The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-26

Following are some of the letters read at the mass meeting at the city hall Sat urday night in opposition to the new county amendment:
 MT. R. W. Ewing, City.
 Dear MT. Ewing-I was in hopes of being present at the mass meeting to- night and make a few remarks regard ing the new county amendment but l find l am unable to do so.
 However, wish to say that l am in thorough sympathy with the purposes of the meeting and trust you will call upon me to render whatever assistance l can to defeat the amendment.
 The dismemberment of the county would result in the loss of prestige, which has been won only by the ard uous labor of men who have worked unceasingly toward its development.
 To the outside world Jefferson county is known as Greater Birmingham and the proposed amendment would create new factions and divergent interests which would be fatal to progress.
 The tendency of the times is to con- solidate municipalities because ''in union there is strength Let us all get to- gether and follow the example of Pitts burg and New York, which as you know, annexed adjoining counties.
 Trusting that the meeting tonight will result in much good and that the voters may be aroused to the danger which threatens to halt the onward stride of Jefferson county, I am, yours very truly,
 SOL CAHEEN.
 Gentlemen--I wish to say that l stren- uously oppose the amendment for the for nation of new counties, especially of the grand old county of Jefferson.
 Colonel Rhodes says that if the amend ment is voted out at the coming cleo tion the movement will continue to come up until victory is won. If so, let us continue to fight 1t to the bitter end Overwhelming arguments by our promi- rent business men have already been published against it.
 Col. James R. Powell, who was the first president of the Elyton Land com pany frequently remarked that Birming- ham was destined to be as large a city as New York. l go further than this and say that Birmingham will. at some time in the future, grow to be as large as London, reaching from Gads- den almost to Tuscaloosa and spreading on each side of the valley to the tops of the mountains.
 I would be glad to meet with you tonight but on account of physical dis ability am unable to go out when night comes But for this fact l would be willing to take the stump against the movement for new counties.
 l have conversed with many of our citizens on the streets and I feel con fident that the measure will be defeated by a large majority. Let us all pull together for the accomplishment of this important end which will rebound to the good of Greater Birmingham and Bessemer as we'll The time is rapidly approaching when Bessemer, which is now a great city, will be proud to own that she is united with Greater Bir- mingham. C. c. ELLIS.
 Here is a letter written by a Birming- ham man to his old home county It was also read, without the authors name, at the meeting Saturday night:
 To the Citizens of Cherokee County;
 boy may leave the old home and create new ties, new obligations; but though the span of years may be long. when he needs sympathy and helping hand he turns to his native land.
 We were once boys of old Cherokee. She was our mother, and as such we love her. Now by adoption we are sons of old Jefferson, a great old county, magnificent in her resources, great in her develop
  possibilities. To dismember her would be almost a crimei
 We ask help from the citizens of Cher okee to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment which has primarily for its object the dismembef'ment of old Jeffer- son.
 If the needs of the citizens of Jefferson demanded dismemherment, if the con- venience of any portion of her citizens demanded dismemberment. if economic conditions demanded dismemberment. then as much as we might hate to see a dismemberment. we would acquiesce in sorrowful silence.
 The new county movement was born and has been nurtured for no other pur- pose than to build up the town of Bes- semer, and to create a county purely and solely for the purpose of building up a locality is wrong in principle. Bessemer Is within 40 minutes ride on two different electric car lines from the courthouse of old Jefferson, and in addi- ton to this railroads connect Bessemer with Birmingham.
 In addition to this there is not a por- ton of Jefferson county that Is not With in less than five hours travel of the courthouse in old Jefferson so you caH readily see that neither the convenience of citizens or their lnaccessibility to the courthouse Is the cause for wanting new county.
 TO form new county, while it creates more offices and would make places for number of parties as officeholders. would increase the burden of taxation both for the old and the proposed new county. and while this might be to the advantage of the officehoders. 1t would not be to the advantage of the people.
 Primarily the object of the constitu-