The age-herald., 1899-04-08
REGULAR MEETING
 COMMERCIAL CLUB Committee Recommends That
 Office of President BE MADE A SALARIEO ONE Recommended That He Devote Much of of His Time During Coming
 Year in the Interest of
 the Warrior Canal
BE MADE A SALARIEO ONE

At the regular monthly meeting of the commercial club, held yesterday afternoon several matters of importance were brought up Tor consideration, the most important ol which was the report of the special com mittee appointed at the last meeting to eohs.der the suggestions offered by J. A, Van Hoose, which provide for a radical change in the constitution of the club bv making the president a salaried officer, who shali devote his entire time to the work of the organization.
 The meeting of the board of directors was called to order promptly at 3:3O o'c ock by President Steiner with large number ol the most enthusiastic members of the club present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and approved and the reports of the secretary and treasurer we're referred to the auditing committee.
 On motion the following new members were elected: J. D. Gibson, J. E. Wilson. William Ryan, R. V. Taylor, w. N Phil lips, Shelby Smith, W. c. Lovejoy, B. F. Ebern and w. D. Browning
 .sewspaper Men Present
 The representatives of the New England Newspaper league were present by special invitation, and at the conclusion of the meeting of the board of directors the meet ing resolved itself into an informal gather- ing of citizens to listen to the proposition from the gentlemen, full account of which appears in another column.
 The regular meeting of the club was called to order at the conclusion of the cit- zens' meeting, and on account of the late- ness of the hour the reading of the min utes of the previous meeting, reports of officers and other routine matters were dispensed with.
 s'The Van Hoose Plan"
 Under the reports of committees the fol. lowing report was received from the com- mittee to which had been referred the "Van Hoose propositions"
 Your committee appointed to consider and report on the suggestion of Mir J. A. Van Hoose relative to the improvement of the Warrior river, etc., beg to report as follows:
 At our request, MT. Van Hoose appeared before us and explained his ideas in detail, and after very careful examination We are unanimously of the opinion that this club will not make a mistake if it shall decide to act upon his suggestions without delay. We believe that there was never a time in the history of this district when condi- lions were so ripe as they are at the pres for united, systematic and vigorous work on the part of every material inter- est here represented. Every indication points to a period of ''easy money" and consequent liberal investments in all safe ind nd bs, q that in the minds of capitalists throughout this country and even in the financial cen ters of Europe the Alabama mineral dis trct stands in the very front rank as a field of profitable investment. The time has at last arrived for which Birmingham has so long hoped and striven, when re. suits may be measured only by the limit of the effort made by her people to bring them about.
 We believe that the Commercial club supported as it ought to be by every citi- zen of Birmingham, if 1t so determines, can accomplish wonderful things in the prog ress and development of the city and dis trct within the next few years. It has al- ready done good work, for which its past and present officers are entitled to the highest commendation, but we are of the opinion that in order to reach it's full measure of usefulness under present con ditions 1t should be organized a dis tinctly busness-like basis, prepared to take up it's opportunities as they are presented and to push each with all of the power and influence of a united, determined and successful people, working as one man for the lasting glory of the Magic City of the New America"
 Taking up the suggestions of MT. Van Hoose as they are presented, we respect fully recommend:
 First That the bylaws be so amended that the president of the club shall be a salaried officer, whose salary shall be fixed by the board of directors, whose duty it shall be to give his entire time to the business of the club;
 Second That the vice-president shall be ex-oficio chairman of the board and that 1t shall be his duty to preside over all meetings of the club and of the board of directors, and to supervise and direct the ordinary business of the club in the ab- sence of the president;
 Third. That a committee on "Warrior River Improvement" be added to the per- manent committees of the club, whose duty it shall be to advise with and assist the president in, and to which shall be referred, all matters relating to the subject;
 Fourth That it Is the sense of this com mittee that the president cannot more proftably occupy his time than by devoting it exclusively during the next year to pro- noting the construction of the Warrior river canal and incidentally exploiting the natural advantages possessed by the Bir- mingham mineral district for the success ful operation of cotton factories.
 Respectfully submitted,
 J. K. MDONALD,
 Chairman;
 N. D. BARKER,
 ROBERT JEMISON,
 B. F. RIDDEN,
 SOL HAAS
 On motion, the report was laid over until the next meeting in order to give every ,,,an,har an onnortunitv tn invasfiOata and