Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-23
A KIND WORD FOR THE SOUTHERN.

Monteyalio Feb. %, 1897.
Having noticed the correspondence be-
tween Prof J. H Phillips, stiperintend-
emit of the public schools and Mr.. James
Weatherly. attorney for the Southern
Railway, desire space in your columns
to add a word, and throw some light on
the attitude of this corporation in its
dealings with the educational institu-
tons of the south.
At the outset 1 wish to state that I
neither uphold the action of the South
ern railway in refusing to pay the tax
imposed upon 1t by the statutes OF the
state nor do condemn the efforts of Dr.
Phillips and others in attempting to have
this tax paid l know nothing of the
merits of the subject, but having broth
ers, sisters, daughters and friends whose
interests would be effected by the closing
of the public schools, my sympathy
would naturally lie with the side rep
resented by DR.. Phillips. Be this as it
may, however, cannot allow the illiber-
atty of the Southern to be questioned.
or criticised, without a word in its de-
Tense.
Last spring while in washington, en-
deavoring to secure the passage of q
bill through congress to donate some
public land to the Girls Industrial school
at this place. called, in company with
Capt. e. w. Booker, on Mr.. w, III. Bald
win, the second vice president of this
road, and gave him q full statement of
. Tic COnulllO1 Vi ClllS SCVOUI, dIQ LITE llHl-
tied means that we had at our COM
mand. l told him of-the impoverished
condition of our state. and the great good
such am institution as ours would ac-
complish. After patient hearing he
asked me what 1 wanted. l. told him our
greatest need was abandonment and
good and sufficient buildings. He then
asked me what l wanted him to do. l
told him 1 wanted him to go before the
public lands committee with US and urge
the favorable report of our bill. and then
I wanted him to give us free transporta-
ton ON all the material used in the con-
struction of our buildings. With the
most gracious and magnanimouS spirit
be replied, Gentlemen. you shall have
all you wish. 1 will go with you at any
time before the committee, and I will in
struct our traffic manager to move all
your building material on our line free
of charge" The next day according to
arrangement, we called for Mr.. Baldwin
and took him to the capitol, where he
made most excellent representation Of
cur cause, and before we left the room
a favorable report. had been written on
the bill Six months elapsed before our
building began and some questioned the
matter as to whether the Southern would
stand to its promise, Mr., Baldwin. in the
meanwhile, having resigned his position.
On presenting the question however, to
Mr.: w. W. Ffrdley, who had taken Mr..
Ba1dwinS place, Instructions were I'M
mediately given to freight our. material
free from all points that we desired, and
at the close of the year the benefits we
derived amounted to over $4,000. Now, I
present these facts, not to prejudice the
case. in point between the schools of Bir-
mingham and the Southern railway but
to show that corporations do have the
interests of the people at heart, public
opinion to the contrary Notwithstanding
H. C. REYNOLDS.
President Alabama Polytechnic Insti-
tute for Girls. formerly the Girls In
duStrial school - - 7FfF.z zffN-