The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-13
COMMERCE BOARD. ID BACK FARMERS. WITH COOPERATION.
Systems In Other States Dis cussed at the Luncheon Yesterday-CaIifornia
 Methods as Example
By II. F. JoHNoN

AAClP bilS 1dl lllSl llidl hCI hlS JlOd- sucts advahtageously," was the slo- gan of the Chamber of Commerce weekly luncheon, held Monday after noon in the dining room of the Southern club with Morris Bush, di- rector, as host.
 Mir. Bush sounded this slogan in shis opening remarks. Speaking Of the wonderful Pacific west where he has been recently, he said:
 "rhcre are fots of vim and
 progressiveness out that way
 which we might transplant in
 part to our advantage. espe-
 ciaIIy observed that the CaIifor-
 mia schools have ten months
 terms, that the teachers get the
 beat average salaries and that s their salaries are for twelve
 months. These people out there
 saa themselves to the limit for
 schools--tan themselves in q why
 thnt would make HIS cry for
 mercy.
 Back of the intelligence issuing from the very best schools is the de- kelopment of the/spirit of co-opera- . ten. They were forced to cooperate out there. One man could not have brought the water with Which to ir- flgate lands from the mountains more than hundred miles away, Necessity taught them co-operation fnI wonderfully.
 Alabama Problem
 our problem in Alabama is to pay more attention to the marke ting end of our products. In California that has become an art from long practice. A Sunkist orange is aI- ways up to grade. Their co-oper- ativa associations allow no depar- ture from the fixed and uniform clas- sificaticns.
 We have three times the natural advantages of the Pacific west. What they have done with oranges, apples. walnuts. we can do with the sweet potato. The operative California ia societies have their agents in all the large eenters of the country and they promote consumption of their offer lngs by systematic and well-pIanned advertising campaigns. California is handmade and man made. Co., operative 'action in promoting the marketing of our products will bring us more wealth that the Westerners have dreamed of"
 ThIs became the keynote of the luncheon. R. A. Porter. president of the Chamber of Commerce, laid uoWn the principle that the founda- tion mad been laid and that the duty oi men now at the helm was to keep the work going. He declared the organization had always thought and acted for Birmingham's welfare and that it's army of 2,2o0 members could accomplish wonders pulling together.
 General manager Bum called at- tention to the different departments mat the chamber had established With view of declaring a dividend to every calling and every member.
 Encourage Local Growers
 John Il. Frye. president of the traders National bank, who gave several years to an earnest effort to bring country and city people to- gether for the advancement of agri- cultural effort and sale of agrjcul- tural products. spoke of the vitality or encouraging local production bv encouraging sale of local products in birmingham. It seemed folly. indeed ne said, to pay high freight rates on products brought in here from as fa r off as Maine when they could ba raised in Alabama and the Aiabams product sold here.
 k. A. Brown, president of the State fair association, made an appeal for support Of the Coming fair next lnontn. The profits of this institution ko oack into improvements, not into the pockets of the investors It Is supported naifher hxy eta county. but operates on it's own Bfr- mingham pluck and vim. It has added tract of 45 acres and. in time, intends that the entire do- main shall be made city park for the daily recreation of the Birming- ham people.
 Robert Jemison. Jr., backed up the claims of the state fair and showed how 1t was really a Birmingham in- stltution. He pictured the time when T would be a great recreation ground for the people every week in the year instead of being one for only two weeks in the fall.
 Cost of Living
 Dr. Frank Willis Barnett spoke of the produce markets in ChattanooRa, Knoxville and Rome. Ga, which he recently visited with Calhoun county farmers He went Into these mar kets. saw the stuff for himself and rriced the offerings. He said:
 want to say here and now that the produce market of our truckers on Morris avenue has the celebrated Knoxville municipal market beat in variety of products. beat in the man. ner In which they are broughx to market and beat in prices. T,,.A u a cold blooded fact.
 tex in Birmingham than other places. Go to these other places, visit their markets ard you will get rid of that wrong impression"
 The luncheon considerably sad- vanced the slogan of helping the