The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23
II. ]. R..
JOHN PURIFOY,
 Secretary of State.

No. esi) (H. J. R. 25o. Johnston of Madison Whereas, tho navigation improve ment of the Tennessee river by the United States Is now in the last stages of completion between Muscle Shoals and the Ohio river; and,
 Whereas the inadequate canal plan for the navigation Improvement of the Muscle Shoals stretch of the Tennes- see river was begun by the federal government more than S5 years ago. | this improvement costing in oonstruc- tion more than s3,000.000 and In cost of operation and maintenance more than $I.500,000. and the yearly cost of the operation and care of this canal being in excess of s50,0o0 per annum ; and
 Whereas the United States engi- neers. after nearly eight years of study and investigation, have recommended to Congress new plan at Muscle Shoals for the joint improvement of navigation and development of water power on a very large scale. as shown on document No. 20, 63d Congress: and,
 Whereas. this new project for navi gation improvement and development of water power as recommended by the government engineers will not only practically complete the navigation improvement of the Tennessee river from the Ohio river to the upper stretches of the Tennessee, but will also develop power on such large scale as to make 1t possible to operate great factories for the fiXation of the nitro sen of the atmosphere as a fertilizer, and for the manufacture of explosives, and thus make the United States no longer wholly dependent, as at pres ent. upon the country of Chile for so- alum nitrate, or Chilian salt petre. nec- essary for the manufacture of explo- sives and for fertilizers; and.
 Whereas. the United States should not longer be dependent for it's nitro gen supply upon any foreign country but should produce it's own nitrogen supply by the conservation and utiliza- tion of the water powers now going to waste in the navigable streams of the country.
 Therefore by this joint resolution be it resolved by the legislature of the state of Alabama
 IL. That the adoption by Congress of the Muscle Shoals project as recom- mended by the government engineers is matter of national concern and one directly affecting the question of preparedness and national defense
 7. That the fixation of the nitrogen of the atmosphere as a fertilizer to meet the needs of the farmers of the country and especially the southern farmers. who are the greatest buyers of fertilizers in the nation. and whose fertilizer bills are now annually near ly YlOO,OOO,O0O. Is matter of national interest and importance equal to the national interest and economic import ance of the great irrigation projects in the states of the arid west. which prof ects have received assistance from the federal government in excess of $116.- O00. .0OO
 B. That recent successful scientific achievements have n1arpd af posal of agriculture in this country chemical compounds which allow the production of a complete or universai fertilizer. With cheap water power, these scientific discoveries promise to revolutionize our present system of fertilization.
 {. With cheap water power, the inn portance of these scientific achieve ments. and their effects upon the cot ton and food crops of the country, and upon the question of national defense and the pre- paredness of the United states in times of war, are so far reaching and of such unusual national interest at the preesnt time tbat the adoption of the Muscle Shoals project hv Congress. and it's encouragement by the President and the Secretary of War can be regarded as no less than d pa triotic duty
 5. That the president of the senate
  septatives shall apnont 2 ioipt com i, mittee of five members from the sen ate and five members from the house |, of representatives. as a joint legislst- tive committee and the president of the senate and the speaker of the ' house shall be each a memebr of these | respective committees and the eover- nor of the state shall be the ex off, | cto chairman of these committees, and {; also that the governor of the state Is hereby requested to select and appoint ! i3 representative citizens. from the | state of Alabama. not members of this | legislature, to join the legislative | hereby created. and with out expense to the state. these legis- lstive committees and citizens com mIttee are requested by the legisla- lure of the state to visit Washington during the carly days of th,. first ses- sion of Congress assembling in De cs mber. and present copy of these resolutions to the President of the