The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-12-11
Resolution Adopted at Meet
ing of Directors of the
Chamber of Commerce
TO MAKE EFFORT TO
GET REGIONAL BANK
Il There Are More Than Four Bir-
mingham Will Become Active-To
Ask Commission to Rescind
Recent Action

The directors of the Chamber of Com
merce met at $3.50 o'clock yesterday aft
ernoon in the directors room and among
other important things done, passed
resolution asking the interstate commerce
commission to grant the pending petition
of the eastern railroads for an increase
in freight rates.
Chairman H. u Sims of the finance
committee of the chamber opposed this
| resolution, offering as a substitute that
special committee be appointed TO in
| vestigate the matter and make a report
| on it. Mr.. Sims said that he was In sym
| pathy with the railroads but that he be-
| lieved the chamber should inquire further
into the matter of rates before acting
| The resolution was passed by an over
whelming majority. however. The direc-
tors also took up the matter of the trav-
| cling mems dinner and discussed the pend
| ing currency BILL with special attention
| to the regional banks.
The resolution offered in regard to the
railroad rates was submitted by w. w
| Crawford. Quite lively discussion fol-
lowed. Mr. Sims was practically the only
opponent of the resolution.
Sims Explains Position
| Mr.. Sims made the following statement
about the matter to an Age-Herald rep
| resentative last night: 81 thought that
the time had come, from the size of Blr-
| mingham and the Importance of the
| Chamber of Commerce. for the chamber
to be careful about passing resolutions
| which we were not in a position to act
| intelligently upon off-hand; that none
more than I believed that the railroads
| have been pressed to extremes and need
relief, but that the interstate commerce
| commission is court as capable of dis
| corning right and wrong as any court in
| this country; that for us to assume the
position on our impressing of telling them
| how they ought to decide, on a matter
| that we were not in a position to know
definitely ourselves, would be a mistake
on the part of the chamber Numerous
| periodicals have said that the low tariff
under the Underwood bill might enable
| the railroads to buy their raw materials
/ and construction materials and rails so
much cheaper that they need not require
| any increase in rates as yet | thought
| that the interstate commerce commission
could be relied upon like any other court
to reach the right decision"
1t seemed to be the sense of the direc-
| tors that if the rairead were allowed Ia
| increase rates 1t would mean that the
| people who furnish money to the railroads
| would become more confident and relea Sc
| larger sums. which would enable the
| roads to close contracts for new rolling
| stock and other materials. This would
| mean much to Birmingham and the Bir-
| mingham district and this, it is thought.
was prime factor in the decision of the
| directors.
| 1t was suggested at the meeting yes-
| terday afternoon that the Chamber of
| Commerce could not go on record as fa-
Vorlhg an increase in freight rates for
the reason that through it's railroad and
| transportation committee, it had been at
tempting to have the rates reduced NJ
Z. Northington pointed out, however, that
| this committee had not attempted to baya
| the rates reduced, but had been work
| Ing to the end of securing rates on an
| equitable basis with other southern cities
The resolution, therefore, 1t was said, Is
not contrary to the work of the railroad
committee, for that committee has not
| tried to reduce freight rates
Resolution Adopted
| The resolution is as follows:
| whereas the railroads are the largest
| employers of labor and the largest pur-
chasers of material in this country; and,
a.
terial has been steadily advancing, and
In all apparent probability will continue
| to advance: and.
! Whereas, the demands of the public
and the necessities of commerce are con-
stantly calling for additional facilities and
| extensions. as well as the construction Of
new lines into undeveloped territory: and
| whereas the margin of profit has been
steadily decreasing owing to the causes
above enumerated; and,
| whereas, the eastern railroads have
united in request for increase in freight
rates of per cent; and,
| whereas, we believe that this request
Is reasonable and warranted, and that
the granting of the request will greatly
revive and stimulate trade and commerce.
and will al the same time give additional
credit to the railroad interests so that
they viii be able to adequately finance
contemplated betterments and extensions.
now, therefore, be it
| Resolved, by the board of directors of
the Chamber of Commerce of the city of
Birmingham, Ala, That we do respect
fully petition and recommend to the inter-
state commerce commission that the pend
ing petition for an increase in railroad
freight rates be granted"
The directors decided that in the event
the pending currency bill provided for
more than four regional banks, Birming-
cure one of them. If only four are pro-
Vided for however, 1t is very probable
that the Birmingham chamber will let
the matter rest.
Discuss Currency Bill
President Harding brought up the mat
ter of the currency bill before the direct
ors giving a resume of the progress of
the bill In Congress, with special refer
enee to the regional bank part of the
measure. The members requested that
he do this, and after he had done So a
general discussion followed. Col Tom o.
Smith, vice president of the Birmingham
Trust and Savings company, said that his
principal reason for desiring the establish
ment of the regional banks was that ii
would unlock for general and freer use
the reserves now in the treasury.
After j. ID. Moore. w. w. Crawford.
Sidney Bowie, Oscar Turner and others
had talked on the matter a motion was
made that If more than four regional
banks were decided upon, Birmingham
should make an active effort to secure
one of the banks Mr.. Crawford suggest
ed that a special committee be appointed
to take up this matter, and his sugges-
tion was made part of the motion, and