The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], April 11, 1906, Page 2, Image 2

About The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950

Image provided by: University of Alabama Libraries, Tuscaloosa, AL

                
COULD there he more striking evidence of the tremendous popularity
of the “Queen Quality” Shoe than these amazing figures? Every^
day this great factory consumes the skins and hides of
7,800 Kids and Goats 300 Horses and Colts
300 Calves 425 Steers
Imagine this great herd of cattle being corraled every day to provide the
leather required for each day's output, and you have a concrete idea of the
demand for “Queen Quality” Shoes. You may not be interested in these
figures, but you are interested in the reason why women show so marked a
preference for "Queen Quality” Shoes over all others in the world. We have
the sole agency. New styles now ready—priced mostly at $3.00 and $3.50.
The Big C*CM f //V^ 19,0 First
Shoe Store ^ l yAvenue
_, Largest Shoe Factory in the World. ._
PASSOVER HAS A
DOUBLE MESSAGE
Rabbi M, Newfield Delivers a
Stirring Discourse
MAN’S RIGHT TO FREEDOM
Note of Liberty Inspiring and Pro
found—Sketch of Ancient Israel
and Lessons Applied to
the Present Time.
The Jewish festival of the Passover or
Petit ch which began Rt sundown Monday
lusts seven days. Impressive sendees
were held in all the Jewish houses of
worship throughout the world Monday
evening and yesterday ami the closing
■ervicet will be held Sunday.
Yesterday large congregations attended
the Knesses Israel synagogue and Tem
ple Emanuel In this city. At the temple
Jtabbi M. Newfleld delivered the follow
ing discourse:
We have gathered to celebrate under
the cheerful rays of the bright spring
■unshine the festival of Passover which
has a two-fold meaning. It Is hi the first
place a celebration of nature's resurrec
tion from winter's icy bondage and It also
commemorates Israel's resurrection from
Egypt’s cruel thraldom. It comes home
to ua therefore, with the double message
•nd we especially emphasize the latter
meaning, namely, that It is the anniver
sary of humanity's first festival of free
dom. The natal day of mankind's oldest
proclamation of liberty, all its associa
tion*, its environment, its symbolism and
Its reminiscences are suggestive of pro
found lessons and inspiring thoughts.
Famous Festival.
Tho festival of Passover ir indeed or.o
©f JoyfulncBs. A joy which is reflected In
our homes and in the house of God. A
cheer which pervades not merely the syn
agogues' altar, but alBO the Seder's fest
ive board. Under the inspiration of that
gymboUsm we are carried back to re
mote happenings of long ago and when
we recall the wondrous deliverance of our
fathers, we do at the same time look for
ward with hope and courage to the
promised redemption of mankind in the*
future.
Let us then clearly understand the true
significance of our Passover and for that |
purpose let ifs reflect upon the suggest
ive words of Scripture first pronounced
on that memorable eve of tlie* redemption ;
1 from Egypt. We read In Exodus, chap- ,
ter 32. the following injunction: "And
thus shall ye eat It, with loins girded,
with your shoes on your feet, with staff
in hand, and ye shall eat it in haste. It
Is a Passover unto the Lord."
I take it that these words are charac
teristic of the first Passover celebration
in Egypt and also of every Passover cel
ebration in our day. The command then
given to our ancestors preparatory to the
coming redemption should be borne in
mind whenever a people strives for re
demption. be it physical, moral or spirit
ual. The words "your loins girded,"
"your staff in hand." what else do they
mean but our well-known, "Eternal
vigilance is the price of liberty." And
history proves that this indeed is essen
tial at all times. These words sound a
call that must appeal to every lover of
freedom, exhorting him to be ready and
watchful, would he strive not merely to
gain, but also retain humanity’s choicest
right P.nd costliest privilege, freedom, j
They are an appeal to toil and labor to |
suffer hardships, if need he, for freedom's |
sake.
The Lesson Taught.
The story of Israel’s redemption ami j
! subsequent events teach this lesson. F\>r
1 think ye that the redemption from Egypt
I meant a complete change and a sudden j
transformation to a life of ease and lux j
nary and comfort. Scarce had the first j
peal of freedom died away but that hard |
ships and trials became the share of j
the newly redeemed slaves. It is no won- i
dor that when the people left Egypt he- i
hind and had entered upon the march |
of freedom, they often compared the |
new with the old and often preferred j
Egyptian peace and plenty, although
coupled with slavery, to the freedom of
t'he desert because joined with privation
and peril. They soon encountered enemies
In front and enemies behind. They soon
understood the real meaning of the words
which are our text that, to obtain true
freedom, one must be ready to struggle
and to toil and to suffer hardship.-. X »
wonder that the people murmured against
the leader when in the desert the only
waters which they hud to quench their
thirst was bitter. Are you surprised that
they soon wearied of the unvarying food
In the desert and longed again for the
flesh-pots of Egypt?
The blessings of liberty then did not
spell a life of comfort and ease, but il
sounded a note higher and more exalted.
Israel in Egypt may have been secure.
Spring Medicine
The best is Hood's Sarsaparilla. It
is the best because it does the most good.
While it makes the blood pure, fresh
and lively, it tones the stomach to bet
ter. digestion, creates an appetite, stimu
lates the kidneys and liver, gives new
bra/in, nerve and digestive strength.
An unlimited list of cures—40,366 tes
testimonials in 2 years—proves its merit.
SdBPIAL.-To meet the wishee of those who
prefer medicine in tablet form, we are now put
ting up Hood a Sarsaparilla in chocolate coated
tablet* as well as in the ttsnal liquid form. Be
reducing Hood s Sarsaparilla to a solid extract,
w. hare retained in the tahjeta the coratir. prop,
of every medicinal ingredient.
Sold by drufgJet* or wot b.r njail.
lltH ont d©Uai. V* * **ood * °- l'0*0*1*
Mrs. W. A. Snowden, 108 Milton St.. Dedham,
Mass., says: " I want every sick woman to
know the curing power of Hood's Sarsaparilla*
After a long illness. I had milk letf and a
dreadful sore which Hood’s Sarsaparilla pcr
feetlycured. This medicine purified my blood
and invigorated w* wliola ivHuin."
but Israel then was a slave. Their life
was one continuous round of toil, not
for themselves, not even of their
own volition, but for the benefit and
under the direction of the cruel task
master. They were deprived of freedom
of movement; of choice of action. They
knew nothing of life's deeper meaning
and higher value. The grandeur of their
lives. Its solemn responsibility. Its sacred
duty, Us relation to Clod. Its fellowship
to man, were thoughts that did not be
long to the realm of the slave. They
wore mere human machines, making brick
and mortar.
In the Wilderness.
Israel In the wilderness suffered hard
ships, endured trials, encountered priva
tions. but Israel then wus tree. They were
their own task-masters and they had the
power and the privilege to determine
their own lives. They wcro. Indeed, free
soils of the desert. Their lives had be
come grander. Their view of the world
had become broader, their feeling of
fellowship for one another had become
profounder. And thus It Is that they wore
now tit to enter upon the march to free
dom, for they were willing to toil; they
were prepared to struggle; they were
ready in endure. And tills was the first
step toward greater spiritual advance
ment.
*****
Thus Israel In Egypt was first taught
tin- important lesson how to prepare for
freedom in order fully to attuin the
same and to appreciate it. The very
tirst night preparatory to freedom, they
wiiT enjoined to subordinate the mater
lit I tn the spiritual, the lower to the
higher life. They had to eat their meal
in haste. Xu time for leisure and ease,
no thought of comfort and luxury when
freedom calls to duty and to action. The
' cry broad .which is symbolic of passover
tenches the same lesson. They had no
1 itne to leaven it. they had no care to
bake it. they had to go forward with
loins girded and staff in hand, as soon
as freedom called. The matzah is not
so much to typify affliction as readiness.
It should teach us to subject the ma
terial to the spiritual needs of man.
I’or as scripture says, "Man does not
live by bread alone.”
Message Today.
And this lesson which our ancestors
learned on the eve of Egyptian redemp
tion should come with Its message to
us. We too are not to be free unless
we are ready and willing and exercise
tin* power to put the spiritual above the
material values of life. We too, should
strive for possessions such as character
ize the true free man. We too. should
b<* willing to break all fetters that chain
us to the material and loosen all bonds
of unworthy ambitions that dVag us
down. Thus only can we become gen
uine sons of redemption. Israel’s re
demption from Egypt is symbolic of the
struggle that goes on within the soul*
life of every individual. How often have
wo made ourselves slaves to unworthy
passions, to ♦ dt grading ambitions, how
oft<Su have we committed ourselves to
be slaves, even without knowing that
we are such.
Under the inspiration of passover, re
alizing the true meaning of freedom, let
us start upon our individual redemption,
and hard though It be, let us bo willing
to endure trials to overcome difficulties,
to cross through the desert of unworthy
ambitions, and enter the true land of
freedom.
Investigating Another Insurance Co.
New York, April Iu.--The Evening
Post today published the following
“The grand jury will begin tomorrow
an investigation into the affairs of ihe
Washington Life Insurance company,
which some time ago had a good deal
of internal dissension which ied to ils
reorganization. The district attorney's
office has been engaged for some time
past In going over Ihe old hooks and
tiles of the company. Ihe work having
been entrusted to Assistant District At
torneys Knott and Kressel, who are
now ready to submit the evidence to
tile grand jury. It is understood that
the result may lie the preferring of
charges against sonic of the old ofli '
cers of the company. .
MOBILE COMPLAINT
WAS EXAGGERATED
Convicts at Flat Top Are in
Good Shape
ROBERT TAIT REPORTS
j
County Men Are Not Given as Many
Advantages as State Men, But
Conditions Are Not
Bad.
-
Montgomery, April 10.—(Special.)—From
tlic report of Robert Tail, who made
an Inspection of the mines of the Sloss
Sheffleld Steel and Iron company, where
convicts are worked, following a state
ment that they were not well fed and
cared for, made by Dr. Ward, physician
of Mobile county. It would seem that
the Mobile medical man undertook to
enlarge a mole hill into a mountain.
However, there arc some things found
by Mr. Talt that ought to be corrected
the ofliccrs think, including bad machine
ry for hoisting coal, lack of tram cars,
scarcity of track men and bad track and
n disposition to make the men make up
short days work when the shortage is
a result of the failure of the company
to provide cars to move the coal.
It does not seem that the men are un
derfed nor that they are unduly punish
ed. Neither does the charge that short
times are not credited, made by Dr.
Ward, seem supported. State men have,
It is very true, much better time than
the county men. That Is a matter of
common knowledge and would not bo so
if the Board of Convict Inspectors could
have these placed entirely under their
control and care.
Only One Death Recorded.
The accusation of unhealthy conditions
is met by the fact that of two hundred
men held there only one died In March,
and he from consumption. If the presi
dent of the State Board had had the pow
er to move him this man would not have
been there, for Dr. Bragg allows no tu
bercular inclined prisoners to go to tile
mines at all, and this one would have
been sent to the hospital or the turpen
tine camps where he w’ould have recover
ed. as many others do with tuberculosis
well • advanced. There were only three
other county men In the hospital In
March, one with a broken thigh, one with
chills and one with pneumonia.! There
were no deaths among the stWte men,
with three sick, one with diarrhea, one
hurt and the other with bad eyes.
Having had the report of Dr. Ward
called to Ills attention President .1. C.
Maben of the Sloss-Sheffleld company
at once wrote President Bragg of the
Convict Board that he wanted the men
to have everything needed In the way of
food and the best of care, with a mini
mum of punishment. He asked Dr. Bragg
to look into the complaint and to see that
it was properly Investigated and then to
suggest what he thought best and that
the company would gladly meet any re
quirement he considered necessary.
Report of Mr. Tait.
The report of Robert Tait. sent by Dv.
Bragg, president of the board of Inspect
ors, to look into reports made by Dr.
Ward, is given below:
"Montgomery. Ala., April 9, 190«.
"Hon. ShtrlS) Bragg. Montgomery, Ala.:
"Dear Sir: "Find below statement as to
tlie prison and eonvlcts at Flat Top:
"1. I found plenty of rations and very
well prepared.
Tbe water supply very good.
Plenty of clothes.
"4. Two-thirds of the county convicts
have no cell shoes; are barefooted from
tin- time they leave the bath room until
tney put on their mining shoos.
"3. No knives or forks for the county
corn-lets to eat with. I was told by the
warden that they had spoons. Only say
one-half dozen spoons; others In their
buckets, I suppose.
"tl. Short at least one hundred tram
cars for moving coal from the rooms to
the tipple.
"7. The hoisting machinery very old and
dilapidated and very often out of lix so
that the coal cannot be moved from the
mines.
"K. Short mining tools, shovels, picks
and augurs.
"!». Trackmen scarce and track In bad
condition, and great deal of time lost by
cars being off the track and the convicts
have to wait for cars before they can
load.
"10. If the machinery breaks down and
the coni is not moved today the Sloss
Shefticld Steel and Iron Co. claims that
tlic task is short and want it made tip
by the convicts at some future time.
"tl. General conditions in tlie prison
and mine are good.
"Respectfully.
"ROBERT TAIT."
Water Supply.
There has been some trouble at the
mines at Flat Top about the water sup
ply caused from the fact that when the
water is high in the river the pump is
overflowed, hut now a new pump has been
put in and this will not occur again.
State men have knives and forks to
eat with ns well as spoons. The county
men have only spoons. Tt Is claimed
that they make dangerous weapons of the
knives and forks and uso them in fight
ing and might use them in attacks on
officer* in attempts to escape.
Dr. Ward did not go to the kitchen or
he would have seen that there was an
abundance of rice with bread and that
coffee is given every morning. True the
state men get coffee twice a day. County
men are a Iso given syrup and vegetables
every day with fresh meat once or twice
a week. This much is shown in a state
ment from the prison physician. In times
past when water was high in the river
drinking water was taken from barrels
in the barracks but if they had been taken
from closet traps it would have been
as clean and as good as from the fau
cets. as the traps arc several feet above
the seats and are automatically flushed
• ver> few minutes to keep them from
becoming stagnant.
It is also shown that in a general way
the sanitary condition la good, though it
had been raining when Dr. Ward was
there and he found the grounds very
sloppy. It Is also a fact that the county
men are classed the same aH state men
and that they are not put to tasks greater
than they can accomplish. Each is liable
to the same punishment for Infractions
of the rules.
The records of the department show'
Dr. Ward to have been in error when
ho said men were not credited with short
times. Scores of county men are so rred- ;
ited at Flat Top. as the books here show,
those records being kept at the office of
the board.
The corn plaint that packages sent the
convicts are not oared for lies In the
fa. t that there Is no express office near
and they are sent to Eittleton and stay
there until some one goes over after
them. Often the content* are fruit or
food and it spoils before delivery.
While the state Inspectors have no con
trol over county men. save in a general
way. it is a fact that they get plenty
to eat and are rarely sick, two things
that the state board looks after. The state
prisoners at Flat Top arc in fine condi
tion.
President Bragg requires a report e\ery
STILL HERE!
ANOTHER CHANCE TO SEE
Marconi
Wireless Telegraph
.. "' m. ' ... I
I
FREE DEMONSTRATION
Jefferson Theatre
FRIDAY, APRIL 13 •
EIGHT O’CLOCK
Everybody Welcome!
Call during the day, Room 9 Hotel Hillman. Full explana
tion and demonstration. l©^*Subscribe for stock now.
Don’t wait until we are gone and then consider your
self unlucky. Ask for Mr. Brokaw.
MINROE & MUNROE, StJ'JESSS; NEW YORK
month from the hospital and the whip
ping records, and county men as well
as state, are Included- The record for
sickness is tho most remarkable In the
history of any country. There was one
death, from consumption, last month, as
noted, with six others left in. the care
of the doctor. When it Is remembered
that county men are taken as they come
and all sent to the mines, not being
classed and divided to other service like
those of the state. It is a wonder that
they show so small a death rate.
The punishment record for March ut j
Flat Top shows twenty men out of two '
hundred whipped. Seven were short hi
tasks, five would not work at all. three
hid in the gob and two were lighting.
The average given was twelve lashes. In
the state side the strap was not taken
off the hook for three weeks in March.
An Evil S/s;em.
President Shirley Hragg nus not Hesi
tated to express his entire disapproval of
the county convict system wherever he
has an opportunity, and his reports for
years have teemed with denunciation of
the plan. "I do not hesitate to say." said
Dr. Bragg when discussing the Ward re
port and the result of his investigation,
"that the county system Is a hlot upon
our civilzation ami a disgrace to the
state. Convicts should all be In one class
and all sent to the penitentiary and the
fees of the officers of the counties paid
through this department. Then would he
stopped the terrible evil of sending poor
fellows for short terms, five days or so.
and several scores of days for costs. I
would not have it so the gounty authori
ties would lose fees hut fix It so they
could lie gotten via tile state department
anil save the convicts from the evils
to which they are subjected h.v the
workings of the system, i can transfer
state men it they are sick, hut cannot
with county, though I order them out
of tlie mines sometimes when in too had
condition to work there.
“County convicts are taken as they
come, men. women■ and, children, though
no women, fortunately, can he worked
in the mines, if i had the power i would
break every county convict contract held
ill the State tomorrow, and rearrange the
prisoners under tile care of the state tlmt
they may be protected from all and every
kind of evil. It looks, too. that some
thing IS to he hoped for from the next
legislature I have been hammering on
It for wars and now there Is an Indica
tion that we will secure a change from
the next assembly that will relieve us
from the blight and disgrace of the
countv convict system. 1 hope it may be
so. The state has lain long enough under
such a law- as puts us in the class of
sacrificing human lives when it is shown
that they can be more humanely worked
and at far greater profit to the state and
the contractors.”
Report to MobHo.
After reading all the reports made by I
the various men who had looked into the
trouble at Flat Top. President Bragg sub
mitted a report embodying all the. facts
gathered to the Mobile Board of Revenue,
at the same time assuring the president
that lie stood ready to do everything in
his power to make the system all It ought
to lie in the way of care of and humane
treatment to the prisoners. A copy of the
report made by Mr. Tali was sent along.
Moscow Democrats Get Buay.
Moscow. April 10.—The constitutional
democrats, foreseeing Uie defeat of
Prince Dolgoroukuff. who was recently
accused bv the marshals of the ltoltll
itv of inciting the peasants in the
Moscow district to rioting, or M. lvo
koshkine, a candidate for election to
the lower house from Moscow, and of
their other candidates for election to
the provincial electoral college, took
tho precautiou to nominate their catidi
riatsc for the municipal election and
will now endeavor to p+ect them to
parliament from this city.
AMUSEMENTS
Viola Allen.
Viola Alien Is satisfying: in every play
she atempts. whether it be one of Shakes
peare's masterpieces or a product of some ;
playwright of the present, as Clyde Fitch. \
In “The Toast of the Town." the Fitch
play which Miss Allen presented in a
manner eminently worthy of her art at
the Jefferson theatre last night, two dis
tinguishing features are to he noted. In
the first place, it provides the star with
a difficult role which sho interprets well,
and in the second place, it reveals Clyde
Fitch in a more ambitious guise than he
Is usually viewed by the public. “The
Toast of the Town,” while a trille tedious
at times, is a play which lias many ad
mirable qualities, a plot that is worth
while and lines that show Mr. Fitch at ■
his best. As a play it should rank with \
the few that have been written in recent j
years by American playwrights, deserv- |
ing more than passing attention. One is
accustomed to look upon Mr. Fitch in a
spirit of levity as a sort of machine play
wright—the Theodore Kremer of his
school, but. like “The Climbers,” the play
f which he lias written for Miss Allen is
excellent.
To say that Miss Allen makes the roie
of Betty Singleton, adored by the masses
and worshipped on the stage, a living
embodiment would be superfluous. Betty
is at the height of her career, scores of
I lovers at her feet, the world applauding
, her art and the flush of triumph on her
| cheek, when she gives her heart to a |
, nobleman who does riot love her nut is 1
ambitious to call the most famous actress
! of the day bis wife. Tt is a long story to
| the final understanding, when, after sep
| aratlon and suffering, the two are re
united, love at last awake in the heart of
Betty's husband. Miss Allen grasped the
possibilities of the character and simu
lated the lights ami shadows of Betty's
impulsive disposition with rare skill, al
though she was most convincing in those
scenes where pathos ami an element of
tragedy predominated. SIkj was, however, j
pleasing and human all through the play
and her performance was irreproachable.
# Signal honors fell to the share of Isabel !
Irving, who made the part of Roxanna
rarely delightful. As a whimsical, capri
cious mid volatile actress, rather lighi
headed and petulant hut good at bear-".
Miss Irving was singularly successful.
She made Roxanna dainty and droll, hu
bued with much vivadtj and femininity.
She was as petite and clever a figure as
one would wish to see. proving an admir
able foil for Miss Allen's more serious
efforts.
The company as a whole was unusually
capable. Mrs. Fannie Addison Pitt as the
dowager was amusing, while Miss Alice
Wilson as Lady Charlotte was acceptable
in a negative role. Conway Tearle played
the' part of Malmsbury. husband of Betty.
1 with god taste and feeling. Harrison Hun
ter as Lord Phillips attempted a sympa
thetic interpretation Tmt he was a trifle
too stagey. Hessard Short as Lordy Al
gernon Malmsbury enacted some fine
| comedy but came very near upsetting one
! of his best scenes by giving way to laugh
i ter. C. Leslie Allen, as the old theatrical
manager, McLaughlin, presented a good
character study.
The staging of the play .was elaborate
and beautiful. The green room scene was
exceptionally handsome.
Jerome K. Jerome.
Jerome K. Jerome will lecture at the
Jefferson theatre tomorrow night. In
commenting on his tlrat lecture in this
country the New York World said:
“Looking almost as sombre and melan
choly as ;t joke from I-ondon Punch, and
with the easy, effortless manner that
makes story-telling delightful, Jerome K.
Jerome, chief of the l*ondon jokosmiths,
stood on the stage of the Empire theatre
yesterday afternoon and^ensHy kept an
audience interested for two hours.
“it was the English humorist's first ap
AT THE JEFFERSON
Thursday, April 12th
A FEAST OF FUN
HUMOROUS RECITAL
The Famous English HumoiSst
JEROME K. JEROME
Author of “Three Men in a Boat” etc.
Assisted by the Whimsical Ameri
can Humorist i
CHARLES BATTELL LOOMIS
Prices 25c to $1-00
Seats on Sale Tuesday
All week. Mats. Tues. Thurs. & Sat.
The laughable rural comedy drama,
"The Hoosier Girl"
Introducing the funny comedienne,
Kate Watson and Gus Coban. New
specialties, dancing and music. PopiK
lar prices. Phone 1143.
jj' ?
2 SESSIONS DAILY”
MUS/C ALL THE T/ME
Poute ArrENDAnrs Pepeect Oekp
pearanee here aa a lecturer, and as thous
ands have read his published stories there
was much curiosity as to his appearance.
He has a smooth, clerical-looking face,
gray hair parted In the middle and falling
In waves over his forehead, light oyes that
twinkle under heavy brows and. In spite
of the latter, a benign expression of coun
tenance.
"He drifted aimlessly from one topic
to another, spearing a smile here, corrall
ing a laugh there, now and then arousing
a bit of applause, but never ceasing to
be diverting. He chose no subject and
held to no single theme."
At the Bijou.
"The Hoosler Girl" seems to he meeting
with favor at the Bijou theatre this week.
The play Is nn amusing real comedy
(drama, somewhat on the order of ".Sis
Hopkins.” Gus Cohan und Kate Watson
In the leading roles are good. The usual
^performance will be given tonight.
WILSON & AIBER
CONSULTING CNfllSEERS .
(CIVIL AND MINING) 1
Bell 'Phone Rooms 229 and 230,
B91. First Nat’l Bank