The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-24

was the reply.
Now my esteemed friend on the other
side was mistaken in his statement as
to what the law is. There was an eff
| fort made to pass such law at the
last session of the Legislature, along
with some others introduced at the re-
quest of the interests, but Senator
Judge was on the job and prevented
| the passage of them, but if such law
was on the books it would be speedily
knocked out when tested, for surely
a citizen of Alabama has under the
| constitutions of the state of Alabama
and the United States the right to buy
whatever he wishes in whatever market
he can purchase the cheapest goods
which applies to insurance as we'll as
| shoes, sugar, etc.
Speaking of the meeting referred to-
1 am reminded that some of our es-
teemed citizens were placidly puff
| ing at their pipes and quietly smok-
| ing cigars, and were doing it with
perfect propriety, I contend, being justi-
flied in doing so to quiet their nerves
while listening to the nerve-racking
speeches they were compelled to hear.
mo smoking allowed" the conductor
| exclaimed
To the youth as he smoked in the car.
/ I'm not smoking aloud" the youth did
reply,
For 1 silently puff by segar."
While they silently smoked am
sure that they overlooked entire
| ly the fact that they were violating
the fire ordinances, which fire ordi-
nances, or most of them, were passed
at the suggestion or solicitation of the
Fire Prevention society, which is a
subsidiary organization of the insur-
ance interests. The fire ordinance re-
ferred to reads about as follows:
ANY person who ignites any match
or inflammable material, or who lights
Tor uses any burning material, or who
smokes any cigar, cigarette or pipe in
iany public hall when the same is oc-
cupied by an assemblage of people,
shall be fined on conviction not less
than 81 nor more than $780," etc.
IL guess 1 am about as guilty as
lmost of my fellow citizens, for when
ever I attend smoker in a public hall
at the Chamber of Commerce, or the
lTutwiler ballroom, or elsewhere,
smoke along with the rest, and enjoy
breaking the law, and enjoy it more
Especially If the segars are set up by
the host of the occasion.
One of the curious things which has
been done, 1 assume at the request OF
1.-THE Fire Prevention society, as they
are circulating a little book with their
name on the back, was the passage of
an ordinance which extends the fire
limits to embrace all the territory in
j cluded in the corporate limits of Biz
mingham.
One section of the ordinance prohibits
the erection of any wooden building in
4 the fire limits, or to repair or replace
one with material not fireproof. If
this law was enforced no person could
:, 4,
limits of Birmingham, which are about
twelve miles long and six or more
miles wide, containing about so square
miles, the lines running somewhere
south of Roebuck Springs and north OF
Il Powderly and from the crest of Red
mountain on the east to somewhere
west of North Birmingham, Thomas
, Pratt City, Ensley and Wylam on the
west This territory includes some deer
tangled wildwood, bosky dells, verdant
plains and fertile fields. as well as pop
Iulous communities, but if a farmer
puts up cowshed, unless 1t be fire
proof, on his farm within the aforesaid
limits, he would, under the law, be sub
iect to fine and Imprisonment.
OF course, the ordinance as it stands
lis absurd, and 1 have no idea that 1t
was the intention to pass so drastic a
law. or to enforce 1t If passed, and my
theory is that it was passed at the re-
quest of the insurance people, without
lcareful consideration, it being copy
of a law suitable to smaller cities or
Those not having such extensive terri
tory as has Birmingham
Naturally, the insurance people would
like to see all the buildings in Birming-
ham of fireproof construction If they
could still secure frame building rates,
but there are others. They should be con-
sidered. and if it has not already been
| done the ordinance should be repeated
and the fire limits restricted to the strict
lily business sections Of the various To-
! calties.
The safety of the republic lies in the
/ observance of the laws, the laws snould
be such laws as to command respect, and
| such laws should then be enforced. III a
| law is a dead letter or it is not INTENDED
| to enforce it, 1t should be repealed, for the
feeling that in our daily walk and con-
versation we are violating various and
| sundry laws is not conducive to the moral
health and well being of the community,
and familiarity with violations may breed
| contempt for all laws.
! The scripture says sin is the transgres-
| sion Of the law. That being true, and there
| being so many laws which may be trans
| crossed; some Of our very best citizens
are probably, and without knowing IT,
| some of our vilest sinners, If vileness con-
sists in the number of violations. | wish
there were not so many laws or that they
| were easier to keep.
! Moses the great law giver, was also
1 a great executive. When he laid down
| the law about working on the Sabbath
day, and one of the people decided that
he would be law unto himself and pro-
ceeded to pick up sticks, Moses didn't
do thing to him. He just had him taken
to camp and stoned to death, rocked him
to sleep, so to speak. That looked like
rough work. but Moses knew that unless
his laws were respected that anarchy
would ensue.
| Moses did not lay down so very many
laws but they have stood the test of
| time. and when observed. the community
prospers If more attention was paid to
| them and the Golden Rule, the query,
s.What is the matter with Birmingham"
would not be heard so frequently.
| Nowadays we have so many laws that
| an active and energetic man can break
| a couple every day for year and still
| leave a number unbroken at the end of
\ the year.
! Now, I don't believe in being too hard
| on the poor sinners. l am one myself,
! and may have at any time to throw my
| self on the mercy of the court. I be-
| leve that justice should be tempered
with mercy, and the motive of the SIN
| ner looked into carefully before judg-
ment is pronounced.
i A colored citizen, or one born that way.
once defended himself and appealed to
| the court about as follows
"Jedge / stole dem brtches,
eknoledge de corn,
But twant no sin es sho es you Dohn
Eff de motive am right whar ar de sin?