The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-12-04
KEEN OPPOSITION
 ID THE INCREASE Whisky Interest Thinks License
 Large Enough CITY GETS S9O,OOO YEARLY Alderman Parker Champions Cause. To Report No Increase Tomorrow
 Night, But It Might
 Come Later.
CITY GETS S9O,OOO YEARLY

A ueltSdllOu uI DlOuIueHl pIGMtiS anu whisky dealers appearing before a quo rum of the miscellaneous committee of the City Council last night, stated their positive conviction that to further in- crease the burden of that class already paying one-third of the whole license of Birmingham, was unjust and unfair The delegation appeared on account of the fact that there is an effort being made to increase the annual license charged dealers in liquor from $500 to 5000. After hearing the several speeches made by the brewers the committee agreed to report the license schedule for 1906 to the City Council Wednesday night unchanged, with the understanding that if it was deemed fit. any changes could be ordered before the next meeting, two weeks later
 w. W. Crawford, president of the Amer ican Trust and Savings bank, spoke in the interest of the brewers. as did Alderman Parker, member of the committee. Be- fore adjournment, the chairman of the committee, Alderman ONeill, stated his belief that the license as it stands is sufficiently large.
 Brewers State Views.
 Of the delegation of brewers MT. Wilzin first spoke. He declared that the city, in the form of license, derives from the whisky interest about $sO, 900 annually, or more than one-third the estimated total revenue from licenses $250,0OO He stated his conviction that to further increase this burden would be unfair and unjust. MT. Schillinger next spoke, declaring that | his sentiments had been voiced by MT. l Wilzin. Mir. Solomon declared that even 1 if the license was increased, the city l would derive little more if any revenue, l on account of the fact that many saloon | proprietors would be forced out of bus- | ness. MT. Wise stated that while he was | considered a successful whisky dealer, | it was a fact that he was generally in l debt to the banks, and that his home 1 was not paid for as yet. even though l he has been actively engaged in the whis- l ky business since 1885. MT. Wilzin fur i nished statistics of arrests in several 1 cities of the United States in which I it was shown that the number in saloon 1 cities practically tallied with the num- | Der in dry and dispensary communities.
 Mir. Crawford Speaks.
 1 President Crawford was next introduced "to tell something of the deposits of the
 
 MT Crawford stated that according to 1 the deposits of the liquor interests, that 1 class had not enjoyed the general pros l perity of Birmingham more than other l classes. He stated it was his opinion l that the present license charged was 1 sufficiently large, especially as the city derived from the liquor traffic more than one-third it's entire license reve- nue He intimated that the burden of these men was already sufficiently large. 1 He referred to the heavy rents charged 1 saloons and other heavy expenses, in- 1 cluding lights, gas, water, etc. He based ] his observation that saloon men were not getting more prosperous than other 1 classes on the deposits made in his bank, 1 a good proportion of which, he stated, 'he had the pleasure of handling
 Parker Champions Cause.
 After the conclusion of the several 1 speeches, Alderman Parker boldly cham pioned the cause of the delegation before the committee, and stated his conviction | that the present license was sufficiently large.
 He said: q believe these men have much justice on their side. On account I of the activity of the Mayor, the City 1 Council and the police department the 1 Sunday traffic. as source of revenue, l have been denied them, such as pool, bil- l Hard, dominoes and the like I do not consider the time opportune to increase | this license It should never be made too large I understand this intended raise 1 would make the third. The business ls recognized by the United States govern ment, by Alabama, by Jefferson county, and by the city of Birmingham. It is en- l titled to great consideration, especially l as one-third of the city's entire license l revenue is gleaned from this source. suggest that the present license, 5000. re- main in statu quo for another twelve months"
 No Vote Taken.
 No vote was taken Mayor Ward moved | that the committee report the 1906 license schedule unchanged to the board tomor- row night, with the understanding that between that time and the time of next meeting any change deemed necessary might be made On the postponement of a decision by the miscellaneous commit | tee, Alderman Parker voted in the nega- tive. He favored immediate action. Chair man ONeill. Mayor Ward and Alderman | J. R. Copeland voted in favor of de- | ferring immediate action. This carried. Before adjournment Alderman ONeill | stated before the committee and the dele | gation from the brewery interests that he | was opposed to an increase in the whisky license. It is practically certain that the | license will not be 5000 for 1907. Thert was not full attendance of the miscel- 1 laneous committee last night. Aldermen | Forney, Cooper and Gray being absent.