The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-09-13

 and I could wish all of them could get a job
 MT. Ward and I have all along differed greatly on public questions related to the municipal policy of the city, especially as it affects the public utility service, and in other matters from street tax to sun day movies. But for him personally ] have ever cherished friendly feelings, and indeed had about made up my mind to vote for him when he came out of the race. The public knows al! this, and is puzzled to know why he has chosen to make these personal assaults on me in prosecuting his campaign for reelection and I myself am unable to explain them with full satisfaction to my own mind.
 AGAINST OWN WISHES
 It must be borne in mind that MT Wards second entry into the race was against his own personal wishes and ln response to the appeal of certain interests that called on him i'll person. or py proxy, or present through attorneys; who at the time offered to take charge of hiS campaign. winch offer MT. Ward ac- cepted 1t IS put natural to conclude that the said interest IS behind hIs cam paIgn ana Is rne inspIratIon ana source or this assault, anu are paylnS Lor thls expensive advertisement, MI. " ara Soa attack on people not onlclally anu III any actIve way connected With enls ed4ilpdlsh, The law limits the amount of money MT. Ward may spend in thls campaign anu the public may well asK whence the funds for this expensive campaign or VI tLperation and misrepresentation! Any body acqualnted with the campaign TOT the light bonds will have little dlnlcuity in seeing the earmarks of the adVertlse- ments then, and those now being serVeo out to the public.
 The same special interests which forced MT. Ward to re-enter the race and gener- ously promised to stand for his campaign may well now be making good ln that pe half In this connection it may De sdIo that 1t has been my lot to nave peeA president of the Municipal Ownership league for sometime, and to have been charged with the duty of representing it's interests. often against the position of MT. Ward and the interests that seem to be behind him. If these things are kept in mind it will not be difficult 10 guess whence this animosity and assault on me personally by MT. Ward cam paign committee. With this synthesis or recent facts I am willing to leave this matter with the fair minded public and future developments
 STATEMENT NOT TRUE
 The statement, expressed or implied that am d member or any orgamzallon which ploscnbes persons m the enJoy- rnent ot their poiitical rlghrs because cI their religious Ialth or practice Qn view of the fact that 1 am BaptlSI pfeacneT, committed so long as 1 enJoy that mlnis- try to the absolute separation of church and state, the perfect npefty ot the mai vidual in protesting and pursuing any religious cult which may commend itseii to his conscience, and hIS immunity from the dominance of any hierarchy Whatso- exer), if such statement were verillabie. would bar me from further membership ana official service in that denomllalion
 Such d statement or implication is not true; nor is there one scinrllla or eVldence in any word or act of mine which would lend color of truth to such: but sincerely and in it's fullest content oI meaning l hold, as I have always held, these doc rrines as proclaimed by the Baptlsts to the public, and any statement to the con trary is a l4Jel on me i'll my profess4onai capacity. Mf. Ward and those who ac- cording to promise, manage his campaign may take due notice and govern them selves accordingly.
 Anent the reported interview in todays s Age Herald, 1 have to say that did not know that your reporter, a good friend of both of us, who happened to be at the tune in MT. Wards office, would publish a report of what I had to say to MT Ward, and he to me; but I intended the interview to be between us.
 NOT OF HIS DOING
 Any exposure of MT. Wards caves droppings and the confessed keyhole source of his informat ton Is not of my doing; but in the interest of the truth l may be permitted to say that did not come out of any building with Dr. Do- ,ier on last Sunday, which ought to teach Mr. Ward that eavesdropping often Is mistaken and keyhole testimony is not always reliable. But, if I had been with pr. Dozier, as I often am privileged to be, what is that to MT. Ward? Is he, simply because he has allowed himself to be dragged back into this racesto pre- sume to dictate to me with whom I shall seek fellowship? I refuse to answer any