The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-09
Well Known Engineer Gives Exhaustive Discussion of
 the Situation
GIVES OUT LETTER
 TO GOV. HENDERSON
States That Power Company Will Corrupt Politics of the State for the Next Hundred Years. What Is Wrong With
 Alabama?

Martin J. Lide, we'll known con
 suiting engineer of this city, yes-
 terday made public letter he has
 written to Governor Charles Hem
 derson pleading that the great
 natural resources of Alabama be
 kept out of the hands of private
 corporations.
 MT. Lidc writes in particular
 with reference to the activities in
 this state of the Alabama Power
 company. and especially that com
 pans's efforts to secure control of
 Muscle shoals. He pictures the
 many alleged injurious results to
 Alabama, politically, industrially,
 financially and in many other ways
 if the present policy of the state
 government regarding private
 owned corporations Is not changed.
 His letter in full Is as follows,
 MT. Lide's Letter
 Birmingham, Ala. August :, 1915. To His Excellency, the Governor ot
 Alabama, and to the Members of the
 State Legislature, Montgomery, Ala
 Gentlemen: l am writing you as an engineer. and as a citizen of the state of Alabama, deeply interested in the future progress of this state, relative water power by the Alabama Power company. In view of the activities o1 this corporation in presenting its case before the legislature within the las1 few days, l cannot longer remain quiet; I feel that it will be false tt my obligations as a citizen if I do moi present to you the other side of tho question. a side, possibly. with whicf you are unfamiliar.
 First of all let me call your atten tion to the progress made by our state Admitted to the union nearly 100 year, ago, she stands third from the bottom today in education, and near the bot tom in wealth per capita and in an nual wealth production per capita, anC this in a state blessed with more natu ral resources in minerals, fertility O soil, diversification of crops, rivers ant water powers, than nearly any stat in the union.
 Evidently something is wrong in tn administration of affairs, and to mel of clear perspective the causes ar very plain; namely, poverty on tn part of the state government, and al excess of the English individualisti Of f1t h ca1f wi the state assuming little responsibilit, fer the social and economic progres of its citizenship.
 The four great needs of the state O Alabama at the present time are a follows: First. education; second scientific intensive farming; third, system of rural credits; fourth, goo roads.
 None of these things is compatibl with an empty state treasury. If tn state Is to progress, it must have tn revenue with which to look after tn social and economic welfare of it's citi zenship. When every man is left t take care of himself social and eco homie stagnation of the masses Is tn logical and inevitable result.
 Additional Revenue
 Now, there are two means of secur ing additional revenue: namely, first by revision of the system of taxa ton, and second, by the state owner ship and control of it's available natu raj resources.
 The additional source of revenu you are now taking measures t improve. While, no doubt, the sys tenn which has been proposed will b an improvement over present condi tlons, and is possibly as good as an constitutional system which can be de vised, this equalization of taxation will judging from the experience of neigh boring states, bring nothing like tn revenue necessary to promote tn progress which the people of Alabam should secure.
 If this state Is to make materis progress in education and wealth pc capita, an additional source of revenu for the state must be found, and thi bring a revenue of from s3,000.00 ownership of its remaining water pow CTS.
 Let me make a brief sketch, a per spective, of the political situation i the state of Alabama today. Here Is a state with an empty treas ury, standing in pressing need of fund for the education and progress of ii citizenship Within the boundaries ( this state is water power which properly developed by the state shoul bring a revenue of from s3.o00, ,o00, ,00 70 s5,00o.000 per year into its treasur. Here Is powerful corporation exercfs ing all the political power at its con hand, in an endeavor to secure contrt of that water power On this sam