The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-01
w. A. Spencer of Wylam Is
Elected President, J. ID.
Brown Secretary
7 VICE PRESIDENTS
ARE THE DIRECTORS
Welcome Address Delivered by John
w. O'Neill-Several Other Speak
ers-Brown to Start Organizing
Work at Once

ITO safeguard and serve the interests
of all retail and wholesale merchants
of the county, the Merchants Protective
association of Jefferson county was or
ganzed yesterday at a well attended
meeting at Fraternal hall on Third ave
nue..
Officers were elected. committees ap-
pointed, constitution and bylaws adopt
ed and thorough organization of the
business men and merchants of the coun-
ty was effected. Two sessions were held
one in the morning and one in the after
noon.
The officers elected are w. A. Spencer
Wylam, president Adam Pow, Ensley
first vice president; ]. A. Roberts, Besse-
mer, second vice president; p. j. Batson
Birmingham. third vice president; w. B
Manning, North Birmingham, fourth vice
president; John w. O'Neill, Birmingham
fifth vice president; f. o. Harvey, Bir.
mingham. sixth vice president; George d
Britain. North Birmingham, seventh vice
president; J. ID. Brown, Ensley, secre-
tary- y-treasurer.
Vice Presidents Are Directors
The seven vice presidents compose the
board of directors of the association. The
committee which was appointed on by.
laws was John w. O'Neill, chairman
W. A. Spencer and Harvey Firstbroob
of Bessemer. The report of this com
mittee was adopted and the uniform
bylaws will be distributed among the
members as soon as printed.
The Merchants Protective organization
formed mere yesterday will be the head
organization of the merchants of the
county, the present protective associa-
tions of Bessemer. Ensley and other
places being maintained as usual, but
they will from henceforth be known and
treated as branches of the main organiza-
tion of the county which was formed
yesterday. Secretary Treasurer Brown
was delegated as official organizer OF
the association and he will begin work
at once, travelling over the county and
organizing the merchants of every little
town and village in the county.
In the absence of City Commissioner c.
Exum. who is in New York, the address
of welcome was delivered to the dele
gates yesterday by John W. Neill, well
known Birmingham merchant and civic
worker. The meeting was attended by
about 70 or 100 merchants from all parts
of the county. The total membership
of the organization at it's birth yester-
day being something near 20o
Enthusiastic and well received speeches
were made yesterday during the session
of the merchants by Charles W. Sanders
on The Needs of Laws and Legisla-
tion'' l.. l.. Lockwood on THE Need
of Organization, and others. The meet
ing adjourned at $50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon to meet again at the call of the
directors. The officers of the association
will be elected annually.
O'Neilrs Address
Mr. o'Neill's adress of welcome was as
follows:
Gentlemen: I am glad to see this get
together spirit by the merchants of JEFF
ferson county meeting in this conference,
the object of which l understand is to
promote and advance the mercantile and
peoples interests of this county The
free white men of this county before
they are happy and contented will de-
mand that the will of the people be car
red out and not be completely nullified
by the rotten politics of the present
times.
.'The people of Alabama some months
ago voted for a constitutional amend
ment to relieve the frugal, courageous
and Industrious people of Jefferson coun-
ty from being overcharged 100000 year
by the iniquitous fee system.
"Why does not the governor carry out
the will of the people and call an extra
session, and grant us relief? We have
some pitiless corporations in our state,
soul soaring worshipers of the almighty
dollar We need laws same as they have
in other states regulating the evils OF
the present commissary and check sys-
tenn We need laws opposing keeping the
convicts in the mines and opposing the
leasing and hiring of convicts. We need
initiative and referendum now in opera
ton in "A states, half of the union, giving
the people more immediate control of
their own affairs. We need working
mems compensation laws, as adopted in
California, Illinois, Kansas, Massachu-
setts, Michigan, Nevada, New Hamp-
shire. New Jersey. Ohio, Rhode Island
Washington and Wisconsin.
1--WE need fire insurance laws. / have
statistics taken from the Spectator,
the leading fire insurance journal in the
United States, also from the Chicago
Examiner, February 12, 1912, stating that
the 10 Oldest insurance companies in the
United States in 1911 made 100 per cent
net profit and 10 youngest companies
made 50 per cent net profit. 1t is one