The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-16
SANFORD TALKS FOR BOND ISSUE BEFORE TUSCALOOSA CROWD Is Given Close Attention. Money Spent for Perma-
 nent Improvements STRONG ATTACK ON
 SENATOR J. A. LUSk Criticizes Him for His Utterances
 Against Bonds-Expenditures
 Reduced Over Million Dollars
By l.. S. BETTY

Tuscaloosa, January 15-(Special.) Imperative necessity of ratfying the proposed constitutional amendment au- thorizng the issuance of $1,500,00 of bonds to pay the states floating in debtedness was ably presented before hundreds of voters of Tuscaloosa coun- ty at the courthouse here today by William Hodge Stanford, a prominent lawyer of Montgomery, and legal ad- wiser to Governor Henderson. In a clear, forceful manner MT Sam ford told his large audience of the need of the bond issue. He represent ed to his hearers that the states credit and honor are at stake, and told them how the states fair name might be protected without placing additional burdens upon her people or without mourning new obligations.
 In the audience were the representa- = tive men of Tuscaloosa county and they gave the speaker close and ap- preciative attention. He won their in- terest by the straight, business-like manner in which he discussed his sub- ject, and that he made distinct i'm - pression was manifested by the ova- 1 tion given him at the close of his ad- dress.
 MT. Sanford was introduced by Charles B. Werner, prominent lawyer of Tuscaloosa. MT. Werner declared offered, In his opinion, the only solu- tion of the states financial difficulties and urged those, preesnt to support the amendment at the polls on next Tuesday. He spoke admiringly of Gov ernor Henderson.
 CAUSED BY IMPROVEMENTS At the outset of his speech MT. sam ford told his hearers the various pur- poses for which the state had spent money during the past eight years. He
 admitted that some of the expenditures
 might have been extravagant, yet he did not attempt to attach blame to any administration.
 "The state owes nearly two million and half dollars" he said, "and this debt was incurred in expenditures for schools, state institutions, good roads and other permanent improvements. In other words, it was spent for the ben eft of the people. The question now is. shall Alabama seem to repudiate this debt by refusing to provide immedi- ate means for it's cancellation, or shall she pay it?'
 The speaker declared that it is a wrong principle of government to seek to accumulate large surplus in the treasury. At the beginning of Governor Conner administration there was a considerable
 surplus in the treasury MT Sanford said. Governor Conner took the position that the money belonged to the people and therefore spent it in permanent inn Provements. None of you would say
 that this money was spent unwisely, for
 you have on all sides of you concrete
 evidences of where the money went. Gov ernor O'Neal also believed in building up
 our great state institutions, and hence during his administration hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent in schools good roads and for other worthy causes Governor Henderson. while not respon- sible for the states present financial con- dition as a result of the many public improvements that have drained the treas
 ury, has no desire to criticize his prede-
 cessors. He only wishes to provide a
 means of payment.