The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-29

S~ S@S 'SeNAs
 
 Now. do not jump to the conclusion that it's the workingman who is alone guilty of a lack of interest in the way in which he Is governed, for frequently he Is much more alive to candidates and Issues than are many highbrows.
 The reason am continually harping on the need of public discussions of public matters is my desire to get an informed public opinion that will think for itself and not be ridden to death by the vain catch words of the politicians or be frightened into supporting men or meas- ures by party ghosts shrilling their an- athemas.
 Let's quit whining about the greedy pol iticians while sitting by supinely while they lead the unsuspectlng voter to the polls with every kind of political clap trap for a bait. The agitator is less cul- pable in democracy like ours than are the intelligent but lackadaisical voters who through lack of public spirit permit such tommyrot to prevail. If politics is rotten, don't let's try and shift the blame upon the shoulders of crafty politicians, but let's settle it upon the shoulders of an indifferent electorate,
 The suburbs are beginning to be clam orous of their rights. We must consider the city as whole, and aim at securing for it's citizens the maximum of well be- ing. Public questions must be viewed pri- marily from the standpoint of Birming- ham and with reference to the interests, of each and every section of the city. We must adjust as far as possible the con- flicting claims of the various sections with an eye single to promoting the in terests of all. Let's frown upon any ef- fort to play favorites.
 do not believe that the present finan- cial condition of Birmingham is the fruit of understandable foresight, but can be explained by the fact that the city's growth has exceeded its income. It may be that We have suffered to some ex- tent from muddle-an drift methods, but it's always difficulty to map out wise and generous plan when a city is living from hand-to-mouth. It is hardly fair to cast the whole blame of the citys finan- cial plight to the administration, for it inherited burdens and liabilities that were handicap from the outset
 am afraid we Americans are too prone to elect men to office and then forget all about them until they get us into hot water and then we let out a yell and at- Time comes when we are all ready to cast an old shoe at the animal we nickname a politician, but, believe me, they are nine lived and not easily run out of political backyards. and frquently when we think we have driven one clean outside of the enclosure, like the cat he Is sure some day to come back. Let's do what we can to raise the character of our public men and then our political institutions can be made better. The way to drive out of po- litical fife the baser sort of politicians is to put premium on men of honesty.
 A city in which public opinion has reached the stage of indifference as to the choice of good men to govern it, and complacently permits the highest honors at the disposal of the electorate to pass into the hands of second-rate incompe- tents need not blame 1t on the poli- ticians If unfit men get into office it's Sha dapn haS ta1a tad 1t. We must arouse every voter in Bir- mingham to a sense of personal respon- siblity in selecting those who shall rep- resent us at the city hall.
 The reason I am against hand-picked candidates comes from the fact that an cleo ctorate which has ceased to have any direct voice in the selection of Its rep or any effective control over them when elected, has. as matter of course. surrendered the vital principle of democratic representation; it cannot. sentatives, in their turn, run things to suit themselves.
 I want our city government broad, based upon the genuine principles of de- mocracy, by making every registered voter acquainted with its needs, so that the men offering for office can be made to commit themselves upon the various issues in a straightforward way with out losing themselves in vague gener- alities There are big questions to be settled at the polls. Birmingham's fu- ture Is locked up in the way they are to be met. Just now I am merely limiting at the problem, but as the campaign warns up they will take shape in such manner as to preclude any aspirant for political honors to sdestep them.
 The danger is not that there will be issues but that voters will be confused by the congestion of issues and some secondary issue will get the limelight, and give some glib-tongued talker his op- portunity to muddy the waters and pad dle into office -dets strive to make all the issues stand out clearly, so that we can test each one. There Is danger that in the political noise and hubbub and perplexity that we lose our sense of pro- portion and minimize something import ant or magnify some Insignificant mat ter.
 Everything will be talked about. Ev- cry political vagary will come in for an airing. Much of 1t will be done in slap-dash. impulsive way, so it's up to