The age-herald., 1901-11-28
Board of Trade Representatives VIII Go Before MIsceI-
 Iane0uS Committee ASK FOR REPEAL OF
 SLIDING BASIS SECTION License Governed by Amount of Stock Carried and Regular Ad vaIorem
 Tax Must Be Paid
 In Addition.

posed upon them by the city abolished | and committee will appear before the
 Miscellaneous committee of the City Council at the next meeting in favor | of such a movement
 The tax or license to which they es-
 of the license schedule of the city of
 Birmingham for 1901. This section re- quires all dealers in good, wares mer- chandise or other commodities to take
 out and pay for license. the rate to be fixed on a sliding basis which is govern ed by the amount of stock carried. On
 a stock valued at slo,0OO this tax is $75 while on stock valued at 5000 the tax Is $500 and others in proportion.
 Besides this the merchants are requir-
 ed to pay a regular ad valorem prop
 erty tax to the city and the state and protest against what they call double taxation. The special license or privilege tax provided for in Section has been
 increased annually for the last two years
 and lnis the merchants say is another objectionable feature.
 Object to Privilege Tax.
 We are perfectly willing" said Col
 man Blach, president of the Board of
 Trade. " to pay our just share of taxes
 and we think the ad valorem tax just and proper, but l do not think we should be required to pay a special privilege tax On a sliding scale any more than bank | or any other business should, This tax | increases every year and if 1t is not abol- | lshed some of the merchants will be hurt | The Board of Trade will do all in its power to have this privilege tax abol- | ished and 1 believe the Board of Alder men will readily see the injustice of it and take steps to help us.
 When the Birmingham amendment to | the old constitution was proposed the merchants were led to believe if it was privilege tax, and many voted for 1t un- der such a promise, but as yet nothing l has been done"
 Allowed Increase In Tax. The Birmingham amendment referred to by Mir Blach was a provision added to the old constitution allowing an in
 crease in the tax rate of the city of Bir-
 mingham from 50 cents to $1. It was at first defeated and the special privilege tax ordinance was passed to provide funds necessary to conduct the affairs of the city. This amendment was brought before the people again and was adopted. Later 1t was tested by, the merchants but the Supreme Court declared it constitu- tional and it has been in effect since that time. The new constitution does not change it.
 The following year the privilege or i- cense tax was increased instead of being abolished, as the merchants say they were promised, and this gives rise to the protest.
 During the recent constitutional con vention a committee from the Board of Trade went to Montgomery to have 9 provision inserted in the new constitution prohibiting such a tax. Mayor Drennen also appeared before the committee and after some discussion the merchants claim he promised them in substance that he would do what he could to have an ordinance passed abolishing section of the license schedule provided they would not insist on their proposition. Mayor Promised to Help. Oliver Chalifoux, who was member of the committee sent to Montgomery says the Mayor did promise to help the merchants in getting the license tax l abolished and he expressed confidence in MT. Drennen's promise.
 "The Mayor will do just what he says he will do." said MT. Chalifoux, pro- vided 1t lies in his power. However you | understand the Mayor has to look out for the city's welfare as well as the mer- chants
 'I am in favor of the privilege tax being abolished but at the same time I am in favor of the city having suf- ficient funds on hand Now the question arises. can they abolish this license and still have sufficient funds. If they can, I believe the Board of Aldermen will re- peal Section 2. If not, they will have to let it stand. believe the mayor and council will do what they think best and what is right I will appear before the committee to advocate the abolish ment of the license tax and I am will ing to submit the question to the coun- cil's sense of what Is right and just"
 Chairman Out of City.
 Alderman Ward chairman of the Mis- cellaneous Committee of the Board of Aldermen is at present absent from the city. He will probablys return Sunday night and 1t is said will call meeting of his committee sometime during the coming week to take up the license ques- ton.
 The other members of the committee are Aldermen Altman, Gum, Moore and Linnehan. It is said Mir. Linnehan and MT. Ward are in favor of the section be- ing repealed and have so expressed them selves. MT. Gum said yesterday that he had rather hear the matter fully dis cffased befora offerinR an Ouinior,. fsaro-