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There's Hope Tor Tvery Other Tlace on Tarth—'Birmingham Goes "D'RY”
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VOL UML TWO
WUMVER THIRTY-SIX.
WHAT WE THINK WHAT WE SEE
Sy A. T. RAMSt JTanagina Editor.
And now Birmingham is on the cart. Always
room for one more!
In a recent address Mr. William J. Bryan said
to his audience: 11 If 1 have done anything, my
father and mv mother deserve more credit than I
do.” We dislike to see a man strive to shirk his
responsibility and shunt it onto his parents in this
manner.
* *
Forecast for Birmingham, Ala.: After January
1, 1908, Very Dry and spreading to surrounding
territory. Hints to gardeners: All plants, such as
breweries, etc., should be prepared now for trans
planting. A northerly climate will be most suita
ble. (Note: Tennessee is not northerly enough.)
n n
Dr. Torrey, the world-famed evangelist, is now
preaching in Chicago, and is said to be devoting
a week to the definition of Hell. The shortest cut
to this definition in Chicago, judging from the way
we hear it spoken of, is the word used as an epi
taph on Sir Christopher Wren’s tomb: “Circum
spice.”
President Roosevelt had his hunt and assisted in
killing squirrels, turkeys, deer, bear and ’possum.
The game was all cooked in the most approved fash
ion, and after the return of the party to civiliza
tion the President said that the best dish of all
was ’possum. Now after that evidence of his good
judgment, what is the use of trying to get the
Southern people to vote for anybody else?
We note from the papers that there is some sort
of financial depression in Wall Street. We have
been expecting it for quite a while. We have felt
it for months, but it spreads very slowly. We
mention it here and now for the sole purpose of
calling attention to our needs. If Cousin John
wishes to come to our rescue he will find us right
here a-waiting.
at at
We do not mean to say anything in any way
reflecting on the Rev. Billy Sunday; we have every
reason to believe that he is a good man, and that
his labors as a minister of the gospel are being
richly rewarded; but we have been impressed by the
way his activities are reported in the daily papers.
The New York Sun of recent date contains an arti
cle headlined as follows: “BILLY SUNDAY VS.
THE DEVIL.” “Former Baseball player converts
100,000 people!” “Whacks the Devil as if he were
pounding out homeruns. His business methods. His
own conversion years ago. Meetings more thrill
ing than football.” We cannot just classify this
style of headlining; it reminds us of a circus poster
for certain reasons, then it strongly smacks of a
ATLANTA, GA, OCTOBER 31. 1907.
prize fight heading, and l seems an account
of a man who has persons forgiven some thou
sands of people their sins a _u vouchsafed them a
new spiritual birth. This may be truly character
ized as a day of evangelism; that much good is being
accomplished through evangelistic methods very
few people will deny; but whether preaching pre
ceded by the advance advertising agent, and accom
panied by press agents, advertised singers and gen
eral publicity paraphernalia of the steam piano type
is of avail in the right direction, may be seriously
questioned. Because, we mentioned Mr. Billy Sun
day in the beginning does not indicate that we at
tack him or his methods, but we do somehow seem
to get closer up to an understanding of the things
that are worth while when they are preached by
those who in humility and in their ministering imi
tate the Man of Galilee.
M I?
We believe the art of securing all the news all
the time has been developed to the uttermost by
Georgia dailies. The dailies provide themselves with
correspondents at all the places of any importance
in the state, and these correspondents hurry to their
paper an account of anything that happens to break
loose within the sphere of their influence. We
approve fully of the intimate personal tone in which
all occurrences are chronicled to a waiting world.
We have especially enjoyed an account of a speech
recently made by a statesman of the Empire State
who addressed an audience of his constituents “for
the purpose of rendering an account of his steward
ship.” The gentleman in question, a congressman,
may as well be known as Mr. Blank, although his
real name is far more attractive. The report of the
occasion is as follows: “Mr. Blank entered into
an account of the work done in the House since
being in office. Among the most prominent features
was the appropriation of $50,000.00 for a postoffice
building in his home town. He strongly insists
on getting rid of the Philippine island (sic). An
appropriation of $25,000.00 was sought for the pur
pose of erecting an armory in (home town) for
the (home military company). In last session
he introduced a bill to appropriate $20,000,000.00
for thirty years to build good roads over the entire
country. He proclaimed himself opposed to foreign
immigration and recalled a speech made three years
ago when he sounded a note of warning concerning
this question.”
Os course one misses the consuming fire of the
orator's personal magnetism, and is not uplifted
by the swelling enthusiasm of the assembled con
stituency, but with these trifling omissions this ac
count of the event is almost better than having been
actually present. Such firm and faithful adherents
as may have been bedridden on that glad dav and
were prevented from attending in person upon the
scone of their hero’s triumphal accounting of his
stewardship can here breathe the identical senti-
ments embodied in the burning words and glowing
sentences of their steward. A statesman who has
the strength of character to “strongly insist” on
sloughing off forever “the Philippine island” can
be trusted in any emergency. And see how he now,
returning to humble surroundings after he has
learned the “applause of listening senates to com
mand” recalls to his constituents that he long ago,
three years ago, to be accurate, forewarned them
that this foreign immigration would have to be
stopped. No heed was given to his words then; low
foreigners have been coming over here in droves
on excursion boats, and now see the result; But no
doubt thing’s will be set right when he gets on the
job again. And when, the speaking over and the
accounting completed, a fellow citizen arose and
asked every one to stand who felt pulsing within
him a desire to endorse Mr. Blank, “a unanimous
vote was cast.” It pays to do right. It is the best
policy and surely has its reward.
n *
President Roosevelt has issued his Thanksgiving
proclamation and among other beautiful sentiments
gracefully expressed, says: “We should earnestly
pray that our souls may be inclined evermore to
ward the virtues that tell for gentleness and ten
derness, for loving kindness and forbearance one
with another.” We are looking for a little foot
note or addendum to be affixed to the proclamation
something like this: “Os course, the ‘virtues that
tell for gentleness and tenderness, for loving kind
ness and forbearance one with another’ do not ap
ply when some one has told what may be charac
terized by a ‘short, ugly word,’ neither should mol
lycoddles be encouraged. Neither should ‘undesir
able citizens’ expect any gentleness or forbearance
under this Act. If they do, they have another
guess. ’ ’
We have seen accounts in the papers of the pro
cess which has been discovered by a scientist in
Jena by which to “photograph invisible objects by
invisible light.” Now a casual reader might not
be impressed by the importance of the discovery.
But stop a moment and think of how beautiful a
picture of an attractive invisible object, unseen in
invisible light would be —especially after it was en
larged and framed for hanging on the wall. An
invisible something photographed through the me
dium of invisible light—perhaps the process can
be extended until the whole thing can be perfected
without anything whatever being visible. What a
plan for settling debts, if ever invisible checks
on invisible bank accounts can be constituted legal
tender! And what a hope in a weary land it will
be after January first, if invisible drinks can be
invisibly secured to slake the invisible but at the
same time robust thirsts that will exist in dear old
Georgia. Yes? No?
TWO DOLLARS A YEAR.
FIVE CENTS A COPY.