The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-10-28
For Good of the
 Community

A ble into a statue of otherwise per feet proportions and mar 1t in the com pletion by leaving off an ear or failing to carve out the nose.
 Alabama has made this big year thus far; year of big achievements and of big-mindedness. It does not propose to let down with the falling leaves and spoil the almost completed record with failure.
 That is why the seaport and the county river port amendments are going to re- ceive the same majority next Tuesday as was accorded the highway amendment in the second month of the year. The same people who voted highway independence will vote transportation independence from another standpoint next week A people like those of Alabama may be slow in putting their hands to the blow, but they do not withdraw the hand once it is placed
 The year was ushered in with the com pletion of the first of the all-Alabama steel ships, the Chickasaw City leaving the ways December 29, 1919.
 In February we voted the highway measures. It was not long before the three big new by-product plants came into operation and added to the dominance of Alabama in the production of iron and steel
 The legislature threw the arm of pro- tection about the money of the people by placing wall between them and the wildcat security vendor. Arrangement was made for the eventual elimination of the convict lease system. A real sheep in- dustry was enabled by the enactment of a real sheep protection law
 Then came the call on the people of the state for honest tax valuations and assess ments. There was some demur at first, but we wound up by being right manful about 1t and consenting to bear our pro- portion of the common burden.
 As the year grew older Congress finally gave us law that will allow the water power of the streams of the nation to be harnessed for the service of the people, The Alabama company can now go ahead with it's new dam projects and is al- ready increasing it's power at lock 12.
 The big Wilson dam at Muscle Shoals has assumed shape this year. Before very long 300,000 horse power of electricity will be generated there for the industries and homes of Alabama and the Tennes- see river will be navigable from Chatta- nooga to the Mississippi.
 We have built Port of Birmingham this year and we are letting contracts for coal bins and terminals at> Cordova We are about to get the big coal terminal at Mo- bile. The first of the craft built especially for the Warrior service is steaming south to enter that service.
 We completed the plate mills at Fair field and the pressed steel car works, it's sister plant, is headed to completion.
 No sooner had eastern parties pur- chased the Jefferson County Bank build ing for $1,5O0,000 than other parties knowing where good investments are purchased the Empire building.
 The sanitary pipe shops of Alabama doubled In number and capacity during the year. Building permits, bank de- posits, iron and steel manufacture and in- vestment in new corporate enterprises made new high records.
 There has come to the people of Ala bama splendid realization of their strength to heW out their own destiny They have come to rely on themselves and out of this reliance spirit of magnificent optimism has fisen
 This year of big attainment and biz Of