The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-02-21

AS PAOSSSbSu anu tudt any SuTpluS DO ities and manufacturing plants in Al
 This declaration was made by Gov ernor Kilby in comprehensive state ment Monday afternoon outlining the position he has taken regarding the competitive bids of Henry Ford and the Alabama Power company for the lease of the Muscle Shoals develop ment.
 Governor kiIby said he could
 not favor the bid of the Alabama
 Power company because sit would
 mean the creation in Alabama of
 monopoly gigantic and
 powerful that in time to come the
 very life blood of the state and its people could he squeezed out
 nt it's will"
 He declared the acceptance of the company's proposal would be an un- speakable calamity" and that "as the representative of the people of Ala bama, l protest against this mon strous imposition that is threatened by the coupling up of all the water powers of the state in one huge monopoly. I call upon and insist that cur senators and representatives in Congress use their all and every hon Iorable means to prevent this comhina- ton, and furthermore. l protest to the Congress of the United States and to the President of the United States gainst this threatened imposition on this people"
 Wants Contract Kept
 But Governor Kilby defended the proposal of the Alabama Power com pany to take over the governments interest in the Gorgas steam plant on the Warrior river. He mentioned that there was an agreement between the government and the company whereby the company would take over the Gorgas plant when it eeas- ed to be useful to the federal gov ernment.
 T believe contracts between the government and private enterprises or corporations are just as sacred as contracts between individuals" said Governor Kilby in explaining his po- sitien regarding the Gorgas steam plant. The state of Alabama has only recently gone into the courts m an effort to maintain the terms oI contract made in good faith between the state and private corporation, If the government will not carry out it's contracts how can we expect ln- dividuals and private corporations to carry out their contracts.
 Governor Kilby said there is much good in the bid of Henry Ford and in the Alabama Power company. lie said he deplored the incorporate at titude which many persons have as- sumed during the past few days. He ! declared some persons were insisting that the development be handed over to Mir Ford without regard to the interests of the soverign state and = s-fo of present as well as coming genera tions."
 Points to Good Done He also said that opponents or the power company can See nothing good in it's past present or it's fu- ture. forgetful of the tremendous benefits the state has derived from | the development by the company or water powers that ran to waste since the beginning of time un-H the money of the company served to harness it for the use Of the state and its people"
 Closing the statement. Governor Kilby said it is critical time in the industrial life of Alabama and time | for cool heads and straight and | careful thinking. Let us continue to oppose any effort of the Alabama Power company to monopolize the states water power, but let us be fair enough to give it that which rightfully belongs to it." he con- | cluded.
 Let us support the offer of Mir. Ford, but let us insist that Mr. Ford should so amend his proposai as to make himself and his interests amendable to the laws of the na- ton and the state. MT. Ford can | work great wonders in Alabama, but l he can do it as well under the laws | of Alabama as he can without the pale of the law l want MT. Ford in | Alabama and am willing to go as far as possible to bring him here. If hc does come, I hope there will never | be a time during the one hundred years of his lease interest in Ala bama when any citizens of Alabama can accuse me. as governor, of hav- ing failed to do everything in my power to protect the interests of all the people"
 Statement in Fun
 Governor Kilby's statement re- garding Muscle Shoals follows:
 q have always thought that in any contract between the United States and Mir Henry Ford or any one else for Muscle Shoals the right of the State of Alabama in the fol- lowing particulars should be care l fully safe guarded and in no wise impaired or prejudiced, viz:
 .'l.-To tax the interest or equity of the purchaser in the leasehold or rights or in respect to the income derived from it's use.
 "2-To see that there shall never be any combination with the Alabama Power company or any other water . power company that would tend tu monopolize the supply of electric energy for utilities or industfial use in Alabama.
 "s.--To regulate the disposition within the state of any surplus en- ergy not required by the purchaser or lessee for manufacturing pur- poses, to declare the status or thS purchaser or lessee as public uti!- ity and to place such purchaser o' lessee under the supervision or the Alabama public service commission.
 .'4.-To regulate or limit the trans mission of energy outside the state of Alabama so long as there IS market for the current within the state.
 There may be difference of opir-
 ion as to how far We should go 1T insisting on these rights especially
 No. and No. f. but in my opinjcr
 the right of the state to tax private property and income and to protec . ttx