The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-02

"In the report of Frank P. Walsh. chairman of the industrial committee of Congress, it says that 70 per cent of the fathers of the country are earning less than $700 per annum. It also says 1 that per cent of the people of the 1 United States own 60 per cent of the wealth. SiXty-fve per cent of the popu- lation live on less than 5 per cent of the wealth of the nation. Sixty per cent of the women workers of this country earn less than $6 a week. We are skat- | ing on thin ice, gentlemen, skating on l thin ice, and we must be careful about imposing additional taxation on those who are bearing all the burdens at the present time.
 READS WARDS VETO
 "In closing, l will read to you the veto message of Mayor George B. Ward on January 23, 1908, of the street tax, | the same iniquitous measure that is i now proposed"
 l MT. Barber read amidst violent inter- ruptions of applause the following January 23, 1908 , ITO the Honorable, The City Council of Birmingham, Ala
 "Gentlemen: I return herewith, not approved, the street tax ordinance While the justice of this tax from many points of view cannot be questioned, l do not believe it will produce enough revenue to justify the disturbance and bitterness it will cause at home or the misrepresentation it will be responsi- ble for abroad
 'The oriect of this tax is twofold:
 q. To help carry the city through the next 12 months pending its finan- cial rehabilitation.
 "2. To reach those persons who do not contribute in any other way to the governments support.
 Pickering to the first object, it is not proba ble the tax will produce over S15,00, even with vigorous efforts, more especially as the garnishment clause is Illegal
 FIGHTS IN COURT
 'Collection5 from all those who refuse to pay must be by suit Every one who has had experience in courts knows what that means. Even were garnishment legal, I doubt the justice or wisdom of using such a weapon to force B and $4 costs more out of people many of whom are already unable to pay other B items which are for the necessities of life.
 "A large majority of the people who will be caught are already bearing the burden, viz, merchants, wage-earners and of work.
 WILLY BOYS WOULD ESCAPE
 ''The vagrants and willy boys who PietSNP $e~SAPo usual. The same shifty qualities that en- able them to look in on all the picture shows in town at least once day, to play pool and billiards from morning until night and later, all on somebody's money, will enable them to elude all the tax collectors in the world.
 However the shifty element who will not pay, and the high record clerks who are willing to pay, constitute a small minority of those who are liable; there fore the tax dwindles down at last to one more burden those who pay every thing.
 "It is a good principal to Set on. that when the masses are in distress the gov ernment should be a medium Of relief, if possible, rather than an additional burden.
 "At the present I believe the condition of labor and trade should outweigh all other considerations.
 Labor is now lowering between re- duced wages and no wages at all. Trade is hanging in the balance and fluctuat- ing in sympathy.
 ''Such conditions are generally the sig nal for accidents, reverses and misfortune to flock in from every direction and bounce upon those thrown in the ruck or found on the down grade.
 "To individuals or families who can rely with certainty on their positions, their
 
 weeks ahead-oftimes not so long-$3 be- comes an item of tremendous importance and the possibility of having $4 added for costs of suits makes the proposition more serious.
 "Viewed in it's broader aspect the tax will undoubtedly place Birmingham at a disadvantage with other large cities. No city of this size ever attempts such 1aW -9wTwN
 "The itinerant workman--and there are thousands who come and go-who hap pens to be caught for this tax will never stop rumors of tyrannizing conditions around our otherwise fair reputation out of all proportion to any $3 damage done to him. Very respectfully
 "GEORGE B. WARD, Mayor"
 At the conclusion of the reading Com missioner Barber perspiring freely from his oratorical effort, waited for the ap- plause to subside and then continued:
 eve are not going to close the schools if this tax fails of passage. I have never contemplated the closing of the schools, and I say now that the schools will oper- ate the full nine months"
 It was then 545 o'clock and Commis- si0ner Wealth interrupted with a mo- ton that both the 'street tax and the ''iquor inspection ordinance go over until Friday afternoon, the next regular meeting. Commissioner Barber seconded the motion and the meeting was over.
 BROWER MAKES APPEAL However in the midst of the meeting, after Assistant Solicitor Walter S. Brewer had made a glowing appeal for those who were not represented at the meeting, and had stated that the proposed tax was clearly unconstitutional J. B. | Wood one of the leaders in union labor l ranks, got the floor and made a spirited | attack upon his own brethren. MT. Wood stated that the poor union man of whom so much was made by the speakers al | ways had enough money to send off to Chattanooga for his bi-monthy supply of spirits He averred that many of the | union men would not pay their poll taxes when they had the money and urged the passage of the proposed civic ordinance | without amendment. MT Woods speech brought forth many vigorous answers. 1 Charles Hall, an engineer on the Louis vile and Nashville railroad, was chair man of a delegation that protested against the city service tax. MT. Hall steered the debate throughout and called upon all the speakers from the various crafts. The following men protested against the tax" MT. McClurg, building trades; J. R. T. Reeves, railroad engi- neers; Mr. Carnley, carpenters; Coroner Charles L. Spain, railroad engineers; MT. Roland, the boilermakers; MT. McGowan, | railroad trainmen; MT. Hathaway pain ters; Mir. Herring, painters; MT. Moore, | bricklayers; MT. Klyce, printers: A. l.. | Thomson, railroad conductors; Mr Will son, painters and decorators; Mir. Ogle- | tree, painters; c. T. Sewell, painters; Mir 1 Badger, painter; MT. McLane, painters: | MT Pilgreen, trainmen Mr. Massey, rail- road engineers; MT. Robinson. carpenters;