The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-05-25

visitors over the district, and in a sys-
 tematlc plan of advertising in proper me | diums. In order to do this, you should l in the place of a lady stenographer, em-
 ploy a first class office man, thoroughly | competent to act in any capacity dur 1 ing the frequent absence of the secretary, | and competent to conduct a systematic
 correspondence, seeking industries, and
 capable of handling an office in a busi-
 ness-like and systematic manner, and if
 possible a man of good timber as suc- l cessor to the secretary, should for any reason the vacancy occur
 A more complete history of the club 1 should be kept and a system of clippings
 regarding the district should be installed l as this would be of great value in the l future.
 Committees Should Be Smaller. l Your committees should be made small t, CT, consisting of only few. who should I feel the responsibility, and thus avoid | everybodys business being nobodys bus
 mess, and also leaving some available
 material for special committees.
 Your fiscal year should be changed | to January l, so as to coincide with all
 statistics and the general custom.
 Judging from experience of other com mercial organizations 1t would be ad-
 visable as it would create more interest l in elections, to have at least two tickets
 at each annual election of officers.
 As to the future of this great city
 and of this organization, which has been | one of the strongest factors in it's prog
 ress, 1t is too great for our compre- | hension, for we are told by those from l parts of our country where we consider | development exists to the very highest
 state that our future Is even greater. | We must therefore, remember that noth- | ing has ever been big enough for Bir- | mingham, and therefore, our foundation for a great commercial organization that | will be in keeping with this wonderful
 district, must be built along broad, con- | servative, but aggressive lines It must | be a business organization, conducted in 1 buslness-lilke manner.
 | In conclusion I want to thank each | and all of you for the great honor paid
 me in electing me president of this inn | portant body of Birmingham's best busi-
 ness men, and in surrendering the re- sponsibility, I want to apologize for not 1 getting better results out of the ex- | cellent opportunities, all of which I could not seize for lack of time, and to as- 1 sure you as well as my more worthy l successor that I shall stand ready at | any and all times to pay tribute for | this honor by serving to the best of my ability the many good causes ttaA it | will fall to the lot of this great orgea bsa- 1 tion to champion as our wonderful city makes its rapid strides to a million pop ulation in twenty years. Again, I thank l you.
 The address made by Sterling A. Wood upon assuming the presidency of the l club, was as follows:
 Commercial Club. The Commercial club of Birmingham should be a household word in this city. The club represents the life of this great district, and has in it's membership the best elements that have tended and do tend to It's continued growth. It's members are drawn from every pro- fession and trade, and 1t should represent
 the combined interest of all. There may be many things upon which our citizens may differ, but that Birming-
 ham should be greater in every way, 1 morally, socially, financially and political ly, is the one thing upon which we all are
 or ought to be united.
 This club is the friend of all except
 those who would keep Birmingham little, and has no enemy unless he be too mar l row to do work for the general interest of the many men who are here now, and of the thousands who are coming. Robert Jemlson, Jr. During the past year the youngest and one of the best presidents the club has had has presided over its destnies. He | has been able, active and energetic; earn est and skillful in doing all in his power | for the betterment of city, county and state. He retires voluntarily. leaving the club at its highest standard of excel | lence No greater tribute could be paid | him than is shown by the various of
 fcers of the club. May success attend 1 him.
 Greater Birmingham. | The wellfounded hope of this club that ] the general assembly would pass the | Greater Birmingham bills, prepared by | this club, was doomed to disappointment | by the action or non-action of the presi- | dent of the senate, Lieutenant Governor Henry B. Gray. and our state senator ! Hon. Nathan l.. Miller.
 l Our representatives in the house passed 1 the bills unanimously and are entitled to I the thanks of this club.
 | These bills were prepared by MT. E. J. | Smyer, the chairman of the committee for that purpose; they represent his un- selfish labors for the general good of l this district, and cover the questions | in practical manner
 The amended Miller bill that was passed does not seem to answer the de- mand, and new statutory laws spring 1 ing up, making the final consolidation more expensive and difficult, and every | one knows that this consolidation must come some time.
 l Thus, the subsequent events have shown
 
 first appeared to exist, and there still re-
 mains ample time In which to pass them. 1 The bills are still pending, and every eff l fore should be put forth to have Lieuten- | ant Governor Gray and Senator Miller | to allow these bills to be enacted Into | law.
 | The arguments for the bills have been ! so often presented that it will be unneces- | sary to restate the same here. | Unless the bills are passed the next census will see this great city the third | in number, instead of the first, in Ala l bama, due to its own citizens alone and | we shall be glad to pay tribute to Great 1 CT Montgomery and Greater Mobile. Club Building. 1 The question of the permanency of this | club will be set at rest only when it's I owns it's own home.
 l A special committee of this club hAs q. | this matter under consideration, and has | gone into" the subject very deliberately | with a report from its chairman, MT. | Emory, with the aid of your retiring pres | ident MT. Robert Jemison, Jr.
 The latter submitted very feasible