The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-26
TRADE CHECK BILL REVER ERSED BY BODY
 IF LOWER HOUSE
Delegation From Birmingham Defeated In Effort To Get
 Face Value Redemption
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that commissaries sell for less are true, laborers will still buy there even if given the fight Co use their cheeks elsewhere, The speaker stressed the natural disinclination of men to trade a places where they are forced to do so.
 Frank Nelson. Jr., representing the Alabama Mining institute. spoke in opposition to the bill. He declared that the industrial development of the mineral districts has made the retail merchants, and that now these merchants want to get it all" 'They have grown rich on what we have done" he stated, and commented specifically upon the fortune which he said had been massed by Joseph Loveman, who was present at the hearing.
 The question of discounting of checks by employers was brought up by Representative l.. K. Bowen, who declared that working men go to one window in an office and get a check, walk over to another window and get it chased for a discount. Both MT. Bowen and J. M. Melton, a merchant of Palos, declared that this practice is of widespread occurrence in Jeff ferson county.
 A. B. Aldrich, coal operator who appeared in opposition to the bill, stated upon inquiry that his company discounts checks in the manner de- scribed at 10 per cent. discount. He stated that if they were cashed at face value the company would be required to pay off every day in- stead of every two weeks, as a pres ent. Mr Aldrich stated that he dc es rot operate in Jefferson county, but appeared to oppose the bill a a mat ter of principle.
 Adam Powe, coal mine employe, spoke against the bill. He stated that he had worked 35 years in coal mines and believed the present sys- tenn to be superior to that proposed.
 Joseph Loveman in advocating the bill, stated that he was the spokes man of 1,S00 merchants of the Ala bama Retail Merchants association, who are sponsoring the bill. MT. LoVeman referred to the statement made by the opposition that the Bir- mingham industrialists have made the fortunes of the retail merchants, and expressed regret that personali- ties should have been injected into the hearing. He stated that rentals paid by retail merchants have most important bearing on general values, and that a prosperous merchant is an indication of a prosperous com munity. He made strong plea for the right of the American working man to spend his earnings as he chooses.
 Paul H. Earl. as spokesman for the Birmingham Wholesale Grocers' association, voiced the opposition of that organization to the bill stating that the wholesale men prefer the present system.
 Opponents of the bill stressed the point that the checks might be counterfeited if made transferable, and that a bootlegging business in such checks ight be expected, along the boundaries of Jefferson county, as the bill was to apply only to that county.
 Mir Melton, the Palos merchant who favored the bill, declared that 1t would put employees in Jefferson county who draw checks on a 100 per cent. basis, instead of on a basis of so per cent, of what they earn Following the arguments the commit tee went into executive session and after brief deliberation adopted an adverse report on the bill.