The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-25
ADOPTION OF RIVER
 AMENDMENT URGED
Judge Fort States Amendment Would UnshackIe Resources
 of the County

Calling upon the voters of Alabama to
 ond amendment known as the county
 river amendment, Judge William E. Fort. state campaign manager, pointed out the advantages which would accrue from it's adoption.
 The 20 per cent saving in freight rates
 which the government has granted on all traffic moving by the river or by the river and a railroad will be of advantage
 not only to the people of Jefferson coun- ty, but to all the people of the state. he declared.
 Since the only purpose of the amend
 ment is to allow Jefferson county the right of local self government in the mat ter of providing proper terminals and transportation facilities at the river, Judge Fort states that every voter in the state should cast his ballot for the
 adoption of the amendment.
 Ut is of vital importance to the BIT mingham district and to the development of river transportation in Alabama that the people of Alabama remember to vote
 Yes on Amendment No. 2 at the general election November 2" declared Judge Fort.
 At the instance of pubIic-spirited and progressive members of the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Birmingham Civic Associa tion, several years ago, union of forces for the development of river traffic on the Warrior river was | made effective through a joint commit- tee of distinguished citizens. { ADEQUATE TERMINALS This comnitte was joined by patri- otic business men. of Tuscaloosa and Mo- bile counties, and thus was secured fed eral aid in the nature of freight barges and equipment. Federal aid was secured on condition that adequate terminals should be erected at Birmingham Port and today we have terminals at that point, adequate for immediate needs, and tour merchants and manufacturers are shipping their goods down the Warrior and Tombigbee river to Mobile.
 1. "Constitutional Amendment No. will Famend our state constitution so as to all | low the credit and resources of Jefferson county to be loaned for improvement de- l lvelopment and ownership of these svs | rior river terminals. Should the same
 prove necessary in future, to secure in- creased traffic and benefits for our peo- ! pie.
 l "The adoption of this amendment sim .ply unshackles the resources of Jefferson county so as to enable the people of that
 county, by subsequent popular vote to engage in and support this necessary work of internal improvement. Not one I cent of tax is levied upon the people by 1 the passage of this amendment; it's pass age merely enables the people of Jeffer-
 son county in future to protect their own
 manifest interest and prevent these river terminals from falling into the hands ot selfish interests, which could thereby
 throttle this great enterprise.
 The power is given to the people to protect themselves, and to forward the 1 interest, not only of the Birmingham dis I ltrict, but of all counties and territory contiguous to the Warrior and Tombigbee irivers from Birmingham to Mopne.
 | RIVER RATES
 -'The people of the state at large are thus given the immense advantage of iriver rafes,~ estimated to be at least z per cent lower than by rail, and not one Icent is asked of other counties now or ir the future. Jefferson county simply lwants to be set free to protect its own Interests in this great enterprise for the public good; and not cent can ever |be expended from the resources of Jef- ferSon county nor the county eTeuil eA- jcept after favorable vote of the pople of that county at future election.
 "If there be any fear of the result o' amending the constitution in this par I ticular, it should be remembered that the provision in our state constitution pro lhibiting the counties of the state from engaging in works of internal improve lment was enacted in the constitution of 1875 in order to prevent earpetbag ad- lventurers from footing the treasuries o1 lthe several counties as they die in re construction times; and that danger has Hong since past.
 Alabama has grown rapidly in manu fracture, industry and commerce. She l needs to develop by leaps and bounds; and no county should longer be forbidden tt vote credit and resources to works of in ternal improvement.
 Pass this amendment and watch Ala Ibama grow in prosperity and human wei. fare. Every citizen of the state should
 lwork to make the vote unanimous,'