The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-12-17
CROP CAMP PA|GN IS ALMOST A CERTAINTY
Proposal Is Indorsed by the
 Civic Chamber Directors
FURNITURE DEALERS
Association Will Become Affiliated With Chamber of Commerce-Shook to Co-Operate With Ward in Nam-
 ing the Committee on Finances

Official indorsement of the crop diversi- fication campaign planned for Alabama curing February was given yesterday afternoon by the board of directors of the Chamber of Commerce. It is stated now that beyond a doubt the big cam paign will be conducted under the | auspices of the Birmingham chamber with headquarters in this city during that month.
 Announcement that the Birmingham Furniture Dealers association was to be- come an affiliated body with the Cham Der of Commerce was made after the l meeting. Civic workers of the city be- lieve this is the beginning of a general | movement for consolidation of all civic
 bodies of Birmingham, including the
 Business Mems league, Retail Merchants association. and others.
 The furniture men were brought into
 the consolidation by the work of the Board of Trade division of the chamber under the direction of President R. ". Ewing in conjunction with the member ship committee of the chamber headed by J. Rosenberger. The association has about 40 members. all of whom will be-
 come full fledged members of the Cham Der of Commerce and the Board of Trade.
 Shook to C0-Operate With Ward After some discussion. President Shook was authorized to cooperate with Pres 1 ident George Ward of the city commits sion in naming committee of 100 citi- zens to take up the question of Bir- | mingham's financial condition and the present tax laws, and aid the city gov
 ernment, the state legislature and any
 other body which Is attempting to work out remedy. Dr. Ellxourie and J. D. Moore both discussed the plan and gave it hearty indorsement
 H. T.. Sims, president of the taxation committed in this connection, called at- tention of the directors to the present
 agitation in the public press on the taxa ton and city financial questions and re- minded them that the data gathered by the taxation committee upon this sub
 ject about a year ago had been published
 in the form of leaflets, many of which
 the chamber was still in possession of,
 and would be glad to distribute to all
 persons desiring them.
 The general meeting of the chamber as
 which nominating committee for the selection of a ticket for the coming an-
 nual election will be held in the audi
 torium of the chamber January 5 at 1
 o'clock. This nominating committee will
 be named from the floor of the meeting
 end a new section in the constitution | frr1, de tf,a4 ,l.<>~- directors shall be a member of the com mittee.
 Little speculation is heard so far as to who will be the next president of the chamber. While no statements have been
 made officially. reports are that Paschal
 c. Shook. present president, will not per
 init his name. being used on the ticket for second term. J. Frank Rushton's
 i,ame is mentioned probably more fre-
 ouently than any other at the present time as possibility for presidential tin- Der. MT. Rushton is one of the most &C., tive and best liked members of the or
 eanization.
 Shook Indorses Proposal
 The report on the farm diversifica-
 tion campaign was made to the directors
 by w. P. Kedd, chairman of the farm
 movement committee. President Shook
 followed him with strong indorsement
 of the proposition. George B. Mccor-
 mack Hill Ferguson, A. M. Douglas
 were among others who gave their strong
 Endorsement of the campaign.
 E. l.. Brown, chairman of the bank
 and banking committee. reported on work
 being done to secure a branch of the re-
 glonal bank in ths city. He stated cor
 respondence had been conducted with
 Chairman Wellboard of the Atlanta re-
 gional bank board, who had replied In a
 letter stating that the matter of branches
 would not be considered for some months
 vel, but that Birmingham's claims would
 be fully gone into when the proper time ! comes.
 Tn the absence of John Sparrow, chair
 man of the publicity committee, Sec
 retary Radcliffe made a report on the
 progress of the Birmingham booklet be-
 ing compiled. Hill Ferguson reported on
 the postoffice matter. stating much more
 ata had been gathered showing why the
 postoffice should be built at once. The committee to go to Washington to take this mater up with Secretary McAdoo of the treasury will probably leave in the pext week or 10 days.
 Chairman Frank Glass of the health and sanitation conlinittet reported the committee in favor of Legislation which would give the city government authority to make sanitary sewer connections and charge the property owner for them upon the regular tax assessment plan, which 1 it seems is not possible under existing laws.
 New members elected are J. 8. Jones' the TeAas company; N. C. Walp0le, manufacturer agent; F. B. Shireman manager Tutwier hotel; Godfrey Gold msn, Meyer. Goldman & Terry. and Harry B. New. manager of the Motion hotel.
 Stadt Fined $500 In two cases in which violation of the liquor laws was alleged, o. E. stadt was convicted In the one and fined $500 by a