The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-29
HECH|NGER TALKS ON
FARM MOVEMENT
Jefferson Has Plenty of Room
for Truckers
ALL WILL BE A BIG HELP
VIII Help Keep Money at Home and
VIII BE Prime Factors In
Reducing the Cost of
Living
ALL WILL BE A BIG HELP

Birmingham as yet realize to the full
| extent the Importance of the farm
movement inaugurated by the Chamber
of Commerce." said s. Hechinger, the
newly appointed agent of the farm
movement department of the chamber
"A number of people seem to be-
lieve that the coming of small farm
ers and gardeners settling on the lands
In the Birmingham district and sur
rounding territory will only benefit the
landowners.
Nothing Is farther from the truth
An influx of a good class of settlers
to any district is far reaching in Its
results and has a direct bearing upon
every phase of development; in fact
1t is not too much to say that, with
few exceptions, a substantial increase
of the agricultural population in any
state or county Is the very foundation
upon which all other lines of progress
largely depend. Mr.. Ford, the president
of the Chamber of Commerce, in pre-
senting this matter to the chamber
brought out the startling fact that
$8.000,000 worth of foodstuffs are
|
consumed by her people; that all of
them could be raised on the lands in
and around the Birmingham district
and the money kept at home-spent
right here among our stores and shops
and industries instead of being sent
east and west and north, whence 1t
Will never return. This is an absolute
truth and this feature alone should
bring to this movement the aid of ev-
cry business man in Birmingham, for
it would mean an additional $4,000, O0C
worth of business annually distributed
among them. Further than that, this
feature is of vital interest to every
man, woman and child in our district
| because the raising Of foodstuffs al
home would naturally reduce their pres
ent high prices without affecting
wages.
Another phase of development to
which an influx of settlers will be a
powerful ally is this: Birmingham like
every city in the south. large or small
wants varied industries A great num-
Der of manufacturers and capitalists
who are asked to locate In a south
ern city raise two essential objections
viz: An insufficient home market and
the scarcity of efficient white labor
Both these Objectionable conditions can
only be overcome in time by the COM
ing of farmers, gardeners, poultry and
stockraisers, all of whom are producers
and consequently consumers, and ev.
cry one of whom at once add a GER
tain percentage to white labor through
the members of their families.
1T will be seen, therefore, that fron
every point of view an influx of set
tiers will bring great and far-reachin,
benefits to every industry and business
man In this district and the movement
to get these settlers should receive thei
unstinted support in every way.
"If any business or Industrial mar
will give this matter a little thought
he will find that to support 1t to the
best of his ability Is not question
| of patriotism, but of self-interest The
patriotism involved in this movement
Is really with the men who have
brought 1t about and who have con-
scented to direct 1t and bring it ia
a successful issue. These men are Mr.
A. H. Ford, the president of the Cham
Der of Commerce, to whose energy and
untirtng efforts 1t is due that this great
work was inaugurated, and the Messrs
John II. Adams, G. B. Mccormack
James Bonnyman and Sidney w. Lee
who compose the committee In charge
of this work. These men, as everybody
knows, are all prominent factors In
the upbuilding of our city and dis
trict. men of large affairs and emil
nently busy men; their willingness to
sacrifice a large part of their time to
the PRONUNCIATION Of this great move
ment certainly deserves the utmost ap-
probation on the part Of the people of
Birmingham.
! Now that this matter Is before the
public, great many false ideas and argu-
ments will be advanced by people who
have not had the time or opportunity to
properly investigate it. For instance
some will claim that the lands in our dis
trict and county are not fertile enough to
attract settlers and that there is but lit
tie of them. These people L would refer
TO the county of Cullman, and what has
been accomplished there by German set.
tiers on land with which the lands in our
district can very favorably compare, in
deed. In fact. I can prove by soil survey
that even the rough looking hill lands
near Birmingham, not speaking of the
valley lands within the district, contain
a great deal more of those substances
necessary for vegetable and fruit crops
than some of the lands in Cullman coun-
ty, and as to quantity we have in the i'm
| mediate neighborhood of the city more
than 10000 acres and within 20 miles more
than 200, 100 acres of vacant lands.
Another idea often put forward Is
| about getting people from Europe. about
leading the tide of immigration toward
the south Well, the south Is not ready
for that yet. Before we can get. for In
stance, Germans directly from Germany
or even use them, and be able to keep
them here, we must first have Germans
and lots of them settled here. And We
can draw them from the east, west ant
north at present. After we have then
here their relatives and friends across the
sea will follow as a matter of course.
There are a great many other theo
ries. Some people seem to think that the
Southern Commercial congress in Wash
ington, which was organized to boost the
south in a general way, should be asked
to concentrate their efforts on developing
the Birmingham district, or that the state
should be asked to do so, and so on &C
infinitum.
IT sincerely trust, however, that no one
of our people will pay any attention tC
such talk, but that they will all get to.
gether and help to carry on the work q
planned by a body Of men, the superior
Of which cannot be found anywhere and