The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-22
NJ MILLER ON
 ACTION AT COREY Says Only the Expected Has
 Happened IS TT BAD BUSINESS? Says Work Was Begun and Con- tinued in Face of Knowledge of What Was Going to Hap
 pen in Congress
IS TT BAD BUSINESS?
To the Editor of The Age-Herald

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 Anent your editorial suggesting the free list bill as the cause of suspension of construction work at Corey upon the wire and rod mill.
 The expected has happened. There has been introduced in a democratic House of Representatives a bill placing certain ar ticlcs, including wire fencing and cotton ties, on the free list. Nobody is sur prised No matter how much fuss and feathers may be made over this bill, nobody, deep down in his mind, expected or expects our representative in the House to do otherwise than earnestly, ac- lively and conscientously work and vote for the passage of this free list bill.
 I repeat the expected has happened. It has long been democratic doctrine. It was democratic doctrine when the wire and rod mill at Corey was begun, and of this the men in charge of that enterprise were doubtless fully advised before they ever started their plant The House of Representatives was commissiond last No vember to enact this free list doctrine into law, and of this the wire and rod mill people were fully advised, and it is inn possible that they should be now sur prised by the introduction of this bill. If this free list bill is reason for abandon ment of that enterprise now, it was all the more forcible reason last November, since which time they have expended large sums in construction work, which would be utterly lost by the abandonment of the enterprise. Such bad business it would have been to have gone on from November 8, 1910, to April 20, 1911, vast ing money on the construction of plant which is to be abandoned because the ex- pected his happened that 1t is impossible to believe that these wire and rod mill people are capable of such business blunder.
 In view of these and many other things which might be suggested I think there must be some mistake as to the impress sion they were sought to make upon the public mind. Good business reasons they may have for suspending work, but the suggestion that the introduction of a free list bill in a democratic House as the reason of the suspension, while such bill ' lican Senate and republican President, and all this having been foreseen for months, and with such knowledge the work being rushed can, upon the thought full mind, make no impression other than that the real reason Is being withheld while the tariff bugaboo is put forward as a method of saying to the public that our real reasons are not now public prop erty It suggests the story of the ser want responding to the door bell and tell ing the caller that "the lady says she is not at home."
 It Is unfortunate and particularly so for the people in charge of the enterprise, that the impression should have gone out that the work was suspended as a coercive political measure.
 The public has received the Steel cor poration, and it's subsidiary companies. into this district with the kindiest of feeling, and most friendly disposition, and this manifestation of a disposition to coerce political action is distinct shock, and from the standpoint of public policy blunder sincerely regretted by friends who will remain friends if they are given reasonable opportunity to do so.
 I for one sincerely hope that it will develop that there has been a misunder- standing as to the purposes and motives of these big industrial people, and that it shall be made manifest to every one that, whatever the reason may have been for the suspension of york; it was not a po- litical reason, and particularly that it was not coercive political reason and that work will at an early day be re- sumed. the plant completed and that it shall then enter upon long and profit able career. Yours truly,
 NATHAN L. MILLER. Birmingham, April 21, 1911.