The age-herald., 1901-06-05
There Was Good Cheer and a
 Happy Flow of OratOry CULPEPPER EXUM PRESIDENT
The New Officer, In Accepting the Trust, Felt Sure of the Co-opera- ton of the Business Men of
 Birmingham. -

The new officers of the Commercial Club
 were installed last night and there was 1 good cheer and flow of oratory. Busi-
 ness was dispensed with and until late hour the members of Birmingharn's great
 industrial organization were entertained
 with short speeches and light refresh ments
 The new officers of the Commercial Club
 are as follows:
 President-Culpepper Exum. Vice Presidents-John ". Johnson, E. W. Barrett. W. N. Malone. E. O. Hop kins, George Griffin, A. L. Fullenwider, | John w O'Neill, Joseph Beitman. B. F. Roden, Louis Minor and s. E. Thompson. Board of Dlrectors-w. H. Kettig. F. | Y. Andersan, Rufus N. Rhodes, B. Stein- CT, M " Joseph. John W. Tomlinson. II. H. Mayberry. Robert Jemlson and A. D. I Smith.
 Ex-President W. IT. Kettig was not present at last nights meeting and the assemblage was called to order by M. V. Joseph. Immediately after the opening of | the session Secretary Gibson read an ex-
 haustive and intensely interesting report
 on the work of the club during the past year and the great developments In the Birmingham district.
 | When Mir Gibson had finished reading | his report MT. Joseph spoke of the excel | lent work of the secretary and thereupon | a motion was carried extending him the | heartfelt thanks of the organization. | MT. Joseph then made a short speech on the development in the Birmingham dis trict He showed the great benefit to be derived from cooperation, and said that
 without 1t prosperity would not come. He | alluded to the administration of the re- tiring president in complimentary terms l and predicted as great a success for the incoming officer. MT. Culpepper Exum was then introduced and assumed the chair of president.
 MT. CuIpepper Exum Assumes Chair. | MT. Exum expressed sincere thanks to the members of the club for their confi- dence in his ability to direct the affairs Of | the organization. "I am not unmindful of l the responsibilities of the office have as- | sumed," said MT. Exum, land If youth and energy will avail me anything I as-
 sure you that the affairs of this club shall not be misdirected. have not lived in | this city as long as some of my co-work- CTS, but I have learned to love Birming- ham and in the future I see in Birming- ham the great commercial center Of the south.
 "In accepting this position of trust, | continued the new president. "I believe
 that will have the cooperation of every
 member of the club. and l assure you that any efforts I should make without
 such help would be futile. The Commer-
 cial Club should not be given all the
 credit for the establishment of industries
 in this city and the surrounding district,
 but in majority of cases 1t is responsi-
 bie for the location of the great indus
 trial plants which have been established
 here within the past few years. 'T will not go into details tonight,
 said MT. Exum, 'but at a future day l
 have some suggestions which I desire to
 make for the furtherance of the aims of
 this body, and I will unfold them to the
 committees with whom I shall confer
 
 was continued applause which was final
 ly broken by MT. Steiner rising to present
 him with new gavel-one that had great
 weight and power. The gavel was wrap
 ped in an old newspaper, and when the
 covering had been removed huge wood
 en maui was disclosed It was made of
 a large block of wood with a broom stick for handle
 Several short but happy addresses were
 then made by Col T. G. Bush. Robert
 Jemison, B. Steiner. James B. Cobbs,
 James Smith and many others.
 The club then repaired to the room in the rear where an informal banquet was given.
 Secretary's Report. MT. Gibson then read his annual report, which is in part as follows:
 Mir. President and Members of the Com l. mercial Club:
 It is pleasure to report the club in
 vigorous, healthy condition Its policy, under the able leadership of
 President W. H. Kettig during the last twelve months has been conservative and
 prudent. The scope of its work has been
 broad, including a wide range of subjects. In community developing as this Is,
 there is a great variety of conflicting in- terests. in many cases so diverse that it is
 difficult to make progress and work for
 the general welfare of the whole district without arousing antagonism In one quar- ter or being charged with inactivity in an-
 other. Under such conditions the club must serve as clearing house of opinions, purposes and aims, concentrating and
 directing all for the greatest public good. Perfect satisfaction may not have been attained in every instance. yet it is be- lieved that so much that is good has been accomplished. that no one who is patriot