The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-07-01
BIRMINGHAM REAL CENTER OF SOUTH'S METHODIST FORCES Over 40 Per Cent of Total Membership Lives in 300
 Mile Radius
GROWTH IN NORTH
 ALABAMA FASTEST
Dr. J. $. Chadwick Advances Impor tant Reasons Why Birmingham Should Make Vigorous
 Fight for University
To the Editor of The Age-Herald;

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
 As one who has spent the greater pagt of his life in Alabama, and for sometime immediately preceding my removal to Nashville as a resident of Birmingham I have been following with interest ths news of the campaign for the Metl university to he located east of the M sissippi. Birmingham Is showing con mendabie enterprise in it's efforts td sd cure this institution of learning, and am gratified that the people of the cit. which l still think of as home arc thor oughly aroused to the importance of s, curing the new university.
 Birmingham has certain advantages a location for the university that no othe city in the south possesses. None ca doubt that it will be the center of th largest white population in the low south-its resources and it's wonderf growth during the past 20 years guarant that. Draw a circle with radius of ; niles with Birmingham as It's center, aa there are S50,000 members of the Methods Episcopal church, south within that te ritory-more than 40 per cent of the tot membership of the church. It has Methodist population within easy res from which to draw patronage and sl port. It is located in the territory of conference-north Alabama--which shown the largest growth during the l
 70 years of any in the southern Me dist church. It has in the Blrming college property an ideal situation great university All of these advant ,sei strengthen Birmingham's claim a ths place for the Methodist university.
 The benefits accruing to BirminghaNn in securing such an institution can scarce- ly be overestimated. These have beef mentioned already by men of your clf and from other sections of the count' Such an institution should bring to city of it's location at least 1000 studs annually. representing an expenditur $500 000 or more. It would add to permanent population a large numbe people connected as teachers or in capacities with the nstitution-a olas people who make desirable citizens h builders. and people who will add more to the real wealth of your city it's progress than would be represente their financial Investments.
 The location of Vanderbilt universit Nashville has brought to this city Il number of families from other sectior the country They have come here to cate their children and because the yersity location here offered other ducements. These also have represe a desirable class of citizens, and have tributed much to the city's material ? resS.
 great university in your city will to your people thousands of dollars nually now spent in the sending of mingham boys and girls to schools other parts of the country. The end ment funds of the institution will be vested largely in the city and state which 1t Is located. Real estate val as fn the case of Nashville. will be creased for a considerable territory wi reach of the university One would be within the truth to say that Birming would receive annually from the loca of such a school within It's territor' large financial return as Is asked city to help secure the new inst hope to see the $l,000.000 at leas during the campaign now on. M stake and Birmingham cannot fail. J. S. CHADN
 Associate Editor Christian Az
 Nashville, June 29 1914 ~