Birmingham age-herald., 1894-07-28
UNANIMOUS. Commercial Club Calls for the Tax Amendment.
slRGELY ATTENDED MEETING
the Hope That Worthy Men Among Strikers
 Be Not BIaCkIiSted.

held largely attended meeting.
 The committee on grievances, to which had been referred the petition of citizens asking that the club use it's influence to get the railroad strikers back in their places, presented the following very sem sible and conservative report, which, after debate, was adopted:
 "Your committee, to whom was referred the petition of sundry merchants and citi- zens, requesting this committee to have the Commercial club exert it's influence with the railroad officials in obtaining from them reinstatement of certain former employees who had lost their positions through participation in the recent strike, beg to submit the following as their reporti The men left their positions in a sympa- thetic strike, which, had it been success- ful, would have inflicted the greatest hard ships on other branches of organized labor by the forced closing of industries that de. pended upon transportation for fuel, while cities and communities were brought to the verge of famine, our own city running close to an exhaustion of flour supply. So that the strike being thus war upon all other interests of society, we feel that it would be inconsistent for this body to ex- press itself further than to say it was de- plorable mistake for men without personal RTIGNduC6s lO tuub DG leu lutO lnt RTaVebb injuries to the public; and their reinstate- ment could not justly be asked so long as present employees prove competent to fill their places, many of whom accepted this work ill the face of the greatest personal danger, and the public, who were relieved thereby from threatened evils of the gravest character, would not justify their dis missal. Your committee, therefore, bee lieve this matter should be left entirely with the railroads to settle, the club only oxrr ha hn, hot tr1np be safely reinstated without detriment to proper regard for the public service be given opportunity to once more enter the service of such roads as can give them em- ployment. Respectfully submitted for the committee, E. J. DUNN, Chairman.'
 Mir. Bailey, from the insurance commit tee, made verbal report in reference to the fire protection in Birmingham as dem- onslrated at the recent confiagration, and was given further time.
 The committee on Legislation made re- port in reference to the Birmingham tax amendment. It was a plain statement of the fact that tax values have fallen fn three years from S23, ,000, GOO to Sl5, ,000, 900 and the income from licenses from SSS ,000 10 $50, 900; that the deficit is growing larger, and the only hope of escaping bankruptcy is in the adoption of the amendment It recommended that the club take vigorous and prompt action in informing the people of the state about it and calling on them to help Birmingham by voting for it.
 The only opposition it met with was the fear on the part of few gentlemen that some members of the club who opposed the amendment would quit if the club took any action, and these suggested a postpone. ment till next week. The view, however, that it was a question of common honesty whether Birmingham wants to cheat her creditors or not, prevailed, and the busi- ness men of Birmingham, through their only organization, came grandly up to the scratch as honest, debt paying men and adopted the report unanimously.
 A resolution was subsequently adopted inctructing he committee on legislation to push the matter vigorously and at once, and asking the city coupcil to meet today and take action.
 The committee on legislation will ac- cordingly meet this morning at g o'clock at the office of the chairman, MT. A. G. Smith, in the Chalifoux building.
 Mayor Fox issued the call for a special meeting of the city council at o'clock to- night.
 structed to ascertain whether the terms of the subscription to the furniture factory have been complied with and to report at once, so subscribers will know whether to pay up.
 brought up, but incidentally, and went into the hands of the grievance committee, where it will likely stay.
 DIRECTORS.
 The board of directors met yesterday and filled the vacancy in its ranks by electing MT. W. c. Shackleford. It also appropri- ated $100 for the purpose of supplying the club rooms with literature.
 RETAIL COMMITTEE.
 The retail trade committee met yesterday with full attendance and elected MT. Si- mon KlotZ chairman.
 THE COMMITTEE REPORT.
 The report of the committee on legisla- ton alluded to above, and unanimously adopted, is in the shape of report by sub b-committee to the full committee, aud made by the latter as its report to the club, and is as follows:
 mittee on Legislation of the Commercial Club, irmingham, Ala:
 Your sub committee appointed by you at a meeting of the committee on legislation held on the 2ith day of July. 1894, begs to say that they have carefully investigated the matter and discharged the duties as- signed to them with the utmost care, pains and diligence, and now begs to submit thelr report.
 The duties with which the sub-commit- tee were charged were to ascertain, by in- vestigation of the books of the administra- ton of the city of Birm1n gham, whether the proposed amendment to the constltu- tion allowing the city to levy an additional A of 1per cent for the purpose of paying interest on it's bonds and providing a sink ing fund with which to pay the principal at maturity, should be recommended for adoption to the voters of the state of Ala