The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-07-11
omee hours from g 2. m. to s g. m. every day.
this matter. and lend their support to the
Water Rate.

this matter, and lend their support to une movement.
 Water Rate.
 Regarding the water rates question the joint committee of the board of trade and of the mayor and board of aldermen have this matter under discussion, but so far, nothing of material benefit has resculted. This question should not be dropped. The board of trade should see to it that the citizens of Birmingham secure better water rate, and I believe constant and persistent effort in this direction will eventually bring about the desired result. agree with our attorney, Colonel Tom lfnson that we should stand in favor of the city owning its own water works Another matter that should engage the attention of our organization Is the over- charging of the public, and of the mer- chants especially, by the public service corporations of this city, It cannot be disputed that we are paying much more than we should for the services rendered by these corporations. In no other city In the south are the rates so nigh as uney are in Birmingham. This should not De, as our clty is enjoying the greatest pros peiity and these corporations shoulu earn A good return on the capital invest ed without robbing the public by exorbi- tant rates These matters should receVe the attention of the proper committees at once. ,,, In observing conditions carefully In dir. ferent parts of the country which nave | visited I find matters of interest which directly concern every merchant member | of this board, and I regret to say that this condition not only obtains in the country but in our city as well. l believe our trade Is much affected by the hood- Ing of the country with catalogues Of the mail order houses of Chicago. Upon in- vestigaton you will find hundreds or homes right here in Alabama where the family Bible has disappeared from the parIor center table. usurped by Mont 1 pomery Ward & Co.'S, or Sears, Roebuck x Co.'S catalogues.
 q would like for the mall order house customers to show us upon what page or In what department of their catalogue | Is found an offer to pay cash or ex- l change their goods for our cotton or other products l also wonder on what page can be found their offer to contribute money or services in the establishment and maintainence of churches and Sunday | schools for the moral tone of our com munity These mall order house custom CTS should also inquire how much tax these people pay for building and main taning our schools. improving roads or 1 building bridges or for the support Of the poor, the expenses of the city, town, coun- l ty and state.
 q would further like to know what line of credit they extend. when through ill- ness or misfortune people who patronize them are unable to send cash with orders for grocreries, clothing and all other ar tcles of merchandise advertised by them. It is a deplorable condition, gentlemen, to say the least and l think that the
 
 ton of the Merchants association of this city and lnaugurate some method by which these things can be remedied.
 "Business men in some of the impor- 1 tant cities and towns and the country l have walked up and adopted heroic meas ures to wipe out the evil. They have procured the names of farmers and other l people who are regular suctomers or these order houses, and refused to buy all pro- duce offered for sale by them. also refuse to extend them credit when they ask for it. and the result has been so beneficial, so I am informed, that 1t would not be amiss for to adopt q similar plan of procedure in our own district.
 "Whie there are many things that the board can do, and will have to do in the future. on the other hand we should con graduate ourselves for the achievements of the past To review these matters falls
 
 every member of this board. Suffice 1t to say, that this board has acquitted itself well in the past, and in assuming the of 1 flee of president my aim shall be to con- tinue and enlarge the usefulness of this | organization"
 ollowing are the new committees of the | Board of Trade:
 Executive Committee.
 Executive Commttee-Ben r. Barbour. chairman; s. II. Tuck. Claude M. Hanley Walter Hoffman. J. D. Collins Eugene Jacobs. NJ V. Joseph. Colman Blach, J.. IL Coler, Eugene Fies, B. H. Cooper.
 Entertainment Committee.
 Entertainment Committee-W. T. Cox. 1 chairman; R. D. Burnett, John W. O'Neil. R. w Ewing. Godfrey Goldman, A. J. l Gilmore.
 Finance Committee.
 Finance Commttee-B. H. Cooper. chair man; w. R. Gum, George McCreary Lee l Werthelmer. Hugh McGeever. A. Hirsch. 1 Sol Caheen.
 Miscellaneous Committee.
 Miscellaneous Committee-R ". Ewing ! chairman: J. F. Rushton, w. s. Brown