The Birmingham age-herald. [volume], June 29, 1913, EDITORIAL SECTION, Page 28, Image 28

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

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THE AGE-HERALD
E. W. BARKETT. Editor
Entered at tho Birmingham. Ala.,
postofffce as second class matter under
act of Congress March 3. 1879.
Daily and Sunday Age-Herald.... $3.00
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tatives' of The Age-Herald in its circula
tion department.
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without its author's name. Rejected
manuscript will not be returned unless
■ tamps are enclosed for that purpose
Remittances can be made at current
rate of exchange. The Age-Herald will
not be responsible for money sent
through the mails. Address,
THE AGE-HERALD.
Birmingham, Ala.
Washington bureau, rbT Hibbs build
ing.
European bureau, 5 Henrietta street.
Covent Garden, London.
Eastern business office. Rooms 48 to
60, inclusive. Tribune building. New ;
York city; western business office.
Tribune building. Chicago. The S. C.
Beckwith Speeiul Agency, agents for
eign advertising.
TELEPHONE
Bell (private exchange connecting all
iepa rtmeutM), No. 400®.
—- ■■ ■ ■ ■■■■ -I
Jin\<* If* linve, however men do eateb.
—Kim; John.
Many Mosquitoes This Year
There are more mosquitoes in Bir
mingham this summer than usual. In
some of the outlying sections of the
city they are particularly numerous
and pestiferous.
The stegomyia, which carries yellow
fever, seldom appears in this part of
the country but the anopheles, the ma
laria carrier, is here with a vengeance
and unless something is done to rid
the community of this member of the ,
mosquito family much malaria will
follow.
The presence of the mosquito is due
largely to the neglect of household
ers and property owners in general.
The back yard that is kept clean and
free from cans, buckets and barrels
will be free from mosquitoes. At any
rate, mosquitoes will not breed there.
If the canal zone could be made mos
quitoless it should be a comparatively
easy matter to keep mosquitoes out of
cities in this part of the world.
The construction of the Panama
canal would have been impossible but
for the sanitary work done under the
direction of Dr. Gorgas, and it was
absolutely essential to good health
Conditions that the mosquito be ex
terminated. With the exception of a
small area mosquitoes are now un
known in the canal zone.
In some of the mining camps of the
Birmingham district where welfare
work has been largely developed dur
ing the past two or three years
mosquitoes are conspicuous by their
absence. Had systematic efforts in
Birmingham been made a month ago
to keep premises thoroughly drained
and thoroughly clean we would not
now be troubled by the anopheles.
Even today there should be a vigorous
fight against the mosquito so that
this enemy of the human race might
be greatly minimized before the end
of summer._
That $600,000,000 Music Hill
Few recent addresses have at
tracted more attention than that of
John C. Freund of New York before
the New York State Music Teachers’
association at Saratoga in which the
well known music editor discussed the
“musical uplift” which has taken place
in America during the past decade.
Mr. Freund dealt extensively in
Statistics and with his keen analytical
mind drew large and important de
ductions. His statistics, which were
as startling as they were illuminating,
have been reproduced and commented
upon by the press generally.
The people of the United States,
according to Mr. Freund, spend in
round numbers $600,000,000 a year
for music in some form or other, in
cluding, of course, the manufacture
of musical instruments. The largest
item which Mr. Freund presented was
$230,000,000 under the head of “Musi
cal Industries.” Tuition came next—
$182,500,000. People pay for admis
sion to concerts $30,000,000 a year.
Theatre orchestras cost a total of
$30,000,000, and under the head of
operas is the item $8,000,000. Church
music has been costing more and more
In the large cities and during the past
decade, Mr. Freund pointed out, some
thing like $55,000,000 a year had been
paid for choirs.
In his address, the music editor,
said it must never be forgot that
from 70 to 75 per cent of all the
money spent for music was spent by
women. He said that as women had
unquestionably formed a leading fac
tor in the musical uplift in the United
States they would not only continue
to do so, but would, in the coming
years, “carry us to a higher plane of
musical appreciation and culture’’ and
in this way prepare the nation for an
artistic growth which could scarcely
be prognosticated.
The facts presented by Mr. Freund
are significant in showing what a
hold music has on the people; but
there is music and music just as there
are various grades of literature. It
may be generally admitted that those
who attend musia(J performances in
large towns are more discriminating
than in former years, hut music as
an art will have made a very marked
advance when those who teach be re
quired to pass examinations before
state boards. This question is now
being actively discussed in several
states. The proposition is feasible.
Lawyers and doctors have to pass
examinations before being admitted to
practice. Of the whole army of •music
teachers in this country many are
educated and are well fitted for their
calling, but the majority of them are
not. There is no reason why every
teacher should not be able to give
proper instruction; should not know
the theory of music and something at
least of the grammar of composition.
It is believed that inside of the next
few years every state will have a
board of examiners for music teachers.
The Cooling Rain
The downpour of rain yesterday
afternoon was most grateful to man
and beast and to the growing crops.
It came as the goosebonc prophet of
The Age-Herald had predicted. The
official forecaster who represents
Uncle Sam had been extremely cau
tious during the past few days as to
local showers and in Saturday morn
,ing's Age-Herald the government
made no mention of rain. The Age
Herald forecaster, however, predicted
with an authoritative air that we
would have an electric storm within
24 hours.
The long hot wave was what the
growing crops needed. It was op
pressive to humankind, but, in view of
the good it was doing to corn and
cotton, only chronic croakers com
plained.
Yesterday's rain came in the nick
o' time. It was needed and Provi
dence sent it as a blessing.
Alabama will probably be visited
by showers every day or two until
the earth becomes thoroughly soaked,
but if there were no more rainfall
for a week to come the crops would be
safe and the days and nights would
be cooler.
. *
Educational Work in Summer
One of the various evidences of
progress in educational work is the
summer school. Many persons can
remember when vacation meant ab
solute idleness of rest so far as schools
and colleges were concerned. It is
very different today. University work
in Educational centers goes on all
summer. Instructors take short vaca
tions, but in many colleges the teach
ing organization is kept up and sum
mer students become more and more
numerous.
Another noteworthy fact is that the
smaller colleges send certain of their
instructors to the especially equipped
universities for special summer
courses. Among the favorite summer
studies are English and other modern
languages, Biblical literature, psy
chology, sociology, biology, the his
tory of art and musical pedagogy.
Post-graduate schools in the south
are better and better attended every
summer, and in New York, Chicago
and other great northern cities the
universities draw immense crowds
during July and August.
Since culture is more widely ex
tended than in former days and since
modern science has conduced beyond
measure to man’s comfort, the ques
tion is how much better has civiliza
tion grown. Ho people behave them
selves better than they did 60 years
ago, before we had so much science
or so many inventions and so much
learning? Is the ethical instinct more
highly developed or more acute?
These are questions that cannot be
answered in detail. It would be hard
to prove by statistics how much bet
ter the world is than it used to bo,
but he would be a cynic indeed who
did not feel from observation that
civilization is rising in the moral
scale.
But, coming back to the question
of summer schools and the larger
means for mental improvement, The
Age-Herald wishes success to all of
them—to all the institutions that pro
mote learning; to all the faculties
and to all the summer student bodies,
north and south.
Military Training
During the potlatch celebration
lately held in Birmingham there was
no feature that evoked more general
admiration than the part taken by
the boys in the parade. Notwith
standing the inclemency of the day
and the fact that many of them were
barefooted, there was a resolution in
their look and a determination in their
step that argued well for the future
of this country.
In a nation that does not maintain
a large standing army its protection
against invasion must depend upon
its citizen soldiery, and the founda
tion for such is laid when military
drill and discipline are made'part of
a boy's education. The alphabet is
said to be the most difficult lesson
of one’s life and takes longest to
learn, and so it may be said is the
drilling in relation to military duties.
Apart altogether from the physical
advantages to be gained by being
taught to walk with a correct and
alert step and an erect figure, there is
the inculcation of the spirit of dis
cipline, the absence of which is often
made the grounds of unfavorable
comment.
Military drill arouses a martial
ardor and a feeling of patriotism
which are counted the most valuable
assets a people can posses. Every day
the lesson is being taught that pre
paredness for war is the surest means
lor the preservation of peace, and no
preparation could be more cheaply or
effectively made than to train the
youth of the country in all the pre
liminary subjects which constitute the
soldier.
There is no doubt but that the boys
themselves would welcome a training
in the art of marching and forming
ranks and squares and going through
all the evolutions of troops under
arms when directed by trumphet calls
and led by standard bearers. Weekly
drills of such a nature would soon
put a new aspect on the gait and pace
of the boys, and a more chivalrous
spirit in the breasts of the young
men of the future.
Only 1200 people attended church when
Harry Lauder preached, although it is
pointed out that many more pay good
money to hear him sing songs. Oh, well,
that isn’t surprising. The chances are
ab< ut loo to 1 that Harry is a better
comedian than lie is a preacher.
A man who was once mayor of Rich
mond wants to poison the editors and
owners of a newspaper, or blow up the
plant, because he was indirectly criticized
for some of his public acts. We under
stand now why it is that he is no longer
holding office.
Pictute of .Tamdfe Montgomery Flagg
holding a model in his lap and adjusting '
one of her arms would he quite scandal j
ous if the model in this case were a,
young woman instead of a dummy
The reviews of some new musical shows
in Paris is highly interesting, but not on
account of the n^anifter in which the cos
tumes are described. The chorus, in par
ticular, wears practically nothing.
Lillian Russell is still one of the most
popular women on the stage, despite the |
fact that she is telling people how to livi
100 years at a time when the high cos*
of living is almost insurperable.
In a Kansas town the commissioners
< ut down tlie mulberry trees because the
berries fell on the sidewalks and soiled
women's skirts. That's what they get
for trailing ’em.
Bet you don’t even remember the name
of the man who succeeded Dr. Wiley?
He Is keeping out of the newspapers with
considerable success.
____
Twenty men were executed for the as
t-afesination of Schefket Pasha hi Turkey.
Twenty for one looks like extra good
measure.
President Wilson is trying to keep cool
in white duck. If his office were more
private he might sit around in his “ath
letics.’’
Some of tiie more recent one act plays
are guaranteed to make the hair stand up
on the cranium of the old fashioned per
son.
The hones of a camel have been dis
covered in Alaska. We refuse to offer an
( xplanation while we leak at every pore.
I Professor Taft says Elihu Root is a.
true friend of the people. Ominous si-,
( lenco at Oyster Bay.
__-_*
Nerve specialists say that pretty clothes
ruin women. Not half as soon ns their
husbands.
The town that hasn't a terminal prob
lem always before it is not a growing
town.
A Wisconsin senator is taking boxing
lessons. Maybe lie plans to whip a lobby
ist.
Harvest hands are treated with distin
guished consideration at this time of year.
rOXC IOIlMNC Mil. THRASHER
From the Jasper Mountain Eagle.
In speaking of the late unlamented Bart
Thrasher, The Age-Herald of Sunday
railed him the notorious bandit from the
hills of Walker.” Now, we Walkerites
stand ready at all times to contend for j
all the honor due us, but Bart Thrasher !
was a product of Jefferson, a native of
Toad vine, or thereabouts, and to keep the
records of history straight, as Editor
Yerby would say. we protest against hon
ors we are not entitled to being thrust
upon us. it is true that Bart Thrasher
and Painter were killed in Walker, near j
the county line between the two counties, I
but it is a matter of common knowledge
that the two men were not natives of
this county. They operated along the
border of the two counties, but Thrasher
was a native of Jefferson county, while
Painter was from parts unknown. The
gang first operated along the border of
Jefferson, Bibb and Tuscaloosa counties.
Its first leader was Jim Morrison. Henry
(’ole, who killed both Morrison and
Thrasher, was a native of Walker, but he
was long a deputy sheriff of Jefferson.
His death occurred several months ago
in Birmingham under peculiar circum
stances fresh in the minds of newspaper
readers.
POINTED I* MtAUHAPHS
From the Chicago News.
Second-hand thoughts are sometimes
best.
Where there's a young widow's will
there is a marriage.
The girl who fully intends to marry her
ideal usually compromises.
Girls shouldn’t marry until they arc
old enough to say “yes.”
A man without ambition is as useless
as a last year's dog license.
A man plays the game of love for past
time; a woman plays it to win.
Many*a man's soiled character has been
washed In a woman's tears.
If street cars were to run backward,
how would women manage to alight?
Every marriageable woman believes1
that a ring on her linger beats two at the
door.
i Perhaps it is the house on the other
• fellow’s lot that makes us dissatisfied
with our own.
It sometimes happens that while a man]
is watching his enemies his fool friends !
get away with him.
Frequently you meet benedicts who look
] as though their wives had caught them
robbing the ice chest.
Most men who live in a city have a
hurd time proving to their country ac
quaintances that they are strictly honest.
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Capitol I'ark
"Now that it is settled that park con
certs will soon begin in Capitol park,
it is hoped the park commissioners will
have the broken lamp post, which stood
as ope of the night guards on Park ave
nue-, replaced," said a clubman.
"Capitol park is a very beautiful spot,
and is as well kept as the limited means
of the city will admit. But a new lamp
post
park lamp posts were made by the Na/
tional Foundry company of Anniston, and
it might be that General Manager Schu
macher would make a concession or make
the city a present out and out. But as it
is. the broken lamp post on Park ave
nue at the head of Twentieth street at- |
tracts attention and causes unfavorable I
comment.
"Someone called attention to this broken |
post in the columns of The Age-Herald
two or three weeks ago. As the initial
concert will be given on Sunday, July 6.
will it not be possible to have all the
lamp posts in good order?"
Wonderful Development at Hoyles
"The people of Birmingham who travel
northward over the Louisville and Nash
ville only occasionally can have no idea
of the great development that Is in pro
gress at Boyles, a few miles distant,"
said Arnold Masberg. "A year ago Boyles
was a scene of development of far-reach
ing importance, and today it suggests
marvelous things for Birmingham.
"The very fact that the Louisville and
Nashville Railroad company is making
such large expenditures in its Birming
ham yards at Boyles gives ample proof
of the future of this city.
"Recently there has been a very active
inquiry for the building lots of the Wash
ington Park Land company, of which !
am president. Many lots have been sold
within the past two weeks, and as there
are only 277 of these lots all told, few,
if any, will be left, unsold at the end of
the present year."
Inquiries for Farm I.hihIm
“A great many inquiries for farm lands
are being made,” said L. P. Hill.
“An influx of people from the north,
who are seeking a more genial climate
are inquiring for and are purchasing
farms in Alabama and other southern
states. Many people who have lived for
a long time in the congested cities of the
south, are purchasing farms in order that
they may breathe the pure country air.
enjoy the many advantages and comforts
that rural life bestows. A good many in
quiries have been made In the last two
weeks for acreage.
“Alabama has fine and producing lands,
with markets accessible and good ship
ping facilities. The climate is salubrious
and unexcelled.”
I * ro It pet *m Prediction Fulfilled
“i was re-reading a book by Clarence
Poe, ‘Where Half the World Is Waking
Cp,’ a few days ago. and one of the pre
dictions in regard to China struck me
rather forcibly in view of the recent rev- j
olution in the ‘Dragon Empire,’ ” said a
citizen.
"Mr. Poe’s book was issued in 1911 by
Doubleday, Page & Co., and was written
by the author while on a trip to the
Orient. While in Peking he made this
prediction: 'Within 18 months China will
have a parliament or a revolution (she
inaj have both). Such, at least, is tile
prediction I am willing to risk, and it is
one which 1 believe most foreigners in
Peking would indorse.’
“flow true Mr. Poe's prediction was is
known to the world, and the strides being
made by the Chinese are also common
knowledge. Continuing on the theme of
China's awakening, Mr. Poe says: ‘And
the coming of a parliament, popular gov
ernment, t.o guide the destinies of the vast
empire over which the Son of Heave*
has reigned supreme for more than 4<«n>
years—this is only one chapter in the
whole marvelous story, not of China
awakening but of China awake. For the
breaking with tradition, the acceptance
of modern ideas, which but yesterday was
a matter of question, is now a matter of
history. “China breaking up” was the
keynote of everything written about the
middle kingdom 10 years ago; ‘‘China
waking up’’ has been the keynote of
everything treating of it these last live
years.’ ”
Am to Tariff Revision
"While in Pittsburg recently I met many
prominent men at the DuQuesne club and
naturally heard some talk about the I n
derwood tariff measure,” said W. 11.
Leake, "but the references were chiefly
jocular. The business men of the country
have discussed the effect of tariff revi
sion and one hears little adverse discus
sion of it in the east.
"President Wilson’s determination t<»
have the currency reform bill passed
meets with hearty approval in financial
circles. Practically the only thing that
is worrying now is the fact that -Con
gress will -lot he able to adjourn before
September. If Congress could adjourn
within the next few days the effect on the
business w >rld would be most excellent." i
Remarkable Historical Coincidence
“The remarkable coincidence of names
lu the Gettysburg campaign, and certain
notable battles of history is rather strik
ing,’’ said Percy Clark.
“General Lee had his headquarters at
Bunker Hill on the movement to ‘invade
the enemy’s country.’ Gen. J. E. B. Stu
art speaks >f having gone there to confer ,
with him.
"Then th-ve is Waterloo, Pa., about live
miles from Carlisle, which latter place
the Confederates occupied, and where
Stuart burned the Federal ha racks.
“General Stuart says his movements
were predicated upon a concentration of
the three army corps either at York, or
Carlisle, or In that immediate section;
that when »ie reached York he had no no
tice that Ewell’s corps had turned toward
Gettysburg; that no information or guide
was left for him and that therefore ho
had to make the long and useless march
to Carlisle a no return on the movement
to join the army at Gettysburg-a retro
grade movement.
“Although General Lee met his Water
loo at Gettysburg, it was more the result
of poverty of supplies and ammunition
than the prowess of Meade's overwhelm
ing corps, many of them fresh troops, and
intrenched upon hills and ridges; yes,
mountains, such as Hound Top. Think of
troops, over 14 hours without food, march
ing barefooted, many of them, miles in
the July sun and bravely charging the
heights of Seminai y Ridge and the steep
front of Hound Top, as Lee's men did July
2. Then consider cavalry and artillery
horses, mere skeletons, thousands of them,
only fed on grass for weeks. It Is no
wonder that Lee’s army, traveling rough
loads, did not move in unison and be
came scattered, compratlvely speaking.
During the very critical and crucial hour
of Pickett’s charge, many confederate bat
teries were forced to cease firing for lack
of ammunition.
"Gettysburg, the greatest battle all in
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES,
A MAN made the statement the other
day that bald heads were caused
by a lack of religious faith. He
may have been talking for publication
and he may have been talking for fun,
tlie two processes in most cases being
identical. We do not know whether his
head is covered with a tine growth of
hair or not, but it is safe to assume,
without knowing tlie person and without
wishing to know him, that lie has locks
that are truly “amaranthin.” It Is hard
to believe that the man means what he
says. Because a man lias lost his hair,
does it naturally follow' that he has lost
his religious faith? It does not, and no
proof worth while can be adduced to
substantiate such a charge. Some of the
most prayerful men we have ever known
were minus the covering nature Intended
for the top of their heads. They wrere
not hypocrites, either. Their piety was
deep and lasting, their faith tlie sort that
moves mountains. We conclude that a
halo is not becoming to a bald head,
having a tendency to accentuate the
shimmer of the pate by reflection, but
that is beside the case. That is a matter
of the future, of the hereafter. In this
world saints don't wear halos a 1 there
are some saintly people who don t wear
any hair to speak of. We suspect the per
son who attributes loss of hair to loss of
religion is in love with that saying, "A
bald-headed reprobate.” It fits, we ad
mit, In some cases, but not in all. What
chance would a bald-headed villain have
in a play? And in real life the long
haired villain is a factor to be reckoned
with. Enough! Bald-heads sit in the
front row at church, as well as at tlie
theatre. There is no use knocking the
bald-heads. They are too numerous.
MEAT YOU DON’T GET.
he butcher’s smile
Is wondrous bland,
But all the while
He weighs his hand.
“DIXIE” IN MOVING PICTURES.
A black face hovering above a huge slice'
of watermelon.
A darkey with a banjo.
A cabin dcor.
A steamboat.
A shuffle on the levee.
Moss.
Moonlight.
Blossom-covered stiles.
“Plantahs.”
Old-fashioned girls.
Sentimental rubbish.
Although ’tls warm
And even hot
They still perform
The turkey trot.
NO HARM DONE.
A young man read an exquisite poem
the other day and then exclaimed, “That’s
a bear!” Fortunately the poet has been
long dead, so it didn’t really matter.
CHEAP PHILANTHROPY .
“My heart goes out to you, poor man,”
Old Titefist softly said,
But kept his grip upon his purse
And did not offer bread.
NAME, PLEASE?
Jim Ham Harris, who lives in Chicago,
but was born in Danville, Va., is the
greatest permanent color scheme that
walks on two legs. He has very pink
whiskers, which are a charming contrast
to his very blue eves—especially as the
whiskers grow close to his eyes.—The
Popular Magazine.
ASSISTANCE!
Oh, friend wouldst niy
Sad heart uplift?
Come help me buy
A wedding gift!
A SUMMER DIFFICULTY.
A correspondent complains that he
can't wear a belt without being forced at
frequent intervals to hitch up his trous
ers. Being built for speed ourself, we
know exactly how he feels and where the
trouble lies. The only sensible thing to
do in r case of this sort is for one—mean
ing man, of course—to hitch his tuouscrs
to a pair of good suspenders. Then they
will stay hitched.
MISTAKEN FOR ONCE.
“My wife is rather clever at a cross
examination, but yesterday she guessed
wrong."
“Ho wwas that?”
“I told her I had met an old college
friend down town. Before I could con
tinue she interrupted. 'And he suggested
that you adjourn to a convenient place
and imbibe certain stimulants as an aid
to reminiscence.’ Then I told her that my
old college friend was a celebrated
preacher now and alio didn't have any*
thing to say for nearly 10 minutes."
UNUSUAL CASE.
An indolent boy
Is Johnny FltzRay—
A touch of "spring fever," I take it;
And I'm sure that if he
Found a sugar plum tree.
He'd be Just too lazy to shake it.
DOUBTFUL.
"Of course your car Is the latest
model?"
“I’m afraid to say. Motor cars are al
most as soon out of date as women's
hats. You see, I've had my car a month."
PAUL COOK.
RUNNING FOR OFFICE IN JEFFERSON
By HIGH W. ROBERTS
WHEN 99 reputable citizens of
Jefferson county volunteer to
serve the people in the capacity
of oil inspector, there remains no room
for fear lest in future years disasters will
come.
In the wild scramble for a little job In
the filling of which one man is as com
petent as his neighbor, there is something
exceedingly significant. It simply means
that in every emergency, with whatever
startling suddenness it might arise, men
will not be found wanting. Therein is lo
cated a sacred thought, and one preg
nant with soul comfort to the vast mul
titude which depends on the wise admin
istration of public affairs. Consider for
a moment how unfortunate it would have
been, and what a dire reflection on the
honor of this county it would have been
had no man ,or only a few men, volun
teered to serve. As the well known hero
of the Merrimac, in his aspiration to ac
quire a seat in the Senate of the United
States, rightly exclaims: “Service is the
greatest thing in tlie* world. Give me
more of i:!'’
The 99 faithful were given no oppor
tunity to meditate. For without warn
ing the news flashed across the sky:
“The hoard of revenue will elect an oil
inspector.”
And instantly from every quarter brave
volunteers came running. They did not
come running simply for the reason that
the. job is a sinecure of the most conven
tional proportion#? They did not come
running because it is a position in which
skill is not a requisite. They did not come
running because the profits are sure and
| lucrative. Not the immortal 99! They
came, eacli drawing as he came his dread
jexcallbur, with the single thought of
service, service for the county of their
nativity, service for the people, their
neighbors, service for the sake of pa
triotism and the preservation of honor.
From the list of 99 the members of the
board of revenue must select one man.
The seriousness of the duty Is oppressive.
The board knows it might shut its all
seeing eye, extend its unfaltering hand, j
touch a man. declare him the chosen of
t
the flock, and make no mistake. The
hoard knows that each of the. applicants
is competent for the work to be Imposed,
that each is equal in the matter of honor
and patriotism ,and that neither the one
nor the other Is moved to display of ener
gy on account of the fat profit to be
gained from inconsequential toil. Which
path should be followed when following
either of 99 would load to success? Indeed,
the problem is momentous, and Inasmuch
as none save worthy men could solve It,
doubly fortunate it Is that the duty in
imposed on the hoard of revenue.
The mere people, not so patriotic as to ^
volunteer, are keenly alive to tlie highly
entertaining situation. They trust that
the board of revenue will weigh the
merits of each aspirant, and establish a
rule that the man to be named must have
some other requisite than a long and
profitable existence at the bountiful
breast of the bountiful county.
This matter of running for office in Jef
ferson is fast becoming the uni
versal joke. For instance, one of those
J who would serve the county as oil In
speetor has written a sacred communica
tion to one of the members, explaining
that he ardently desired the job. not tie
cause of the rich stake entailed, but be
cause in recent years he has grown too
fat for actual toil. Shades of Budweiser
—no Falstaff! Who does not recall how
that historic gentleman, despite beautiful
vibrations of his fatted cells, fought and
perspired four hours by the stolid face of
Tewkesberry’s clock? And yet, In this
age when swords no longer flash spon
taneously In the cause of honor, we And
men who would serve the* country sim
ply because a growth of surplus flesh has
made actual toil uncomfortable. Fortun
ate county in that its men grow so strong
in flesh! Fortunate county In that ahead
no stern breakers mow appear!
Sometime ago we read where a young
man, having lost his leg in a street car
accident, grew so despondent that he cut
his throat. Suppose on the other hand,
he should have whispered to those who
came running to render aid:
“Save your tears, my faithful friends.
Announce me a candidate for coroner.*'
Could he have been defeated? No.
Would any man have dared to stand
against him? No. Then what a prodigel
waste of glorious opportunity! In the
very moment lie had become qualified
before God and man as a worthy candi
date for a long siesta beside the political
trough, he ruthlessly drew a razor blade
through the quivering tissues of his
throat.
Were all t j follow his pitiable example,
the prospects of the county in the present
emergency would not seem half so bright.
all the world has known, was a stand off
for T,ee, Tor Meade, with all his forces,
dared not pursue L-ee, but allowed him to
return to Virginia soil, in his own time
and most convenient season, for he was
• clayed by floods in the Potomac and
burned bridges.
EXPONENT OF BIRMINGHAM
Baltimore .vtanufacturers’ Record.
In celebration of its twenty-fifth anni
versary the Pdrmingham Age-Herald pub
lished last week a special issue which pre
sents one of the most comprehensive sur
veys of any southern city and its terri
tory which lias ever appeared. The many
phases of manufacturing and mining
which have developed in the Birmingham
district in the past quarter of a century,
tile diversification of agriculture, the up
building )bf educational institutions and
the growth of Birmingham and its sister
lilies'are set forth in entertaining style,
together with a host of striking illustra
tions and a mass ,»f statistics. The Age
Herald itself is a notable exponent of the
vigor and progress and prosperity of Bir
mingham, and its anniversary edition is
worth preserving Coi permanent record.
“THE! MYSTERY OF MARIE ROGET"
Fom the New York Worid.
What human clairvoyance coulJ possibly
have foreseen that the election of Gov
ernor Sulzer last fall would revive mem
ories of the most romantic murder mys
tery in the police annals of New York and
interest a new generation of readers in a
masterpiece of American literature in
which the story of the crime is told?
The old nystery comes to life again
through the charges made against the
governor in conniction with his bill for
legal services in the action of Mrs. Maud
Carr Watson to break the will of her
grandfather, John Anderson. Anderson
was a rich tobacconuist who died in 1881,
leaving an estate of $2,500,000. In h#s to
bacco shop in low'er Broadway was em
ployed Marie Cecilia Rogers, a beauti
ful girl, whose disappearance one day in
the year 18518, followed by tlie discover/
of her body in the Hudson, set the town
agog over a murder case which detective
Ingenuity has neve** been able to solve
and which provided Edgar Allen Poe w^tn
the material for what is perhaps his best
known romance.
Now. thre.‘-quartL'is of a century later
and from an unexpected source, the old
crime is revivified, \ ith something of the
old thrill. Not only is it true that murder1
will out, but also ir will not down where
the crime is such ns to arouse popular in
terest. Only recently an item in the cur
lent news revived interest in the Borden
case. Last ytar the efforts of Jesse Pom
I < roy to escape from prison recalled the
deeds of cruelty with which all New Eng
land rang a generation ago. What may
not happen i ext week to call fresh atten
tion to the Nathan murder or the killing
of Jim Fisk on tlie hotel stairway?
II15 WAS DA/.RU
j From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
The admiral, on the bridge, directed the
movements of the fighting flagship.
Calm, watchful, dignified, he infused
courage into officers and crew alike.
Suddenly, one of the enemy's torpedoes
exploded close to the vessel, dazing the
gunners, stunning the officers, and send
ing a cloud of spray high over the bridge.
In an instant the admiral’s poise was
swept away. Shaking his fists lie danced
^ip and down In a frantic fashion, utter
ing the most violent language.
The flag lieutenant, greatly alarmed,
tried to soothe him.
“Calm yourself, admiral, " he hurriedly
said. "It was only the enemy's torpedo.
| It did no damage."
i "Torpedo!” snorted the admiral. "Is
I that all! I thought a tire had blown out.”
, And then he went right ahead and an- ■
nihllated th« enemy.
PENSION GRAFT CHECKED
From the Savannah Press.
Governor O’Neal of Alahamu has been
taking steps to cut out the leeches and
Impostors who have by some means or
other fastened themselves to the pension
roll of the ex-Confederate veterans of that
state. The state examiner of public ac
counts has been busy in Washington ex
amining the papers in the war depart
ment and getting the record of those
men who have been drawing pensions
from the state of Alabama. The reports
which the examiner have so far made In
dicate very clearly that a large number
on the pension rolls of Alabama are
drawing pay through fraud and misrep
resentation. Some, who are getting a
regular stipend from the state never
served in the Confederate army at all;
some were deserters, and some were even
soldiers on the other side.
When Alabama’s pension roll is purged
of these impostors the money which is
paid out by the state in pensions will go
only to those who deserve pensions and
are entitled to the gratitude of Alabama's
people.
There Is no doubt that similar abuses
and similar graft creeps in wherever
there are sums of money to disburse.
If thiB examination of the records of
those who are drawing pensions is prac
tical for Alabama it Is practical for other
state* and it is also practical for th*
great roil which annually nips Its mil
lions from tlie* United States treasury.
The great difficulty which stands in
the way of purging the pension roll of
the United States lies In the fact that
pensions are splendid vote-getters and
vote-holders. The political self-seekers "f
both parties stand as a man in defense
of those great abuses and thwart suc
cessfully every effort to publish the list
of persons who are drawing pension
money from the United States govern
ment. The resolution to make the list
public is invariably lost in the scuffle
whenever the pension question is up. Hut,
next to doing the right thing, is the effect
of doing the wrong thing so flagrantly
that all the world wonders. The pension
scandal in tlie United States is now’ such
a screaming absurdity that reform is in
evitable.
A SAW roll NEWLYWEDS
From Popular Mechanics.
Many of the small towns in Europe
have distinctive wedding customs which
must he observed, and of these the old
mountain town of Wildermann, in Ger
many, claims one that is particularly in
teresting and quaint. On the day before
the wedding the young men interested in
the couple place a saw-horse on the top
of the house where the bride is lodging,
usually upon a chimney, and the bride
groom has to take It down before the
wedding.
On the wedding day tlie couple fled a
rope barring their way after they leavft
the church, and they are not allowed to
pass until they have sawed in two the l
knotty log lying upon the horse. The in
habitants of the town gather around to
watch the sawing, which is supposed to
show whether or not the couple will puli
well together. |
THE LONGING
By Arthur Wallace Peach.
From all the world's unresting
Freedom comes at last:
Toil and ceaseless questing
End. and grief is past.
But though tlie sleep be restful
I'll hunger for the trail, )
The old earth ways or effort
Where bravest hearts may fall. j
I'll yearn to hear the voices
Where ones I love abide,
Recall the hills at sunset, i!
Birdsongs at eventide.
I'll dream of scenes of action, *
The cheering cry of friend, }
And. feel the peace that follows
When day's long labors end.
My rest shall know no stirring, %
No part In strife of men;
But, O, I shall be longing
To live the years again 1