The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-07-08
STORY OF MUSCLE SHOALS


 The story of Muscle Shoals, which begins in this issue of The Age-Herald, reads like a romance, especially in the earlier chapters when the first firm believers in the future of the Tennes- see Valley were showing their faith by their untiring efforts to make the river navigable it's entire length, the Shoals forming the chief obstacle to be overcome. Those first efforts fell short, the equalization was inadequate, and there was no thought of the tre- mendous energy of the current that a later generation would seek to har- ness to the varied uses to which cleo tric current and power may be adapted But for hundred years the project of conquering the river to serve commerce and industry has had it's devotees, who were not fanatics, but men of vision and hard common sense who were unfortunate only Tn that they lived in a day too early to see their project realized, and more than realized.
 The battle those pioneers fought was against conditions and the in- ertia of nation that did not under stand. The battle of this latter day, however, as shown by the succeed ing chapters, has been and is being fought against the active hostility of certain private corporations and mo- nopolies which have feared that the success of the project would curtail their own great profits. Among those who are cited as having been aggres- sively arrayed against the Ford offer : for Muscle Shoals and the industrial development of the district contem- plated therein, are the Alabama Power Company and the American Cyanamid Company, the former seek ing to monopolize the water power re- sources of this state, and the latter fearing lest the Ford plan to manu- facture commercial fertilizers, at a profit not to exceed eight per cent, would destroy their supremacy in a field that has been their own. In the case of neither corporation has the wider issue of the public welfare and the overwhelming public desire re- ceived the scantiest consideration. They would fight the public will and they would sacrifice the public well fare to their own private aggrandize- ment. How these concerns main tained Hobbies at Washington, and how they used every effort to defeat the Ford offer is indicated in these chap ,ters.
 The Age-Herald, conceiving it to be the duty of public journal to set before it's public the complete facts in every vital matter, submits this story on its merits. The facts are gleaned from reliable and official sources, and may be verified by re- search. It is believed that the offer of Henry Ford is a project of over shadowing importance to the people of the South and to the farmers of the entire nation. Where now a raging torrent flows through forest-clad chain of hills ribbed with veins of iron and coal and marble and copper and zinc and lead, the eye of the mind perceives great industrial cities to spring up as by magic along mighty stream made navigable and forced to give up it's energy to mans use by one and the same constructive ma sorry. Where one concern would take this power and distribute it widely to regions that already have fuel in one form or another, Henry Ford purposes to bring into being, within ,hcrt ra- dius of Muscle Shoals industries that do not now exist, but which the untold quantities of raw materials call for in strong crescendo. He purposes to turn out fertilizer at a cost lower than now prevails and in quantity suffi- cient to have its effect upon all fer 'tilizer prices. He would free us from the yoke of dependence on outside sources and foreign trust for our ,nitrates. If that i;: not his own i'm mediate primary pucfCse, it is at least the inevitable result of his projected operations. The people of the South owe it to their own lasting prosperity to cherish their united sentiment in favor of the Ford offer, and to urge upon congress more earnestly and forcibly than ever the just claims upon its favorable consideration of this magnificent enterprise. The complete story of Muscle Shoals will show them added reason why this is So.
 LATIN NAMERICAN INESS