The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-08
THE VULCAN STATUE.
MT. Mackneht Warmly Endorses Col,
 Johns Proposition.

To the Editor of The Age-H Herald.
 It seems to me most fitting that Colonel
 Johns suggestion should be adopted, and that Vulcan should be made monument
 to Henry DeBardeleben while that gen
 tleman is still living. A community an
 organization, a firm, state cd nation honors itself in honoring the man who
 has given good and notable service. Be- ing only partially informed as to the ser-
 vices of MT DeBardeleben to the Birm- ingham district l can say this: He Is pretty generally credited with being the good genius who has himself discovered
 the resources of the district and let oth-
 CTS know them, while not himself reap
 ing any great material benefits from his knowledge or his discoveries.
 In fact. so far as I can learn, MT. De-
 Bardeleben has concerned himself more
 in the general development of the district
 than about the "feathering of his own
 nest" It happens often in this world
 that the pioneer in anything, or in even
 the richest locality, simply makes way
 for the other fellow who comes in later
 and reaps all the glory and all the ma- terial benefits. Being of French descent MT DeBardeeben is more of an idealist than a .business man" in the accepted sense of the time. If there had been no man of his temperament and natural
 bent of mind to deve Into the wids
 around Birmingham, the development of this region must have been retarded in-
 definitely, and there is no exaggeration in saying that even the generation now appearing on the scene would not have witnessed the great developments which have been made possible largely through
 his initiative his unnagging faith, and the accurate knowledge disseminated by him.
 Mir. Johns suggestion seems to me es- neclally timely and forceful, even if it
 did not bring with it the financial aid which is so badly needed in order to bring Vulcan back to Birmingham. Coupled
 with this consideration r !s unanswerable
 and irresistible l do not believe that 1 any considerable number of men in the
 district will oppose 1t. The fact that the
 name of Mir. DeBardeleben Is singled out
 for this especial honor is not, by any
 manner of means, a reflection on the other notable men who have given ihcir time and intellects to the Uphuild. of this district. It does not detract one lota from the glory of such men as T. T.. IIillman, T. H. Aldrieh the Sosses and
 many others whose names will appear on the honor roll or the great metfOpOnS or
 the south. It will simply be a step In the right direction. A step which signifies that this community is awake to the fact that if has obligations of a kind which
 are spiritual and mental rather than
 material obligations which are of more importance than money or than nything which money can buy.
 sincerely hope that MT. Johns offer will be accepted, and l believe that 1t
 will be, Tho suggestion he has put forth has reviyihcd the Vulcan idea and raised the value of Vulcan stock. The big iron | man has been standing alone in St. Louis through a .loug period of dreary zero weather and while he has made no audible complaint there is no doubt that his feeling has been that he was cast aside after the fashion Of a squeezed lemon MT Johns has given death blow to this spirit of neglect and made mani l fest a fact which 1 have never doubted,
 viz: That Vulcan is destined to play
 an important part for centuries to come in the history not only of this city and
 state, but in that of the entire republic. Birmingham is destined to become the in- dustrial center of the entire nation. and Vulcan is the tuteary diety of the whole industrial world. It does not require much of q prophet to perceive the significance of this presence here throughout the ages to come.
 Let him stand. primarily, as the me- l morial of Henry DeBardeleben His sec
 ondary attributes will take good care of 1 themselves Very truly,
 J. A. MACKNIGHT. Birmingham, February G. 1905.