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THE ATLANTIAN 3 (Flti> Atlantian Published Monthly by E. WALTER TRIPP Box 118, Atlanta, Georgia THE ATLANTIAN will give free space to alt Secret Societies and Labor Or ganizations. On the other hand, we put everybody on notice when THE ATLANTIAN makes a statement which we believe to be true, and such Statement goes uncontroverted, we shall insist that it is true. Published Monthly by The Atlantian Publishing Co. VOL. 3 DECEMBER No. 35 Our Motto: “Pull for Atlanta, or Pull Out.” ii Editorial Etchings II Christmas Nineteen hundred and twelve years ago the Wise Men from the East followed a brilliant star until it rested over a stable in the little Judean town of Bethlehem. Entering that stable, amidst the rudest surroundings they found cradled an Infant. These Wise Men added to their wisdom, faith. And moved by that faith, they laid their offerings at the feet of this Infant and offered up their worship. It was an humble beginning. Nineteen centuries have been regis tered upon the tablets of time. The world has gone through the usual cycles of slaughter, of rapine, of plagues on the one side, and of sweetness and love and charity on the other side. Out of it all has come, as the centuries have passed, a constantly increasing army who follow the lead of the Wise Men and worship—it may be feebly —rlie Infant whose advent heralded to t lie world a new creed—a creed of boundless charity; a creed of love for fellowman; a creed of returning good for evil. Five hundred millions of people today march under that banner. It would be too much to say that they all understand the significance of tlie flag which floats over them. It would be too much to say that they all practice the doctrine which they profess. But it is not too much to say that, imperfectly as .we understand it, imperfectly as we practice it, all the good things of this world are due to the imperfect belief in, and the imperfect practice of that creed. No thoughtful and honest man will dispute this. And this being so, imagine, if you can, what this world would be if we had perfect understanding and perfect practice. With each recurring Christmas season, which marks the natal day of the infant Christ, it is proper for all men to take stock of themselves and see how nearly they are living up to the standard set by the Master. Then if we find ourselves short in performance, we can go forth and endeavor to retrieve the past by some service, remembering that in the final day of account we shall be judged by one standard, and by one standard only—a standard which is not too high for any of us, and not too difficult for any intellect: “In asmucli as ye did it unto one of the least of these, my brethren, ye did it unto Ale.” W. T. Gentry Atlanta has no more valuable citizen than W. T. Gentry, President of the Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Company. A Virginian by birth, born in the little town of Gordonsville, starting life as a telegraph operator, some thirty years ago while working as a telegraph operator in the old town of Alexandria, Virginia, he came in touch with the telephone business as manager of a small exchange. It was the infant days of telephone business—it was hardly more than a promising experiment. But the young telegraph operator, possessed of a versatile mind, of a large foresight and immense industry, took hold of it with enthusiasm, and in a very short time won his spurs. He was sent to Atlanta twenty-five years or more ago, to take charge of a little exchange which represented a small investment, a few thousand dollars. He has worked up through every grade of the service, until today he is president of a thirty-million-dollar public-service corporation, which employs more than six thousand people and connects with a network of wires every village and hamlet of seven great States. On another page appears a rather more detailed sketch of Mr. Gentry and his works, and this is merely intended as a little ap preciation of the man. No better evidence of his wisdom and his qualification for the great place which he fills so well can be found than his attitude toward the State Railroad Commission. Always frank, open, kindly, and generous, he has never leaned toward the secretive in the conduct of his business and has kept for his com pany a large measure of public friendship by that policy. When the State Railroad Commission of Georgia assumed authority over all public service corporations, Air. Gentry did not do as so many other corporation officials do, try to hide everything he could; but went before the Commission with a statement which was a marvel of its kind. Every possible bit of information that could be given was given, with the result that the Company at once gained the confidence of t lie Commission—and between his company and our officials there has never been any friction. What the Telephone Company is worth to Atlanta would be hard to figure; but with its great buildings, its army of employees, and its great disburse ment of money, anyone can readily see that it is one of the great assets of the city. This is the public side of the man. On the personal side, his kindly and genial temperament enables him to make friends of everyone with whom he comes in contact, and it is strictly within the limits of truth to say that no man in Atlanta enjoys a larger personal popularity than this president of a Ihirty million dollar corporation—and one need not be afraid to state that he is the only man in the United States occupying a similar position who enjoys tin 1 same popularity. In this connection the following editorial, taken from the Rich mond (Virginia) News-Leader, of February 26, 1909, is worthy of reproduction, as it comes from his home folks: TOAI GENTRY. Yesterday the Southern Bell Telephone Company elected W. T. Gentry president. This is a fitting caption to a brilliant business career, and the logical result of the long and extraordinary service Air. Gentry has given to the Bell Telephone System in the South. That it is a system at all is largely, if not chiefly, due to Vir ginians. About twenty-five years ago this young man, without fortune, with precarious health, and with an empty sleeve, without knowledge of the telephone except what he could teach himself while meeting heavy personal responsibilities, began work in a little office in Alexandria, which he managed while performing his duties in the telegraph office there. lie found the telephone little more than a curious experiment; his constructive talent, boundless energy and commanding executive ability developed and applied it, and now, having served in and passed through every grade, he is at the head of this vast organization that with thousands of men, and a capital of more than thirty million dollars, has woven over the South a network of wires more intricate than the labyrinth that serve night and day the business, the convenience and the pleasure of our people. From a scientific experiment, a possibility but little more sub stantial, apparently, than Prospero’s vision, he has built up, and is now at the head of one of the most potent factors of development. Virginians are and ought to be proud of this Virginian and his great work. To the many who knew “Tom” Gentry in his boyhood days, and loved and respected him because of his big heart, and the resolute spirit, and exhaustless energy, that made him, in spite of his slight form, his feeble health, and his empty sleeve, the cleverest pupil,