Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1916-01-18
Council Votes Unanimously to Table Proposed New.
 Tax Ordinance.
COMMERCE CHAMBER @ OPPOSES THE TAX
Committee from Commercial Organiza- ton Says City Operated Last Year Without Additional Revenue, and
 Levy Would Burden Tradesmcn.

The city council last night made sbort shrift of tie proposed "occups- tipn tax" ordinance, the six aldermen < i'm attendance at the meeting voting soMdly to table the ordinance.
 Alderman Ben E. Well, generally considered the father of the measure, ( because he offered the resolution which instructed that the ordinance be prspared. was not at the meeting last night. H was the only absentee.
 The ordinance was given one read ing. Then Alderman Franey moved fEeIrules bye suspended and the ordi- nance be placed on it's second read ipx. Aldarman Johnson seconded the melton. Alderman Bahlau moved taat the ordinance be tabled. Alder man Niven seconded this motion. Alderman Johnson withdrew his sec- Qnd to the motion of Alderman Fxaney. The vote to table was taken, AMA the six aldermen voted "aye.'
 The session of the council was HHnrt, and there were several other in6portant matters acted upon by the Aldermen. It had been expected. there would be a big delegation of mer- chants and business men present, to discuss the occupation tax ordinance, sbat no such delegation was present. ItsdevelopedSlater that delegation of merchants had called upon members ot the council late yesterday and had urged that the ordinance be killed. '. Chamber Of Commerce Acts.
 The business men really formed a cofnmittee representing the chamber of commeSce, those in the party being Fred FOX, Hinton Ferguson, N. E. Brightwell. Clifton Dreyfus, A. w. Mum and B. B. Bloom. The commit tee called upon all but two of the aldermen, these two not being in reach in the short time at the dis posal Of the committee.
 The committee inf'rmed the alder men that the imposition of the addl- tienal burden upon the business men oi the city, at this time, would be a matter of serious import, especially as the business men are recovering from an era of hard financial condl- tions. They stressed the point also that as Pine Bluff has passed through the past year without this tax, there appeared no absolute necessity for the tax this year. and they urged that the aldermen vote down the measure, for other reasons, pointing out that the Pine Bluff business men have never failed to come to the aid of the city when occasion demanded ;t and they should not be burdened unnecessarily.
 Move Up Paving Matter.
 The second petition, for the forma- tion of Paving district No. 36, was read, and the long list of signatures, it was stated, constituted majority of the property holders of the dls- trict. A resolution was adopted that at the next meeting of the council on February z, the council will decide whether or not a majority of the nroperty owners favor the organlza- ton of the district, and objection, IT any, will also be heard.
 Paving district No. 36 will include the paving, with gravel, of a stretch of virtually 1-2 miles of streets Tn the southwestern section of the city, Poplar street, Hickory street. Cedar street. and other streets in that same section being included. The paving Of the district will form connection between present paved streets ana the fine Sulphur Springs road, anu will greatly improve stretch oI streets which at present can not possibly be improved by the city, De- cause of the very heavy filling neces- sary.
 It is understood County Judge c. M. Philpot has agreed to aid in the cost of carrying out the proposed work, because of the fact that it Will actually extsnd the Sulphur Springs road into the city Other assistance o. an important kind has also been promised. Despite this, however, 1t appears certain there will be con con siderable opposition to the formation Of the district, although the principal workers for the district assert they