The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-13
Representative Business Men
 Meet at the HiIIman
FAVOR MERCHANT MARINE
Representatives in Congress Urged to Support Measure-Committee Re- ports Read-F. M. Jackson
 on National Guard.

 ton, presiding. The meeting winch was largely attended. was composed of the most prominent business and professional men of the city.
 The report of President Motion for the year just ended, showed remarkable progress along all lines over 1905
 Following the report of the chairman, Capt. Frank P. O'Brien urged that the strong support of the club at large be given the local committee of the Master Painters and Decorators association in here next month.
 Rufus N. Rhodes congratulated the chairman on the completeness of his report.
 Reports of Committees.
 The reports of the standing eommit- tees were read. Henry Hidden, chairman of the committee on railroads, reported In the course of his report that over 200 miles more of railroad will be built in 1908 at a cost of from $5oOO,OOo to $6,- oOO.OOO. He showed by statistics that the tonnage of Birmingham was greater than Alabama and Georgia combined.
 The real estate-insurance committee, through Prof. A. D. Smith reported that the activity and advance In prices in real estate has been more marked and widespread in the last year than 1t has been in any other year. He said he ex- pected it would be far greater in 1906
 Otto Marks. chairman of the commit tee on banks and banking, gave a de- fafl lnd of ba eif m for the past year which was remarkable as well as interesting.
 The report of the education committee, as presented by Dr. Phillips, showed that the schools have fully kept pace with the commercial interests of Birmingham. Three new schools were completed last year and were occupied the first week in January. The new High school re- gently completed at a cost of S150,000 is recognized to be the handsomest in the south. He said further that all the schools in Birmingham, both private and public, particularly the colored schools, have made remarkable progress. In regard to schools he said:
 Some of the dreams that we have had in the past, and which were ridiculed and seorned as being impossible, are begin ming to be realized"
 J. A VanHoose, chairman of the Nor gan canal committee, spoke entertainlngly on the subject.
 G. H. Estes, on city and county af- fairs said
 'I particularly favor equality of taxes. It means more money to our city, which in turn means more prosperity. l believe one of the greatest things that a city can be connected with is it's own water works. I would heartily suggest that we try to buy the present water works or else build one of our own"
 J. M Dewberry said that each member ought to try and bring the membership of the club up to 1000 members He gave an interesting outline of the benefits de- rived from membership in the Commer- cial club
 F. M. Dixon, chairman of the committee on conventions. said it was unwse for the committee to do anything further in the getting of conventions for Birmingham unless it could be shown the visiting dele gates could be taken care of.
 Merchant Marine.
 E. R. Smith of the Merchant Marine league spoke at length on the merchant marine bill. His address was often in- terrupted by hearty applause. He showed the object of the bill, which is as fol- lows:
 1. The creation of a national naval re- serye composed of officers and seamen drawn from the merchant service. ? The creation of ten new steamship lines to South and Central America, the West In dies, Africa and the Orient. 3. A large increase in our tonnage dues so as to bring them more nearly to the level of foreign tonnage dues in the ports of the maritime countries of Europe. 4. A boun- ty of s5 per gross ton per annum to all cargo vessels. as distinct from the mail carriers of regular lines, engaging in the foreign trade. with a less sum for a less period than a year. but nothing for less than six months in our foreign trade
 Rufus N. Rhodes proposed that vote of thanks be rendered MT. Smith by the club. which was carried
 Sterling A. Wood proposed that a com mittee of five be appointed by Mir Mol ton to investigate the question of mer- chant marine and report at the next meet ing
 MT. VanHoose read his resolutions on the matter of the Morgan canal, which were adopted.
 Congress Urged to Act.
 It was moved by Robert Jemison that all representatives from Alabama in Con gress as we'll as Congressman Underwood be urged to do what they can for this measure.
 Chairman Motion then asked that tho members present offer suggestions as to the location of the statue Vulcan.
 After some discussion. the meeting ad- journed after accepting Sterling A Wood s motion that the secretary devise some scheme by which the Vulcan matter ca. be disposed of and introduce it at the next regular meeting.
 Following this an informal banquet was served during which addresses were made by James Weatherly and pr. Phillips F. M Jackson proposed the following | resolutions which were accepted as read . Whereas, the National Guard of this state and of Jefferson county has been of i great benefit to all law abiding citizens | in preserving order in times of riots and l other disturbances; therefore be 1t Resolved. That 1t is the sense of this organization that all persons or corpora tions who have members of the National Guard in their employment. allow said eaff drfI Ilc md ..n I.4r