The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-12
BARBER COLLEGE IS FREED OF TAX AND SCHOOL SITE BOUGHT Exemption of Another Col lege From License Pay ment Brings Out Much
 Argument BARBER OBJECTS TO
 SCHOOL PURCHASE Thinks More Time Should Have Been Taken to Investigate-Signs
 Across Streets Ordered
 Removed

Other than the exempting from paying the privilege tax the Birmingham Bar Der college and the move for reconsider ation' of Commissioner Arlie Barber on the Woodlawn high school site purchase, there was little of an exciting nature at yesterday afternoons meeting of the city commission.
 The Birmingham Barber college de- murred on paying privilege on the grounds that it was an educational insti- tuition and that the commissioners had already exempted the business colleges of the city. This brought about brief dis cussion in which the members of the con- mission aired their views. Commissioner Barber, who with President Ward had stood firm last week against exemptng the business colleges, changed his views yesterday on the ground that if one "money-making educational institution got by without taxation the others should have the same privilege" Commissioners Weatherly, Truss and Hornady felt the same way and voted to exempt the Bir- mingham Barber college from paying the license tax
 WARD STANDS PAT
 President Ward, on the other hand, stood firm by the tax programme he has enunciated to obtain funds for the de- pleted city treasury of Birmingham. In making brief comment on his vote against exempting the college from pay ing license tax he said:
 Just because the commission made a mistake last week in exempting the bus- ness colleges from paying license is no reason why we should continue the prac- tice. It was shown that the Barber col lege was an excellent paying business and I believe it should be taxed just as the merchants or any other enterprise in the city. Let us be consistent
 When the official ratification of the vote to purchase the property of Mrs. Bruce in Woodlawn for a future high school site came up echoes of the fight in commission conference of yesterday morning were heard as Commissioner Arlie Barber jumped up with a motion to reconsider.
 ''Do I hear a second?" said President Ward.
 There was no answer and then Secre- tary Clarence Lloyd called the roll on the vote to buy the lot. Commissioners Ward, Weatherly, Hornady and Truss voted to purchase the property. Commis- soner Barber voted an emphatic No"
 'The action was too hasty," said Com missioner Barber, in explaining his vote T did not know-in fact I understood nothing was to be done about buying the property at this time. I wanted time tc consider every phase of the purchase.
 At the conference in the morning Com missioner Barber held up the vote about an hour on parliamentary tr tics. How ever, as he stood alone in his fight ano none of his numerous motions were al ir,a ba 6yo alol, ed by vote of four to one and the Woodlawn property was ordered pur- chased.
 The resolution to appoint J. M. Jones an official in the comptroller's depart ment, and T. U. Walter, a contractor, as appraisers to prepare list of valuations of property in the city limits was passed unanimously. This is an answer of the city of Birmingham to the action of the county board of tax equalizers in refus- ing the offer of the municipality to fur nish experts in making realty apprasals