The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-22
CAPITALIZING OUR RESOURCES

In calling attention to the importance to the people of Alabama of capitalizing their sources of wealth, the Alabama Traveller enumerates a number of ways whereby this can be done if Alabamians realized what this state possesses in nat ural resources and in things easily capa- ble of being turned into finished prod ucts. Our contemporary says that we grow cotton, ship it to New England and buy it back in the shape of calico and other cotton goods; that we ship our lum- Der out of the state and buy it back in the shape of furniture; that we send away much of our iron and steel and buy it back in the form of finished prod ucts; that we raise food stuff, ship It away and buy it back as canned goods; that we sell poultry and livestock to peddlers and buy them back through cold storage routes. And so on through long list of products which could and should be turned into finished products in Alabama to keep millions of dollars at home instead of enriching other states at our expense.
 The Traveller wants to know why we do it. One reason is that the people of Alabama do not appreciate their re- sources and fail to recognize their oppor- tunities. We are sending elsewhere for what should be manufactured in this state much cheaper, not to speak of ad- ditional transportation rates. It has been said that there is available within few miles of Birmingham enough pulp-wood to supply the newspapers of Alabama with paper for many years at much lower rates than they are paying, and at great saving in freight charges. Yet there is no paper mill in Alabama SUD- plying newsprint. Another opportunity overlooked.
 The people of Alabama owe it to them selves to work more effectively for the development of Alabama's resources. For example, with every opportunity for producing poultry, eggs and dairy products to supply the home markets, millions of dollars worth of these prod ucts are shipped into Alabama from dis tant states at higher cost than they can be produced at home. Such practices are playing directly into the hands of out siders and depriving our own people ot what they are entitled to. Alabama IS making many other states rich under such system.
 It is a lesson not only in producing, but in buying, at home. It means con- stant drain both on the resources ana on the finances of Alabama. The millions of dollars which go out of Alabama TOT products which could be. produced and marketed in this state would go long way towards providing Alabama with an efficient system of public schools, and thereby not only increase Alabamas standards of efficiency, but awaken the people of this state to their opportunities for industrial, commercial and agricul- tural development. The greatest need for Alabama is full appreciation by It's neople of it's resources and their capacity for development.
 Fortunately, it is not necessary to leave this subject with the inference that Alabama is entirely oblivious to these beckoning facts. Alabama is beglnnlng to develop cooperative poultry produc- ton. It is seeing the establishment of new plants, not only to fabricate iron and steel, but also to turn rocks into ce- ment, cotton into cloth, coal into its
 ...o~o,,s art;cIas of commerce, and the utilization of our resources to. better local advantage. The process is towards a betterment. The wise policy is to ac- celerate that process