The age-herald., 1899-06-21
PRESIDENT oHALIFoUx
Defends ths Action of the Board of.
 Trade
To the Editor of the Aee-Herald.

To the Editor Of the Aee-Hera1d.
 In my perusal of last Sundays Age-Her- aid noticed communication of one r. Repplier making reference to what he calls the "so-called board of trade,'' and its doings. and to which the said MT. Repplier seemed to very much object Not being ac- quainted with any one bearing that name, consulted the city directory, and, failing. to find 1t, l was therefore lead to believe that F. hepplier is merely a pseudonym used by him to enter his protest against anything that the board of trade might do towards obtaining relief from the exorbi- tant privilege license, of which the mer- chants justly complain.
 1t has always been my habit to ignore pseudonymous or anonymous communica- tions, because, in order to deserve a reply, a man should have the courage of his con- victions by signing his full name to any communication in 0 public newspaper when discussing questions of public interest.
 Articles signed ''Tax Payer.'' "Voter," etc., generally emanate from individuals who have an individual aK to grind or an individual grievance to correct while pos ing as workers ore bono publico."
 In this instance. however, ask the courtesy of your valuable space to correct the impressions MT. Repplier may have made when he insAnuated that the mer- chant does not bear the greater part or the burden of taxation. When producing fig uISS NlSfS IL SuilS HE PuAPOoS oiih '5tASA ing figures which would tell a different tale~
 While Mir Reppner accuses the Birming- ham merchants of not assessing theH stocks of merchandise properly, he also Vir- tualIy admits that the real estate holder does not assess his property upon a Just and equitable basis.
 Here it ends with the real estate owner, but not so with tho merchant-his troubles commence here. The taxes collected on both the assessed real estate and merehan- disc stocks being insufficient to meet the city's expenses, the privilege tax Is created and increased from year to year to meet the constantly increasing expenditure or our city government, until last year It amounted to the enormous sum or sSS,549'cz, or $29 5.91 more than the total amount or taxes collected on all the real estate and personal property in Birmingham. Does this look fair? The records In the city hall, to which Repplier refers. shows thls state- Tsns: %ens: collected on .Yess; Merchants Tax..... ......N 442S 6z
 Merchants Lcenees.. .... &,90 O-S9s,s sfs 5 Real Este & Per. Prop'u Wlo0 sl
 pas,,+ - s2e,2ls el
 This shows shows conclusivdy that the merchants pay 40 per cent. per ennum more towards defraying our city governments expenses than does the property holder.
 That the so-called board of trade, which is composed of about 150 of Birmingham's leading merchants, should take cognizance of such unjust discrimination Is not sur prising, and while they do not make the fuss and buster MT. Repplier credits them with, they are well organized and are working with vim and vigor not alone for their own mutual interests, but to make Birmingham as great a city commercially as she is industrially. Respectruily,
 OLIVER CHALIFOUX,
 President of the Board of Trade.