The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-10-17
SEAPORT AMENDMENT WILL CARRY
 BY BIG MAJORITY IS THE OPINION. OF DELEGATES TO CONFERENCE
Chairman Bowie Makes Clear That the Interest of the State Will Be Safeguarded. Conference Marked by Great Enthusiasm

Every section of Alabama, all DO litical factions and both of the major political parties were repre- sented at conference of workers for the Alabama seaport amendment which was held at the Southern club Monday. Reports of these men indi- cate that the amendment will carry most of the counties and will be adopted by large majority at the election of November 2. The women's work for the measure was shown to be particularly well organized.
 Sydney J. Bowie and II. K Milner, issued the call for the gathering of amendment campaigners for the pur- pose of obtaining firsthand informa- ton as 10 the progress of the educa . tional campaign that has been in progress since the middle of the sum mer Both of these chairmen pre- sided at different times during the deliberations. which continued from early in the forenoon until late Tn the afternoon, Luncheon was served at the club for all those attending the meeting.
 Welcome to visitors
 President D. E. McLendon of the city commission welcomed the visitors and expressed the interest of the city of Birmingham in the improvement of the seaport which forms the chief outlet for the growing commerce of the entire mineral region in Ala bama. The response was made by Joseph H. Lyons chairman of the committee for Mobile county and re- gently collector of the port of Mo bile.
 Presenting the subject of the con ference, Chairman Bowie called at- tention to the dual aspect of section 93. which the people are asked to amend. That feature of the section which prohibits the state from leni- ing its credit to others was com mended. It will not be changed by the seaport amendment. But that feature of the section which prohibits the state from engaging in its own works of internal Improvement for the benefit of all of it's citizens will he 80 changed as to permit the state to own and control docks and ware houses, elevators and hoists needed for the movement of freight to and from rail and water carriers.
 stnte safeEunrded
 MT Bowie explained that the leg islature and the governor, together with the state harbor commission will have supervision of all expenditures under the amendment and that Judge W. w. Brandon, governor designate has promised that not one dollar of the money will be expended until every interest of the state have been properly safeguarded The improve ments will be made at the seaport as needed, and it is not contemplated that the full s10,000,000 authorized by the act will be expended or bonds issued at once, 1t was stated
 That the money coming in to the state e-owned terminals proposed will be sufficient to care for the interest on the investment and to create q sinking fund for the retirement oi the securities is proven by the expe- rience of other state owned ports such as New Orleans and San Fran cisco, 1t was stated. It is also shown to be sufficient by the present ton mage of freight passing over the wharves at the port of Mobile. as officially reported. The declaration was made that the adoption of the seaport amendment will place no ad. ditional burden on the taxpayers that the Improvements will be en' tirely supporting.
 Greatest Harbor
 The speaker quoted Roger Babson statistician. to show that Alabama tonnage by rail and water will in- crease as the natural resources oi the state are further developed, and quoted Admiral Benson as having said that Mobile has one of the greatest natural harbors in the world, having strategic position without parallel in this country, by
 (Continued on Page Two)