The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-05-26
FRED NJ. JACKSON
is NOW PRESIDENT
Commercial Club Has Annual
installation of Officers
REFRESHMENTS SERVED
New President Makes Strong Address
and Various Members Tell Of Blr-
mlneham's Greatness-5. F.
Moore Makes Comparisons.

Yesterday was the tenth anniversary Of
the Commercial club Of Birmingham, and
the event was fittingly celebrated at the
club rooms last night by the annual in
stallation of officers, the reading by the
secretary of the most gratifying report
In the clubs history, and the serving Of
refreshments, which added no little to the
interest OF the occasion.
The reading OF the report of Secretary
]. B. Gibson, which will be found in full
in another part of this issue, was fire.
quently interrupted by loud and continued
applause.
Following the report of the secretary,
the retiring president, B. F. Roden, after
a few remarks, introduced the new pres
ident, Fred M Jackson, and the other
newly elected officers:
Vice Presidents F. Y. Anderson, Gull
pepper Exum, T. G. Bush, M. V. Joseph,
]. C. Maben, w. H. Kettig, Robert Jem-
ison, s. e. Thompson, Louis Minor, X. M
Goddall, b. Steiner, ]. B. Cobbs; Secre-
tary Gibson, Treasurer Leo X. Steiner,
and Directors B. F. Roden, A. D. Smith
Joseph Beitman, E. w. Barrett. g. H
ESIeB, j. D. todIlhS, JOhlA w. - NfS-A' -
A. Rountree, T. H. Motion.
Pleasant Remarks.
Following the inaugural address OF
President Jackson, number OF members
were called upon for remarks, and some
of them responded after the club had ad-
journed to the adjoining room, where the
refreshments were served.
Gen. r. N. Rhodes recalled the time
when B. F. Moore was the first president
of the club ten years ago, and drew
striking comparison between the organ
ization at that time and the present as
we'll as between the city OF birmingham
ten years ago and in 1903.
The Rev. DIR. John w. Stage, the newly
installed pastor of the First Presbyterian
church said in part: 81 am very glad to
meet all Of you and while Commerciai
club work is not exactly in my line
want to say that this is the finest oooy
OF sinners 1 have seen for long time.
He then showed his remarkable ABILITY
at initiating the negro dialect by telllhs
the best story of abe evening. 1t was OF
an English hotel keeper in a small Amer
lean town who could not be surprised by
ANYTHING. His negro servants brought
a number of things before him, such as
immense fish, and chickens which they
said were American partridges, but 10
everything the Englishman said they
were not as large as they had In Eng
land. Finally they put a big turtle IN
his bed and when he ran down stairs
with It hanging to his heel they told him
n was an American bed bug and asked
him If they had anything as big as that
In England
Col. n. G. Bush told of the good feeling
that existed between operators and min
ers and told how important a factor the
Commercial club could be in preserving
these harmonious relations in this district.
n. f. Moore, the first president of the
club. gave some interesting "reminiscences
of the adverse circumstances under which
the club labored during the first year OF
It's existence. To Illustrate the conditions
In birmingham he said customer who
owed him 50 sent him a pension check for
$50. which was payable in gold at the
United States treasury, and he was I'M
able to get it cashed at any of the Bir-
mingham banks and had to return 1t to
the customer.
M. V. Joseph, an ex-president Of the
club, advocated for Birmingham cleaner
streets, smoke consumers, more police,
greater fire protection and larger men,
bershlp for the club.
Major Charles Wheelock told Of his ear
~ struggles as an architect; A. ID. Smith
lauded Birmingham as an insurance CEN
ter at the present time and w. P. G.
Harding told how Independent the city is
becoming since 1t is able to finance so
many large undertakings Among Others
who spoke were Frank L. Clark, Robert
Jemison, Jr., Judge ]. ]. Banks and Col
L. w. John.
President Jackson's Policy.
The inaugural address of President
jackson outlined the policy which h,
thought the club should follow. He SAID
in part:
Every community, to be effective. mus
have an organization through which II
can act upon many occasions and on
many questions that arise from day tc
" i
thority to take the initiative. to call a
| meeting and set the common effort in
motion; there must be some rallying
point and meeting place; some body of
some sort to represent the community
before the world to appoint delegates
to receive the communications intendeu
for the whole people and to act on them.
If the Commercial club had done no more
than this its record would still be a
proud one. But 1t has done much more.
and Its specific achievements would sur
prise its friends II spread before them In
a succession of narratives.
AT the outset. 1 am deeply i'm,
pressed with the significance OF one ques
ton now before the club and on which 1t!
committee is now at work. allude to tn,
movement for a Greater Birmingham
Adverse interests are at war on the sub
| ject and the final decision of the matter
rests, not with us. but with the legisia
| ture. But the thought comes to me tina
| however the issue as to an imaginary
line called the corporate limits may b.
| dacidad tho fact remainS fha sauna Tim