The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-20

tation or rest But under the system prevailing. we must get an annual crop of cotton, and trust to costly chemical fertilizers to niaiutain the fertility of. the fand. gas
 The tenant system is more or less Is not so much effsft, and demands the less intelligence and attention to de- vote six months of the year to produc- ing and marketing cotton crop than Is required to raise In connection oats, corn. hay and live stock. 1t is more than probably that if one-haif The area now devoted to cotton was made to yield food crops and the remainder gently cultivated and ,fertiiixed. the one-haif would produce ss much as is now raised pn the whole."
 The report, however, was not all In the vein of feprimand, but was almost throughout optimistic and hopeful telling how, despite the low price Of cotton, prosperity was evident: how scientific and diversified farming grows each year in .aIiount; how good roads and every modern convenience is being
 Another report full Of Interesting matter was that of e. c. Miles, chair man of the Committee on City Deyel- opnient. In his report. MI, Miles took up the various phases of city, develop ment. the installat ton of. improvements, and telling of the need of Improvement or upfift here ana there.
 The instaiiation of the night schools. the contemplation of manual training in the public schools. the fnlhilment of the hopes for q wharf In the success fui bond election. the improved street car system. were some of the Improve ments of the city during the last year of which he spoke, "a 2
 The suggestion of the committee touched on the aneed of exploiting the enormous power and advantages to be derived from Improving the Alabama River and its latent transporting and motive power. The committee's re- port on municipal Government hinted at the advantages of Government by Commissions as follows: .s
 "The, present defective system of our city government, in many respects Is too patent to requtrea discussion of same at this time. 1t Is not too much to say, however. that q number of cities, having tried a government by. commits sion, with such marked and satisfactory results, that this practical business mans method of. handling the impor- tant affairs of a number of our larger Southern cities Is growing in favor, and 1t Is firmly believed that a number of the legislative bodies in the different states will consider seriously the wis dom of receding from the old beaten path of luniihous council, made up for the most part. Of men who do not represent any particular or well de- fined interest of the city, and in some cases. men who do not own one lol- lars worth of taxable property.
 This Association should use its best Al fA kRfA a hnxn raj condition in our municipal government that will not only reflect credit on our city as a tusfness organization, but will enforce every law on the statute book with an unstinted hand, and take high ground in every progressive and moral movement"
 Committees reporting were: Com mittee on Banking and Trade statis- tics, which revealed a prosperous con dition of Montgomery's banks and in- dustries. the Committee on Building. on Insurance and Taxation, Publicity and Promotion, Cotton and Agriculture, and City Development, ~sfG a <.
 Talks were made by various mem- bers. Fred s. Ball teliiig that there had been eome hitch in changing the name of the club from the Commercial and Industrial Association to that of Commercial Club.l but explaining the manner of rectifying any negligence Judge w. H. Thomas. explaining the status of the Woman's College, and the imminent necessity for tle funds. for the collection of which the Commercial Club stood sponsor. Alex Rice. sound ing the plea for sma1l farms. and more of them; [. c. Martin. telling Of the contemplated visit of Mayor Rose oi Milwaukee and others to Montgomery J. T. Letcher.s asking for an 1inteili- gent study of Mont Sohery's needs, and others,.
 The club adjourned, after session that drew closer together Montgom- ery's business men, with a bcnd of sympathy, of fighting in the same cause, and for the same people.