The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-11-12
DAVIS FEARS FOR
 EFFECT ON FARMERS
WELL KNOWN TRAVELLING MAN THINKS THE LEGISLATORS SHOULD LOOK TO CORRECTIONS INSTEAD OF PROSECUTIONS.

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 As an humble representative of the wage-earning class of this district, l have been requested to give an expression through your columns in regard to the financial and industrial disturbances throughout our country. How long. oh, how long, before the class legislation of our country will cease? Is there no one that Is enough of a patriot to champion the cause of all the people, who will ap- peal to their reason instead of their preJu- dices? 1t is true that we have some Irregularities and some injustice at the ehands of corporate interests that should be corrected, but give us correction and not persecution There is a wide differ ence between the two.
 This everlasting howl against capital that is developing our wonderful resources is by some of our leading and best men, who seem to be forgetting the fact that we have had eight or nine years of un- interrupted prosperity. Every interest has prospered. even the farmer mechanic and laborer and 1t seems to be suicidal on the part of our farmer Friends when they use their influence and are being asked to curtail the home consumption of their products by causing agitation and demoralization in every industry or busi- ness that tends to build up our eoun- try, causing the shutting down of indus trial plants and transferring labor and capital to other fields.
 In Jefferson county alone there are 90 per cent of the people who are wage earners, who work at wages, not as high in purchasing power as in the years 190S-4, numbers of whom have struggled along and kept the wolf from their doors. and py scant living have paid for homes. A great many have them partially paid for and will soon be confronted with the stern realization that they are out of job (which in many instances means out of a home) If our honorable legislature would consider for moment the thousands of worthy citizens who are paying for homes by the month and that a failure to pay would lose years of labor and privaton, they would certainly be very considerate. We have been taught that our law-mak- CTS would legislate for all the people, and that they would not do anything that would tend to break down the confidence of the people in each other, which would result in untold injury to all. It will cer tainly cause capital to bring less returns and to seek investment in other fields or tan hxr salaries or laying off men. It is apparent that this course would certainly injure all classes and no one would be injured more than the wage-earner throughout our land. It is conceded that what affects him af- fects every other interest and while the noble farmer, who Is the bone and snew of our country. may be affected by some real or imaginary grievance to the amount of s2.50 per capita per annum, yet the wage-earner throughout the industrial district would be affected from s1O0 to $1O00 per annum.
 Yet we are told that this is all right if some of our leading citizens can gain po- ltical preferment and be applauded by others who are carried away with their appeals to their prejudice. It is not pos sible that the masses of our beloved state in the rural districts believe that there are too many who own their homes in our industrial sections, and that a con- fscatlon of their all would result in good to them as it is true it would certainly lead to greater efforts on their part to dispose of their products. as it Is known that the consumer pays all the expenses. How is 1t he has been in a prosperous condition for the past few years, and did not know or think of diversity with high prices for everything that enters into home consumption? Would it not be bet ter for him to have remained in ignor- ance of so many of these calamities and continue to prosper than to have magni- fled his condition and brought about ad- versity? If ignorance is bliss, tis folly to be wise.'' I have no interest but the general welfare of our beloved state and nation, and believe that what l have said will be indorsed by the masses after due consideration. l am not a member of any labor organization, but am a member of commercial organization which traverses this broad land of ours, going into the hills and wales and throughout every nook and corner, meeting people in every condition and walk in life, and know as much about the conditions of the wage-earner and every other class of peo- pie on Gods green earth as any set or class of men that ever lived. Respect fully. H. l. DAVIS.