The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-11
A Former Birmingham Man

| Former Birmingham Man
Walton Peteet. formerly of Birming-
ham, but for IS years citizen of Tex
as, is here as the guest of his father, w.
Y. Peteet He Is on the editorial staff of
the Fort Worth Record. one of the inf1u-
entail morning dailes of Texas Taking
an active interest in agriculture as he
does, Mr. Peteet is member of the
board of regents of the Texas Agricul-
tural and Mechanical college, situated in
| Brazos county, and as regent he has been
| making a tour of the northwest for the
purpose of studying agricultural condi-
tons in that section with a view of APP
| plying some of the methods In use by
| the farmers of Minnesota and Wisconsin
to agriculture in his state, so far as pos
sible.
1T was my first visit to the northwest"
said Mr. Peteet. land Of course farming
in that region greatly interested me.
found the farmers wonderfully prosper
Gus, and the key to their prosperity is
live stocf The northwest Is still great
grain country. but cattle raising is what
makes the farmer the very rich man he
has grown to be. And all the wealth is
the result of about four months of farm
work in the year Everything Is pract-
| callv winter bound the balance of the
time. Now Texas is a cattle state, as
we'll as cotton state, as everybody
knows. 1t has made marked progress in
all branches of industry; but after trav-
cling through Minnesota and Wisconsin
| 7 realize the fact that Texas has not
| made as much of her opportunities as she
| should have done or as she Will do. Wheh
we compare the natural advantages OF
the south with northern conditions II is
plain to see that Alabama, Texas and all
the other southern states are yet In their
infancy And 1t is most cheering to ma
some of our people at least, alive TO
modern ideas and eager to learn how TO
utilize scientific methods and apply busi-
ness economy to farming. The south is
the greatest section of the United States
and will soon come to its own.
Il hear that good work is being done al
Auburn, and / will visit the institute
there before returning to Texas
When asked about gubernatorial politics
in the Lone Star state, Mr. Peteet said
that the campaign was already In fun
swing and was very hot.
"Our primary takes place In July he
said. "rnere are four candidates for gov
ernor-Johnson for statewide statutory
prohibition: Poindexter for constitutional
prohibition; Attorney General Davidson,
against prohibition but in favor of a
referendum to the people, and Railroad
Commissioner Colquitt out and out
AGAINST prohibition and in favor of the
sound democratic doctrine of local option.
I think Colauitt will be the winner. The
prohibtionists are badly split, While the
| Observation-Disclosures are rallying to the
standard of Mr.. Colquitt, broad-minded,
STRAIGHTFORWARD democrat Senator Bailey
is committed to Johnson, who advocates
constitutional amendment, but he is for
him only on personal grounds, and Is not
taking an active part in the prohibition
fight The fact is that Bailey is opposed
to the principle of statewide prohibition.
at is seen that statutory prohibition
will not work, and the democratic party
is fast getting back to where 1t belongs
that is TO say, to the local option sys-
tenn The liquor traffic has never been
broken UP by legislation, and it never will
be; but 1t can be, and 1t should be, strictly
regulated The whisky business should be
minimized as far as possible, while COM
paratively innocent beverages like beer
and light wine should be put in class
to themselves, and should not be heavily
taxed"
Mr.. Peteet said that all the cities Of
Texas would show we'll in the census. II
am expecting the enumerators to find
about $4,000 souls in Fort WORTH said
MI Peteet, land in the state of Texas
something like 100000. We had only a
little upward of 100000 In 1900, but we
have made great strides since then.
Il have not been in Birmingham for six
years. Its growth has been phenomenal.
l expected to see a big city, but 1t looks
even larger and handsomer than | had
ina gined it would. Birmingham simply
amazes me-