The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-12
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE POLITICAL
 SITUATION AND OTHER MATTERS OF INTEREST

in the past six months in road eonstruc- tion in Jefferson county. What has been done is an evidence of what can be ac- complished by any set of good officials or good men when the people speak out, and say what they want.
 Six months ago in this column I ex- pressed opinion about the bad condition of the roads in Jefferson county and sought expressions not only from the men who had to travel them in marketing their produce, but from the rural mail carriers and from citizens of Birmingham, and suggested government aid in expend- ing the money which we had for this purpose. I must say that the suggested idea brought forth volumes of expressions and that the Board of Revenue and the county engineer proceeded, when the peo- pie expressed themselves, to begin work which Is doing more good for Jefferson county than anything which has been at- tempted in years.
 With continuation of the present good work, within few years Jefferson coun- ty will have the most perfect road system in the, south
 Another thing of importance to the county is a thorough soil survey which has been urged by State Senator Nathan l.. Miller and Congressman Underwood.
 While the mineral lands of this county have been greatly developed, the agricul- tural lands4rich in themselves-have been in large measure neglected. In propor- ton they are as rich as the mineral lands, and no section of the south is sus- ceptible of greater production in truck gardening than the valleys of Jefferson county.
 Let us have soil survey and teach the people in this county what they can grow upon their lands, and let us raise right here everything which is necessary to support our manufacturing population. If we do this we can reduce the cost of living in the Birmingham district fully
  40 per cent.
 There is much talk at the present time about immediately bringing in all of the suburban towns which are delegated to constitute the Greater Birmingham on the first of October 1909. Some of them have already voted to come in immediately. Some of them are standing out Those which are standing out want to clean up house, so to speak; and build sewers and sidewalks and improve thelr streets, and do all sorts of things which will make them model suburbs and model parts of come a part of it.
 This is only natural; if they do it in reason it is all right. I am really be- liever in building for the Greater Br- minsham which is to be. Jefferson coun- ty is now getting a tremendous revenue from taxation and if the tax commission and the back tax commissioner continue to raise assessments as has been recently cone we shall have enough money to pave and improve all of the Greater Brming- ham and build roads all over Jefferson county. which will be the ideals of this country.
 We are all in Jefferson county going to be taxed higher. Under the present sys- tenn and under the law of the state we cannot help it; so why not let us urge and insist upon city, county and suburban officials spending the increased amount in public improvements which we can see and enjoy.
 I am in favor of every street within tho city of Birmingham being paved and of every road in the county of Jefferson being macadamized.
 Let us get the results of what we are paying for!
 lleJ G7vza..