The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-09-21
DICKSON CONFERRED WITH
BURRUSS

1t was reported last Tuesday that
Mr. Dickson, who, being a member of
the present Legislature, is ineligible
10 appointment as tax adjuster, would
seek a position on the board of city
commissioners. should Nj Burruss re-
sign to accept the tax board position
However, he made no public statement
on the matter
Mr.. Dickson was in the city Sat.r-
day, September IS. al which time he
arranged an appointment with Com
missioner BurrusS. AT | o'clock The
conference between the legislator and
the commissioner took place
MIR. Dickson informed Commits
sioner Burruss that the governor
was strongly considering appoint
Ing the commissioner as tax ad-
ulster, that he had personally rec
commended very highly the mp
potntment and that he believed
that 1t would he made. Mr.. Dick
son further Informed the commits
sfoner that in case the appoint
ment was accepted he would like
to become the comm ssioner's sue
cessor on the city board.
Commissioner Burruss told Mr. Dick
son that whatever appointment the gov
ernor should make in the matter must
be on the merits of the man to be ap-
pointed and that his successor on the
commission would be selected he was
surt. soiAlv IN his merits. He further
stated that he would enter into nc
kind of an agreement that even
smacked of a trade.
Mr.. Dickson agreed entirely and
stated that he meant nothing he had
said to be taken as pertaining to a
trade and that he thought both men
ought to be selected on their merits.
Commissioner Burruss said that since
several of his friends had insistently
urged that he consider the matter of the
appointment that he would do SO Snd
talk over the matter further the next
afternoon.
at $50 o'clock Sunday afternoon,
just before Mr.. Dickson's departure for
Montgomery Commissioner Burruss re-
peated some of what he had said the
day before. He said he would favor
ably consider the matter of accept
ing the appointment should 1t be made
but that ii was to be clearly under
stood that there was no agreement.
TT that satisfactory and clearly I'M
derstood Mr.. Dickson he said.
When approached by reporters Tues
day, following the publication Of a
rumor that a trade had been made,
Commissioner Burruss declared that
he had not been made the offer of the
appointment by the governor and that
been made. He would not state that
he would refuse the appointment.
MR.. BURRUSS' STATEMENT
In the statement Commissioner Bur-
russ gave out last night he said:
MY conviction is that the trust the
people have put in me in electing me
a member of the city commission does
not warrant my resigning from that
body to take an appointment from the
governor because that appointment
pays $4,000 year instead of $4,000, and
that the term is four years instead Of
two. My views on political ethics and
propriety would not allow me to re-
sign the honor the peolIe of this city
have conferred on me and the duties
l have taken up as a result to accept
another position simply because 1T
would last longer and pay more. l
was never inclined to accept the APP
pointment. should it have been made,
and considered it only because severai
friends insisted upon it,"