The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-07-18
DANKHEAD TALKS
 OF CONDITIONS People in the State Are Pros
 porous and Happy HE IS NOT A PESSIMISI Farmers Especially, Says, He, Are Thrifty and ontented-Ten.cent cotton's lnfiuence-PeopIe
 Don't Want Agitation.
HE IS NOT A PESSIMIST

Don't Want Agitation.
 Col. John +. Bankhead, representative IT. Congress from the Sixth district, was in Birmingham last night on the way from Marion county to Jasper, where he goes this morning to attend barbecue to be given there today by one of his friends.
 Accompanied by his son, John II. Bank head, Jr., Colonel Bankhead spent the afternoon and evening in the city re- | newing many pleasant cquantanceships here and giving himself up to interest," ing "reminiscences with his friends and | old associates in Birmingham.
 Though Colonel Banlxhead's visit here was quite devoid of political significance. other than the interest which the com ing of so popular political personal ity seldom fails to awaken in this com munity, it was quite evident that the representative from t, Sixth district was viewing with complacency the political outlook. It was interesting to note that wherever he appeared he was promptly
 
 surrounded by persons of various classes and conditions, all of whom assured him Of their heartlest good wishes and earn est hopes that he would be given con- tinued strength to serve his state in public life.
 Conditions In the State.
 Tn commenting on onditions through out Alabama, Colonel Bankhead said:
 Alabama is all right. There are no better people anywhere than are to be found in this beloved old commonwealth of ours I have recently travelled some what widely in the state, and 1t has been refreshing to me to see that our people, in all vacations of life, are industrious, thrifty. progressive, prosperous and con tended I have long known that in the great virtues of honesty, courage and generosity the people of Alabama are eaualled by few and excelled by no other people in the union But had not known until recently that our people in all sec tions of the state are so prosperous and happy as they are today.
 "I have made 1t point in my recent trips through the state to examine con- ditions at close range and to get in- formation from the hearthstones. and learn that the general level of prosperity thrift and contentment Is higher today In Alabama than it has been in twenty years
 Farmers Prosperous.
 "This condition of affairs" confined Colonel Bankhead "is especially true of the farmers-the great agricultural class--the men who, in the last analysis, form the foundation upon which the en- during prosperity of every state rests. There are today fewer mortgages on Ala bama farmers than ever before Bank &C., counts, with liberal balances, are multi plying among the farmers everywhere. The prospects for remuneratiVe crops are excellent Ten-eent cotton, with the prob ability of even higher prices for the feecy staple. has put stout hearts into all our people and frightened homesdes far and wide.
 Not a MaterlaIlst
 "I am not one of those who believe that the welfare of a state depends ex- cIusively upon cotton and corn and wheat and something that men call capital All these, without character, are meaningless, indeed. they can readily be perverted Into a means for great evil. But material prosperity has in 1t no such peril for a people who have the great virtues that are possessed by Alabamians. To such a people material prosperity means oppor- tunities for a higher and better life Wealth. I know, has its dangers, but, m culture. 1t means civilization. It means also that the people will attach impor- tance to important things and that they will not be swept out of their heads and off their feet by persons who preach pessimism, discontent and despair. Ten-cent Cotton.
 with 10-cent cotton bank account and a happy home, the Alabama Farmer isn't going to listen long to the man who tells him he's the victim of all kinds of oppression and that this grand old com monwealth of ours Is going to the demni- ton bow-wows.
 q. for one, rejoice that our state Is so prosperous and progressive. and that us people are so fortunate and so happy. l prefer to read the contentment in their eves and hear it in their voices, and let some other people dangle before them the boeies of dIscontent, hard times and op- pression.
 Evils Will Be Corrected. Mind you I don't mean to say that the millennium has come to Alabama or any where else Conditions here can be im- proved. and will be. Whatever evils ex- l ist will be rooted out. Injustice, wherever found. will be corrected. Problems that need to be solved will be solved. and questions that need to be settled will be settled. All these subjects are suscep- tible of discussion, compromise and ad- tustment. and all of them will be dis posed of by an intelligent and prosperous people, acting in their sovereign capacity | at the ballot box, and in spirit of tenn perance intelligence and justice. The People and tho Extremists. Now. that may sound somewhat like a speech" concluded Colonel Bankhead, as a coterie of friends nodded their approval | of what he said, but If you will travel through the state and meet the people | and talk with them and see them at their homes. you will agree with me that they | are in A mood to listen to lot of rub-a- dub agitation from intemp rate leaders who insist on raising h. in Alabama and letting the people suffer from an oyerproduetion of the internal crop.
 "No. I don't want to talk politics. I'd rather sit here and listen while some one