The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-16
Speakers TelEHearers Why the New County Amendment
 Should Garry
JAS. TROTTER PfESIDES
 OVER GREAT MEETING
Local Self-Governnent Is the Chief Plea Urged In Favor of Dividing Counties-Personal and
 General News.
By J. F. LEE.

 being new county day at the State Fair, a goodly crowd was assembled in the srandstand at Il o'clock to hear the prom inent speakers who had been slated. to talk on the Ragsdale amendment and it's advantages.
 James Trotter. one of Bessemer.s most prominent citizens, had been asked to preside over the meeting. He introduced, first, pr. J. A. B. Lovett, who has been travelling over the state for the past GO days in the interest of the amendment, and the optimistic view he took of the sit- uation, based on the expressions of the people in the counties which he visited, brought forth much applause, for al- though he had met with some opposition in few localities. the support in other parts was sufficient to make him most sanguine as to the result on November ,.
 Realizing that his time of speech was limited after few remarks relative 10 the provisions made by the legislature Tor the forming of new counties, he closed by urging the voters to stand by the amend ment for the best interests of the state at large.
 Col. Sam Will John Speaks.
 Col. Sam Will John spoke for half an hour, and being a member of the legis- lature, he referred to the many draw backs in earlier days that had been met with in the formation of new counties, but that in every instance where new county had been formed it redounded greatly to the interests of the people, as well as to the advancement and upoulio- ing of that part of the state.
 "The attitude that one should take or the issue that is before us is that of a father to a child" he said. 'The child grows to the age when his ambition nrompts him to cut olose and build home and a reputation for himself, and it would be wrong for the parent to stand in his way by blocking any of his efforts toward such an end. So would it be wrong for us to stand in the way of the good people of Bessemer, or of any locality where they have the necessary requirements as provided by the legisla- ture, for the forming of a new county.
 Since the Declaration of Independence, home rule has been part of American education, and it is too late to try to change it. I defy any man to say that the forming of new counties would not re- dound to the interests of the people of the entire state.
 Twenty years ago I made predictions regarding this district, which caused my friends to give me the laugh, and they called me a Beaumont, but the develop ment and increase in population has gone far beyond even my own expectations, and where it will end no one can foretell. I firmly believe that l shall live to see 1 .o0O 900 people censused in this valley
 "The amendment provides that such parts as are taken off of each county to form new county must assume pro- portionate share of the county debt of that from which it is cut off.
 Pour water into one end of a trough and 1t will seek it's level at the other end, and I venture to say that any move- ment that will tend to increase the wealth | and population of Bessemer will act as l the water would in the trough and flow | to it's level to all adjoining localities" l Frequent applause greeted the strong points set forth by Colonel John and the Bessemer people were most pleased with the indorsement he gives to the amend ment.
 ]. A. Estes Next Introduced.
 MT. Trotter in introducing MT. Estes stated that 1t was largely due to his tire | less efforts that the bill was gotten through the legislature, he having spent much time working with the representa- tive at Montgomery.
 .'The right of local self-goyernment is a guaranteed right of the Cnited States | government and the state of Alabama, said MT. Estes, in beginning his speech
 There are many reasons why the pro posed amendment will rebound to the in terest of the entire state, foremost among which is the fact that with the 1910 cen sus Jefferson county should 1t remain un. divided, will be entitled to r representa- tives in the state legislature and 100 del | egates to the state convention. Is it fol the best interest of the state that one county should have monopolizing repre- sentation? Is it not due the people of q territory sufficient in area, and property l tax valuation, to form a county for their | convenience and welfare where proper provision has already been made by the | legislature emitting them to self-goyern- 1 ment? The action taken by 20 members l of the Birmingham Commercial club is from a purely selfish motive, and is not by any means the sentiment of the ma | jority of the members of that body"
 MT. Estes read a clause on the right | of self-government as set forth in the declaration of Independence, and also . 1 clause in the Alabama state law with ] reference to the conditions surrounding | the cutting off of a part of a county | wherein the part taken away must stand its proportionate share of the indebted 1 ness of the county from which 1t was | taken, and every argument he brought out in his speech was considered vel taken and received much applause.
 F. M. Jackson Makes Few Remarks Fred M. Jackson was next introduced and made a short but to the point talk favoring the amendment, and condemn. ing the action of the 20 members of the Commercial club of Birmingham of whicl he is vice president. He stated that since his residence in Jefferson county he has seen enough in the crowded condition oi the courts to justify his fayoring the for nation of a new county, and that he ha( also lived for nine years in Tuscalooss county, and could readily appreciate tn, convenience that a court at Besseme would give to the residents in the pdr tion of that county that will be takel | Af.- ITA