The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-23
Delegates May Now Center Ef- forts on Getting King Bill
 Through Senate
BABE BELIEVES SOME
 BILL WILL BE SECURED
Gray Favors kllng Measure and Pub lie Sentiment Over the State Seems to Want Greater
 Birmingham.

The delegation which left for Montgom- cry yesterday afternoon fairly bubbled over with enthusiasm for Greater Bir- mingham rhat bill making Greater Birmingham will be passed by the pres ent legislature was the firm belief of all but all effort will be concentrated to get the senate to pass the King bill. In the crowd which left yes terday were Secretary Babb of the Com merciai club, and Representative King. Secretary Babb was so full of enthus- asm that he had to turn some of It loose and in the process he emitted tho folowing
 Greater Birmingham Is an absolute certainty There isn't the slightest doubt about it's coming to pass. Everybody in Alabama wants it and realizes that 1t Is an absolute necessity for the en- tire state. Public sentiment Is strongly reflected in the state senate, and from personal talks with the senators I am sure that we will get Greater Birming- ham bill of some kind passed. We are going down now to work for the King blll and all effort will be concentrated to get 1t passed.
 "The single handed fight of Jere King for the passage of his bill by the house was wonderful, and the fact that he could pass the bill while his colleagues were fighting it is one of the strongest evidences that Greater Birmingham is the will of the people all over the state. The vote of 40 to 1i in favor of it is one of the strongest endorsements that could be had.
 Gray Favors the Bill.
 Lieutenant Governor Gray has told me personally that he was in favor of the bill and he will do everything in his power to have 1t passed. Senator Miller is man of conservatism and brains, and I cannot believe that he will do anything to keep us from having Great CT Birmingham He pledged himself to the referendum and I admire him for sticking by his promises. This pledge was only made because a very small minority of the people demanded it, and I believe that he realizes that the great majority of his constituents are very much in favor of a Greater Birming- ham.
 We may also get the Smyer and other DlliB tnrOuRn-DuI lHeTe IS one tnlnB dead sure-we are going to get a Greater Birmingham bill passed by this legisla- ture. I am not so particular about which bill we get through, but we must have Greater Birmingham. Without this Blr- mingham will rank as the third city in the state when the 1910 census Is taken and then how will we compare with Greater Atlanta, Greater Nashville and Greater Memphis? Why, we will be the laughing stock of the whole country. When we go to boosting Birmingham we will be called hot air artists and the census returns will be thrown in our faces with laugh. and the remark: You, blowhardl you have nothing but a village and the census report proves it.
 The question of a Greater Blrming- ham has long since ceased to be a local question The state needs a large city and the people all over the state know that Birmingham fig one, and they are going to prove 1t by making a Greater Birmingham
 King Also Enthusiastic.
 Representative King was also very en- thusastic about the matter and said
 q firmly believe the senate will pass a Greater Birmingham bill. Public senti- ment all over the state in favor of Greater Birmingham and though the op- position may be- great I believe 1t will be passed"
 President Sterling A. Wood of the Com mercial club. arrived in Birmingham from Biloxi last night. and will go down to Montgomery either this morning or this