The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], February 16, 1913, EDITORIAL SECTION, Page 29, Image 29

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

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TRACHOMA A NATIONAL MENACE—By Alfred C. Reed
X enemy which we have fought
at ports of entry and on our far
l, frontiers has suddenly appeared
\n our very midst. The dread invader
trachoma. Its victims we have long
seen among Alaskan native?, our own
reservation Indians, and the tmmi- j
grants at our gates. But now we find j
that the disease has stolen a march
on us and made our own American !
stock its prey. The foothold it has j
gained puts it in a position to menace '
the nation.
Down in the beautiful mountains of
Kentucky live a people of the purest
American ancestry. Stalwart, brave, en
during. unmixed with other blood, they
show the sturdiness of the pioneers
who followed Boone to the virgin wilds
beyond the ranges. The mighty train
of American development has swept by,
leaving them side tracked, forgotten,
neglected, in the hills of their adop- 1
tion, an unknown people In the midst i
of a busy careless .nation.
The poorer amolig them live for the '
most part in snfall and sparsely scat- !
tered log cabins. Families number usu- j
ally 10 to If* members, all of whom J
eat, sleep and live together in the one I
room of the cabin. The common wash !
basin outside the door is often a large I
stone with a hollow in its surface, dif
ficult to empty or clean. To this each |
user contributes his share of germs.
Hanging next to it isf the large fam
ily towel, which is on duty for days
in succession.
Cabins have no windows at all or
small ones at best and all openings
are scrupulously closed at night in the
winter time. Ventilation is of the poor
est at any time. Close intermarriage,
lack of even rudimentary sanitation
and monotonous ill suited diet predis
pose children to many ills including
tuberculosis and other infectious dis
eases. Ringworm of the scalp, uncor
reeled defects of vision, adenoids and
enlarged tonsils and hookworm infec
tion are common. The unkempt and
neglected condition of these children
is pitiable. Many are mentally back
ward and defective. The typical moun
taineer, however, is usually intelligent
and wide-awake even though illiter
ate.
The social and economic needs of
these mountaineers of Kentucky, Ten
nessee, Carolina and Virginia are be
ginning to be recognized. But it has
remained for Dr. John McMullen of
tiie federal public health service to
call attention to a most serious dan
ger now menacing them. In a recent
investigation he found trachoma pres
ent In an alarming and unsuspected
degree and the blindness and defect
ive vision resulting from it responsible
for an incalculable* impairment of so
cial, economic and Intellectual effi
ciency.
Trachoma is a communicable disease
of the eyelids w hich If untreated, usu
ally progresses to blindness and prac
tically always causes Interference With
vision. Among 4000 persons examined
Dr .McMulltn found that 500, or 13H
per cent had trachoma. From 3 to 18
per cent of the school children were
affected. One of the Important factors
in the spread of the disease Is the com
mon family towel. Most of the cases
receive no treatment and each case be
comes a local focus of contagion. It
appears that the disease must be of
long standing in these mountains, and
that It is getting progressively worse.
Trachoma is chronic and persistent.
Treatment for it must be long con
tinued and carried on with unremit
ting care. To prevent its spread among
the southern mountaineers. Dr. Mc
Mullen emphasizes the need of a cam
paign to show the importance *>f san
itation. fresh air, clean homes and per
sonal hygiene. Stereoptiean lectures in
public buildings and schools will help.
Visiting nurses and social workers are
needed to preach the gospel of sanita
tion in the individual home. Other so
cial agencies must be organized to In
clude the entire affected territory. E's
pecially among school children cases of
trachoma should be isolated. Schools
must be properly lighted and ventil
ated.
Actual care and cure of existing
cases offers the greater problem. Pub
lic clinics ought to be established sim
ilar to the one now conducted by l)r.
‘j. A. Stucky, under the auspices of the
IV. C. T. U. settlement school at Hind
man, Ky. Movable field hospitals in
conection with these ctinics could af
ford surgical treatment to cases re
quiring It. The name cases and ter
ritory should he covered periodically hy
distrlet visiting nurses. Groat patience
and long continued effort as well as
much money will be needed to eradi
cate trachoma from those mountains.
But with Perseverance and enthusiasm
the task can he accomplished.
Trachoma has been found most de
structive among the American Indians,
particularly among those leading a
reservation life. In some of the reser
vations in the southwest, trachoma is
found in from 63 per cent of the In
dians. Over 6000 Indians were treated
in 1911 for trachoma and at the tra
choma hospital of the Indian service
at Phoenix, Arizona, over 800 were op
erated upon and treated.
Dr. M. II. Foster in a report to the
Secretary of the 'Treasury on January
23, 1912. stated that of 1364 Alaskan
natives examined by him, 15.6 per cent
had some eye trouble and 7.2 per cent
from all parts of Alaska suffered from
trachoma. In some sections of the
southwestern portion of Alaska the dis
ease was present in 25 per cent of the
native population. Dr. Foster urged the
great need of a government home for
blind natives in Alaska and the pro
vision of some trade or occupation to
relieve their present pitiful condition.
Among immigrants 2504 cases of tra
choma were certified in the fiscal year
1911.' At Ellis Island alone 718 cases
wore certified. Considering th^ pitiful
conditions into which the disease,
throws its victims, the serious extent
to which it Is already prevalent in the
country, and its economic and social
menace, effort to prevent the entrance
of now cases and the establishment of
new foci of contagion becomes imper
ative.
Trachoma has been shown to be a
public health problem of national con
cern. Prompt, persistent aud energetic
measures must be undertaken by local,
state and national health officers to
check its further spread and to erad
icate it where it is already present.
(Exclusive Service the Sunday Press Bu
reau.)
MEN WHO HAVE MADE ALABAMA—GEORGE P. HARRISON—By B. F. Riley, D. D.
IN a recent work, the title of which I
‘•Social Life of Virginia in the
Seventeenth Century," is presented
the history of the original families of
repute which emigrated from England
to the Old Dominion, among the names
of which appears v that of Harrison.
From this family have come two Pres
idents of the United States as well as
ether distinguished citizens in differ
ent states of the union. Gen. George
Paul Harrison of Opelika is a descend
ant of that original Virginia stock
which was so conspicuous In laying
the foundation stones of the stato on
the shores of which landed the first
English colony. The name of Harri
son is found mentioned in distinguished
connections In many of the southern
and western states.
Gen. George Paul Harrison, the sub
ject of the present sketch, was born
on the ‘‘Montieth Plantation," near Sa
vannah, Ga.. March 13, 1S41, and bears
k his father’s name in full. The father
was, for many years, prominent In
Georgia, politics, serving many ses
sions iti the legislature of that state,
from Chatham county ami during the
late war between the states, command
ing a brigade of state troops. After
the war tho elder Harrison Ayas chosen
a member of the constitutional con
vention of Georgia, aiding materially
in framing a constitution adjusted to
the new order incident to the close of I
the war.
Our present distinguished citizen,
Gen. George P. Harrison, was class
ically trained in the famous academies
for which Savannah was noted before
the period of hostilities, the chief of
which schools were the Monteith and
Effingham academies. From those ad
vanced studies in his native city he
Avent to the Georgia Military institute
at Marietta, from which ho was grad
uated in 1S61, with the degrees of
A. B., and C. E., as the first honor
man of his class. He was scarcely i!u
at the outbreak of the war and in Jan
uary, 1861, she shared in the seizure
by the state of Georgia of Fort Pu
laski, which was taken possession of
on January 3, 1S61. With Ills co*rse i
at Marietta still uncompleted, Mr. Hay- j
rlson enrolled in the service of the j
state and was commissioned a second :
lieutenant in the first regiment of j
Georgia regulars. In the spring of that .
eventful year, while yet war was un- j
declared, he was detailed by Gov. Jo
seph E. Brown. Georgia's "war gover
nor." as catnmandant of the Marietta
Military institute, where he was en
abled to prosecute his course to com
pletion.
Rejoining the First Georgia regulars,
he became its adjutant, and went with
the command to Virginia. He particle
pated in the earliest fighting of the war,
was with his regiment at the affair at
Langley's farm, and in other brushes with
the enemy. In the winter of ’61 and ’«2.
he was commissioned the colonel of the
Fifth Georgia regiment of state troops,
and was assigned to the protection of
the coast of the state for six months,
when the regiinept was reorganized for
regular service in the Confederate army,
with the retention of Colonel Harrison as
Its commander, his command now be
coming the Thirty-second regiment of
Georgia Infantry. The regiment was as
signed to service at Charleston, where
it remained until near the close of the
struggle. Though still ranking as colo
nel, Harrison was In command of a bri
gade about 15 months during the years
‘68-64. The three brigade commanders,
Generals Hagood, Colquitt and Colonel
Harrison, commanded, by turn, on Morris
island, during thi' large part of the siege
of Charleston. When tho assault was
made on Fort Wagner on July 22. 1803,
Colonel Harrison was speedily sent to re
inforce the garrison, and arrived in the
nick of time, saved the fort and put
to flight th«v assailants. In a contest of
several days on John’s Island, he was in
complete command of the Confederate
forces, and here he won distinction by
his coolness, courage ami strategic abil
ity. After the final fall of Wagner Colo
nel Harrison was assigned to a separate
command with headquarters at Mount
Pleasant, a part of his command still
garrisoning Fort Sumter, over which the
Confederate colors floated till February,
1865.
During a period of lSt>4 Colonel Harri
son was in command at Florence, S. C.,
where he built a stockade for 25,000 fed
eral prisoners, who were so humanely
eared for by the young commander as
to excite the attention of Ueneral Sher
man, who. when he captured Savannah,
ascertained where tho Harrison home
wu a, as the family was now residing In
that city, and Issued a general order to
his troops respecting Its special protec
tion.
In 1S64 tho brigade which Colonel Har
rison commanded was sent, together with
that of General Colquitt's, to turn buck
the invasion of tho federal General Sey
mour, In Florida, the object of Seymour
being to isolate Florida from the rest
of the Confederacy. Colonel Harrison
shared in the honors won by General Col
quitt tn the decisive buttle at Olustee,
nod was at once commissioned a briga
dier, being, it Is suld. the youngest gen
eral In the army. He was not quite 23
years old when he received his commis
sion as a brigadier general. His brigade
became a part of Walthall's division,
Stewart's corps.
On the retlrefnent of the Confederates
before Sherman, Into tho Carolinas, the
task was assigned to General Harrison
of covering the retreat of Hardee. Gen
eral Harrison shared in the closing scenes
of tho drama in the Carolina*, was twice
wounded, and once had a horse killed
under him. He had Just passed his
twenty-fourth birthday when his com
mand surrendered at Greensboro, N. C.
While in camp, General Harrison ap
plied himself to the study of tho law,
as hi* prospective profession, to the prac
tice of which he was admitted soon after
tho close of hostilities. Removing to Ala
bama, ho located first at Auburn, and
later removed to Opelika, where ha* since
resided. Elected commandant at the
Alabama university, he accepted, after
first declining the position, after retiring
from which, ho was made commandant at
the State Agricultural college, as It was
then called, at Auburn. After a year of
service there, he abandoned all else and
devoted himself to his practice.
His service for tho public wras soon in
demand, and In 1875, ho was eho*en a
_L..
member of the constitutional convention
of Alabama, serving In the same capacity
In his adopted state, in which his honored
father was serving at the same time in
Georgia. Then followed hie election to
the state senate, in 1880, be becoming the
president: of that body In ’82, serving two
years. In '92 he was chosen a delegate
to the national democratic convention,
and in ’94 was chosen to fill the unexpired
term' of the Hon. W. C. Oates, who had
become governor, the district indicating
at the sumo time Ills choice to succeed
himself two years later.
As a distinguished Mason, General Har
rison is the chairman of the committee
on Masonic jurisprudence of the grand
lodge of Alabama. The United Confed
erate veterans have shown ther appre
ciation of General Harrison by choosing
him in 12 successive elections us major
general of the Alabama division. In 1912
he was chosen, at Macon, Gu., lieutenant
general of the army of Tennessee depart
ment. which position lie now holds. A
man now of 72, he resides at Opelika, ns
the chief counsel of tho Western of Ala*
bam a railroad.
A LEGISLATIVE PROGRAMME—By George Eaves, D. D.
AS concerns her protection of her
own sons and daughters, Dame
Columbia is a very stupid and
careless mother. Recent visitors from
Germany have marvelled that American
factories are so ill-equipped with pro
tective devices. It is only the other
day that the matches we all use ceased
to be stained with the blood of the
workers. On railways and In mines we
• laughter more pimple than any other
nation. This, the greatest republic of
•11 time, whose boast It is that she alone
•ecures to the earth "government of
the people, for the people, by the peo
ple," has beeu and Is the most Indif
ferent to the wholesale maiming and
killing of the people.
Just for dollars! Just because the
protection of the w’orlcer seems a heavy
tax on manufacturers’ profits! All our
boasted democracy was proving fustian
and hypocrisy so long as we were con
tent, as Mr. Bryan put It, to crucify
man upon the cross of gold. While au
tocratic Germany and old, king-vener
Hting England, and all Europe even to
Bulgaria and Spain, were progressively
safeguarding their toilers, making
treaties to co-operatively shelter their
women folk from over work, this land
of the free and home of the brave was
hesitatingly watching the greedy eyes
of Mammon, listening for his forbid
ding roar. She should have been hear
ing the cry of the wounded, workers in
• thousand mines and mills. She
should have been wiping the eyes of
10,00(1 widows and their babes. But
• long with her unmatched volumes of
private generosity and beneficence,
America was jealously unwilling to pro
vide legislative guardianship of the
weak and dependent.
But this is of the past. A better spirit
.has supervened. Cities are making war
on dust and smoke and bad housing.
Social education is looming upon our j
too free and too indifferent souls. We
are in danger of going to the extreme
of war on the investor in our new-born
zeal for the protection of the worHer.
So at least the shy promoter thinks, be
cause he is fearful and most sensitive
when anything happens that even re
motely affects the money market or the
price of stocks.
There is indeed a new contrition and a
new conscience in industrial America. The
truth' has come to the governing intelli
gence of the land, alike in offices of great
employing concerns and In offices of gov
ernors, congressmen, senators, representa
tives, that the care of the people’s health
and welfare is the first and most neces
sary investment in the world. And so we
may expect that new laws will be made
and new interpretation given to old laws
for safeguarding of human life, for the
protection of the wage-earner, for the re
straint of pernicious greed, shortsighted
even in its own interest.
That great international association for
labor legislation, which has succeeded so
well in care of the working folk of Eu
rope, has for its counterpart In this land
the American association of the same
name. Patriotic and perfervid orators of
the spread eagle variety ffliould study the
“Review” published by this American as
sociation. It would give them pause In
their most daring flights of eloquence and
might even induce a little wholesome
chastening of the soul. Our vast national
bulk, with industrialism only at Us dawn
in many sections, the need of separate ac
tion in each of 4<J free and self governing
commonwealths, our fear lest laws to pro
tect the poor and dependent should fright
en capital and drive it to some less con
scientious competitor, all help to explain
the hesitancy of America in this field of
labor legislation. East year the great
triumph of the association was the law
taxing poisonous phosphorus matches in
order to protect the workers, of whom a
majority were women and girls. Its new
programme involves seven or eight die
tlnct features and affects tlic majority of
these states. It includes:
1. A law to provide one day's rest in
seven.
2. A law to protect workers from lead
poisoning.
3. A law to extend the uniform reporting
of Industrial accidents and occupational
diseases.
4. Iaw! providing for the automatic
compensation of workmen, (a) Federal
employes, (bf all working people under
state investigation of accidents and oc
cupational diseases.
5. I jaws securing protection for working
women from needless waste of physical
power, by long hours and had conditions
of employment, etc., in all states.
0. Ijiws providing for efficient factory
inspection in all states.
The lteview has for Its frontispiece a
map of America, showing the states which
do or do not provide efficient factory
inspection. Those states which insist on
civil service requirements hi factory in
spectors are colored red. There are five
of these. New' York. New' .lersey. Massa
chusetts. Illinois and Wisconsin. Those
states which require that the factory in
spector shall have practical experience
and knowledge of factory life are marked
blue. They are four In number: Ohio,
Indiana. Kentucky and Minnesota. All
other states are marked black, which
Indicates that they have no legal require
ments of technical training in their fac
tory Inspector.
It should be said, however, that at
least one state, marked blark, has a fac
tory inspector who is adequate for the
task, our ov.n Ur Oates, who also In
cludes inspection of jails and almshouses
with that of factories. This, however,
means that one or two men have too
much ground to cover, though it also
moans that our condition Is not fairly
Indicated either by our color on the map
or by the laws on our statute books.
1. Concerning the day of rest, we have
the law but, here as elsewhere, it Is not
enforced, because it is not very intelli
gently constructed. The value of rest
one day in seven does not wholly depend
upon the Identity of the <1ny chosen,
although it would be well if ail of us
could rest at the same time and quit
an atmosphere of rest at once even to
all cars and mills and furnaces. Since
this is impracticable, it is worth while
to require of all employing concerns that
they shall not burden the life of their
employe by making improper drafts upon
Ids vitality through refusal to allow him
a seventh day’s respite. The daily toiler
gets a respite every night or day, and
the fatigue-exhaustion is overcome. But
Haegler’s chart shows that this daily
cessation nevertheless fails to prevent a
steady depression of forces unless it is
corrected by a recurring rest day. once
a week. The modern statistician tlnds
himself supporting the social science of
ancient Hebrew laws. It is physiologi
cally necessary that workers have a sev
enth day's rest, or they will wear out
before their time. The old south knew
this. The new south is tempted to ig
nore it. and to deal less generously witli
her sons than the old south dealt with
the slaves. For all the way from Maine
to California American workmen are be
ing robbed of their rightful Sabbath,
guaranteed by the old laws that arc writ
ten upon the constitution of the human
race. The nation sets an example for us
not to follow! The civilization of the
sot Uh has elements worth preserving In
the new age, and this is one of them. Can
we not enact a lawr that can be and
shall he enforced, securing the lights
of all working folk to a day of rest?
Or must we wait and loiter till indus
trial interests dominate us, and force
our consciences to accept us necessary
what Is only necessary to big dividends?
L\ So far as 1 have been able to dis
cover there is as yet little manufacture
in this state which involves the con
tract of workmen with lead fumes,
and their consequent poisoning. But
it would be a mistake to suppose that
there is therefore no need to protect
the worker from this peril because we
produce no lead. It Is reported that
noarly 160 trades employ lead in some
essential form and that thousands of
workmen are exposed to Us deadly
I>erlls. All tho bullets ever made of
lyad have probably killed fewer peo
tfle than those who have fallen vic
tims of what Pliny long ago called the
"slaves' disease," because carbonate of
lead for paint was made by slaves,
since tho task was no job for free,
men. The killing began long ago ulid
still continues.
Here again Europe leads the way and
wo must follow. Drastic laws have
boon enacted In England and on the
continent. France wll shortly oven
prohibit the use of harmful lead salts
within her borders. But the protection
of people from this form of danger
Is no difficult. It would seem that ah
sodlute cleanliness and sanitary effi
ciency In shops and workers does eli
minate the danger from lead salts, to
which painters, for Instance, are ex
posed. It would also seem that a sys
tem of ventilating hoods, where lead
fumes are made, renders them harm
less. Strange Indeed that laws should
he necessary In eases of this sort! But
seeing they are necessary, is It not
better and easier to anticipate the
evil than to wnlt till It Is established
and entrenched among financial Inter
ests? I trust lhal Alabama will come
Into lino with this general programme
iff Industrial legislation and so lock the
stable door before the horse is stolen.
3. The same consideration applies to
the repot ling of diseases and accidents.
Why a law should be necessary lo re
quire such reporting It Is hard to see;
Tor in our simplicity we might sup
pose that all employers are gentlemen
who walk In the light and have nothing
I to hide in their relations with employes.
And yet, alas, the facts are otherwise.
I though so many splendid examples may
be found of men who weleime investi
gation. The new' conscience takes the !
form in part of a doslre to know the,
cash of 'production in terms of com- j
lnunal Welfare, including provision for
all who suffer by production. And
since the eternal forces of nature have
decreed that Alabama shall be an in
dustrial state, laws requiring uniform
reports of accidents and dise-ases de
veloped by the occupations of indus
trial life should surely be enacted here.
Only thus can comparison be made with
our competitors, or the cost of pro
duction computed.
4. Many have discussed workmen’s
compensation laws. All that needs now
to be done is to enact them in such
form that they shall work without the
interference of the cheap “shyster.”
who lias been getting most of the ad
vantage of the present anarchy. All
the world has them. Only bis “free
dom” stands in the way of the Ameri
can workmen’s adequate protection.
Whereat the devil and his angels poke
one another in the ribs and mutter the
sacred word: “Freedom!” with gibing
lips.
Homething is needed in the direction of
trustworthy information. It is not only
occupational diseases and accidents that
need to he reported, but progressive de
velopments of safety devices, sanitary
provisions, extent of home industries, the
sanitary conditions under which all work
is done. A commission In this and other
southern cities should lie reporting all
available facts, especially upon the wage
and working conditions of the negro and
of the white man and woman In competi
tion with the negro. What is considered
desirable by the association for labor leg
islation is a broad and authoritative man
ner of acquiring facts and classifying
them concerning industrial hygiene.
6. Alabama is among the backward
states in provision of protection for her
women in Industry. She puts no limit
upon the number of hours per day or
per week during which girls may be re
quired to stand at the iroulng board or
at the counter, or to drive the sewing ma
chine, or to tend the telephone, or to ply
any oilier trade. Many western states
arc In the same condition, but among
southern states—Georgia, the Carolina*,
Tennessee, Louisiana, Virginia, Ken
tucky—have gone ahead of us, as have
California, Washington, Utah, Colorado.
Oklahoma, the Dakotas, Wisconsin anil
Minnesota In the west. The movement
is towards a stronger generation of
children by the simple art of conserving \
th$) physique* of their mothers; and the '
inspiration of the movement is the larger
religious patriotism which has been born.
It is safe to say that 25 years hems
this generation of Alabama people will
he reckoned crude and barbarous in Us
provisions for the welfare of women. For
it Is crude and barbarous, only it takes
a community centuries to see itself In the
mirror of fact.
7. And yet sudden legislative leaps are
to be deplored and suspected. It is not
enough to have beautiful taws written un
less they create the force that will ap
ply them. Georgia, for instance, has n«j
Inspector to enforce the factory law.
though she claimed In Ult no fewer than
104,588 wage earners.
The point for thoughtful and progres
sive minds is that today is the day of
preparation, that we hi
may bo as happy, as well
as well housed and as we
the people in other section
but ns eternal justice ant. - <•
require on our behalf. Cloi
draw the days of vast con
Ultlons In this southern land. Shall they
crowd upon us to their own degradation
and ours, or shall they come to a land
of equal laws, of equal opportunity, of
real democracy, because in social spirit
as well as in physical environment this
Is “the sunny south?’'
HEART TO HEART TALKS—By James A. Edgerton
THE Clean Language league ot Amer
ica is making a campaign agumst
the use of profanity, suggestive
* nras. certain ragtime songs and slang.
So far as profanity, vulgarity and some
Df the ragtime music are concerned, the
league's work should he applauded.
Perhaps also as to some of the slang ex
I pressions. But let them not become pur
l lets and old fortes in censoring everything
i called slang.
Some of these slang phrases are most
expressive and alive.
They are the new minted coin of speech.
All language in the making is called
ilang by some people.
Shakespeare wrote in the slang of his
day—that Is, in the language that was
new-and his words have become classic.
The slang of today Is the dictionary of
tomorrow.
In this progressive age there is no need
to become afraid of a thing simply be
cause it is new, even though it be a new
phrase.
The idioms ot each language were at
one time its slang. Yet it is these idioms
that give It character, piquancy and life.
Much of the slang of today will die. of
course. It ought to. But not all of it.
.Nor Is any self appointed school of cen
sors capable of saying just what words
end phrases will die and what will live, j
There is a higher court—that of all the j
ptopie, and not only those now living,
but those yet to be born.
Language is not a marble statue, the
lame yesterday, today and forever. Rather
It is a lake, ever in motion and led by
springs. Words are constantly dying or
Becoming obsolete, and others are being
born. Very many of these baby words
and phrases we call slung.
Others are made up by scientists or oth
ers from impossible Greek anti Latin com
binations. The slang ones have at least
the advantage of being shorter and hence
better.
The slang of each age fits the activities
and thoughts of that age. What could
hi more expressive than "making good," I
"delivering the godos" or "on tbf: job?" j
Not elegant perhaps, but vital.
Don't dam the springs that bring living
waters into the lake.
Kach flay ami each community has its
own story of some humble hero or heroine
w ho offered his or her life for others.
Many of these tales never set- print. Oth
ers are told only in the local papers and
do not reach the great world beyond. A
ft w, perhaps, receive mention ifi the city
papers.
That is bt*cause such deed- are beeom- |
Ing common. We are taking the words J
ami example of the'Naaarene so into the !
very fiber of our lives that seif sacrifice
is expected.
Ona of the latest talcs concerns Joseph )
Dube of New Hartford, Conn. At the
age of -1. with all his life before him. this I
lad lost both his legs in rescuing ids cous
in. Anna Castonguay, from falling tinker
Hie wheels of a moving train.
In the hospital later, where he lay in a
critica 1 condition, Joseph Dube said
quietly:
“I’m satisfied: I saved Anna.'’
There is high hope for a race, an age
01 a nation that breeds su< h men.
You never heard of Joseph Dube he- J
fore; you may never hear of him again, j
hut do not imagine that such dets^s are
lost. j
Somewhere and somehow is kept an im
p€'*0****m segord of the thing* that 410
good, that are pure and high and unsel
fish. This record will go to make up the
song of the ages.
The name of Joseph Dube is written in
that book.
Somewhere ami somehow is being reared
a temple of God in the city of man. The
deed of Joseph Dube is one of the stones
in that temple.
Somewhere and somehow is being
builded a royal highway through the
ages, leading to the era of heaven on
earth. Joseph Dube’s sacrifice is a mile
stone in that highway.
He saved more than one life. Human
ity is bound together in 1000 unseen ways,
and he who rescues another in some sense
rescues all men.
I want you to engrave the name of
humble Joseph Dube on your heart, and
some day, all unconscious to yourself, ,
perhaps, it will help you to save a life,
to help a friend or to be a little hit more
unselfish, honest and true.
No, no, I cannot talk painting. No one !
does who is a real painter. It is dis
cussed in omnibuses, in cafes, in drawing '
looms, but not here.—Hilaire Germain
Ingas, greatest living French painter.
There is no harm perhaps in talking j
art" if one knows anything about tt. !
There may even be no positive harm in
talking it if he knows little or nothing. ;
In time he may learn. Yet is there any- !
thing under the sun more "stale, tiat and
ur.profitable!’ than the chatter about art
by near artists and people with a smat
tering of the subject?
Yee; there is one thing worse, and that
is so called "artistic temperament.”
What Is art? Is it not art to do one’s 1
work well in whatever field lie occupies?
I.' he known his subject, loves his work
and makes a finished product, Is not
that art? What need Is there to develop
Jiidiosyncrasies and "temperament” in
conscientious, inspired and worth w hile,
Work?
If we confine art to the narrower defini
tion of painting, sculpture, music, drama,
poetry and the like, wherein Is there
gieater need here than elsewhere for ail
that twaddle about ‘‘temperament?’*
The big winner in these fields, as in
any other, is the man who learns ull j
about his subject, is a master of detail, |
sinks himself in his art and works, works,
works. That word "work" is really the
key word of the whole proposition, fciuc
cess cannot he won without It. It Is not
"temperament" that is needed half so I
much us ordinary, old fashioned, dig Into j
it industry.
The greatest artists, whether In paint
ing. music, the drama or elsewhere, work j
ay hard and us honestly us winners In I
any other field, and in most cases they |
have no more “temperament" than a suc
cessful lawyer, teacher or business man. !
Indeed, moat of the temperament twad
dle comes from sinattcrer* and half 1
baked people, who know next to nothing I
of what they are talking.
The thing misnamed "artistic tempera- j
ment" seems to have little place other ]
than as a veil for affinities, poses, vani- |
tic.-', bad temper bordering on boorish ness j
end other forms of piffle/ and self In- I
diligence.
Art is a high term, and it is infinitely
hopeful that there is an artistic awak
ening in America, hut there is no more
relation between "artistic temperament’
and the real thing than there is between
a quack and a scientist or between a fakir
&ud an avatar.
It has been exactly 400 years since Vas
co Nunez de Balboa discovered the Pa
cific ocean.
This year, as a sort of gigantic <juad
ricentennial of the event, we arc prom
ised the opening of the Panama canal.
Through the range of hills on which
Balboa stood the big ditch will bear the
world’s commerce from “sea to shining
sea."
The Panama canal has been the dream
of centuries. It was only made an ac
complished fact when a race came im
patient of dreams and eager for deeds.
The actual work has occupied but few
more years than the dream did centuries.
Immense obstacles had to be overcome.
There are always obstacles to any worth
while work.
Hundreds of millions of dollars had to
be raised, tens of thousands of workmeji
had to be procured, hundreds of machines
had to be created and set In place, great
engineers bad to be put in charge, a
mountain range had to be removed, and a
fever laden clime had to be transformed
to one of health. All of these things have
been accomplished with speed and ef
ficiency and without much noise. Not only
so, but the work is being completed short
of the date originally promised.
Pi ai*» hath her victories no less renowned
than war.
You and J. reader, are a part of the na
tion that performed this great work.
< erinot we as Individuals be equally ef
ficient?
We do not have to dig canals perhaps,
or do any other gigantic act attracting
the attention of the world, yet our tusk
is as important, relatively speaking, as
that of piercing the isthmus and wedding
two oceans.
A building is made up of many parts.
Tf one bface is missing the structure
is not complete or safe.
Our position may be that of a brace
in the social edifice.
It thus becomes essential to all that
we do our work well.
If it is important to society as a whole,
•however, it Is infinitely more important
to ub as individuals. It means the dif
ference between success and failure, be
tween prosperity and poverty, between
honor and dishonor, between comfort and
misery. v
Jt means, if wo do not live up to our
port, that we are losing a life.
r,< t us each reduce his mountain range,
pierce through his isthmus of difficulty
overcome disease, organize his forces, and
wed the ocean of desires and dreams to
that of accomplishment. It is only thus
that our ships will < omc in. bearing their
richly laden carg >68 to bless our own and
others’ lives.
Abou ben Adhem may his tribe Increase!
Awoke one night from a deep dream of
peace
SUFFRAGE IN SERVIA—By Xavier Holden
SOFIA, February IT*.—(Special.) —
Fresh war is threatened in the
untranquil Balkans. Not be
cause peace negotiations are unsatis
factory, because Ferdinand has not
got enough: because Hervia is not to
keep Albania: or because some p<
are sore about Sulonica. The cause of
trouble is the resurgent suffrage! te.
The resurgent suffragette has not > et
got to the stage of seizing the coat
tails of King Ferdinand or stoning
King Peter’s konok, as have, her .sisters
in other lands. But she is active and
irritated; and the Terrible Turk him
self has aroused no worse political pas
sion than her ultimatum, “We women
must have votes.’*
This passion has overtaken Bulgaria,
and also progressive riervia, where
women are already farther ah« ad in tho
professions than they are in Germany
or France. The war has given women
their chance and they are not neglect
ing it. For the past few weeks Madarne
Vasilisa Petroff, wife of a Phillippappo
ils lawyer has been running a very
strong suffragette agitation. The agita
tion feeds mainly on the great services
rendered during the war by women
nurses, uniform makers and even sol
diers. “But the greatest thing we are
doing.” she says, “is becoming widows.
Every Bulgarian 'woman who has sent
her husband to die on the battlefield is a
fresh argument why women should
have votes.”
Woman's suffrage is an old cause In
Bulgaria. Before the war the Women’s
Emancipation union had 1700 members
and it lately beeamo affiliated to the
international suffrage movement. The
war brought 400 fresh members. The
Bulgarian man regards the movement
with suspicion. Of the political parties
the only sympathizers are the radicals
and the democrats, neither of which
counts for much. During the lo years
fighting the women have gained only
one viciot That is the right: to vote
for the elections of the schools manage
ment committees. The right to sit as
members of the committees has been
refused.
.Madunic Petroff is preparing a poti
Hon to Queen Eleonora. The petition
begins by reciting words used by Kir.„
Ferdinand to members of the English
lied Press Mission. "My wife," said
the Incautious Ferdinand, "Is worth
* 1,#*0 soldiers." if one woman Is
worth 1*.**9 soldiers, urgues the logi
cal petition, then one woman might
Imvc at least the same political power
as one soldier lias. The petition asks
Queen Eleonora to use her Influence
In pushing the women's emancipation
movement, thereby "showing the world
that both halves of ilie Bulgarian na
tion are worthy of freedom."
By the occupation of the male popu
lation in the war the women found
themselves promoted into necessary be
ings. Seine cleaned tho streets, others
drove cabs and a few even applied lo
he enrolled as patrolmen. Three were
enrolled and their drill begun. But tin
three soon discovered that they were
not wanted. With all the men fighting
their country's battles, there was no
one to get drunk, to give black eyes
or to steal pocket handkerchiefs and
the patrolman’s occupation wus gone.
So llio three were discharged. M.
Queshoff, son of the prime minister,
who had been serving In the foreign
ministry and was drawn as a reserve
officer, perfected a plan for employing
women in the ministry to replace men
gone LO the front. Twenty were en
trusted with the copying of confidential
dispatches and they kept the secret.
S-rvia's women's emancipation move
ment Is booming better than Bulgaria's,
it is older and Mervia has hundreds of
women doctors, teachers ami even some
women engineers. Bervla led almost
all Europe In giving women a show of
political power. In 1878, the year In
which Bervla finally threw off Turkish
suzerainty, women were given the right
to vote In municipal elections. Only
1- |ier cent of adult women could then
read and write. Tho right of municipal
voting has never been exercised. The
courts when asked to decide on the
matter, said wisely: “Women have a
legal right to vole, hut it cannot he
recognized us it is against the custom
| of Bervla." The Servian Women's
Suffrage League is seven years old. It
ih always hovering on the verge of suc
cess. When women doctors and teach
ers demand a right to vote for the
Skuptchlna. they were hacked by many j
eminent men. including Prime Minister j
Pashltch. They lost by only six votes I
Servian social democrats support In ,
theory women’s suffrage, but they do
not support It in practice on the ground
that the suffrage organization is un
friendly to them. For practical work
th© suffragists have to rely on M. Vul
witsch, chief.of the young social party,
and now minister of education. Vul
witsch works hard for th© cause, and
h© has promised to open several new
fields for women’s activity in teaching.
The present minister of the interior
also hacks women's rights. Other min
isters are unfriendly. The former war
Minister Pavlowltsch proposed to em
ploy women sopyist clerks in the war
office. IPs project caused an open re
volt among the men.
A real hacker of the Hervtan suffra
gists Is Prince Arsen© Karageorg* -
viteli. brother of King Peter. Frivolous
brave, hurdup Arsen© lias dearly loved
many women in his day, anil he shows
them his gratitude by wishing them
votes. When Arsen© has any money—
which is seldom—he gives small Hums
to the suffragist organization. II© is
a close friend of one o the most prom
inent suffragist leaders, Madame Mari©
Gruyltsch, the half French widow of an
Agriculturist of Niseh. Madam© Gruy
itscli is a remarkably handsome woman.
When her husband died in 1906, she
gave half his property to the woman’s
suffrage league. Hho is now busy or- !
ganizing a “national demand for votes'’
which i • to he based on what women
have done and suffered during th©
war. Forty-two Servian women, she
says, have taken part as soldiers, and
two were killed.
Thus do Bulgaria and Strvia progress.
From Montenegro and Albania com© no
echo of this emancipation movement.
But H is expected that the bravo Mon
tenegrin will show his thankfulness
for his wife's services during th© war
by not whacking her so hard as is now
the custom, and that the Albanian will
yoke his wife less roughly to the plow.
And saw within the moonlight In his
room,
Making it rich and like a lily in bloom,
An angel writing in a book of gold.
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adbem
bold)
And to the presence in Hie room he said,
“What writest thou?” The vision raided
its head
And, with a look made of all sweet ac
cord,
Answered, "The names of those who love
the I*ord.”
"And is mine one?” said Abou. "Nay,
not so,”
Replied the angel, Abou spoke more low,
But cheerily still, and said, "I pray thee,
then.
Write me as one that loves his fellow
men.”
The angel wrote and vanished. The next
eight
It came again, with a great w'akening
light.
And showed the names whom love of God
had blessed—
And, lo, Ben Ad hem's name led all the
rest! — Leigh Hunt.
I have found one of the tribe of Abou
ben Adhem. He Is a farmer in western
Kansas. His name is peter Schofield.
This winter a stock plague raged in
Peter’s neighborhood. It was said to be
the worst disaster in that part of tho
state since the grasshopper scourge. Sonic
of the farmers lost all their horses and
were too poor to buy others.
One morning was found tacked on the
door of the schooIhouHc near Peter Scho
field's home _ this notice signed by his
name:
“The Lord has spared my stock. My
horses have gone through the epidemic
without loss, and I have 20 head to loan
to my less fortunate neighbors without
charge for plowing. Those who need are
welcome to them.”
A simple thing, you say. Yes, that is
the beauty of it. Just a simple act of
kindness, but the kingdom of heaven is
made up of such
If peter Schofield has been of the same
kidney as some of tho modern trusts he
wcuid have taken advantage of his mo
nopoly on horses ahd have charged about
three prices in hiring them out to his
neighbors.
If lie had been of the breed of those
who play to the grandstand and hire a
press agent to exploit their virtues lie
would have sent the notice to nil tho
newspapers, accompanied by his picture
end a sketch of his life.
Ho did neither. It was quite by accident
that the newspapers learned of the inci
dent.
The Lord has been good to him, and
Peter had gratitude. He could not repay
the Lord, so passed the kindness on to ids
needy neighbors.
Remember this when you make up your
list of those who love the Lord, and do
not forget that of Peter Be ho ft eld.
But write him down, like Abou ben Ad
hem. as one who loved Ids fellow men.
Paint and powder act like so much
dirt.—Dr. S. J. Crumblne, dean of School
of Medicine, University of Kansas.
The only way to improve on nature is
to stimulate nature to improve on her
self.
Luther Burbank has learned this secret,
n« has every successful gardener, horti
culturist. breeder and farmer. %
The same laws apply to the human
world.
The way to be beautiful of face and
11 ody Is to have beautiful thoughts, &
beautiful character and health.
Why do women of the twentieth century
mar their race* with paint?
c:ivagos do the same, but wo are sup
posed to have passed the savage stage.
A lady one day meeting an overpainted
Kiri on Broadway said rather sharply,
“Wash your face.”
Many physicians have testified that
powder and paint stop the pores, roughen
and poison the skin and so produce ugli
ness in the at tempt "to force beauty.
No man of good taste, real insight and
appreciation was ever -pleased by a paint
ed face. If ills Innermost feelings were
known it only revolted and disgusted him.
Some teachers, to discourage the use of
paint, urge athletics. They testify that
Kiris who play basketball, row, walk or
take healthful exercise soon get rid of the
nonsense.
There is nothing more lovely than a
beautiful woman. There is nothing more
horrible and ugly than an overpainted
one.
Paint does not conceal ugliness, but
rather uccciituutcs and advertises It.
It require* a leal artist to paint a beau
tiful picture, but most of the face paint
ers are mere amateurs and daubbers.
The real artUt conceal* his art until it
I s'.etrfH pure nature, but the face painters
Ido not conceal their paint.
Nature is moro beautiful than all her
imitators. It may seem an extreme state
n tin, hut it is ur honest belief resulting
from long observation that no woman's
face was ever improved by smearing
grease and floor upon it. I think most
men share this view.
Cleanliness, health, exercise, right diet
and good thoughts are the secrets of
beauty. If any artitlcial aid is used let it
be the taco massage. Anything beyond
this Is vanity that defects Its own end*.
Paint and powder constitute an attempt
to obtain admiration under false pre
tenses.
What the Trouble Was
From the New York Sun.
"When 1 started In at my desk this
morning." said a man who writes things
for a living. “I found right away that
the work was dragging. 1 had a job all
market! out In my mind and ready to
begin on, but my Ideas didn't flow; realty
they only tickled, and at that haltingly,
and over that I wondered mildly.
“I had enjoyed my breakfast as usual,
end hud looked over the paper, smoking
the while my usual stogie, and T ought to
be fit and ready, hut somehow 1 wasn't:
and so 1 sat buck for a moment and won
dered. m
"And then It struck me thut there was
Something wrong m the room, somehow It
seemed oppressive and nuiet, still, very
still. There was something wrong here,
surely, and then all of a sudden It struck
me; and when I looked up, sure enough
the clock had stopped!
"It is curious about people and clocks.
Some people can't work with a clock in
the room; I couldn't work without one.
And It Is Joet the same about clocks In
sleeping rooms; some folks can't bear
them there; 1 couldn't go to sleep without
on*.
"And 1 must ha%e a clock in the room
in which 1 work. It Is a friendly thing to
me, and 1 have an idea that it vitalises
the air. gives It life. When I am at work
I never hear It strike and I never hear
it ticking; but if the clock should stopT"