The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-29
SHAPIRO STATES
CANNOT VOTE ON
COMMISSION FORM
Legislator Takes Issue With
Wilkinson Regarding In
sertion of Clause in Act
Limiting Application

Isadore Shapiro. member of the leg.
ment in which he took sharp issue with
Horace Wilkinson regarding state.
ments attributed to the latter concern.
Ing the passage of the bill allowing
certain cities to vote on the form Of
government. Mr.. Shapiro says the city
commissioners of Birmingham had
nothing to do with the insertion of tht
clause in the measure limiting its APP
plication to cities of not over $4,000
population.
The Jefferson legislator states that
this limiting clause was inserted al
the behest of members of the house
from Montgomery, Mobile and Bir-
mingham and that the city commits
sioners had nothing to do with it. He
contends that there Is no authority. un-
der which the proposed election in Bir-
ingham can be heidi
The statement follows:
I'm his turbulent desire to walk be-
fore us the ghost of aldermanism and
all of its coupled inefficiencies, Mr.
Wilkinson gives it as his information
that when the bill under which he
seeks to anoint US came up for pass
age the city commissioners, desiring
to deny the people of this city the
right to vote on the question, sent one
OF their members to Montgomery and
had an attempt made to amend the
bill so as to limit it to cities Of $4,000
population.
Except that the city commissioners
did not send one of their members to
Montgomery and had an attempt made
to amend the bill so as to limit it to
cities of $4,000 population, and except
that the city, commissioners had moth
ing whatever to do with the bill OF
the amendment, Mr. Wilkinson's in
formation is the height of substantial
accuracy.
.'Mr. Laverty of ITALIA Ssga introduced
the bill to meet a local situation In
Sylacauga. his county. 1t was intend
ed neither by him nor any other mem
Der of the Legislature to have the bill
applicable to all cities without excep-
ton. l recall very distinctly when the
bill came up for passage what a sur
prise 1T caused among the Mobile
Montgomery and Jefferson delegations
An amendment was Immediately drawn
excepting cities of over $4,000. My
recollection is that Mr. Weakley pre-
pared the amendment and the bill
passed SO amended. The city commits
sioners positively had no direct or re-
mote connection with the amendment
Birmingham. Mobile and Montgomery
were all excepted. And certainly nc
one who knows the Jefferson delega-
ton will assert that Mr.. Weakley was
an instrument of the city commission
ers.
my, opinion is that there is no au-
thority whatever for holding the
talked-of election. The language and
intent of the law do not countenance
1t. The whole ceremony is one of talk
Personally. I favor the manager
plan and endeavored to have this plan
installed in Birmingham. Commission
government is so far superior to al
dermanism as to make return of the
latter retrogression of the rankest sort
If any change is to be effected let's
do better not worse; let's improve. moi
deteriorate.
Some distressed people get so fran
tic they want to suicide. If there ever
was a time when Birmingham needed
to look pleasant 1T is now. Maybe Mr.
Wilkinson is tangoing about the al
dermanic ghost to make us laugh But
the ticker fails to tickle.
"ISADORE SHAPIRO"