The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-02-05

it is heard that several smaller towns are counting contents of old sacks with view ol buying state obligations Two sugges- tions in the interview of the governor seems to have struck home, one that the bonds may be used as collateral even in small sums, and tne other that the $S0- G00,000 in the state banks should be put into this scheme to refund the states debt. From present indications there will be plenty of satisfactory bids when the envelopes are opened on April ,.
 Supreme Court
 The week has seen some important rulings by the supreme court, notably that a municipality cannot tax a mer- chant for the use of trading stamps, that local laws properly passed are not in any way antagonistic to the general statute in the same field, if the latter is not interfered with by the operations of the former, and that chancery acts of the outlawed Fourteenth and Eff teenth circuits were void. Before the court goes into recess next week it is very likely that the cases involving the right of the constitutional convention to es- tablish court houses at Pell City and Calcs will be decided, well as the trading stamp question. It is hardly prob- able that the Houston county contest will be reached, in which an effort is be- ing made to declare unconstitutional the bill establishing the county. The effort to try the validity of the state revenue bill is tied up by the illness of Judge Sayre of the city court of Montgomery. It was hoped to have argued it Friday but it will be later called up. It was intended to get the case to the supreme court before the recess if possible.
 Work of Cane Men.
 The meeting of the Interstate Cane Growers association here last week has quickened interest in the question of cane and cane products and many hope there will be a reduction of the cotton acreage and the margin put in cane. An csti- mate of cost shows that with good con ditons there out to be a net profit of about $30 per acre, after all expenses are paid. Capt D. G. Purse president of the association. is a great believer in cane and its profit to the farmers. It will grow without difficulty in all sections south of Montgomery, and will produce a larger per cent of sugar than most any other part of the country. Quite a number of farmers who attended the meeting expressed determination to go home and put in cane this spring.
 After Cotton Mill.
 w w. Overstreet. a citizen of Greens boro is urging his neghbors to get to- gether with him and build cotton fac tory in that town He points out that while cotton is low the people are well supplied with corn and meat and are fortified for another year. His argument is that the western man not only raises the wheat but makes it into flour, and the lumber men saw the logs into lumber before shipping from the woods. Every foot of land in the country would be enhanced in value and many idle people put to work
 Want Library.
 The recently organized library associa- tion at Union Springs will ask Carnegie for 5000 for a library building If the town authorities can be induced to agree to pay the expense of maintenance. This association was organized only few weeks ago with the aid of Dr. Thomas M Owen, of the Alabama department of archives and history. and Miss Laura El- more of the Carnegie library in Mont gomery.