The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-03-29

great amount more of room In the main
building and fit 1t up in decent and ade-
quate way. The objection to this plan Is
said to have lain with two very promi-
nent members of the commission, who
came over, however, ON the solicitation Of
the others. While the decision to erect
the separate structure has been reached
1t is by no means certain that 1t will be
finally carried out. 1t is argued that II
this is done the supreme court will be
provided for and will have little interest
In any other movement that looks to bet
terment, and that in this one of the most
potent influences on the legislature for
more money will have been removed.
The old Confederate flags have been
locked up by DIR. Thomas M. Owen, di-
rector of the state department of archives
and history, and will not be brought out
Until there has been arranged a plan
for some sort of a jollificaton meeting
II honor of their return. The box in
which they came was not opened and 1t
Is not known in just what shape they
are in at this time. 1t Is expected that
a programme will be worked out with
the leading parts taken by the officers
of the Confederate organizations, with
Gen. George P. Harrison, commander
of the Alabama division, United Confed-
=
of the organization to take part. Sew
eral of the women societies have already
taken notice of the movement and have
offered help.
In Montgomery the news is heard that
there is the widest and most enthusiastic
response to the movement to restrict the
cotton acreage in the middle and south
Alabama counties, and that where In the
az "a 1aI 10
the mule. this year only ten to twelve
are being put in The excess is being
used for peas. corn and other things that
will do for food crops in raising hogs,
and cattle. The movement is a result of
supreme disgust over the low price of
the south's greatest staple more than a
response to any concerted movement for
a reduction of the acreage. A man who
has Just returned from Covington coun-
ty says the people down there are get
ting along finely and showing every
indication of prosperity. Brick stores are
being built in the towns and most of them
are being fitted with waterworks and
electric lights. As a rule the farmers are
in good shape and have money In the
bank, so that 1t Is not so necessary that
they make a money crop as it has been
in the past.
vertisement just sent out for the hire of
the state convicts for one. two and three
years beginning next January, is that
which reserves for the use of the state
100 men froch each contract with which
to operate mines on its own account IL it
sees fit. This. taken with much of the
same kind of talk in the recent reports of
President Carmichael of the State Board
of Convict Inspectors. may be regarded
as some indication that the state hopes
before many more years tn take up the
mining of coal with its convicts In Its
own right, thereby becoming a factor in
the output of that product in the state.
One can not help but wonder what effect
this would have on the labor situation In
the state. With the convict miners re-
moved as competitors there would have
been hard work for the coal operators
to control the strike in the Birmingham
district last summer. which now seems
TO have gone against the men. How
ever, the taking over of the state con-
victs absolutely by the state seems some
time off and 1t Is of little use to specu-
late so far ahead.