The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-03-19
MEETING
 WAS HELD LAST NIGHT
Important Reports Submitted Showing That Chamber Is Going to Have Year Marked By Achieve
 ment of Results

and the Scarcity of White Labor with a will and enthusiasm, which breathed success.
 President Ford in short talk outlined the difficulty. and presented his solution, which was accepted and indorsed by the whole membership, including George Gordon Crawford, president of the Ten nessee Coal, Iron and Railroad company and other leading men of the city.
 MT. Ford attributed the high cost of living to the exodus from the farms to the cities and to othe fact that the con sumption is reaching a point exceeding the production. His carefully compiled figures showed a loss of s2.S24046 in pro- duce shipped to Birmingham from points out of Alabama.
 Birmingham is like a city in the midst of a great sea-" he declared, "and the sea is represented by the land held by the corporations for good purpose, but all is tillable land, and the fact that it is being held for the purpose of develop ing resources in ore. limestone and coal is no reason why it should limit the value of the purpose we have in hand.
 
 mingham? Within one mile of the city are 10,009 acres available for farming pur- poses. Within 20 miles there are over 100000 acres. If this were in use for the peoples proper purposes we would be raising far more than our district could possibly use, and could send out supplies for our neighbors.
 Bring in the Men
 'I do not ask any of you to go back to the farm. The solution lies in our fol- lowing the example of other sections. When they wanted to develop the west they brought men by the ship load and by the car load, men who knew how to farm, and would develop into good citi- zens.
 Now we do not need the immigrant from the old country so much as from the north, east and west. There are set dement's of Scandinavians and other for eigners which have become crowded, and these naturalized citizens are looking for a change. We have got to go after them. We want the kind of people with money to buy to stock and cultivate the land. Gan these lands be gotten? I believe they can. I have talked to the heads of some of the big corporations and I be- lieve they will lend aid If these people them feel at home, make them a part of our citizenship.
 T believe if this scheme is followed out within three years stream of wagons will be pouring in from all di- rections loaded with these things which we need to eat, and in the course of time the cost of living will begin coming right down. The two or three million dollars which now go away will be spent here in our stores. This Is no experiment. Look, for example, at Cullman and Bald win counties, where the foreigner has into a garden.
 'If we can bring down the farmers, white labor will constantly come in. The two will work hand in hand. Committee Is Appointed
 Now, this requires work. paunce, money. It will require at least s6o00 or s7OO0 to begin. I would suggest com mittee of four be appointed to take hold and with the proper system go out after the settlers and arrange to locate them promptly
 l.. sevier of the Southern railway heartily indorsed MT. Ford's plan, and reported that his road is today consider ing the location of demonstration farms to illustrate what can be done with Ala bama lands we will do all we can to induce immigrants and help you in any way possible.'
 On motion of J. w Mcqueen the pres dent was instructed to appoint a com mittee of four to take the matter in hand. James Finder indorsed the plan and gave an example of its use in other cities
 John II. Adams of the Sayre Mining company and Robert Jemison, Jr, ex- pressed enthusiastic approval and of fered their assistance in the work
 J. B. Gibson called attention to the vacant lots in and around Birmingham. which, he said. if cultivated, would more than supply the needs of the city. He suggested that people who do not wish to cultivate their lots should lend them to others who could make use of them.
 Crawford Promises Aid
 President George Gordon Crawford of the Tennessee company said: MT Ford has raised an interesting issue, and has suggested an intelligent remedy. I have realized the vastness of the sea of which he speaks, and year ago the Tennessee company employed an agriculturist to sur vey our lands, turned over to him our farms, and have adopted plan for rais- ing forage for our stock and vegetables for our commissaries."
 Mr. Crawford said this had been done in recognition of the fact that his com pany controls much of the land around Birmingham, and the plans were started hoping that they might stimulate the use of surface lands, and serve as an ex- pertinent which would help other ten ants make the land profitable.
 we have several thousand acres which might be used for this purpose. T. don't think we would sell them. If we aid there is no telling how soon they might be subdivided. But we are willing to make long term leases and contribute onr share to the fund for bringing in the settlers.
 w D. Nesbitt closed the discussion, and nledged his services to MT. Ford.
 Craft Invited to Stage
 When the chamber was called to order prss;dent John Craft of the Mobile Cham her of Commerce was called to the plat form and invited to a seat with President Ford The reading of the minutes was dispensed with and the report of Chair man Hill Ferguson of the committee on civic improvement was read, as given in another column.
 Chairman Henry Hideu of the commit tee on conventions made this report:
 MT. President and Gentlemen of the Chamber--Your committee on conventions
 
 fCONTINVJED ON PAGE O