Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-14

cure the coveted prizes. These are the best equipment of any man, white or black.
 Birmingham, like other great cities, owes it's development and strength and it's future growth to an excellent and elaborate system of railways-the most powerful and effective agencies of true progress of the age. The city is not only united with the commercial world by ex- cellent systems of well managed and conservative trunk lines, but also has a very efficient system of mineral roads, that place iron ore and coal at her very doors. The railway systems of the place indicate a unity of purpose and action and hearty cooperation between the city and the railway companies.
 "The mighty combination known as the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railway com pany, tower of strength to the city, Is an excellent exponent of the wise com bination of large capital and industries and operation under a single and capable executive body
 While Birmingham is essentially an iron district, diversity of industry would prove of great and lasting ad- vantage. The facilities for obtaining cheap coal and transportation of raw and finished products renders it advisable to introduce other industries. The cotton district adjacent would render the manu- fracture of cotton here very renumerative Then in case of depression in the iron trade lahorers might find employment to some extent in that industry. The dis trict in which Birmingham is situated indicates healhful locality and an equable climate.
 "The upbuilding of Birmingham indi- cates an intelligent, conservative and progressive people, keenly alive to the opportunities present and of a splendid future. They have builded well in the past, are energetic in the present and have wisely prepared for the future.
 hnv ho1 a1 n study the fiscal condition of the city; but it's exterior appearance and constant progress present every indicia of solid financial position. It is a matter of conn mon knowledge that the city enjoys high public credit owing to conservative management, and that during trying financial crisis it's moneyed institutions maintained a degree of strength and sta- bility which is very admirable. The cty's progress and high financial stand ing may be attributed in large meas ure to the absence of partisanship in the administration of municipal affairs. Politics in municipal government effect lively clogs the wheels of progress and produce condition of stagnatlon and retrogression, due to the spirit which makes municipal offices and franchises an emolument for party work and too often a merchantable commodity
 Alabama judged by the results of the past. is the most promising mineral state of the south. It's exhibit at the Atlanta exposition was a valuable and instruct i've object lesson and an excellent indidia of it's natural resources Capital, judi ciously expended, will bring excellent returns and give the state a leading po- sition in the union. Just as Plttsburg is the great manufacturing city of Penn sylvan.a, so will Birmingham be in Ala bama. It has glorious past, and stands within the shadow of an suspicious fu- ture. The wheels of progress are in con- stant rotation here. Intelligence guides the lever and the results will be meas ured by the energy and capital expend- ed. Nature is coy and elusive, but her richest treasure chambers can be opened by right use of potential energy, of which capital is the most efficient source of strength.
 Sooner or later an immense volume of traffic now collected at Kansas City Memphis and other southern points must find an outlet at some of the south Atlantic seaports, like Fernandina, Brunswick, Savannah, Port Royal or Charleston, via Birmingham. The same need confronts Birmingham. What the city urgently needs is a quicker and cheaper outlet via the sea for her prod ucts, and to the attainment of this ob | ject her citizens should address their | attention with zeal and earnestness. | With boundless natural wealth at her gates with cheapened cost of produc- | tlon-due to improved processes of min | ing coal and ore and the manufacture | of iron-and a direct outlet to the sea, | and the consequent lowering of freights, l I think that the time is not far distant | when Birmingham iron will prove a hot l and formidable competitor in some of the l markets of Europe and of other coun- l tries"