The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-04-18


money that the company which employs
him pays him. But our points of view are
utterly different. His motives are all
right. He is doing his best for his en-
ployer. and no fault should be found with
him for that. Perhaps when he is as old
as l am, he will change his Views or get
a chance to see things from different
angle but whether he does or not, know
that he is conscientious and believes what
he says is true.
AS for me- strange as It may seem, 1t
never occurred to me to consider whether
or not my course would bring me BUSH
ness or take 1t away, whether it would
| make for me friends or enemies, it just
seemed to me that having information
| which convinced me that my fellow citi-
| zens were being imposed upon, and with
out regard for the results, determined to
do what 1 could to remedy an existing
| evil.
| Following this course, l know that 1 am
going to get into hot water, so to speak,
but l will try to splash around till it
cools off, and take the consequences, but
| l do want my friends to give me credit
for being honest In my motives, and to
believe that de motive is right
Naturally when a person decides on .
certain course which may not be popular,
he may expect to make enemies. l know
| that I ought to love my enemies and pray
| for them which despitefully use me and
prosecute me, and 1 am willing to pray
for them-after | get through with them,
I am willing to pray for thenl-but want
to select the unexpectedly during their
! convalescence, or after they get out O
| the hospital.
| In reviewing the conditions brought
about by the action of the Southeastern
Tariff association in Birmingham within
; the last year. / am impressed with the
| n Of of 70 1aap &c vi IN
have had their taxes enormously increased
by this organization. There are SO many
! people to whom during these hard times
| $40 means so much, and this additional
tax seems so unnecessary, and only made
possible by unlawful combinations. Among
| those who have to pay the increased tax
| is every person who has insurance on a
dwelling or a little household furniture,
or on anything else but on fireproof build
ings, and "sprinklered risks" and there
are not many of us who own office or
other fireproof buildings
Among those who have to bear the bur-
den are widows with limited incomes
| some of them young and pretty God bless
them, and some of them not so young,
God bless them again; business men, small
wage-earners, many people who have had
a hard time to make both ends meet
since the war started, all of them needing
the money they are forced to pay in ex-
cess of the former rates. needing it snuch
more for living expenses than the insur-
ance companies do for dividends. SO
decided to line up with the widows and
the others in an effort to have their tar
reduced.
4 The insurance companies don't need my
help they have smarter men than l an
working for them and they know how tc
look out for their interests, and as oul
interests are opposite, 1 guess there 10 go
ing to be some fighting. If 30, have only
to say
Lay on, McDuff. and damned be he
Who first cries. hold--enough'
JAMES H. HARD.
Birmingham April Il. 1s1k