the maturity thereof Constitution, Alabama, 1901, section 216.]
 Will Reduce Tax Rate
 Now, aside from the moral and lega obligation to preserve and keep this fund
 
 erms of the constitution. is it not appar- mt that when this sinking fund will have erved it's purpose and all bonds outstand- ng or authorized at the time of the adop- ion of the constitution G901D will have ,een paid, that then this raise of 30 cents n the tax rate will cease and terminate md thereafter the rate of taxation will ,e only 50 cents instead of s1. as it Is to- lay? Is this matter in which the people Ire interested, or not? When they have aid their money for n specific purpose, lave they not a right to know whether IT not it is going for that purpose and 0 make objection and protest when it Is discovered that it is being dissipated, even hough they do not happen to belong to he class 'capftalists?' But Mir. Ward as ures us that the money vas not stolen. his should be- sufficient. The word of ny gentleman should be accepted with