The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-01

MT. E0mun0SOn DlScuSSeS OOuftuOuSo.
 To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 While the criticisms of your paper that the purposes of the proposed bond issue for a new courthouse have not been made clear to the voters of the county and that the plans themselves are nebulous and not well thought out it seems to me to be rather unfounded and unfair to the board of revenue and the im- pression your criticisms makes on the public mind unfair and unjust both to the present board and to the incoming board. It is pleasure to answer your challenge with this statement of the case and brief review of its history.
 You admit the need of a new courthouse, and therefore it is unnecessary to discuss that phase of the subject
 First: Your most definite criticism has been with reference to the use of the money which it is proposed to raise by bond issue. The uses to which this money would be put has been public information for about twelve months having been heretofore published in various newspapers. The first move towards relieving this urgent situation was the pur- chase of a permanent site for a new court house facing Capitol Park which purchase was subsequently, ratified by an overwhelming vote of the people, The next step was the selection of an architect about twelve months ago, Mr. Harry Wheelock and his submission of tentative plans for the proposed building. The next step, and one which was prescribed | by law, was the submission of these plans to Hon. c. B., Smith, presiding judge of the circuit court, and Hon. James G. Davis, cir cult solicitor. In addition to meeting these legal requirements every county official aud even their employees were called into confer ence for the purpose of getting the benefit Of their practical suggestion. With these sug- gestions before the architect, the plans were GuhmIttn6 proved
 It has been suggested in your criticisms that this tremendous expenditure of money was about to be placed in the hands of board ln- experienced and unacquainted with the prob- lens it confronted. The procedure which we have outlined was that the board which IS now about to retire from office and while their execution was entrusted to the new gboard we respectfully call your attention to the fact that the personnel of the new board Includes four men who have been connected for great many years, with the handling o1 county problems and fifth member, MT. John Lewis, a man of large business experience The new chairman of the board is continuing to do services in the board and has been con nected with county affairs for fifteen years Mr. D. J. Reed has served the county lu many capacities for a period of nearly twenty years and as clerk of the board of revenue IS probably as familiar with the finances or the county as any living man in the county to- day. Mir. w. J. Waldrop has been serving the county since about 1901 and has naturally be come thoroughly acquainted with its needs and requirements. MT. S. R. Batson has beer assistant engineer and engineer ot the coun ty since 1912 In this connection the lncom ing board of revenue was elected to office Dl the people with full knowledge of the fact' that their first and most pressing duty would be the solution of the needs of the count! courthouse. More than this the retiring boart of revenue has formerly called in the member of the incoming board of revenue in order tha the incoming board might enter upon this i'm portant duty with a complete understandln of the situation. In fact, the retiring boar' specially requested the incoming board to ex , press themselves on the advisiblllty Of sub
 hitting this bond issue to the people and tn
 step was taken upon the unanimous concur
 renee of all members of both boards.
 Second: Now with reference to the tlnan cial plans which called for this bond issue
 it has been stated that no estimate was mad
 and that no report of this estimate has bee,
 submitted to the people. In the early par ] of this year, Harry B. Wheelock, the archi tect, submitted to the board of revenue al