The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-14

required number of people and the tax able property for new county, and it will mean better educational facilities, better roads and the more rapid de- velopment of mineral resurces."
 McEniry Makes Short Address.
 T don't think that I should take up your time when there are others here who are better able to handle the ques- tion, but I just want to say in refer ence to the action of the Commercial club of Birmingh ham that I am glad to see so few of the Birmingham peo pie in the fight against us,' said John T. McEniry.
 These few will soon learn that they are up against soldiers who have been in the field fighting on this question for 20 years, and 1t will be an easy matter for us to convince this few that we right, when we get down to business. With reference to the statement that people from the lower end of the county would have to go to Birmingham to get to Bessemer, I'll just say that railroad facilities center at Bessemer. Nearly everything that goes to Birmingham comes through here. People who reside in the Tusca- loosa cut off have to come through Bessemer to get to Birmingham, anu when these people have to attend court it would certainly be more convenient for them to stop 4 miles nearer their homes.
 "Birminghams fight will gain more votes for the amendment than anything else that could have happened, for il will have the effect of bringing the matter to the attention of more people who will certainly vote for 1t when they are made to understand what it means"
 J. A. Estes Speaks.
 J. A. Estes was called upon, but asked to be excused owing to the fact that he' was suffering from a severe cold and as he had been called upon to address the public at the fair grounds Thursday he thought it wise to save himself for that occasion, especially since there were so many others pres ent to address the audience.
 Gardner Goodwin Takes Floor. 1 Lawyer Gardner Goodwin paid his re- spects to the ladies present and said that he knew of two occasions just past, in which the ladies took a part, and he felt sure that the same satisfactory result would be obtained in this case as in the other two. There is no logic in the ar gument set forth by few of the Bir- mingham citizens. They seem to take the position that anything that was dono to help Bessemer would be a detriment to Birmingham. If Bessemer was wiped off the face of the earth they, of course, would feel her loss, for she is a prolific feeder to Birmingham; then why should not the making of Bessemer a larger city, when a new influx of people will be brought here from adjoining counties, mean a continuance of business on a much larger scale? What is to Besse- mers interest is to Birmingham's inter- est. The view that these people take of matters is Birmingham first. county sec ond and state third. Would it not be more reasonable to make 1t state first, county second and Birmingham third? The forming of new county here means more convenient legislation, decreased expense on the residents of this end of the county, as it will prevent our being saddled in a few years with a tax for a $1, ,500, ,000 courthouse. It will also mean better educational facilities and better roads. Let the people rule"
 Capt. H. w. Crook Speaks.
 There is not better informed man in Jefferson county than Capt. H. w. Crook, when it comes to county matters, and he was greeted with much applause when he responded to the call of the chairman for a speech
 we are ready for new county and we are going to get it. The law govern ing the formation of new counties says that there must be an area of 600 square miles, and we have this in the territory that we propose to take in, without talk ing from any of the 'adJoining counties enough -te~ reduce their area below the required area; that there must be 20, ,000 people-we have 50,00O; there must be property with a taxable valuation of i $l, 900, 900, we have in the proposed cut off $25, 100000. There will be no salaried jobs connected with the county until the legislature of Alabama fixes them, for