The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-11-01
DEPLORES THE EXTRA SESSION Strong Letter of Protest
 Is Issued. GREAT HARM FOR BIRMINGHAM "Worksof Pay Roll Builder Ended Until Confidence is Restored" H. r. DeBardeleben, Original Promoter of Mineral Riches of Alabama. Writes Earnest Appeal for Spirit of Moderation.
 

Henry r. DeBardeleben. the original promoter of the mineral riches of Ala bama, and whose name is indissoi lblv associated with the development of the States mineral resources, yesterday is- sued statement in which he protests with all his strength against an extra session of the Legislature, with the avowed purpose of punishing the great est single agency in the development of Alabama-the Louisville and Nash vile.
 In his statement Mr., DeBardelabcn says that it Is the first time in thirty years that he has discussed a political question. He reviews the early devei l. opment of the Birmingham district and tells the true story of the part played in it by Milton H. Smith and the i.ou- isvills and Nashville Railroad. Hav- ing told of the difficulties of the early builders and of the aid they received. he says
 '"The Legislature at it's last session injured us millions of dollars. The work of the pay roll builder is at an end untii confidence is restored"
 MT. DeBardeleben says further:
 "rhis thing looks ugly to me. The national agitation. coupled with what our own State government is doing, is a frightful thing for us to contem- plate."
 One of the most telling sentences in the earnest statement is this:
 T am of the opinion that it would have been better for the Birmingham district to have assumed to pay the entire taxes of the State than 10 have had this war upon capital brought about. If we had been let alone for fifteen years, the taxable property of this district would have been equal to the balance of the State as 1t is to- day"
 He declares that the people of Birm- ingham should call mass meeting to protest against the extra session.
 Text of Statement.
 Mir. DeBardeleben's statement fol- lows:
 ''In 1872 there assembled in Birm- ingham small party of men who came to this district with a view of better ing their condition. At that day we were a united people; each and every individual did his best to aid in the upbuilding of the city that we all now have the privilege of enjoying. We were all drummers to get as many rail- roads and industrial institutions cen tered here as possible. We lobbeyed and made exhibits of how much freight there was to be created for them to haul away.
 Tn those days to get an additional | EAliTO1u WAS OL great anu to charge for right of way subjected the land owner to adverse criticism. No one thought of doing anything that tended to cripple the railroads that we expected to use.
 "One of these roads has many times aided in creating an output of coal, ore and iron, by building branch roads and giving the lowest freight rates in the United States for assembling the raw material required to produce ton of iron, thereby making 1t possible for the varoius plants to succeed in drawing money from other States to be invest ed and distributed here.
 During the early days some of us would start to build plant with but enough money in sight to complete it. We seldom had any working capital. The enterprises was hard to get start ed. but we were so nervy and persis- tent that we would undertake to con-