The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-10-10
MABEN BACK FROM
 EUROPEAN TRIP Interest In Italy In American
 Investments CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK President of sIoss-sheffield Hopes to See Halt Called on the Radlcallsm That Has Held Sway
 in Alabama.
CONDITIONS IN NEW YORK

President J. c. Maben of the Sloss- Sheffield Steel and Iron company. who landed in New York from Italy Septem- Der % arrived in Birmingham yesterday afternoon. Mrs. Maben and Miss Maben returned from Europe with him, but they remained in the east and will not reach home until later in the fall.
 T spent all of my time while abroad in Italy" said Mir Maben That is the most beautiful and the most interesting country in the world, and the more I see of it the better I like 1t. One meets there representative people from all parts of the continent and on this trip I was particularly impressed with the fact that American investments are sought more than ever by Europeans. The high stand ing of our securities abroad accounts In great measure for the steady rise in the New York stock market. No investments even in the most prosperous countries of the old world yield such large divi- dends as the better class of investments in America and that being capitalists are gradually getting rid of their hold ings on the other side and reinvesting their money in the United States"
 In New York MT. Maben attended a meeting of the directors of his company. He said he found everything in good shape.
 We were all pleased, of course, with the iron market" said MT. Maben Tt is strong, healthy market. The s15 price is high, but the tendency is still upward I am inclined to think, however, that .-r1t fI maHket stays about where it is"
 Asked if there was any foundation for the New York rumors that United States Steel interests or other big interests were trying to acquire control of the Sloss I Sheffield MT. Maben said that those who [ held the control had not been approached. | "It would be impossible" he said, flor l any deal to be underway without mem bers of our executive committee knowing about it.
 "The rumors that certain interests were after the sloss-sheffeld grew out of the sharp advance in our common stock But when 1t is remembered that Sloss com mon has been a regular dividend payer for several years; that 1t now pays 5 | per cent year with good prospect of | the rate being advanced to or ', it is | easy enough to see how it points to- l ward par"
 MT. Maben said he had been watching l the amendment campaign in Alabama with much concern. "Alabama's radical prohibition laws are being discussed not only in New York but In Europe" said MT. Maben. Coming over on the ship I met prominent German who commented at length on Alabama's radical tendency, and said he would not care to invest money in a state whose legislature would enact laws such as had been adopted recently. In New York business men are ridiculing Alabamians on account of the Fuller law and the attempt now being made to put prohibition in the constitu- ton. The ratification of the proposed amendment would unquestionably retard the industrial development of Alabama; no mistake about that. I can hardly be- lieve that a majority of the voters will favor the amendment. It's defeat would show to the world that a halt had at last been called on fanaticism and rad-si realism. And that of itself would have a reassuring effect"
 Mir Maben is in the best of health and after a restful vacation he will be found at his office Monday working with char acteristic pluck and endurance.