The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-26

mendous sums of money for foodstufls,
forage and live stock that should all be
supplied by the farmers and stock ralsers
OF Alabama, sum in the aggregate that
is said to be over 100000 900. Two hundred
millions of dollars each year! This enor-
nous amount Of money can be and should
be paid in Alabama for the products Of
Alabama, and this is one of the showings
that the lang congress, in its plan of
cooperation with the railroads, will show
to prospective settlers.
In addition to the cheapness and fertil-
ity of Alabama lands, which cannot be
surpassed by any others on the Ameri-
can continent it Is to be presented to
thrifty farmers from the outside that Ala
bama Is taking in farm products every
year an amount that Is costing $500. .000, ,000
all of which Is brought into the state
from outside sources. 1t is thus easily
shown that no state in the union can be
In better condition from every point Of
view for an onward movement that has
for its aim and purpose the settling Of
fits idle lands than Alabama. 1t Is the
purpose of the organization of the land
congress to bring into active use the only
thing necessary to obtain this result. viz:
putting the people of Alabama resolutely
to work along intelligent, practical lines
In cooperating with the railroads of
the state, so that when these great fac
tors of development bring new settlers
here, the claims put forth for Alabama
land can be verified from one end of the
state to the other.
Settler Must Be Shown
A new settler coming to Alabama is
told that Ala abama VIII grow a certain
number of bushels of corn to the acre.
so much alfalfa, so many bales Of cot
ton, that Alabama land will grow wheat,
oranges pecans, grapefruit The stranger
In strange land inquiries of the agency
that brought him to Alabama to ''be
shown He claims that If these lands
will do all these wonderful things. some-
body would be 'doing it." Through the
medium Of demonstration farms in every
county in the state every claim made
for Alabama can thus be verified. When
the newcomer finds the truth has not
heen half told as to what land in Alabama
is possible of producing, when he finds
good reads. good schools, churches. a
climate permitting him to farm the year
round, and land to be had at prices al
most unbelievable in comparison to those
prevailing back home. he buys and is
satisfied. He writes home to his friends
they come to Alabama, look, and like
wise buy.
The land congress presents the~agency
and the medium for Just these results.
There will assemble in Birmingham on
November 8, the day prior TO the conven-
ing of the regular sessions of the con-
gress, a corps OF trained men in this very
field. They are the heads of the immgra-
tion departments of every railroad sys
tenn operating in Alabama. They are
coming to meet and confer with the pro-
gressive citizens of the state with a
view of. formulating and perfecting
practical working plan of cooperation
with the people to the end of securing
these farmers to settle on the idle lands
OF Alabama.
Powerful Factors Coming
1t has taken the management of the
land congress months and 1t has re-
quired strenuous efforts to persuade such
powerful factors of development to come
to Birmingham in a body and go over
with the people their ideas and plans
for bringing Alabama into her own The
Importance Of their coming cannot be
overestimated, and 1t is impossible to pic
ture too brightly the value of their work