The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-06
VIII Insist on an Amendment Taking in the Whole of
 North Birmingham
HOUSING MEETING HELD
 ID SHOW THE SENTIMENT
King Is Central Figure and the Crowd Shows It's Hearty Approval of His Measure-Smyer
 Bills Favored.

There wasn't a shred of argument; i; it was all a demand for Greater Birming- ham," said Governor Conner yesterday afternoon just before his departure for Montgomery in referring to the confer ence he held with the citizens of the Greater Birmingham territory during tho morning.
 If 1000 business and professional men of Birmingham represent the sentiment of the community, then the making of i Greater Birmingham is the desire of every municipality included In the King bill for 1000 of Birmingham's represen- tative business men rose to their feet and shouted as loud as their lungs would permit for Kings Greater Birmingham bill," at the Hippodrome skating rink yesterday morning.
 When the question was put to a vote as to whether 1t was the sense of the meet3s ing that the King bill should be signed by the governor, barely bakers dozen stood up to oppose 1t. Governor Conner stated that he was opposed to the bill, but before such wave of public opinion said he would stretch his conscience as
 
 while he did not state that he would sign the bill. he made 1t very plain that he would do so with an amendment includ ing North Birmingham. He stated that he would sign the Smyer bill.
 The crowd was enthusiastic and Jere King was the bright shining star in Bir mngham's Armament yesterday. When Governor Conner entered the hall it ap- peared as if the applause would never cease, but the crowd showed that it had fully five minutes more of it when Jete King arose to explain his bill The shout of "Kingl Give us Kingi' was kept up from the time the meeting opened until adjournment.
 Will Offer an Amendment.
 Governor Conner stated that If he signed the King bill he would do so with an amendment taking in North Birmingham and suggested that if things were to be done arbitrarily. "do 1t right and take in Ensley also.' The facetious person was on hand, and added as an amendment to 1 the governors suggestion that the lines be extended so as to take In Montgom- cry.
 A resolution was passed by the meeting requesting the governor to indorse the King and Smyer bills.
 Assembled at Commercial Club.
 The meeting was called to order by Sterling A. Wood, president of the Com nercial club, who stated the purpose of the meeting and called for nominations for chairman. He was unanimous y elected to the chairmanship, Te then h. troduced C. c. Heidt president of the Board of Trade.
 Mir. Heidt's speech was brief but en- thusastic. He stated that the Board of Trade unanimously favored the King bill 1 and requested the governor in behalf of | that organization to sign it. He pointed out that a city of 135,000 could demand much more respect than town of 40.0o0 | Governor Conner was then called upon, the applause as he stood being deafening. Cries of Lets go to large meeting place" came from many throat but 1t was decided to remain in the club rooms. Gov ernor Conner then proceeded with his | argument.
 Governor Conner spoke as follows:
 Governor Conner Speaks.
 I've have come here to reason today. came to Birmingham in 1890 and joined the first organization of the Commercial club to represent and help build up the city. and am still a charter member of the club. The fight of my life has been on the railroads and this fight was built upon your necessity. The maximum l freight bill was made to conserve your interests and the administration will stick ! by it, but as regards Greater Birming- ham we differ materially
 You have fought for two things at l this session of the legisature-one the mortgage loan tax and this Greater Bir- | mingham Birmingham is like the miste- toe-it depends upon something, and this something is the payroll Destroy the payroll and you destroy every feature of your city.
 Years ago the rolling mills threatened to cease operations and the taxes were removed from them. The King bill em- braces forty-two square miles, and all of these rolling mills are in this terri tory. You object to the tax of 1s4 mills on foreign money and yet you propose to add a city tax of 10 mills on all of 1 these industries.
 Mark you l am governor. I can keep all of these bills on my desk. The gentle men who say that I have contemplated my own personal interests knows me the least. l have made sacrifices. and many here know I am not boasting. As re- gards the King bill I will not discuss it until we hear it discussed fully. If there are business reasons why we should pass these bills l am ot your service. Let's not reason for today, but think of the time to come. You are going to have a population of a million anyhow and let's prepare for it in the right way"
 J. A. Van Hoose. who was standing in the rear of the hall, then stated that people were standing out in the hall who could not hear the speakers and that others were being turned away, and sug- gested that the meeting move to another place. R. D. Burnett offered the use Of the Hppodrome skating rink, and the crowd made haste to make the change. Meeting at Hippodrome. At the Hippodrome MT. Wood stated that the two next speakers would be Jere c. King and E. J. Smyer, who would be allowed ten minutes each In which to explain their respective bills, and that they would be followed with tive-minute speeches by parties for and against the subject MT. King was then announced.
 me applause which greeted Representa- tive King was loud and lasted for fully five minutes. The applause which greeted MT Kings first words was also terrific. These words were: "I believe today is the most important day in the history ns Birmingham.' Continuing he said: