The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-23
LETTERS TO EDITOR
Prosperity, People, Politics,
Civic Chambers and Railroads

To the Editor of The Age-Herald.
I have been asked some questions
concerning my recent communication,
Conner and His Good Old Georgia. :"
the object of which was to make the
people think, not of Conner, but or
themselves.
In order that they may really think
hard, l want to give just few facta
from the current Georgia press:
Georgia's cotton crop this year is es'
timated to be worth $2oo,0o0,O0o; cot
ton seed, $20,000,000 more.
The corn crop-which breaks even
Georgia's record-will surpass 10000
600 bushels.
These are figures, and people never
know just how to take the figures of
any kind, until they rise up and knock
them down in the way of tariffs or
charges. Then they think.
But
Listen!
bursed $5,000,000 borrowed during the
summer months to move crops. This, 1t
is said authoritatively, never existed
before.
1t has been the custom to pay up
by March or April.
Some Atlanta banks are already buy
ing Liverpool and eastern paper, all the
clearing house banks of Atlanta have
paid back every dollar of their indebt-
edness, and record is noted of only one
country bank that renewed its note.
Georgia is claiming to be the most
prosperous state in the Union.
She does not claim it because of the
enormous cotton. crop at good prices,
nor the unprecedented Corn crop,
either, but because of the quick can
ceiling of financial obligations, and
the actual purchase Of securities else
where.
This is positively undeniable and abs
solute evidence of prosperity.
1t is true Georgia was one of the orisi-
nal 13 colonies.
1t Is true that Georgia led the world
in railroad construction.
But 1t is wonderful that the money
borrowed to move crops has already been
paid
In Birmingham were not there two tele-
phone systems, and was not the Bel
service much better when the Peoples
existed?
Did not one man make a fight against
the sale of the lesser company, and was
not his object accredited by many to
cranky ideas?
Yet, did not the time speedily come
when, after the sale was consummated
the service inadequate?
Did not the Southern Bell attempt to
explain this just as the Louisville &
Nashville tried to explain to the people
by public appeals?
Yet, did not one of the commissioner
of Birmingham recently request the Ala
bama commission as well as the inter-
state commerce commission to investigate
the sale of the Peoples company?
Tc bat A1aI h, ,i.p !
sometimes before they think, and have
not some of the Birminghammers con-
cluded that two telephone companies are
better than one, even though they have
petitioned the President to withdraw suit
agaist the Steel corporation?
Wouldn't 1t make a powerful lot of diff
ference if there were two steel plant4
in Birmingham instead of one?
The telephone companies were in com.
petition. The steel plant is not in sucr
competition. 1t is the pet" of Tho
people, and o pet that it is worth while
to treat with due consideration; therefore
the petition is altogether in order.
The Louisville and Nashville, however
Is by no means either Fancy or the
steel plant
The Louisville and Nashville has plen-
ty of competition.
The Louisville and Nashville has made
public appeals to the people. !.
But
We are forced to remember Jacob and
Esau.
The Louisville and Nashville has so long
known what was good for the people
and it has really done so much that
was very much to the welfare of Ala
bama (and don't fail to remember, like
wise, the emphatic welfare of the Louis.
Vile and Nashylle), that it has not ir
Alabama believed itself to be the servant
of the people, and 1t has appealed to tho
people to agree with it, (it is almost IA
cetious) even though in Georgia the
Louisville and Nashville, being a servant
of the people. is charging / cent less for
handling passengers than tie 3-cent
rate it has fought SD hard and~long for
in Alabama.
The Southern railway and the Western
and Atlantic road parallel each other from
Atlanta to Chattanooga, and both roads
reach the two largest towns en- route.
When Alabamians come to count the
cost, therefore, of the fight which has
been waged, and when they gather to
discuss the question as it concerns the
people themselves--do they really believe
that they are going to cripple the Louis
Vile and Nashville and hamper it's opera
tions when they insist on being given
what it is giving to Georgians in Georgia
The "Atlanta Spirit is talkative spec.
tire that has travelled all over this coun-
try: and for the past few years it has
been initiated and emulated.
Why?
Because the Atlanta Spirit" is a sue.
cess. Everybody knows it,
But there must be something more thar
"get together" there must be something
more than boosting" there must bt
something more than advertising, there
| must be something more than meetings
councils. counsels, celebrations, invita-
tions, explorations, etc.
There must be backbone.
Atlanta always comes with something
| What is It?
| Nerve?
| Gall?
Hot air?
Os is It baclSbone-B-a-c-k-b-o
Yes backbone: but something else, too