The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-08-29
Weatherly Relieves Ward of Any Responsibility for Absorption of Tide
 water Line BARBER NAMES MAN WHO, HE SAYS, LIVES AROUND CITY HALL Barber Also Invites Ward to Get in His ''Tin Lizzie" and Campaign the
 City With Him"

commission yesterday mOrnlHS, As thai august body crept up to the edge of another dull and monotOnOus session. q am going to ask fair play of my colleagues during this campaign" All hands drew closer and reporters repressed a yawn in anticipation of story. MT Ward proceeded: "Dr. Dickinson, in his article which is published in this mornings paper, says:
 "'While the president of the commits sion, who has jurisdiction and control over the legal department of the city, sleeps, by and with the consent of his conferees on the commission, one of the most valuable assets of this city is be- ing lost to it's future estate, etc.
 LEFT TO MIR. WEATHERLY Now. pr. Dickinson knows as well as anybody else in the world, because he has kept up with the situation, that we have left these matters concerning pub lie utilities in the hands of Commission CT Weatherly. l have steadily voted for every measure which MT. Weatherly has brought forward as to the regulations of public utilities, and have never inter- fered with his propositions in any way except to investigate and see if the city was in financial shape to spend the money required. I have not tried to stop any measure, but simply to see that the money for carrying it through was pro- vided for.
 q am thoroughly satisfied that this proposition comes from the Barrett headquarters, as Dr. Dickinson is one of his chief advisors, and I cannot but be- lieve that this proposition was brought forward for the express purpose of at- taching to me the Tidewater or Birming ham Railway, Light and Power com pany I believe 1t is unfair and I be- lieve Commissioner Weatherly will agree with me-
 WEATHERLY TAKES BLAME MT. Weatherly took the floor at this juncture and admitted every word MT. Ward said was true and that he was the neglect of duty ascribed by Dr. Dickin- son. MT. Weatherly said:
 T want to say that MT. Ward is ab- solutely clear of all responsibility in this matter. If there is any dereliction of duty, I am the one that is absolutely, solely and exclusively chargeable with that. I want to state this in public.
 T want to say that this statement of Dr. Dickinson's was published without my knowledge or consent I do not agree with word of it, so far as it refers to MT. Ward. The references are unfair.
 While technically MT. Ward is in charge of the legal department, every body knows that he has left these public utility matters in my hands, and I have handled the whole thing, from start to finish If anybody wants to make an issue out of the way the Tidewater cases have been handled, they should attack me, and nobody else.
 DEFENDS BARRETT COMMITTEE
 T want to say further, that think you are wrong, MT. Ward, in saying that this emanates from the Barrett committees campaign headquarters, or from any other committee. I think pr. Dickinson has brought it out solely on his own initiative. I want to say this, that in my humble judgment as law yer and citizen, I think every step has been taken to protect the rights of the city that possibly could have been taken in the Tidewater matter I am thoroughly convinced that the plans of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company were laid deliberately for the purpose of absorbing the prop critics of the Tidewater company think it had the legislature to enact the law by which the public service com mission was given power to assent to the absorption of the Underwater by the Br- mingham Railway, Light and Power company.
 And from the time the first move was made to sell the Tidewater proper ties in the federal court we intervened. That is the point where the rights of the city became concretely involved, and we prevented for the time being the final act which would have put the Birming- ham Railway, Light and Power company in charge of this property.
 At or about the same time steps were taken by the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company before the public service commission looking to the absorp- tion of the Tidewater property We in tervened and fought it to a finish Fur ther, we threshed out every single ques- tion involved before the supreme court The supreme court, which I thought rev. olutionary and wrong, decided against the city, and held in effect that the con stitutional provisions prohibiting a mo-
 
 and that it was a matter for discretion on the part of the public service com mission and the court to say whether or not such monopoly should be permitted the state being permitted to regulate them. Some of these times this is a going to be statewide issue. this action of the court in it's construction of our con- stitutiCn.'
 WARD ASKS NAME
 Continuing. Mir. Ward attacked the re- marks of MT Barber made in his street speech Saturday night, wherein Mr. Ward felt that MT Barber should be more explicit in his remarks. MT. Ward said:
 Il notice that MT. Barber. in his speech Saturday night. refers to an attache of one of the corporations, who he says, has practically moved down to the city hall and has taken up his residence here.
 He infers that he is here for the pur- pose of talking to some of the commits sioners about Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company matters I think nothing but fair that MT. Barber tell the nape of the representative and the name of the corporation because if there Is any corporation lobbying in the city hall, think 1t should be done pub llcly and not privately"
 BARBER GIVES NAME
 T can give the mans name" stated MT. Barber, just like told the peopie would. His name is Joseph D. Johnnon and he is employed by tho Birmingham