The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-25
I'M. O." LEAGUE IS INTO THE FIGHT
 FOR LIGHT PLANT
 WITH BOTH FEET
Continued from Page F1ve)

also paid his compliment to Frank P.
 Glass with the statement that the l Birmingham News had hydrophobia again."
 1 And you know" said MT. Shapiro. ] every now and then the Birmingham News has hydrophobia and when thus at-
 tackled run away from it, run away from | it.
 | "The most significant thing about the
 election on June is not the $200O,O00 | school bond issue, nor the S5OO,OOO bond issue, but the fact that the people of Birmingham are to decide on whether l they shall adopt the progressive policy of l owning their public service utilities, to decide whether Birmingham is progress | sive or retrogressive 'Birminghams Largest Tax Dodger,' says (and here MT. l Shapiro was forced to stop speaking as I the uproar was deafening) that the peo- | pie of Birmingham have the right to | regulate the rates, but that Is not so
 as the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company saw to it that the super l vision of rates was taken out of the hands of the city commission. I chal- lenge MT. Pevear to deny the fact that this biil was written by Charles E. l Rice, their attorney, who explained to
 me that the Birmingham Railway, Light | and Power company was tired of having
 candidates for the city commission run
 ming on a platform of lower rates" l MT. Shapiro then came back to the 1 Birmingham News:
 { MT. Glass one day." said MT. hapiro will boost the 5000, 600 school bond issue and assert how wisely this money will l be spent. On the next he will attack | the city commission as an impractical lot of dreamers for desiring to spend $500, 900 on municipal electric light plant. They
 are wise enough to spend 5000. 900 in the estimation of MT. Glass, but have not the brains to spend a half million. I close l by saying that the time to do the right
 thing is now
 GEN. CLARK SPEAKS General Louis V. Clark, the next speak
 CT, advocated the $5oO,OOO bond issue in brief speech. 1 q am not a speaker, but will state l that from every viewpoint it is a good
 business proposition to grasp now the 1 opportunity of building municipal l electric plant and I believe the people
 of Birmingham will do so by an over-
 whelming majority on June B." ! T. H. Motion, with is coat off, then
 proceeded to sail into the arena and 1 tell what was really the matter with Birmingham:
 I What we need in Birmingham thundered Mr Motion, lis cheaper 1 freight rates, cheaper light and power
 
 secure these reductions we will con l tinue to have empty houses.
 l "The corporations have made this ] city, and they deserve great credit. However, they are now combined to- gether to defeat the purpose of the people and that is a mistake, believe. 1 The corporations cannot get along
 without the people and should not try it.
 1 They say I am a socialist. I never knew what the term meant. but if talk ing care of the people of Birmingham 1 and helping them to secure lower rates is socialism, then I am socialist
 c. c. Ellis of West End, who followed I Mir. Motion. assured the audience that | West End would vote overwhel lmingly for the bonds. He said: Birmingham l is coming into her own on the $500,- 900 municipal electric light bond issue" BARBER TELLS STORY
 As the hour was growing late, Com | missioner Arlie Barber stated that he l would not make a speech, but would l tell a humorous story relative to fol l lowing the advice in the Birmingham m News on public questions:
 '"An Irishman stood in front of a | crate of turtles, holding his finger. A fellow who stood nearby said, Pat, what is the matter?' Pat replied. Sure, faith I'm making an investigation to find out which end of the turtle is the | head He was asked what for and he
 replied: TO find out whether I got | stung or bit And there you have the case of the News if you follow it's ad- vice on public questions. It is merely a choice of stung or bit''
 Commissioner Barber then announced that he would speak in Ensley this aft ernoon at o'clock, at the corner of l Avenue F. and Nineteenth street. and on Saturday night at o'clock io front of the First National bank buildilg Commissioner Weatherly also an nounced that the Municipal Ownership league will also have another meetin 2 tomorrow night in the council chamber
 of the city hall at o'clock.