“ The raw material and the auxiliary agencies of manufacture are found in close proximity. In the north iron ore is found in the same locality with coal, limestone, and dolomite, making possible a minimum cost of production for iron and its manufactures. The immense forests of the South supply material for the lumber industry, and the production of tar, turpentine, and resin. The numerous waterfalls and rapids in the State supply the needed power for turning the cotton crop into the manufactured product, though the abundance and cheapness of coal has much retarded the utilization of this power. ”

“ Agriculture is the leading industry of the State, but it is not keeping pace with the other rapidly developing industries or with the increase of population. Agriculture received a decided setback from the Civil War, and has not yet completely adjusted itself to the new industrial régime. ”

“ Alabama usually ranks fourth in the value of her cotton product. Corn is next in importance, and its acreage is almost equal to that of cotton, but the product is of much less value. Oats are the only crop that has experienced a remarkable increase in cultivation—an increase about commensurate with the decrease in the cultivation of wheat, which has become relatively unimportant, though the past decade has witnessed a revival. These and small quantities of other cereals are grown most extensively in the “cereal belt,” or the valley of the Tennessee River in the northern part of the State. ”

“ Of the foundry and machine shop products, east iron pipe is the most important, the other leading products being stoves, car wheels, boilers, and engines. While the State was behind some of her sister States in developing cotton manufactures, the progress from 1890 to 1900, which was greater than that for any other industry, leaves no doubt of the future prominence of the State in the production of cotton goods. Fertilizers are produced by a process of combining Alabama cottonseed meal with phosphates from Florida mines. ”

“ A circuit court, or a court having the jurisdiction of a circuit court, is held in each county of the State at least twice every year. The State is divided into chancery divisions, with a chancellor for each division. The divisions are subdivided into districts, in each of which the chancellor holds court at least twice each year. The legislature may establish courts of probate in each county. ”

“ With these advantages must also be considered the lesser cost of living in the South, thus making a lower wage possible. The comparative scarcity of strikes and the absence of labor legislation and prohibition of child labor in the State have served as an additional attraction for capital from the North. The greatest and almost the sole obstacle in the way of manufacturing, especially of iron products, has been the high railway freight rates, which make it difficult to compete with the products of the North. ”

“ There were 7.81 miles for every 100 square miles of territory, and 22.55 miles for every 10,000 inhabitants. Almost every trunk line of the South passes through Birmingham. There is a State Railroad Commission, which fixes rates, but railroads are not bound to adopt them. In case of damage suits, however, the rates fixed by the commission are prima facie reasonable. Mobile is the only seaport, and the chief exports are cotton, coal, and lumber. New Orleans takes the bulk of the cotton for export trade, and Pensaeola the lumber. ”

“ They are centred largely in the cotton belt, where in certain counties they outnumber the whites five to one, while this ratio is just reversed in a number of counties north and south of this belt. Owing to the relative importance of agriculture, the population is largely rural, but 10 per cent. of the total living in cities of 4000 population and over in 1900. With the development of mining and manufacturing the urban element has rapidly increased, the number of places containing a population of more than 4000 having risen from ten in 1890 to sixteen in 1900. ”

“ The improvement of the watercourse of the Warrior River, already partially executed, will reduce 80 per cent. the cost of conveying iron products to Mobile, which will result in a large increase of the exports of pig iron to foreign countries, already amounting in 1900 to 113,000 tons, and exceeding those from any other State. The following table for the eleven leading industries shows a remarkable development during the decade in nearly every industry. The iron and steel industry leads. Steel manufacture in Alabama is of recent origin. ”

“ An amendment to the constitution may be secured by a three-fifths vote of each house, ratified by a vote of the people. A constitutional convention may be called when voted by a majority of each house, and ratified by the people, and the power of such convention in altering, revising, or amending the constitution is subject to no restrictions. ”

“ Limestone is quarried extensively, and most of it is burned into lime or used as a flux. The average annual value for the last decade was about $300,000. Bauxite is mined in Cherokee County, and graphite in Cleburne County. Building clays, sandstone, and mineral springs are each of some commercial value in the State.
Fisheries. Owing to the limited coast line of the State, its sea fisheries are of less importance than those of the other Gulf States. The industry gives employment to less than a thousand men, and the value of the product is only about $150,000. ”

“ In 1798 Congress organized the region included between the Mississippi River on the west, the Chattahoochee on the east, the 31st parallel on the south, and a line drawn from the mouth of the Yazoo into Mississippi Territory, and in 1804 extended its northern boundary to Tennessee; in April, 1813, the Mobile district was taken from the Spanish by the United States and annexed to Mississippi territory. ”

“ The old plantation system of large farms, whose cultivation was carried on under the direction of the owner, has given way to a system of small rented farms. The average size of farms, which was 347 acres, in 1860, has decreased about 60 per cent., and the rented farms constitute almost half of the entire number—both methods of renting, that for a fixed money payment and that fur a share of the product, being equally in vogue. The farm land is still held by a comparatively few individuals, a considerable proportion of whom are representative of the merchant class. ”

“ These qualifications are not required of those who own, individually or through their wives, a certain amount of property free from tax incumbrances. Any person guilty of a criminal offense, including the selling, buying, or offering to sell or buy, a vote, is debarred from voting. The constitution contains a detailed statement of the proper procedure in registration, of penalties, etc. Each county is to have a board of registrars, consisting of three members, who issue life certificates to those who are entitled to them. ”

“ According to the new constitution, new debts can be incurred only for purposes of repelling an invasion or suppressing an insurrection. The valuation of property in this State has increased steadily from $139,000,000 in 1880 to $226,000,000 in 1900. The general tax increased during the same period from $908,000 to $1,467,000. The general purpose tax rate for six years has been two and one-half mills, and for two years there has been a special soldier and special school tax rate of one mill each. ”

“ For the population of the State by counties, see back of map.
Cities. The census of 1900 gives the following figures for the population of the largest cities: Mobile. 38,469; Birmingham, 38,415, and Montgomery, 30,346.
Government. The present Constitution was adopted by a vote of the people in November, 1901. The right of suffrage is restricted to those who have resided two years in the State, one year in the county, and three months in the precinct or ward, and have paid the required poll tax and registered. ”

“ The holdings are divided into convenient portions, and the negro renter receives a meagre supply of farm equipments, upon which, as also upon the prospective crop, the merchant holds a lien. The negro becomes the customer of the merchant and can seldom catch up with his obligations. ”

“ Thirteen hundred children were enrolled in public high schools, and a somewhat less number in private secondary schools. The State supports, together with the aid of the Peabody Fund, seven normal schools, three of which are for colored students. A district system of agricultural schools has been established by the State, there being nine such district schools. ”

“ The population increased 20.9 per cent. for the last decade, or at a ratio almost identical with that of the nation. The number of inhabitants per square mile in 1900 was 35.5, as against 25.6 for the whole country. In common with the other Southern States, the population is almost entirely native born, the foreign born never having exceeded 15,000 for the whole State. ”

“ Legislative.—The legislative body consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives, the maximum limit of membership being 35 and 105 respectively. The number of senators must not be more than one-third nor less than one-fourth that of representatives. ”