The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-07-24
For the Coed OF
the Cor 1nu 1ity


wealth, more industry, more labor ard
more capital invested in industry in Biz
minghan and the Birmingham district
than in the balance Of the state
The Birmingham district pays at least
one-thrd OF the total state revenues; fur
nishes greater tonnage for the railroads
than all the rest Of the state, and more peo-
pie travel to and from Birmingham than
all the other cities in the state.
Birmingham is still in the developing
stage. Less than forty years ago the first
pig iron furnace was built in the Birming-
ham district. Forty years ago less than
100000 tons Of coal was mined in a year
There were no foundries cast iron or soil
pipe plants no rolling mills no steel mills
There we're only two railroads touching
the district
Far-sighted and venturesome men in
vested their money and put their energy
to the task of developing the mineral re-
sources of the district. 1t was an expert
ment. 1t was known that iron and coal and
limestone were hidden in the ground, but
it was as well known that large capital
would be required to develop it.
The coal and iron were known to be in
ferior to the ores of Pennsylvania and to
the Goals of Pennsylvania and Ohio. TWAS
not believed that steel could be made of
Alabama iron.
1t was proved in after years that Ala
banna pig iron could be made into steel of a
good quality, but the quality of the iron
ore and the coal could not be improved
Cheap labor and low transportation cost
enabled the Alabama operators to meet
o4x oe4 ~, y
west. AS long as these conditions obtained
the Alabama coal operator and iron maker
could keep his plants going.
Conditions are changed now. The Ala
bana coal operator and the Alabama iron
maker pays the same wages today that the
PENNSYLVANIA, Indiana, Ohio and Illinois
coal operator and iron maker pays. The
Alabama producer is compelled to compete
with the Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and
Illinois producer in territory near the
plants Of the latter.
The transportation cost is we'll nigh pro-
hibitive to the Alabama operator. The
best labor has been taken away from Ala
hama and is now working for the northern
competitor Alabama must pay green or
inexperienced labor the same wage trained
and skilled labor gets at the northern fur
mace, mill and mine. It is serious han
dicap
AS said BEFORE Birmingham is the best asset
Alabama has. If Birmingham industry is killed
the state will suffer setback that century will
not reverse. Destroy the coal and iron industry
in Birmingham today and it may never recover.
Hamper it with unjust and burdensome legislation
and it will be at the mercy of other districts or
communities that are not so hampered or re-
stricted.
The tonnage tax on coal and iron and the in
come and excess profits tax will seriously cripple
not only the coal and iron industry, but all other
industries in the Birmingham district and
throughout the state. 1t will impose tax that,
under existing conditions, must be passed on to
the consumer. Every home, every factory and
mill and every transportation company in the state
will have to bear it's share of this tax. 1t will in
crease the expense of operations and this cost will
be added to the selling price of the products of the
mills and the factories and to the charge of haul
ing them. The consumer eventually will have to
pay the bill.
That is, the consumer will pay the tax unless he
finds it cheaper to buy the products of mills and
factories located outside the state and that is like
ly to be the result if this tax is imposed.
That will mean in the final ANALYSIS that Ala