The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-08-16
THINKS EXHIBITS
DID GREAT GOOD

Az the promoter and former secre-
tary of the Birmingham Manufactur-
ers' Permanent Exhibit association,
which after year of precarious exist
ence was forced to suspend operations
on the first of this month on account
of a lack of sufficient cooperation,
please allow me to express my appre-
citation of your editorial in this morn
ing's issue headed, Reaching Out for
Small Industries" and the kind words
said of our enterprise.
OF the few similar permanent exhibit
lions in America none are better locat-
ed, more attractively arranged, nor
better kept than was the local display.
1t has been frequently complimented
by strangers who have visited other
exhibits AS you say, it was financed
by private capital, and by public spir-
tied gentlemen who recognized the
value of such show to Birmingham.
1t was designed to be a permanent
free display of the districts products,
resources and opportunities, as well as
an invaluable educator for inspiring a
greater patronage of home industries
The Inauguration of these exhibits
was never intended to earn profit for
it's promoters. They were willing, of
course, when it should be possible, to
be reimbursed to the amount of their
original stock investment. They SIM
ply loaned their money in the Begin
ming to launch as much needed insti-
tuition that promised to be self-sus-
tanning and grow into the hearts and
pride of every citizen.
Not finding the necessary enthusi.
asm or cooperation, we have fulfilled
our first years contracts, sustained the
exhibits, and being a private" enter
prise as so many regarded us, exer-
cised our privilege of going out of
business rather than continue at a
loss. We are proud to say that we
have liquidated every obligation and
quit business in the best of good grace.
That we are not able to continue is a
matter of sincere regret to us and
should be to every local citizen.
We were unfortunate at the inspira-
ton Of the enterprise in not being able
to begin it under the auspices of the
civic chamber, board of trade or a rep
resentative body of the manufacturers
themselves. Exhibits in other cities.
in fact all others, are so sponsored and
nenCe SUCCESSFUL. buI IHeTe WAS no
such cooperation to be had then, and
it is my humble opinion that it would
be hard to arouse now. The matter OF
turning over the exhibition to several
different bodies, on the most reason
able basis, has been suggested and al
lowed to be forgotten.
At no time have we ever had all the
manufacturers cooperating with dis
plays of their products. Some were
apparently unable. others lacking en-
terprise, and many blindly Withholding
cred it private institution being OPP
Grated for profit, and some even imag-
inc that we have been coming money
Your suggestion that the exhibition
should be fostered and continued Is a
good one We believe The Age-Her-
aid is broad enough and loyal enough
to the interests of Birmingham to en-
courage any such public enterprise.
And we thank you for many kindly ar
ticles and expressions of the past The
Chamber Of Commerce can do no better
work right now than appoint COM
mittee to investigate the opportunity
and feasibility of re-establishing a
permanent exhibit of the districts
products and resources as this was in
tended to be. 1t will be welcome to
the nucleus which we can offer to
begin on. ana tney are also WelCOme
to our advice and hearty cooperation.
AS stated above, we have discon-
tinued our enterprise for lack of suf-
ficient cooperation to warrant enter
ing into another year of operations.
While our first year contracts were
barely sufficient to proceed on. and
only by careful management were we
able to make ends meet. without suf-
ficient surplus for promotion or en-
largement, we think we were able to
make a pretty good showing. The re-
newals for another year amounting to
only about SO per cent, we of course
did not care to proceed and possibly
fall into debt. Therefore we decided
to suspend and liquidate, thanking all
who proposed to remain with US, ex-
plain why we thought bes to discon-
tinue and wait a better time when
either ourselves, or others, or the
Chamber of Commerce would feel en-
couraged to try again. There are
many big public-spirited manufactur-
ers here who were willing to go on,
and will yet be willing to encourage
such an exhibition. And there are
probably many others who would pat
ronize it if convinced that it was a
public instead of private, enterprise.
While the list of legitimate manu-
facturers in Birmingham is limited as
compared to neighboring cities let us
remember that Birmingha is yet very