During the Spanish-American War, Ala bama furnished two white regiments and one negro regiment. President McKinley overcame what was left of sectional ill-feeling by ap pointing Joseph Wheeler, a representative in Congress from Alabama and an ex-Confeder ate general, major-general of volunteers, and giving him command of all the cavalry at the battle of Santiago de Cuba. In the last dec ade the burning question in Alabama has been prohibition. After wavering between local option and State-wide prohibition, the State adopted State-wide prohibition in 1915. The State has always been Democratic, except dur ing the carpet-bagger regime.
The construction of the Panama Canal has greatly enhanced the importance of Mobile as a port. Since the United States' declaration of war against Germany, Mobile has been selected as a centre of important naval con struction work. The Tennessee valley in the extreme northern part of the State is one of most prosperous sections of Alabama. In 1915, the United States government appropriated $20, 000,000 for the purpose of manufacturing nitrate. An experimental nitrate plant has been located at Sheffield, and a permanent plant is being constructed near South Florence, at Mussel Shoals post office, established February 1918. In addition, a great dam across the Tennessee River at Florence for the purpose of developing the enormous power of the Mussel Shoals is to be built by the government.
So great will be the power developed that Florence, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia will be come important industrial centres.
Bibliography.—Abele, C. A., 'Statistics of the Mineral Production of Alabama for 1910) ; Brewer, W., (Alabama: Her History, Re-. sources, War Record and Public Men' ; Brown, W. G., 'School History of Alabama' ; Clarke, 'History of Education in Alabama, 1702-1889) (Washington 1889) ; Dubose, J. W., (Life and Times of Yancey' ; Fleming, W. L.,
J., 'Colonial Mobile' ; Hillyard, 'The New South' (Baltimore 1887) ; Owen, T. M., (ed.) 'Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society' (4 vols.) ; Petrie, George, (ed.) 'Studies in Southern and Alabama History' ; Pickett, 'History of Alabama.' Consult also Publications of Alabama Geological Survey University ; Bulletins of State Department of Agriculture (Auburn); Census Reports 1910 (General and Special Census Bureau, Wash ington, D. C.) ; Preliminary Survey of the Forests of Alabama (Bureau of Forestry, Washington, D. C.); Fish and Game Laws of Alabama (Department of Game and Fish, Montgomery) ; Official and Statistical Register Director of Archives (Montgomery); Book lets Issued by Industrial Departments of all Railroads operating in Alabama; Special Pub lications issued by Commercial Clubs of the larger cities of Alabama.