The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-03-05

........................." "...................... l and is a matter which should have the wise attention of the Board of Trade and | it's committees.
 "The matter of civic legislation affect I ing merchants Is also one of vital im- portance and should have our immediate attention. It is claimed by some that the | city license affecting merchants are high CT in proportion than the license affect | ing other lines of business and there are inequalities in the taxation at present which affect the merchants and which should have careful and fair consider ation.
 "The city beautiful idea, ably fath- cred by our city commission, is also worthy, in my judgment, of the indorse- ment of the merchants because q pret. l ty and attractive store or city makes a place where visitors like to come and trade. There will probably be ways sug- l gested in which the merchants can CO., ;, operate by helping to keep their streets and avenues and store fronts and side walks presentable and the having of flower boxes in some of the windows in the bushes sdistret as suggested by Mir. 1 Ward as one of the things that would add attractiveness to our business district i "rhe city should still further cooperate with the merchants by seeing to it that they have at all times the cleanest streets and alleys possible and this cleaning be !, done by vacuum cleaners or by water in such way that the dust is not unneces- sarily stirred up to the detriment of the store fronts and personal inconvenience of pedestrians who happen to be in the city during the cleaning periods.
 'The loan shark evil also seems to be one that affects the merchants particu- l larly because it causes many working people to find themselves in the coils of i the loan sharks and are thus less able to pay their just debts or to trade for cash for wpurchases and the interest of the public and the merchants is one in this matter
 1 We want also, this year especially. through the Board of Trade to be of the greatest value to the merchants of the city in a way that they themselves know will benefit them most. To this end we should probably have trade sections rep resented by a committee. composed of merchants in each principal line of mer- chandise such as the jewellers shoe men, I dry goods men, druggists, cigars and to- bacco, florists, stationers and supply men, | grocers, furniture and piano men, etc.
 "Details for a plan of this sort will, of course, have to be worked out care | fully by the parties interested as to se- ! cure adequate action in regard to griev- ances or progressive plans affecting their
 
 est general good and strength as regards | the organization or executive committee of the Board of Trade. which in turn Is affiliated with and will carry where nec- | essary, the influence of the Chamber of Commerce.
 l "A suggestion which l have to offer and | which trust can be worked out by the 1 Board of Trade at no distant date will be l the establishment of Trade in Birming- | ham club The purpose of this club will simply be to list names of those people, men. women and children, who believe in 1 the principle of Trading in Birmingham l and gre willing to cooperate by at least stopping to see and investigate before they permit orders with merchants away I from Birmingham or thoughtlessly send I their money out of the community. T believe there are thousands of people l in Birmingham who would gladly sign cards like this with the understanding 1 that this record will be kept in the office of tho Board of Trade in the Chamber of Commerce building and that they will be given information from time to time as to articles for daily business or personal use, sold in Birmingham by local mer- chants or manufacturers
 Tn my judgment membership cam raign should be put on at once to enlist the co-oper aton through active member ship of all the citys merchants and as
 
 sible We should occupy very strong position in regard to this membership of the Board of Trade because majority of the progressive business men of Brming- ham are already members of the Chamber of Commerce and it does not cost them one cent additional except the formality of signature and election by the mem- bers of the Board of Trade to become a for one initiation fee and the payment of the Chamber of Commerce. In soliciting new members we can use the slogan: Join two great civic organizations for the price of one.' That is to say a person not now member of either the Board of Trace or the Chamber of Commerce may become member of the Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade also for one initiation fe and the payment of one set of monthly dues to procure the benefit of both organize tions and in ad- ditioL thereto procure ,he benefit of the protection committe of the Birmingham Ad club, which is also affiliated with the Chamber of Commerce and offers service advice and information Cf it's protection committe to all members of either of the two organizations above mentioned as we'll as members of the Ad club, to pre- vent false schemes and avoid unnecessary advertising expenditures. This will cer-