Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-12
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Of the Commercial Club Transact
 Important Business. LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE
COMMITTEE
Reports on the John Bili-Com- muniCation From ManufaC-
 turing Committee.

person who has the love of Birmingham and her welfare at heart. Several ques- tions were discussed thoroughly and their weight considered before deliberate action was taken.
 President Moore was in the chair.
 Secretary Thompson read the following report from the committee on legislation, which was prepared by MT. s. D. Weakley under instructions oi his committee:
 The legislative committee of the Com mercial club, 10 which was referred what is known as the John blll, being a bill to be entitled an act to amend sections 2590 and 259l of the code of Alabama, reports es fol- lows:
 The committee considered three features of the bill. Two of them, that is the pro- vision changing the rule as to the measure of damage under the employers liability act so as to make the recovery primitive instead Of compensatory, and the other provision making it the positive duty of the employer to furnish reasonably safe tools, etc., and prohibiting its delegation to another, are disapproved by the commit tee. It was not deemed advisable or neces- sary to amend the present law in these re- spects.
 Another provision proposes to re-est ab- fish what is known amoug lawyers as ''the doctrine of the Hulboru case,' which was overruled by Allen's case, and this pro- posed amendment the committee approves. The clause referred to is as follows: "Nor shall the servant or empIoye be held to have waived or forfeited his right to receive damage for such injuries by continuing in the service of the master or employer after the master or employer had notice of such defect, etc. ''
 The committee does not think it just to force an employe to quit work or to as- sume the risk of injury on account of the failure of the master to repair known de- feets. This is to place the burden, not on the one on whom the duty to repair rests, but on the servant, who has no duty to perform in that regard. Hence the com mittee approves that portion of the bill which would amend the present statutes as now construed in the respect stated. The chairman reserved the right to file minor ity report if be saw proper to do so, having voted against approving any of the three features mentioned.
 As to the proposed law against boy cutting we have to say that we have beeu t1abe to find m the erliiiIaaf-zsode any statute punishing or prohibit such acts.
 Alter some discussion the report was unanimously adopted by the board of di- rectors.
 The secretary of the club then read the following from the committee on manu- facturing:
 To the Boarl of Directors of the Commercial
 Club:
 Your committee on manufacturing, to whom was referred the matter of iuvestiga- ting the privilege tax charged by the city council on manufacturers, beg to submit this report: On he class of manufacturers to whom this tax was thought to apply, we find the city has not placed a bucden- some license, but 1t may be true that iu grading this tax some burdens are placed on omalIer industries that are not equitable. Your committee thinks, however, this can be arranged us the cases occur, by proper action through the club with the city auth critics, and they recommend that course.
 Ca another matter of pending legislation the committee took the following action: The bill to change the city limits to let out the rolling mill and properties of the Alice and Sloss furnace companies is deenied unjust to others of Birmingham industries less able than these are to bear their share of city taxation. Especially is this the case when these companies come ia direct competition with the merchants of the city in their commissaries and further discriminate against home manu- lecturers in charging them higher prices for their products from the prices sold to outside parties.
 Under these circumstances your com mittee makes the following recommeEda- tions:
 That the secretary of this club be in- structed to notify member of the legisla- ture of the reason for opposing said bill, and also request the city council to take similar actioi,, as matter of simple justice to the mercantile and manufacturing inter- ests of the city.
 Another matter came before this com mittee, on which the following recom- mendations were unanimously adopted:
 That the committee, after hearing the plans of the cotton mill in Birmingham outlined by MT. B. B. Com 1T, hereby rec ommend the same to the board of directors of this club and strongly urge on that body to take such steps as may De necessary to put the same into immediate development, 1t being the sense of this committee that so long as MT. Conner will connect with that enterprise it will be worthy of public con fidence and deserving of all possible CO., operation on the part of the club and the community at large to render it success.
 The report was taken up by sections, and to start with the first clause adopted unan- imously.
 Regarding the second clause, which has reference to the rolling mill, MT. Oscar Underwood, attorney for the mill, was granted a hearing and referred to the action of the club at its meeting in January last, in which the club agreed to recom- mend to the present legislature what has been asked for. That action Of the club no one seemed to remember, as the min utes do not show who introduced it, but all expressed their desire to keep faith if the conditions have been compiled with.
 AL tue COHcluSlOu OI OuQtTWOUQ D remarks Mir. Conner moved that special committee procure the bill now before the legislature and ascertain it's exact terms be- fore any action is taken. The following compose the committee: John w. Tom linson, W. c. Shackelford and Dan Rogan.
 The last clause regarding the cotton mill was adopted unanimously and with ap- piause.
 Mir. Conner said the mill must be built by Birmingham citizens to use the surplus city houses and city labor.
 Tho enterprise will be put in shape at the next meeting of the board aud pushed to success.
 tshouid be referri1 to some of the standing AR mfttees ba Ire being acted upon except " Npanimou copaent.
 On motion by Dr>~John w. Tomlinson the board decided to ssns ss0rstary rh0mD-