The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-04

|I The Age-Herald has very cour-
 teously requested me to state in it's
 columns why l think my candidacy
 for the presidency of the city com
 mission should be seriously consid-
 cred by the people and voters of the city of Birmingham.
 l think l should be considered by
 the voters of the city wholly and
 solely with re5erence to my prospec- tive usefulness to the people and in- terests If thc city. My personal ann bition and separations should not be considered at all except so far as they 1 rest upon a basis of public useful ness 1 suppose all candidates for
 this high, responsible and important office will be scrutinized and judged i upon this basis.
 ] do not expect or hope to be con i sidered merely because of the de- merits and weakness of others 1 l expect to be considered on my 1 record and conduct and usefulness in office for the last four years. The inquirins Voter will find that upon every large and important question 1 that has come before the commits 1 slon l have taken a prompt, positive and courageous position on the n.er- l it's of the subject under considera- I tion l have been straightforward and outspoken on all public matters. | The soundness or unsoupdness, wis., ! dom or unwisdom of my official con l duct on all public business has been an open book for the public to read 1 and approve or disapprove.
 Worked For Bettermcnt
 | I have syotnd for everv INTO mea sure whether it was for the good of my department or the good of the | ather departments of the city.
 have been industrious and atten- tive to all routine and minor matters of my department, 1 have been con stantiy on the job and have devoted myself exclusively to the citys busi- ness. l have repaired kept up and im- proveG the streets of Birmingham as well as the money appropriated to the purpose would allow. There are $50 miles of streets in the city At least 600 miles of the $50 miles of streets are unpaved streets to be kept uo out of the appropriation for un paved streets. I was allowed $15,- 0oG by the present board of commits slons for the first year of my admin sstration The previous board had appropriated $30,O00 for this purpose The new board of commi ssioners against my protest cut the small amount of $30,000 in half The de- preciation of streets from October 1917. to October, 1918, was fearful to contemplate. The board allowed mo the second year of my admin stration in October 1918. for this purpose s27,- 500. They amended this appropria- tlOD in Anril 1910 hy vii ma epQ- 900 additional for unpaved streets, making a total of $55, 800 for the sec- ond year of my administration. The third year of my admin stra tion the board allowed S55,500, the same as the previous year, for this purpose. The fourth year of my administra- tion l received $12O,000 for unpaved street repairs and upkeep For. the three previous wears I had received total of s126,000, an average of s42,o00 Tor each of the three years. l nave Tor this current year $120,000. ] have made a great improvement in the condition of the streets this year, as any intelligent, honest and truth full person will admit who will travel all over the city and inspect the streets carefully
 Of course many of the streets and alleys of the city have depreciated in the course of the last six years in spite of the hard work of my pred ecessor and myself.
 Limited Funds
 All the work needed could not be cone with limitations of money, war conditions wide extended ter Iritory, high prices of material and labor and other handicaps as compared with pre-war conditions.
 | bRliaye iptellivant and fairrni nd Q people will do justice when they as- certain the facts and limitations of a situation that depends a good deal upon our information and point of view.
 We must remember, too, that this 1 is an automobile era that has sudden ly burst upon us without an adequate opportunity to prepare for it. The critic needs to exercise the power of Inspection, analysis, comparison and sound Judgment in order to pass wisely on municipal matters.
 Our garbage service is reasonably good and better in proportion to the mass of service rendered than it has ever been in the history of the city. rms is the testimony of informed people who have seen the service for period of years and have compared the service from year to year for the last six or seven years.
 Primitive Methods
 Our methods in the disposal of gar haze are primitive because have been without money with which to plan and build modern and up-to- date plant or plants to convert gar bage into harmless waste or useful by-products. I think the removal of garbage in the residence districts twice a week from May to November would greatly improve comfort and efficiency. l favor the institution of such a change in future provisions of the next financial year
 We have 52 square miles to cover,