The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-12-10

even some meulperS Ol lle HiiscelldneouS committee of the City Council are not in sympathy with the proposed plan.
 Many of the merchants favor the street tax feature because it will tend te dis tribute the burden. Few can be found, however, who do not express disapproval of the license schedule as submitted.
 Sessions Registers Kick.
 Walter L. Sessions, who managed the prohibition campaign, is one of the many who think the proposed license schedule too high in certain particulars. MT. Ses- sions is manager of an insurance com pany, and the insurance companies, if the proposed schedule goes into effect, will have to pay an increase of $50, or a total of $200.
 Said Mr Sessions last night "Of course the $50 increase in one city is little against which to kick, but when every city in every state tacks on an annual in crease, the companies will begin to swell ter"
 MT. Sessions stated that this increase was the only one concerning which he could speak, and did not grow furious when the proposed street tax, described as diabolical by so many, was mentioned.
 Simms Says Take the Medicine.
 Former Alderman Thomas Simms, when seen yesterday, was most stoica1 under the impending burden. They have forced. prohibition upon us,'' said he, and the prohibitionists, at any rate, should grin and take their medicine. That is exact ly what I am preparing to do, and I was against prohibition. As I see it. since they have made us dry, save by in creasing licenses the council has no other way in making up the deficit"
 Injustice In Schedule.
 D. Rich of the D. SS A. Rich Shoe Co.,, said: There is too much injustice in the proposed schedule. With florists taxed nothing, tobacco dealers taxed $125 and crockery and queensware dealers put at $50, it is not hard to see that there is discrimination in the schedule.
 Some of the merchants have had their assessments doubled and even trebled and I fail to see why these increases should be made in 'spots.' Why not all get together and boost the street tax? Divide the burden among a larger num- bre. Don't make the merchant bear the whole of the prohibition deficit''
 O'NeII Wants Retrenchment.
 The chairman of the finance commit- tee, John w. ONeill, the man who will draw up tl.a budget for next year, and has already made plans for cutting city expenses, is positively opposed to the in crease in privilege. tax which has been proposed by the miscellaneous commit tee of the council
 q favor retrenchment," he says, "and I do not think the merchants should be burdened in such a manner as has been ad Tndu pnfprnriSp already taxed very heavily in irming- ham.
 "There are two ways to get around these high increases: First, by cutting down departments. and by economizing on expenditures. My committee is work ing on the budget for next year. We have the receipts and expenses of each depart ment before us, but we cannot complete the budget until after the license sched- lile Is adopted.
 However, I think the street depart ment should be cut about $2O,OOO or S3O,O0O. While none of the others should be de- creased so much, there could be gen erous cut all along the line except in the police, fire, and educational depart r..ents l am opposed to touching them at all The material in use could be decreased, rolling stock reduced, and the deficit raised in many ways beside the licenses"
  against the street tax, and hopes it will not be adopted.
 Can Cut of $2o,ooo.
 Street Commissioner McCartin, when asked last night what kind of cut his department can stand, replied that if the conditions demand it, $20,0o0 might be cut off, although the present system or cleaning could not be continued
 Determinations Are Evident.
 c. E. Cox of the Cox Shoe company, thinks the new schedule is not equitable: "Why should shoe dealer have to pay $200 when his store is open but six days a week and closes at o'clock, when cigar dealer, who runs from early morn ing until midnight, Sundays and week days, has to pay but $25? I have not gone over the list carefully. but I could point out several such determinations.
 ''I realize as well as anyone the money has to be raised in some manner, but think the merchant should not be com pelled to pay it all. For this reason I am in favor of the street tax. It will divide the burden among a greater number and will give the committee a chance to let up a little on the merchants. If a street tax is assessed it will be apportioned among several thousand people and no one man will feel the burden especially. l need of revision"
 Hogan Opposes Certain Features.
 Alderman Hogan a member of the mis- cellaneous committee, said that there were some things to which he objected, some licenses that he thought ought to have been higher. some lower, but he be- lieved they would be properly adjusted with consultation and final adoption. Said he "The things come to this. Pro- hibition has carried, and somebody's got to carry the burden, and I do not think the merchants will have to carry too much of it."
 FuIuhum Thinks 1t Equitable.
 Alderman Fulghum. another member of the miscellaneous committee, said: I think 1t is equitable, fair and just and conscientiously drawn. The schedule Is drawn after the plans in Washington, Richmond, Chattanooga, Atlanta. and other towns whose schedules we investi- gated. and the licenses we set are no higher approximately"
 Sol Caheen Opposes 1t.
 Among the merchants who were inter- viewed, Sol Caheen of Caheen Bros. ex- pressed his mind very ably. Why should they should all the burden over on us merchants who are already carrying more