The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-23
BIG SHOW IS
 HERE TOMORROW Parade Will be Abandoned Un- less Council Recedes MATTER FULLY DISCUSSED General Manager of Barnum & Bailey Go. Wants Parade, But Not Will
 ing to Pay $500 for the
 Privilege.
MAT TER FULLY DISCUSSED

it's action taxing the circus for paradlng through the streets of Birmingham, meaning a tax of $500 for the Barnum X Bailey show, our parade, appointed for Saturday. will be abandoned.'
 This statement was made by Louis D. Cooke, general manager of the big show, to an Age Herald reporter last night.
 "Of course" continued MT. Cooke, i've would take this step with regret, for we know and realize what this great free street spectacle means to the people especially those who are too poor to att tend the show That thousands of people come to the city to see the parade and return home without visiting the exhbi- ton there is no doubt.
 In Memphis.
 'The show exhibited in Memphis last Saturday, and on Sunday the Commercial Appeal declared that over 15O0OO persons had viewed the parade. We played to a big business in Memphis, and yet not much more than tenth of those who saw the parade witnessed the perform ances In other words, the show gave splendid street display to more than lSO,- GOO persons who did not pay one cent to see the circus. The same thing would be true of Birmingham if we gave a parade here. The great majority of the public would see a free show without spending any money with the circus. We do not object to that 1t is our free-will offering to the people. What we do object to Is tax upon an exhibition which we give to the public without money and without price.
 "Surely, when the members of the coun- cil come to think seriously about this mat ter they will see that thS tax would not only be unfair to us, but positive in- justice to the public am satisfied there is m real desire on the part of the ooun- ell to do either the show or the pH0ll' an injury. F
 "rhe councilmen voting for this meas ure have simply failed to look at the matter from the stapap0int of their con stituents.
 "Do we desire to give paradef un- doubtedly. If that were not true the show would not have expended over halt-mil- lion dollars in the creation Of the most magnificent floats and tableau cars ever seen either in America or Europe' IL would not have expended a fortune in horses and trappings, and 1t would not have employed hundreds or men ana women for this great free display
 "It has been the custom in the past to give a street parade on circus day ana MT. Bailey determined that this year free spectacle should break all records in the way of grandeur and pageantry. But does the parade pay? We honestly De- lieve it does not. The mere Tact that l thousands of people are satished With the free show and do not pay to sec the cireus Is a proof of 1t. But more than this we have had abundant evidence that the value of the parade is overrated. owing to the magnitude of the show and late arrivals we have from time to time been compelled to abandon the parade; and in almost every instance the business was greater on those days than when parades were given according | to schedule.
 The Merchants.
 'In Europe we never gave a parade after the first month We found that the people who really wanted to sec the show would come whether there was parade or not So you see we are not concerned on that score. What we are concerned about is the fact that thous- ands of people looking for d parade on Saturday morning. and unless the council recedes from it's position, they will have to be disappointed. The proposed tax of $500 Is simply prohibitive.
 Another thing that must not be for gotten is the fact that the merchants de- | pend to a great extent upon the crowds in the down town streets on circus day to give them trade. If there is no parade the people will go direct to the show grounds, and this will involve a distinct loss to the tradespeople. We would re- gret this also, for we want everyone to benefit legitimately by our show day. The Barnum and Bailey circus Is great in- stituton. It has always given a great show, and this years exhibition surpass- | es all former efforts. It will draw on its | merits Great crowds are assured under the big canvas payilions. It will be too bad if the greater part of the public