The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-24
OIL MEN OBJECT
 ID $1O,OOO TAX
Such a Tax Would be in h.
 terest of Trust
A PETITION IS CIRCULATED
Southwestern oil Company Claims That They VIII Have to Go Out of Business If the
 Measure ls Passed.

An effort Is to be made on the part of Birmingham oil dealers and consumers to defeat the amendment to the revenue bill which was adopted by the house of rep- resentatives in the legislature Saturday and which provides that oil companies shall pay a state license tax of s1o,OOO per year for doing business.
 General Manager Faulkner of the South eastern oil Company will leave for Mont gomery tomorrow and will do all in his power to keep the measure from passing the senate. It is felt that the measure is in the interest of the Standard Oil Company to shut out competition and to keep the independent dealer out of the field.
 Independent Concern.
 The Southeastern oil Company is a new independent concern in Birmingham hav- ing begun business February 1. and the officers of the company are E. o. Smith, president; Haskins Williams. vice-presi- dent; c. T. Wofford, secretary and treas- urer and W. S. Faulkner, general man. ager. well equipped station has been established with a large oil tankagt capacity.
 The company, however cannot afford to pay state tax of $100O0 a year in ad- dition to the local taxes. and If the meas ure Is adopted the Southeastern oil Com pany will have to go out of business, thus leaving the field clear for the Standard oil Company
 Public sentiment seems to be against the measure. as will be shown by the fol- lowing petition and signatures which was circulated by MT. Faulkner:
 A Petition.
 To the Legislature of Alabama:
 The undersigned business men and cor porations of the city of Birmingham and Jefferson county, Alabama, respectfully request that you do not pass the amend ment to the revenue bill, requiring a state license tax of ten thousand dollars Gl0,000) on all dealers In lubrlcating and Illuminating oils. We have reputable independent people In this city engaged in the business, and this amendment will break them np as they cannot afford to pay such license. It will drive out of business all dealers in oils, except one well known, gigantic trust, and will cre- ate a monopoly which will work almost incalculable injury to the citizens of the state of Alabama.
 
 Handley Hardware company, Raul Lum- Der company. Cahaba Southern Mining company, Aldrich Mining company, Tut wiler Coal, Coke and Iron company D. L. Adler, Adler & Company, Birmingham Power company, B. F.. Moore, Walker County Coal company, Bessemer Fire Brick company. Lewis Minor, Mlner & Kettig Company, First National bank l F'owlkes x Myatt. Fox Sons & Smith 1 company Drennen & Company, Hood Yielding X Company, Hardie-Tynes Foun- dry and Machine company Birmingham Foundry and Machine company, Avon dale mills, Conner Bishop & Company, Birmingham Mills. Buckeye Cotton oil company, Orr X Roberts Grocery company, Clark Brothers. Patton's Pharmacy T. M. Barnett, M. D., J. T. Thornton, Burson & Mckinney, Leo Loeb of Loveman, Joseph X Loeb, A. A. Gambil, F. II. Gafford, Carson & Co.,. Price & Ellard, Trafford & Copeland, Mckinney & Faulkner, E. Brewer & 1 Co. J. b Warrington, J. w. Lacey, Reef & Adams E. R. Palmer. Baker & Hogan, H. l.. Hipps Duncan Drug Co.,. F. S. Job son, M. D. Alexander. J. F. Burks, Klein Bros, J. M Tuck, Schillinger Brewing Co.,, R. M. Dickerson. Matthews & Live l ly, J. D. Monroe. J. H. Belser, E. Shep- herd. Mackin Bros. A. Tedescki. l FIeidt- Nelson Coal S, Lumber Co.,, Scott &, Sons L. B. Shelton. J. II. Enslen. B. L. | Guise and others