The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-06
ALEX r. LONDON I1AKES SPICY
 CONVENT ON BOARDSACTIO

-------~-----o---~----~~-~ cedent. and which I may safely predict will be the cause of regret hereafter. might, in this connection, direct your attention to the contrast between this liberal gift of the publics money wholly without warrant of law. with the nig- gardly appropriation made by the board during the last fiscal year for charity ot $4S04S9-an object especially enjoned on you by law but 1 refrain from discussing this and other obvious matters until l re- celve your reply. Respectfully,
 ALEX. T. LONDON.
 A Second Reply.
 And received. in reply the following:
 birmingham, Ala, Nov. 20, 1903. 'Mr Alex. T. London, Birmingham, Dear Sir-Your letter of the 18th inst, received and noted. In reply, would say that the board of revenue will let the appropriation stand. It will not reconsid- CT it's action making the appropriation.
 Respectfully,
 "A J. TARRANT. President Board of Revenue. Through an oversight, Mir Tarrant be glected to sign this letter, but this was subsequently, corrected, and this state ment Is made merely to explain the first paragraph of my reply, which Is as fol- lows
 A Third Letter.
 November g, 1903. A. J. Tarrant, Esq, President Board of Revenue.
 Dear Sir-I received what purports to be a letter from you of the 2Oth inst. By some oversight you have neglected to o,o nd bNr the bearer.
 In the event that desire to take legal steps to prevent the payment of the ap- propriation, it is my desire to do so at the least possible cost to the public, and with this end in view, would 1t be asking too much of the board if 1 requested that they instruct their attorney to agree if possible, with me on some plan of action which will be least expensive Of course, this last request you can comply to at your convenience. Yours truly,
 ALEX. T. LONDON. The next day MT. Tarrant sent me the following letter:
 A Third Reply.
 Birmingham, Ala, November 24, 1903 Alex T. London Esq.
 Dear Sir-It was clearly an omission of mine i'll falling to sign my letter Now, with reference to taking legal steps to prevent the payment of the appropria- ton made by the board of revenue. Re- spectfuily refer you to our attorney, b. L smyer Esq. Very respectfully yours, etc. "A. l. TARRANT.
 President Board of Revenue. After receiving this last letter, 1 went to the office of the board of revenue to make a copy of the resolution, and, hay ing done so and discovering that the ap- propriation was payable January 15, 1901, called upon MT. Smyer, who very readi- ly agreed to reduce the expense of any litigation, sand, in the conversation, in- formed me that MT. r. NJ. Jackson, presi dent of the commercial club, had inform ed him that some person had told him, Jackson, that there was authority for this appropriation.
 Not desiring to interfere, if any color even could be found for this appropria- tion,- I sent the following letter to MT. Jackson, on the day of it's date:
 Letter to Mir. Jackson.
 November 2s, 1903 Fred M. Jackson, Esq, President Com mercial Club, City:
 Dear Sir:-I saw in the papers that the board of revenue had voted an appropria- ton of 5000 for the St. Louis Exposition l find today, from an examination of the minutes, that this action was taken on the 17th of October last at the instance of a committee of the commercial club for an exhibit of the resources of Jeffer- son county.
 was. and am ignorant of any law war ranting this appropriation, but fearing | was not fully advised, I addressed com munication to the board asking them to inform me on what authority they acted, and their reply was, in substance, the urgent request of representative citizens who were large tax payers, and up to date, have received no further light on the subject. Proposing to resort to the courts. I have been referred by the board to their attorney, F. J. Smyer, Esq.,. and and he informs me that some one repre- senting the commercial club had express ed the opinion that there is authority for the appropriation If such is the fact I would like to have an opportunity to con fer with him. for, in the absence of any further light on the subject, 1 shall take steps as a citizen and tax payer to pre- vent the payment of the money. I feel assured that, however desirable the proposed object may appear to be, and however. much the commercial club would like to secure funds for a credta- ble exhibit at St. Louis, the club could not afford to put itself in an attitude of urging or receiving an appropriation from the county which is wholly unwar- ranted by law.
 I will greatly appreciate an early re- ply. Yours truly.
 ALEX. T. LONDON.
 MT Iaeksons RenIv