The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-04-29
COOLIDGE EXPLAINS
Quotes Congressional Message To Prove
 His Denial

His Denial
 WASHINGTON, April 2S.-Cate- gorical denial was made by President Coolidge in statement today that he twas trying to deliver Muscle Shoals to Mir. Ford or to any one else.
 The President in his statement said that he did not think "Mr. Ford's favor was for sale," and that the question of disposition of Muscle Shoals. ought to be decided on it's merits.
 The Presidents statement was is- sued after a telegram sent by J. Mar tin Miller, a Ford. representative here, to Ford representatives in Michigan, had been produced at the Senate Mus cle Shoals hearing.
 This telegram quoted the President as saving last October he was trying to deliver the Muscle Shoals properties to Ford.
 The Message
 :. The Presidents statement said:
 My position on Muscle Shoals is fully stated in my message to the Con- gress delivered on December 6, where said
 !" The government is undertaking to develop great water power project known as Muscle Shoals, on which 1t has expended many million dollars. The work is still going on. Subject to the right to retake in time of war, rec ommend that this property with ioca- tion for auxiliary steam plant and rights of way be sold. This would end the present burden of expense and should return to the treasury the lar gest price possible to secure.
 Pleads For Farms
 "'While the price is an important element there is another consideration even more compelling. The agriculture of the natio nneeds a greater supply and lower cost of fertilizer. This is now imported in large quantities. The beest information can secure indicates that present methods of power pro- duction would not be able profitably to meet the price at which these im- ports can be sold. To obtain supply from this water power would require long and costly experimentation to per feet a. process for cheap production. Otherwise our purpose would fail com pletely. It seems desirable, therefore, in order to protect and promote Nthe public welfare, to have adequate eoy- chants that such experimentation be made and carried on to success.
 '.'The great advantage of low price nitrates must be secured for the direct benefit of the farmers and the indirect benefit of the public in time of peace and of the government in time of war. If this main object be accomplished, the amount of money received for the property is not a primary or major consideration.
 "sSuch n solution will involve com plicated negotiations and there IS no authority for that purpose. l, therefore, recommend that the Congress appoint small joint committee to consider office, conduct negotiations, and report definite recommendations.'
 Wanted Fair Show
 From the position of this message I have never departed. I have never said I was trying to deliver Muscle Shoals to Mir. Ford or to any one else I do not believe this favor is for sale wanted him to have this proposal fairly considered just as wanted any other proposals fairly considered. My mind was made up when Mir. Ford called on me on December 5 and at that time my message was already written and had been sent to the press for five days. My message went out No vember 28, five days before Mir. Ford came to see me. I expected there would be other bids and wanted all of them considered on their merit.
 ''This question ought to be decided on it's merits. have no other method of dealing with it. The Congress should have none."