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NOW IS TIME TO TAKE ADVANTAGE _ .Underwood and Bankhead Both Point Out the Great Opportunity Offered STORY OF THE LONG . ESTATE AT CORDOVA How the Rev. Thomas Greene Is Re garded as the Father of Real Slackwater Navigation on j the Warrior By Htf.H W. RORKRT* Tuscaloosa. May 14.—(Special.)—Will the people of Alabama take advantage of the opportunity offered them in an open War rior? Senator Underwood, in his address yes terday, pdintod out the fact that the river, improved at great expense on the f part of the government, was not neces sarily a blessing, but simply an oppor tunity. Senator Bankhead, in an Inter view today, urged the people to taxe a«* Aajitage of the opportunity. Will they do so? * v “Tuscaloosa,” said the senator, “is pre paring to strike the first blow. I am informed that there is agitation on foot now in preparation for an election au thorizing the issuance of bonds for the ' purpose of constructing a municipal wharf. “At the present time, it costs more to unload a cargo at Tuscaloosa than >t costs to bring the cargo over water from Mobile. “It is wise, therefore, that Tuscaloosa get busy towards building a wharf. U V behooves Birmingham, too, to get busy. Is Birmingham to profit from an open Warrior? "The Magic City has grown almost in a day. Its triumph has been wonderful. And yet it has been handicapped througn lack of water transportation. The War rior presents to Birmingham a magnifU cent opportunity. Nature has decreed that the Warrior cannot run to Birming ham. Birmingham, like Mahomet, should run to the Warrior. * “Let Birmingham construct or buy a municipal railroad and operate it not for profit, but for the weal of the people. Bet that railroad bear freight to the Warrior at water rates, at cost. And then will the products of Birmingham he offered to the world cheaper than the products of any other city. “Bet Birmingham get wide-awake right now. A municipal railroad can be con structed for $500,000. 'It would pay for itself within a reasonable length of time, and Birmingham, In procuring innumer able industries will become known a? the center of diversified manufacturing plants, as well as the scinlilating star in the iron and steel belt of the south. Vision of Long In connection with the improvement nl the Warrior river and the plan of Tus caloosa to construct municipal wharfs, n remarkable story is related by residents of Walker county illustrating the fore sight of the father of the Bongs. Just before the outbreak of the civ! war, B. M. Bong was a farmer of souUi Georgia. When the strife clouds gathered, he realized that it would be practically impossible for the south to gain the vic tory. He realized, too, that whereas ;i triumphant north would confiscate ne groes, it would scarcely confiscate land. Therefore, he sold his negroes, and with a deal of ready cash, moved westward. In Walker county, he stopped. The land was fertile, the forests deep and Jnpenetrable, and the river which flowed by significant of innumerable possibilities. Therefore, he bought up * a large acreage of property, and gave to the settlement the name Cordova, a Spanish word, with which he had be come familiar as a result of his ex ploits in the Mexican war. The conclusion of the civil war brought about results in accordance with the belief of Mr. Bong. Negroes were freed, but the southerner was permitted to retain ownership of his land. As time passed, Mr. Bong's prop . erty increased in value until some * years before his death he was rated as a very wealthy man. And now cornea the remarkable part of the story. A short while previous to his death, he determined to sell that property which borders on and for many miles extends along the War rior river. did sell that property with the. exception of a tract on the l bank 300 yards in depth and half a mile j in length. That tract Is still the property of the Bong estate. Why, one might de sire to know', did he retain owner ship of this fraction and part with the other sections of that valuable property? In the first place, he sold because he was offered a splendid price. He retained ownership of the little tract above described because he knew that the Warrior river, in some future years, would be opened to the traffic of the world, and that Cordova, when it became necessary for it to construct a municipal wharf, would of necessity construct it on that tract. The Warrior is open to navigation ■ - —this style 1273 pleases the young fellow i I *•' ix - -.v;. .7?.. • ... « 1 SOME SNAPSHOTS ON EXCURSION TO OPENING OF LOCK 17 Everyone who went on the Lock 17 excursion Thursday returned delighted with the outing as well as amazed at the magnitude of the proj ect and its importance. The novelty of steamboats so near to Birmingham im pressed all. Snapshots taken on the boat and reproduced here show: Top, left to right, J. W. Donnelly, M. P. Mes ser, Wallace Johns, J. H. Tinder, W. D. Stead. Bot tom : W. P. G. Harding, with nothing but the core of his apple left; Crawford John son and W. C. Radcliffe. Cordova will eventually construct a wharf. And it will be constructed of necessity on the property of the Bong estate, and thus will be exemplified the wisdom and prophetic vision of the pater familias. “Stack Water” Greene However, it * very often happens that a man with a vision is often reviled and ridiculed by the people among whom he lives. For instance, take the case of the Rev. Thomas Greene. Tears ago, lie lived in Tuscaloosa, and dreamed of a Warrior, its natural im pediments eliminated by the science of man. It is a matter of common knowl- I edge among the older residents of Tuscaloosa, that the Rev. Mr. Greene, who, incidentally, was tlie father ol' Miss Frances Nimo Greene, and the uncle of the Earles, well known in Birmingham, was generally referred to as “Slack Water” Greene. Maugre the ridicule of his neighbors, Mr. Greene worked faithfully on his scheme, and eventually induced The na tional government to permit him in a period of 10 years to construct dams on the Warrior with the understanding that in the event of his success he would have certain rights of navigation and power generation. Mr. Greene, without capital himself, went abroad searching capital. Finally, he interested an eastern firm, and it was arranged that in view of a loan of $«n0.000 the uromoter would mortgage hi the sum of $1,000,000 the en terprise that would be his in the event of the success of the scheme. The firm sent to Tuscaloosa its agents and in their hands was the money. These agents, after investigating the river anil studying the plan of Mr. Greene, decid ed that the entire proposition was ridicu lous, nothing more, as a matter of fact, than the stuff out of which dreams are made. These w!fp representatives of the eastern firm determined to appropriate through three years the S-'lgO.OsK) for their oWn salaries. This was done. At the conclusion of the three years, the federal government, in view of the fact that no progress had been made through a speci fied length of time, withdrew from its bargain with Mr. Greene, and he died a disappointed man. However, the fact remains that he of all ids fellows was the first to conceive the idea of an open Warrior. It would, there fore. be meet should the people of Tus caloosa. when in the future the Warrior gives them fine profit and prosperity, erect a bronze tablet to the memory of Mr. Greene. There is no question but that he was a man of vision, and as such, a man of genius. f Reynolds Buys 4000-Acre Farm In Sumter County Big Tobacco Man Will Raise Stock—Paid -One Hundred Thousand Dol lars for the Plantation R. J. Reynolds of the R. .T. Reynolds Tobacco company, of Winston-Salem, N. C., has bought 4000 acres of land in Sum ter county. This fact was learned in Birmingham only last night, although Mr, Ullman Issues Statement Advocating Nominating Judges by Attorneys , At a meeting of the bench and bai of Jefferson county to be held in the courthouse this morning a committer recently appointed to report on the consolidated court bill will be heard, A large attendance is expected. The committee is composed of M. M Ullman, chairman: Frank Dominick, O R. Harsh, H. IT. Sims. E. D. Smith and Horace Wilkerson. Mr. Ullman, in discussing the meet ing, issued the following statement: “The most important single factor ii the administration of justice is the se lection of competent judges. Judge: arc human befrigs; they are subject U the same influences as other men. They perform their duties efficiently or not according to their ability, their hon esty, and high tnindedness. “Take the judges out of politics il you can, and you will get a business administration of justice. You will eliminate lost motion, delays, appeals and other costly adjuncts to the at tainment of Justice, either in the vindi cation of a right or in the defense of ar unjust prosecution. “Justice as. now administered is only half justice, because, win or lose, the expense of establishing right is sc great as to almost destroy the value of the victory in the large majority 01 cases. "The more Important the right oj property involved, the more expenem it is to litigate. More witnesses, more lawyer's fees, more court costs, mor* appeals, with their reversals, new trials, appeal again and reversal, cer tiorari and all of the technical tooli employed by lawyers to attain justice I or thwart It. i “The people elect the Judges because e to Htltution requires it. But wher he p op e select a good judge wht ie not been tried out and demon i tinted/ i fa ability, it is a matter oj 1 b® v The lawyers w ho have to trj i.* «• in the courts, and who see th» • lavs d the expenses piling up or , -‘eif cXb nts, are In a better posltior , j*itnge as to the fittest material fo' we t. eh. They ought to have th< otr.'r to nominate the Judges, and let he people eelect the Judges fruit amofiK tl nominated by the bar. "’Itfte Judges would be more anxioui ' to 1,1,We ~ood. They would study la« In vtrtier to perfect themselves anc seep t.br,-a„t of the timer. They wouli ,en,T the report* and study the prin ciples involved In the decision* of tin appellate courts, because there woulc be a prir * In meriting the honor. Thi •..- m IL.. Reynolds was here two weeks ago today. It is leagued that the deal was consum mated on that trip. For the 4000 acres Mr. Reynolds paid $100,000. The land was purchased from E. F. Allison and is located between Epes and Gainesville. 'It is in the famous alfalfa belt and It is understood Mr. Reynolds will use the land for a big stock farm. The deal is regarded as another evi dence of the stability and rapid increase in price of Alabama farm lands. Sumter county is rapidly winning a na tional reputation as a stock raising sec tion. l•a•a••••e•eaee••••••eeae■•••••••••••e••••e•••••••••••• dignity of the hench would be en hanced. The bar would feel its re sponsibility to the people, and the judges would be freed from the ex pense and embarrassment of making a house to house campaign in order to i*e re-elected. Their decisions would be more fearless. Politics would be relegated to the background and cases tried without fear or favor. Today un der our present system judges are forced to curry favor with the people, and the decisions of the courts are col ored by popular clamor and popular hobbies. When the legislature votes the state wet the reaction is felt in the judges. When the state is dry the .• entiment. of the judges 1m likewise dry. “We propose to divorce the courts from politics as much as possible within the constitution.” MENAGERIE ADDED AT EAST LAKE PARK Larjre Shipment of Wild Animals Al ready Here and More on the Road. Expect Rig Crowd Tomorrow Preparation* .'ire being made for a big crowd at East Enke park tomor row and everythin? la in readiness for the merry makers. One of the feature attractions of the park this year will be a mena?erle, the first shipment of which arrived this week. In the collection of ani mals are lions, leopards, Jaguars, ti mers, an ostrich, wolves, kangaroo, fox. wild hogs, and Mexican badgers. An other consignment is on route to Bir mingham, and will be placed when it arrives. The menagerie will be in addition to the regular attractions of the park which have been repaired and put In first clasp condition. There are am ple provisions for picnics, boating, bathing and skating. Dance* are given three time* a week, and there i» a hand concert every night with two on Sunday. President’s Note Indorsed Memphis. May 14.—The National Indus trial Traffic league, at the Anal session , of its spring meeting here today, adopted resolutions indorsing President Wilson's note to Germany. The meeting wee de voted to a general discussion of tralTic problems, but formal action was deferred until the next semiannual convention, which will be held in November. The ex ecutive committee will select the fall meet ing place. Invitations from six cities, Buffalo. Baltimore, Boston, San Francis co, St. Eouls and Charleston, 8. C., were read at today’s session. Admit Defrauding Government New York, May 14.—Charles H. Noelt* and Frederlch D. Oetjen, president and secretary-treasurer, respectively of the Frederick _D. Oetjen company, pleaded guilty todafr in federal court to a charge of defrauding the government by failure to pay the internal revenue tax on oleo margarine. George M. Hermes and Joseph Llnchenstern pleaded guilty to manufac turing oleomargarine and sellinagpM but ter. Sentence will be patsedg^btr. The government has sued to reefer 1612,000 from the Oetjln company for taxee on oleomargarine which the company Is ai 1 loged to have evaded. Will Speak at Langdon Hal This Afternoon to Stu dents and Public Auburn, May 14.—(Special.)—Auburn wil ?xtend an enthusiastic welcome to Vic President Thomas R. Marshall tomorro; when he arrives here to address th students and general public. He will speak at 4 o’clock tomorrow aft r*rnoon in Langdon hall, and its capacit; will naturally be taxed in the aftemp to accommodate all who will want P hear him. President Thach has made plans fo iultable entertainment of the distinguishes visitor tomorrow. John Rirkinbine Dead Philadelphia, May 14.—John' Blrldnblnc h noted mining and mechanical engineei died at his home here today, aged 71. Mr Fdrklnbine developed schemes for utiliz ing the water power of Niagara Fall and devised the use of blast furnaces h the Lake Superior copper region. He wa a fonner president of the American In stitute of Mining Engineers. Saturday Savings For Men A Sale of Blue Serge Suits $1 1 50 $15 to $18 Values for *11 Well cut, well tailored, stylish models in all wool, fade-proof blue serge. Stout, slim or regular sizes. Full lined or skeleton lined coats. Two or three-piece suits. Conservative or nobby Knglish models. In cluded in this lot are suits worth to $18.00. (P"| "I CA For today only at.. vl Men’s Palm Beach Suits $ C.95 Made of Genuine Mulford Palm Beach Cloth When you are able to buy as good Palm Beach Suits as these for this price it is the part of folly to pay more—and it is certainly un wise to pay less, for these Drennen Palm Beaqh Suits are as good as possible for the price and as cheap as possible for the quality. Genuine Mulford Palm Beach cloth, tailored into fashionable, ‘‘shape retaining” garments. At this price they are in natural only. 50c Underwear 35c ASK FOR &K GREEN I ( 3 for $1.00 STAMPS Men’s Balbriggan _____________. Shirts or Drawers, short sleeves, athletic style shirts, long or short drawers, combed Egyptian yarn. Garment ... «, OtlC __ for $i-oo In Oitiriic 8wh PIMM Intba TU A<g»MMUD COUNTRY’S STATESMEN STAND SQUARELY BEHIND POSITION OF PRESIDENT Not Wilting to Fight Omaha. May 14.—United States Senntor Gilbert M. Hitchcock: "Personally, I should not be willing to go to war for the purpose of securing to American cltlsens the right to travel In the war zone on an Knglish ahipMoad ed with arms and ammunition.'* Should Support President liOS Angeles. May 14.—Gov. P. L. Oolds borough of Maryland, who is here on a brief visit, made the following com ment on the President’s note to Germany: "It is the duty of every American cit iaen loyally to support the President in his position and 1 any sure American pa-^ trlotism will insure this.’’ Will Sustain Wilson Columbus. Q.. May 14.—Speaking of President Wilson's note to Germany, Gov. I Prank R Willis today said: "The President has sounded a note of decision and deliberate -conviction which will be heard around the world. The American people, devoted as they are, to peace among nations, will sustain him in i:ls decision." Confidence in Wilson Denver. Col.. May 14.—Senator Charles S. Thomas said: "I have every confidence in the wisdom and ability of President Wilson—that is manifest by the text of his note to Ger many.” Clark Issue* Statement Bowling Green, Mo.. May 14.—Champ Clark today issued the following state ment.: "The American note on the awful trag edy of tho Lusitania will attract world wide attention, not only by reason of the gravity of the situation and the im portance of the subject matter, but also1 by reason of the clear form and dignified statement of the case. "In all human probability it will rank m a great state paper. Tt goes with out saying that the situation Is exceed ingly ticklish, and while many of our people are prone to look upon diplomacy! as of little value, nevertheless the fact remains that diplomacy has hitherto ironed out several quarrels and entangle ments which seemed to presage our en trance into the war. I have no doubt that President Wilson will succeed in preserving peace with honor. "The last sentence in the note, assert ing the administration's determination to maintain the rights of America and Amer icans will be most generously applauded. One thing is certain—the American peo ple will sustain the President in this crisis for they doubt not his ability or his pa troitism.'* Says United States Won’t Fight Amsterdam. May 14.—(Vis London. <5:52 p m.)—The Cologne Volks Zeitung. com menting upon expressions of American opinion eoncernlng the sinking of the Lu sitania. says: "Americans are very prone to criticise without any expectation that such light ing with words will make any great im pression on those whom they denounce They feel relieved when they have given frank expression of their irritation. In America, however, war Is most unpop ular because it requires so many sacrl , flees and destroys business. "There is no need, therefore, to appre hend that America will Join the war aglnst us, hut it may be taken for granted that the wave of anti-German hatred will con tinue to mount still higher. We deplore. ■ but we cannot prevent It. Anti-German r feeling Is a product of agitation. It slow ly mounted and will also slowly subside. Indorses Wilson Oklahoma City, Okla.. May 14.—Gov. R. L. Williams of Oklahoma, commenting | on President Wilson’s note to Germany, today said: "Wo must have peace if it can reason ably be had and without the sacrifice of our honor. I Indorse the wise, patient, and firm course that is being taken by our President.” “Firm, Decisive, Right” * Little Rock. Ark., May 14.—Gov. George - W. Hays of Arkansas today declared that he considered President Wilson's note to > Germany "firm, decisive and right.” Senator James P. ('lark, president pro tern of the senate and a member of the foreign relations committee, refused to comment. * Delegates Approve Position New York. May 14.—Several South American delegates to the coming Pan I American financial conference In Wash ington voiced tonight their approval of the position taken by President Wilson in his note to Germany. While making it t clear that what they said was their per sonal opinion, and not. to be taken as rep ’ resentatlve of the attitude of their govern ments. they united in expressing oonvlc ■ tlon that the public sentiment of their * countries would approve the American i course. ? "i think Mr. Wilson has done right," - said Ricardo Aldao of the Argentine del egation, and former Argentine minister of finance. He has done precisely what I should expect the President of my country to do. if put in the same position. I have no doubt that his action will meet approval In my country. "It was what I consider a real states man would have to do to maintain the prestige of his country. Mr. Wilson stands as the savior of the highest interests of humanity." Ramon Arias*Feraud of the Panama delegation said: "The position taken by President Wilson Is exactly right. There could he no other. He speaks In the name of humanity. American lives were taken and there was no other alternative but foe him to de mand guarantees that no more lives of citizens of his country be taken by sub marine warfare. Germany will probably - refer in her answer to violations of in ternational law by England, but the fact remains that England has respected tils lives of neutrals.'’ Alfonso Quinines, head of the dele gation from San Salvador, said he had not had an opportunity to have the President's note translated into his own language, And did not feel com petent to discuss It from the point of view of international law. “In a general way," he said, “he ap proves the stand taken by the United States government in demanding that lives of neutrals on the high seas be protected. I am not acquainted fully with the points of international law at issue, but certainly, if Germany has violated it nt the cost of American lives the United States is warranted In demanding that the law be observed in the future." Baldwin Talk* New Haven. Conn.. May 14.—Former Governor Baldwin, a recognized au thority on international law. said today that he thought the American note to Germany “paved the way for an amic able reference of the matter in contro versy between Germany and the United States to arbitration under the provis ion of The Hague convention of 1900 and revised in 1907. By the preamble to the convention, the contracting pow ers, among which were Germany and the United States, pledged themselves, by nil the efforts in their power to the friendly settlement of international disputes, recognizing the solidarity uniting the embers of the society of civilized nations and desirous of ex tending the empire of law." Mr. Baldwin said the question of law raised in the American note Is Just such a question that The Hague tribunal wan organized to determine. Banker* Commend President Tulsa. Okla., May 14. The Oklahoma Bankers' association, Oklahoma de partment G. A. R.. and the state or ganization of the Spanish war veter ans. in session here today, adopt ed resolutions urging the President to use every means to avert war and com mending his course so far. FIRM ATTITUDE DF THE UNITED STATES WELL RECEIVED IN ENGLISH CAPITAL (Continued from Page One) ish military critics are withholding comment. Tt is pointed out by some of them, however, that more than once the Russians have been driven back, I* tit that they always recovered and made the victors regret their penetra tion into Russian territory. Down in Southeastern Galicia and in Bukowinn, according to Russian ac counts. the Austrian army, which lbets has not th * assistance of the Germans, is in full retreat and being hurried by Russian cavalry. The Russians also claim to have obtained the Advan‘age over the German raiders in the Baltic province of Uourland. and to have taken I00n prisoners near Rhakjf. There are no official reports from the Dardanelles, but unofficial news is to tlr' effect that the allies are slowly advancing- despite the obstinate resist ance of the Turks against the heights commanding Krithia, on the one hand, and Killid Bahr and Maidob, on thB other. Two Comets Discovered Cambridge. Mass., May 14.—Prof. Barnard of the Yerkes observatory a‘. Williams Bay. Wis„ has discovered two companion bodies near Mellish's comet, according in an official an nouncement received today at the Har vard observatory. One of the bodies, observed on May 12. was conspicuous, and had a distance from the comet of 28 seconds and a position angle of 285 degrees. The other body was faint and occupied ah intermediate position in the same line. —-—.—.» ■■■■• Mat tern Signs With Cincy New York, May 14.— Pitcher A. Mat tern, formerly of the Boston Nationals and Inst year with the Newark Inter nationa is. today signed a contract with the Cincinnati Nationals. .~Tii