The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-15
COMMERCIAL BODIES.
Business Man Makes a Suggestion
 Favors Consolidation.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald;
 I have just paid little contribution that I made for the Vulcan fund to the Com mercial club, and this fact reminded me of the trouble that has been experienced in paying off the Vulcan debt and rais- ing funds to place this statue where it would become permanent advertisement of the highest value to Birmingham; and so I am led to suggest a matter which l think will be worthy of consideration at this time by the business men and prop erty owners of this city to the end that such difficulties may be obviated in the future.
 I notice that in several southern cities the separate commercial organizations that have existed in them are being con soIidated into one strong body, that prac- tioally takes in all interest, and their con soldated organization by it's regular sources of revenue is able to raise fund that does away with the humlia- tion necessity of passing the hat" on oe- casion like this Vulcan matter
 Memphis has consolidated her business
  bership of some 15OO, and this is now talk ing steps to build themselves a permanent home.
 Nashville has consolidated it's Chamber of Commerce and Merchants association under the name of the Board of Trade, and 1t is reported that this has a mem- bership of 12OO, with something like $700O t1 i,, fot pose.
 Louisville has one strong, compact or ganization with 200O members, and money is no object with them when matters per- taining to the advancement of their city is involved. This organization in Louisville is now promoting one of the greatest gatherings that any city in the south, per- haps, has ever undertaken, and that is a Kentucky Home-C Coming Convention, to which every former KentuclSan is invited
 Now, why should not the Birmingham Commercial club, Board of Trade and Merchants association all get together and form a strong organization to ad- vance Birmingham?
 Every interest for which these separate bodies now stand, can be just as ef- ficiently protected as now, and l think more so, since each would have the CO., operation of the other interest and all se- cure the influence of the one strong body, instead of working along separate lines. Then let this new organization, which should be called the Board of Trade or the Chamber of Commerce, build per manent home for itself.
 Nothing could more strongly advertise Birmingham than such a body owning it's own home. The commercial and manufac- turing interests of Birmingham could all be centered in that building, and it's erec- ton could be accomplished very easily. If such an organization is formed I will un- dertake to devise ways and means for the building, and feel that 1t could be secured without much effort.
 am convinced that this movement is in the interest of Birmingham. It will bring all classes into spirit of closer co-opera- tion, and there will be less difficulty in raising funds for any purpose that may tend to advance Birmingham.
 I invite consideration of the subject, and ask the papers of Birmingham to open their local columns to a discussion of the same. with such editorial comments as the same may seem to merit.
 J. CARY THOMPSON.
 Birmingham, February 14 1906.