The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-10
."'TRAvELER""F FIGHTS FUR HUME RULE IN
 ALABAMA t I F $
Commercial Mems Paper, With Commissioner Har- rlSon, Appeals to the
 Electorate


 Indorsing the municipal control of utilities bill and urging favorable consideration by legislators, the Ala bama Traveller, a weekly publica- ganizations, devoted the entire first page of a Iecent issue to setting forth arguments for the measure. In addition to the first page article. there is another page devoted to dis cussion of the bill, and an editorial concerning 1t.
 Prefacing resolutions and letters written by leaders of the home rule bill fight, are number of para graphs setting forth suecintly under the caption, "A Plea for Justice,' the advantages claimed for the mea- sure.
 The appeal is addressed to the the Alabama legislature. and reads, in part:
 'Will you please accept the fol- lowing pleading In the same kindly spirit in which it Is sent you? Will you consider the arguments care fully. conscientiously and courage ously, and vote accordingly?
 Restore Authority
 Tn presenting this question to you for discussion we feel each one of you will do your duty as you see it, hence we are separately and sew orally appealing to you to remedy an injustice, repair a mistake and restore authority where It belongs and can be best served.
 rThe constitution of Alabama, SUI perficially provided that no public utility can occupy the streets of a municipality of any class until the constituted authorities of such mu- nicipality had agreed to franchise and agreed to a working control, with each and every individual. firm or corporation desiring to serve such municipality.
 "As each municipality applied to the state for incorporation to build a town, the right of municipal con trol was part of the contract and charter, not by implication, but by positive expression and provision was and is in consonance with the state, constitution.
 Contrary to the constitution. con trary to the contracts between the state and the municipalities, contrary to the franchises granted each public utility company by the respective municipalities. control of all public utilities was taken from the -munci- palities by the state and such control was pla. ed in the Alabama public service commission.
 No Local Authority
 "rhe municipalities are not seek ing an encroachment and confiscation of power and authority properly vested in the state, but are seeking the restoration of constitutional and fundamental charter authority grant ed by the state, and later confiscated by the state.
 "Citizens of municipalities and visitors thereto are compelled to pay an overcharge above contract char ter prices, every time they patronize street car.
 Failure to function in service. equipment, extensions. operations, all tried to produce friction; dissatisfac- tion. antagonism, between the char tered companies and their customers. because there is no local constituted authority to, control, regulate, com pei, if necessary. the fulfillment of contractural agreements.
 The Alabama public service com mission is impotent to handle all municipal questions justly, promptly. Restoration of power of control should be done promptly. Then pro- ceed with clean skirts to pResent a plan to Congress for restoration of control of intrastate business" *
 Harrison in Flight
 On the first page of the paper is q picture of Commissioner William l.. Harrison, who has been one of the most active leaders in the home rule bill fight. He was named chairman of the committee of representatives of several Alabama municipalities that met in Birmingham in June for the purpose of drafting resolu lions nrnvidinR for fhe new hill