The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-10-24
Board Holds First Hearing
on Southern Tour at
Richmond
CRAWFORD JOHNSON
MEETS THE MEMBERS
Birmingham Man Losing No Oppor-
tunity to Tell About Advantages Of
Alabama Metropolis-Wan In
formation on Farm Conditions
By HUGH w. ROBERTS

by mum W. RObEitIs
Richmond, October . Especially AT
the conclusion Of day of argument and
patriotic addresses. it is apparent that
Virginia has little opportunity to acquire
one of the y farm loan banks.
The applicant cities are Norfolk and
Petersburg. Richmond with its appetite
for new financial institutions somewhat
cloyed through the possession of a fed
eraI reserve bank, is opposing, not for IT.
self but in the interest of Raleigh, n. c.,
the effort Of both its sister cities.
BALTIMORE FAVORED
The district for which the virginians
are striving will in material degree be
realizd but Baltimore, instead of Pc
tersburg, will in all probability be chosen
for the bank city. Virginians argued to-
day that this state should be included in
a district composed OF Delaware, Mary
land. Virginia North Carolina and south
Carolina, If the board has tentatively
agreed. as is reported, that Baltimore
shall have a bank. the argument OF the
virginians must have been satisfying To
the members and to the citizens of Biz
rningham, who are working in the inter-
est of that metropolis Crawford johnson
of birmingham reached Richmond this
morning and shortly thereafter was pre-
scented to George ". Norris. chairman
and other members OF the board He
spoke of the interest Alabamians are dls-
playing both in the fight to ACQUIRE a
bank. and to utilize for the benefit Of the
farmers the farm loan act. Chairman
Norris was gratified and with apparent
regret stated the fact that only two mem
bers OF the board viii go to birmingham
WANT KNOWLEDGE OF FARMS
AS previously reported. Secretary Me
Adoo and Mr. quick ate engaged In can't
paigning for the national ticket Ar
I.obdell, on account of the marriage g
a daughter viii return east after has
1 ing visited d#essons7les
From the situatiui as 6sec'cpcd toaa ri
I ii is apparent that the board is Interested
solely in acquiring knowledge OF farm ltiS
in the southern states. II is patient dur
ing time consumed by patriots in pre-
senting claims of applicant cities, patient
hut not at all interested. The beara.
through it's demeanor, indicates that tho
proposed districts are already tentatiyeit
arranged, or VIII be selected from data
ACQUIRED as to farming conditions and
from facts presented in the form Of
briefs.
TESTIMONY OF REAL FARMERS
| AS none of the members are familiar
with conditions in the south, they are an
aeeplv interested in the relations exist
ing between the white and the negro
! farmer. They do not hesitat to declare
that it is their hope to benefit not oniy
| the white. but the black man. They are
! also deeply interested in testimony OF
I farmers farm demonstrators. members
of farmers unions, corn club boys, negro
educators, tenants ana landlords They
want statistics of the per acre indebter-
! ness of the state and the per capita IN
debtedness of land owners and tenants.
! The principal address today was deiiv-
cred by former Governor w II. Mann
| He won instant favor as result OF his
knowledge of the provisions of the farm
loan act. Having thus got in good stand
inc. he proceeded to make most telling
speech to the advantage OF his state, both
las concerns it's history and productivity
and the character OF It's PEOPLE.