The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-27
CIVIC BODIES WILL
 RETAIN IDENTITY
Decide Not to Merge With
 Chamber of Commerce
ALL TO WORK IN HARMONY
Each orpanization Will Have Head quarters In Chamber of Commerce Building, But Each Will Carry
 On Its Own Special Work.

The committees of the various civic or ganizations of the city met yesterday aft ernoon and after three hours of discus sion in executive session decided that their interests would be best guarded. by remaining separate organizations and to make no effort at the present to consoli- date under the head of the Chamber of Commerce.
 Two plans, that of Cleveland, Ohio, and Chicago were considered, constitutions and bylaws of both having been secured, but while they were both considered good, it was thought that they did not meet the conditions in Birmingham.
 The main objection was in the fact that members of either the Business Mems league or the Board of Trade would not want to pay dues to keep up the work of their own organizations and have to pay dues to the Chamber of Commerce as well. Then they thought they would maintain their prestige better by remain ing separate.
 The meeting was perfectly cordial and all agreed that they would have offices in the Chamber of Commerce building and would renew activities for the upbuilding of the city The Chamber of Commerce starts out with 535 members in good standing, and is increasing rapidly. Within few months it will number at least 800. 1t is now the oldest and the largest civic organization in the city. The past year has seen more effort to- ward cooperation and centralization of effort than ever before. The Manufac- turers' association budded forth, and has accomplished great things. while the Busi- ness Mems league is the most recent power in the field
 Contrary to report, the Board of Trade held no meeting Thursday, and did not make any more objections to the various plans under discussion than did the other representatives.
 When asked if the Board of Trade had had a meeting and decided not to Join the plans for amalgamation of organizations in the Chamber of Commerce, R. w. Ew- ing, president, said:
 That was an erroneous report. There has not been a meeting of the Board of Trade since this matter has been up for
 
 cial call meeting the directors of the Board of Trade was held in the office of J. D. Shelby, chairman of our conference committee, and both of the plans for the proposed amalgamation with the Chamber of Commerce were considered in order that this conference committee might be guided by the opinion and judgment of the directors as to what extent it would be proper or advisable for us to go into under none of the plans presented would it be advisable for the Board of Trade to join, as it would mean a loss of identity and deter rather than benefit our special work.
 That this is true was almost imme- diately evident to the joint conference committees this afternoon, and members of the Chamber of Commerce committee were among the first to pronounce both of the plans outlined impracticaple to apply beneficially for the merging of either the Business Mems league or the Board of Trade.
 "The Board of Trade is composed ex- clusively of merchants, principally retail merchants, and has in times past and will continue to work for increasing the trade and bettering and protecting in every way the merchants of Birmingham. The re- duction of 25 per cent in insurance rates a couple of years ago was due to the ef- forts of the Board of Trade, and all such matters of importance to the merchant and his trade, which may not interest at all large proportion of the membership of the Commercial club. have attention here.
 "Our membership is now I think, 9S, which is counted by firms and, of course, if counted by individuals, would be larger.
 "I don't believe we can or should merge into any other organization, but I do believe that we should cooperate with all other organizations for the upbuildng of the mercantile and industrial interests of Greater Birmingham.
 'I think all members of the Board of Trade might profitably be members of the Business Mems league and all mem bers of the latter should be mem bers of the Board of Trade, and all of us would do well to be members of the Commercial club, or the Chember of Commerce.
 "The Board of Trade as such is vital to the Snerchants of Birmingham and plans are now on foot to further increase its membership"
 The committees follow:
 Chamber of Commerce-John l.. Raul, Rufus N. Rhodes J. w. Mcqueen, Rob- ert Jemison, Jr., J. B. Babb.
 Board of Trade-J. B. Shelby, c. c. Heidt. John L. Parker and R. W. Ewing.
 Business Mems League-A. H. Ford, Colman Blach, M. V.rJoseph and c. w. Ufford.
 PAPTV