The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-23
MERCHANTS WILL KEEP UP THE FIGHT
 AGAINST DIVISION Big Mass Meeting Tomorrow Night To Protest Against New County Amendment VIGOROUS CAMPAIGN FOR NEXT TEN DAYS PLANNED Well Known Merchants Interviewed Yesterday Give Reasons for oppo-
 sition to Proposition to Split
 Jefferson County.

The campaign committee of the Com mercial club against the new county amendment held an enthusiastic meeting yesterday morning and decided to have a big mass meeting next Saturday night at some local auditorium.
 Present at the meeting yesterday were w H. Kettig, Otto Marx, Guy Johnson, J. D. Kirkpatrick, W. P. c. Harding, B. F. Moore J. B. Gibson, Frank Nelson, Jr., T. H. Motion, Walker Percy, G. B. Mccormick and George B. Ward.
 They did not discuss the amendment but acted on the premise that it is a bad thing and proceeded to plan to kill it as quickly as possible. Workers will be sent into every county in the state and en- thusiasm in the interest of Jefferson coun= ty will be stirred up everywhere.
 The monster mass meeting to be held Saturday night will be attended by prom inent citizens of Walker, Tuscaloosa and Shelby county, and the list of speakers will be selected from the best informed.
 The sudden awakening of the merchants of Birmingham and the business men of the state is expected to make the meeting one of the largest protests yet registered. The business men are expressing them selves unanimously in opposition to the division. Here are a few who were seen yesterday:
 Ira L. Armstrong's Views.
 Said Mir. 1. L. Armstrong of the Arm strong Hat Co.,. T consider our great county the largest advertisement for Bir- mingham, next to our resources. Certain Iy it would be a calamity to split up the richest county in the state. There would be no excuse for such action. Bir- mingham will always be a great city. Nothing can stop her progress, but back ward step, just at the time when every thing Is looking up must not be taken. Anyone must admit that to take away one-third of the county, to tear up the business relations of thousands of people, and to blind the outside public into be- neving Birmingham is not half so great as she is, would be too great punish ment for the state to visit on Birming- ham, simply to humor the ambition of Bessemer."
 L. Phillips Opposes It.
 Said L. Phillips, manager of Burger Dry Goods Co.,: T heartily approve the stand taken by the Board of Trade. would hate to see anything done to cripple Bir mingham. Why, if you let them split the county this time before long they will take another slice off the other end of the county. healthy pie is no good unless it is a whole pie. The people of Alabama should vote that amendment down and make no bones about it.
 Powell Compares It to Texas.
 Charles M. Powell manager of Stowers Furniture Co.,, said: They once talked of splitting up Texas into four states, but the Lone Star state would never sup- init to any such disgrace When you con- slider the great standing, the enormous benefit of the reputation of Jefferson coun- ty it is just as hard to see why this coun- ty should be split up, as to understand how Texas could ever be divided.
 "From county statistics I got my first information of Birmingham before coming here. People who are establishing any business or looking for location, do not care so much for the size and population of the city, but they look first for the territory surrounding it, and the county is the only unit which government re- ports, atlases and maps have any infor- nation upon.
 "A division of Jefferson county means more officers, more expenditures for new county buildings, and means more trouble for years to come than Carter had oats. I hope it will be defeated"
 Spiro Will Fight 1t.
 MT. s. Spiro said: Put me down just as strong as you can l am unalterably opposed to any division of Jefferson coun- ty. There is no need arguing the ques- naf into fo6 in Bessemer, it is foregone conclusion. The thing to do is to fight. Let every merchant do all he can in his correspond ence for the next ten days to arouse his friends throughout the state- The people of Alabama will not do Birmingham this injustice"
 Brown Doing All He San.
 q am doing all can to defeat the new county amendment" said w. S. Brown. q believe it would injure every part of our county. There is no reason for using the money of one section to build more courthouses, jails and divers buildings for expenditures in fixtures, books and officers when we already have an ample supply right here in Birming- ham, The people outside of Bessemer all oppose it. It is perfectly natural that Bessemer should favor the amendment put llldt IS lO icoooi Wiy SIc ohouu oc allowed by main force to carry in all the 600 square miles around her, when the citizens are opposed to division. We must maintain imperial Jefferson county and fight to make her foremost in wealth. industry and fame"
 Colvin Thinks It Outrage.
 Gus Colvin of the Colvin Manufacturing Co.,, said: Good gracious alive Right now while we are rounding up Greater