THE ALABAMA OPPORTUNITY. 145 



"The hope of that section, I take it, is the securing of intehi- 

 gent and industrious new-comers. The better results would 

 come if the immigrants settled in sufficient number to form 

 communities. Cheap lands, lands Suitable for any sort of 

 crops — truck farming, straight-away farming, as it is done 

 today, and an unrivalled climate, easy railroad facilities — should 

 be sufficient inducements to bring immigrants to the lands in 

 North Barbour." 



He talked of the great thing that it would be to have North- 

 ern Barbour dotted with the homes of the white farmers, with 

 the well-kept and fertile acres' of the white farmer as one might 

 find about Alston. Baker Hill, Texasville and the Clio country. 



Among the check holders that came to the bank window, he 

 pointed out the men who were making money and success in 

 farming in South and West Barbour. Here was Jessie Morri- 

 son, from the white country, who farmed with only "two 

 mustang ponies." He had a check for $55.50. It was ex- 

 plained that the check was pay for the seventeenth bale of 

 cotton he had already marketed during the year. By his' "two 

 mustang^ ponies" he expected to get some thirty bales, in all, 

 this year. That's good farming, any farmer will tell you. But 

 Mr. Morrison '(ivas only one example out of the white section. 

 There were many others. 



This County of Barbour is the home county of Governor 

 Jelks, and in thinking of it I was reminded of his admiration 

 of, and his pride in, the fertile farms' — the white section about 

 Lodi, Alston, Texasville, Reeder's Mill and other places. I 

 was reminded that he thought these farms, dotting a section of 

 peace and plenty, formed a veritable garden spot of Alabama. 

 Having it in mind one day, and tired with State cares, he said : 



"It's' a great country, that part of Barbour. Do you know 

 I'd like to be there? I'd like to drop everything and luxuriate 

 in that section a week. I'd like to spend a week in going from 

 farm to farm and from place to place in this section of plenty." 



10 



