The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-05-06
Armstrong Begins Street
 Campaign Against Bonds
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(ContinUed From Page One.) ing to MT. Armstrong will reach the citys constitutional tax limit and will leave no means for meeting any emergency that might arise.
 The speaker took a rap at the city for selling 1000, 900 Of the s3.000, 900 bond issue authorized, at discount of s192,00 thereby giving away a first class grammar school"
 DO you know" queried MT. Arm strong, 'that in 1921 We spent for the public schools $1,474,575.64, mak- ing total of s49,075.64 more for schools than we spent for the opera lion of every other department of the city? If this s7.000.000 bond issue Is voted it will mean that our bonded indebtedness will be increased to $16,494. 100 and our annual interest on this sum will be sS24705."
 The whole scheme was born in darkness and has remained in the
 ,me mysterious atmosphere. So far li representations. personal abuse sNd Vilifying, personal editorial at fsot nave been the chief subject of Gtscusslous along with unreasonable, poisonous opaganda.
 aeseufs Personal Attack
 'rT wiah hare make reference to tte BlFwinehsna cws. which, I as kume lhe mouthpl and speaking lfor &.A p behalf pf lis city commis- Fs.on and Inc hostd 1f education. 1 who simultaneously wiA The an- nouncs o3ent of this proposed g gantic bond iss9f ndorsed it In tito Some days later without geferenAs or con- sideraton o1 She Hirmlnghaas News made a persona announcemeas thaE 1 would openly opQose this bond asus @I Ie !. facts on which they could easf an Ia telligent vote. The following day. like a thunderbolt from a clear sky. this official mouthpiece. the BirnIthK- ham News, made one of the most Vi- cious, vilifying, cowardly, personal attacks on me, without one word n defense of the bond issue.
 Was this written at the suggestion of the board of education. or the city commission? Or did it originate in the mind of that giant of intellect and expert on bonds. at least l should say expert on peace bonds. Victor Hanson? This is that cautious edi- tor, who a few years ago when chal- lenged to duel had himself put under a peace bond. This is the gentleman that says cruelty those that dare raise their voices in oppo- sition to the things that I advocate, This is the man, who like the presi- dent Of our city commission breaches 8 the doctrine of mob spirit and law lessness, the former says seal the lips of the agitator; the latter says we should have lot of cheap funer- als.' But. people, you all know this editor. the only one whom 1 know who has his own paper laNd him in it's editorial columns
 Gain in schccoI Revenue
 DO you know that most every fig ure that the official proponents of the bond issue have quoted has been taken from the 1920 financial report Do you know that the ordinary cur rent revenue of the board of educa ton, not including the amount re- ceived from the state and other sources. ranges as follows:
 l9l1 ...........$ ESQ., 390.95 1920 ........... 961623.1S
 1921 ............ 1,24l 306.94 The proponents of this bond issue will lead you up on the mountain tor and say if we vote this bond issue that We can make the rich or the capitalist pay for 1t. Every fair minded person knows that this is no, true; that we have never gotten something for nothing; that when the taxes are increased. the house rent is increased. the rent on the storehouses is increased. the rent on the warehouses is increased. the price of groceries. clothing and of everything In proportion Is increased and greatest of all, the salaries and wages of the employed are decreased and after all, 1t is passed back and saddled on the consumer Ask the merchant if he can stand another in- crease in rent. taxes and licenses.
 We are today just beginning to see over the hill from the awful crisis from which we are just pass ing. Government statistics show a reduction in living since the peak of prices was reached, of less than 40 per cent.
 "I am opposed to this propaganda emanating from the public schools. I want the people to have the facts. Before you vote to saddling on your- selves another s7.000,000, making a total of s16,494100, go to the city hall and ask the comptroller for the annual reports and investigate for yourself"