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EDITORIAL PAGE THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN Published Every Afternoon Except Sunday By THE GEORGIAN COMPANY At 20 East Alabama St., Atlanta. Ga Entered as second-class matter at postoffice at Atlanta, under act of March J. !•?>. ’ Subscription Price—Delivered by carrier, 10 cents a week. By mail, >6 00 a year. Payable In advance. || The Idiotic Craze for Ath letic Supremacy •». M « In the Schools, at Least, It Ought Not to Become a Menace to Health. Thousands of children take pari in school athletics, competing in the tournaments through which athletic championships are P awarded. School athletics, reasonably conducted and competently super vised. are useful. They teach children Io care for their bodies, and it is well known that a good mind in a poor body is as bad as a good ; | engine in a leaky ship. But, unfortunately, the school athletic contests are not always wisely conducted. The glory that attaches to champions leads hun dreds of children to take part in them who are not physically fitted for the contests, and to train energetically that they may have a chance of success. .. \ . Training, of course, means hard work. It. is often carried to the extent of limiting a child’s food, which is worse than foolish. And. in caaes where children have weak hearts, weak lungs, or under-nourished bodies, the average course of training is so danger ous as to be criminal. In the great cities, where the majority of children come from badly ventilated tenement houses, only about 25 per cent of them are fitted for school athletics. Before being permitted to enter any such contests, (‘very child should be subjected to a rigid physical examination—an examina tion at least as thorough as that given a prize-fighter before he is allowed to go into the ring. In New York, when the Marathon craze occupied the attention of every child old enough to run a block, hundreds of little hearts were weakened by overstrain. Naturally in the wake of the Mara thons followed an increase of disease and a rise of the death rate. Into the contest went all sorts and classes of little boys, some of them hollow-chested, others anaemic and half fed, still others with J inherited tendencies toward disease. Had every one of these children been examined before he was allowed to go into even the short school Marathons, needless illness and unnecessary deaths might have been prevented. Parents who send their children to the schools, paying rents and taxes for the support of the schools, have a right to look to the board of education to protect the health of their children. Pupils who are not strong enough for school athletics can be given light exercise, which will be sufficient to develop their bodies and fill their lungs with fresh air. Any doctor, after examining a child, can prescribe the exercise that he needs to build him up—all the exercise that is safe for him to take. But no doctor would order a four-year-old child to hammer a punching hag or swing Indian clubs; nor would he expect an invalid to run five or six miles to work up an appetite for breakfast. I Two excellent measures for the promotion of the health of chil- dren have lately been taken. One of these is the reduction of the temperature in the school rooms from 70 to 68, or even lower. The lower temperature will not in the least endanger the chil dren. but it will bring cooler and better air into the school room. In addition to this, dentists are employed to examine teeth of all pupils, to arrange to have decaying teeth filled or removed, and to instruct the children how to keep their mouths in sanitary con dition. This will be. of tremendous benefit, as three-quarters of the ills of childhood, as well as of adults, are due to the lodgment of disease germs in the mouth. Give every school child good strong teeth, with which thorough ly to chew his food, and teach him how to keep his mouth free from dangerous germs, and you will largely reduce the activity both of the family doctor and the undertaker. Two measures so good as these should be supplemented by an order to examine the lungs, hearts and general strength-of children who go into school athletics. This done, parents may feel secure that their children, while at school, are as well eared f«n as they could possibly be at home, and »g- that the education of their minds will tot be at the expense of their constitutions. To Kiss or Not to Kiss Ladies and gentlemen, is kissing a crime! Echo answers "No!” And echo must be right, for even Dr. George Bowling, who organ- T ized the Oklahoma society to do away with kissing, admits that the practice is nice albeit insanitary. “Homes have been wrecked, nations destroyed and thrones overturned, all because of that one thing." he declares, "still that is not my reason; 1 am enthusiastic on the subject simply from a sanitary standpoint. 1 believe that when people are educated thev will eliminate kissing.” Now, this is all very well, but Dr. Bowling may he sure if he were put up for office on an anti-kissing platform he would go down in history as the man with one vote—assuming, of course, that he voted for himself. In this scientific age. when even our shadows seem to contain a menace, let us rise in our might and defy the anti-kissers. The Atlanta Georgian The Story of Ahab and Jezebei * By Garrett P. Serviss How the Modern Science of Archaeology Confirms the Narrative of Hebrew Scriptures . _ r ■ , » ... .... The Remain* of the Jewish Gate at Samaria. ; ■ ' ' u 11 _ II - I* i -I f - L WjLF. T' ■ fe • ■ wteLT !P I r ' - —/sr urf I I Iff? 7 ■- *'s’’l I \ ■■ — — — : > 1/J X*V<’ j.O - u (- —2^— The 80-foot Wide Staircase in Ahab’s “Ivory House” WE all like to see the, stories of the Bible, which tn our youth, at least, we read with -wonder and veneration, con firmed, in some of their most In teresting details, by the results of modern exploration, which seeks only for hard facts, and often ob tains them in unexpected and sur prising ways. Most of us, no doubt, have been better pleased with the thrilling stories of the earliest adventurers around the Dead Sea, who thought that they had seen the very pillar of salt into which Lot’s wife was changed, and had caught sight, deep beneath the tremulous water, of the walls of Sodom, " * * * old palaces and towers Quivering within the waves’ in tenser day,” than -with the more scientific rela tions of later travelers, who find only Indications of a great geologi cal catastrophe there. Yet even these, in a manner, confirm the Scriptures, for they show how the legend of the destruction of Sodom may have originated. But lately there has been made a discovery which offers a more di rect. if only partial, confirmation of one of the most fascinating of the Bible narratives, that which tells of the wickedness and woes of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, and the adventures of the Prophet Eli jah. Explorers, digging on the site of the ancient royal city of Samaria, have uncovered what are believed * The Artistic Temperament * Bv WINIFRED BLACK. SHE wants to be an artist’s model, and she has written to me asking me how to work at being one. "I have an exquisitely molded form," she says in the letter, "and an artistic temperament. I am very talented and have done artis tic work. My work has been ac cepted and highly praised in va rious stores, and 1 would like to go on with it. but they offer me such ridiculous prices that I can not do it. How shall I get into my proper sphere?” My dear, sweet, foolish little girl, your proper sphere is right at home with your good, sensible mother “who worries about you.” you say. I don't blame her. If a daughter of mine ever got the idea into her little head that she had "an exquisitely molded form" I'd never give her rest, or peace night or day. till 1 got that notion out of her brain. If I had to discharge the laundress and give daughter the family washing to do to make her realize that there is only one thing on earth worth hav ing. and that is rest. Artistic temperament I—ls I ever caught any git! of mine thinking herself “temperamental” I’d shut her up in a convent with a wall six feet high all around the place, and I’d keep her there till she came to her senses. to be foundations of Ahab’s‘palace, or “ivory house,” containing He brew inscriptions, with familiar Hebrew names, and. what seems especially significant, references to a “vineyard.” This, it is thought, can be nothing other than the vineyard of Naboth, which the Bi ble says lie near Ahab’s jjalace, and the coveting of which by the king, who wished to turn it into a royal park or garden. brought about a terrible example of the wrath of God. The owner of the palace, some of whose walls are shown in the photographs, and which occupied about two acres of ground, with its many chambers grouped around inner courts, “did more,” says the Bible itself, "to provoke the Lord God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.” His fundamental offense was In marrying Jezebel, the daughter of an idolatrous king, and herself a worshipper of Baal, who steam rollered the endmies of her religion with a cold nerve that would have made even a national committee man’s teeth chatter. It is true that the other side had set her some examples, for Elijah took her prophets, and "brought them down to the brook Kishon, and slew thorn there.” When Jezebel heard _ of this she sent to Elijah a mes- ' sage, which, from the point of view of literary effectiveness of ex pression, must be regarded as one of the most blood-curdling threats Artistic temperament 1- Yes. there is such a thing, hut the people who have it never know it themselves. The one sure sign that a girl is ab solutely without what we call tem perament for want of a better name, is when she starts talking about it. And your work, poor little girl, that “artistic” work you do so de light fully, what is it, tatting or wool work? Perhaps you make doilies with marguerites on them, or tray cloths with' poh<i lillies all over the part where the unoffending cups ought to sit. or maybe you paint panels or decorate china, all nice work; but how can you think that there is anything serious about it? They praise you at home and tell you you are “so artistic." Well, so you are, no doubt, within the limits. Why don't you stay in the limits and be happy? Some .lay some nice young man will see you sitting on the, porch embroidering a bureau scarf and he’ll think. “There, she is the right kind of a girl. No tennis for her, no golf, no running around al! hours of the twenty-four, but just a nice, quiet, neat, gentle, little soul who'll love to darn socks and look pleasant while she's doing it." And he'll speak to you w ith a new note in his voice, ap,d all at once you'll see w hat nice eyes he has and how broad his shoulders are. and you’ll forget all about the “artistic tem- JULY 6, 1912. ever uttered: "So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by tomorrow, about this time.” Elijah, who had just performed a marvelous meteorological feat by putting an end to a three-year drouth, quailed at that threat, and, in the language of the scriptural writer, “when he saw that (the queen’s message), he arose and went for his life.” But the ful anger of the Lord was not excited against Ahab and Jezebel until the incident of the vineyard occurred. When Ahab told his relentless wife that Na both refused absolutely to sell his inheritance to suit the royal pleas ure, Jezebel took, charge of the affair herself. She trumped up false charges against Naboth, got some rascals to swear to them and then had the unfortunate man stoned to death, by due process of law. Then back came Elijah with a message to Ahab from the Lord God of Israel: “In the place where the dogs licked the blood of Na both shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine!” It all came out according to the words of Elijah’s message, out the wicked queen, strangely enough, long survived the husband she had ruined, although she, too, finally felt the vengeance of Jehovah, for she was thrown from her palace window, and when the dogs were through those who went to bury her found only bones. perament" and the things that go with it. You’ll find yourself walking up the aisle of a. quiet little church some day to the old. old song the organ sings, and your little head will be whirling around and around with happiness, and you will have "found your vocation and the best vocation it is on earth, too. Don't envy the girl with the real artistic temperament, pity her. She'll fly farther than you, but oh, how her wings will ache some times! • She'll see the world, shell he part of it, and half the time she'll be envying you, just simple, con tented, Utile wholesome you, with all her poor, hungry heart. Oh, yes, they're all right, the studio teas, ami the Bohemian din ners, and the "Art for Art's sake” jargon, for a while, but any one who really grows up. grows away from all that sort, of thing some day, and then what? You don't belong there, little girl, at all. Be content in your "com fy” home, with your mother, the best and dearest friend you'll ever have. And remember that HE is com ing down the road some time, may be today, perhaps next week, to round out and fill in your life. “Artistic temperament,” “exquis itely molded form,” forget these foolish words, my dear little girl, and some day you'll be quite, quite ha ppy. THE HOME PAPER The Education of the Voter PROSPERITY—GOVERNMENT Prosperity Is Not Dependent Upon the Election of a President By THOMAS TAPPER. A GOOD many earnest people try to convince us that Pros perity depends entirely on who happens to be president of the 1 ’nited States. When Populism was rioting through Kansas in 1896, like a cyclone, William Allen White wrote . tin editorial on the movement, in v. hich he begged to suggest to the Kansan that he ‘raise more crops and less hell.” When citizens get down to busi ness and raise crops, Prosperity takes care of itself: when they begin to raise the other thing, it is impossible even for the president of the United States to take care of Prosperity. The Crop is the thing. Any man who devotes his days to industry is a crop raiser. If he cares for his money, manages himself and ills household on a wise and economic basis, he will be prosperous. When, by careful management, he has been able to set aside a ten-dollar bill for deposit in tlie savings bank, the name of the president of the United States is not likely to enter his mind while he is waiting for the return of his bank book. He is probably pleased to know that he has so ordered his affairs as to have the money for deposit. And if he thinks further, he may real ize that while Prosperity in gen eral is talked of a great deal and freely argued, it does him no good until he finds the perspiration of hard work and careful manage ment streaming down his own face. Devotion to Work Gives Best Results. Considerable attention has re cently been given to the point of view of Mrs. John H. Flagler, in reference to labor problems in the household. Mrs. Flagler points out that when the mistress of a house begins to recognize a difference be tween her servants and the furni ture of the kitchen, there will be less domestic friction. This all means careful study of household management. Politics has nothing to do with that. As a man intent on securing the benefits of prosperity, you will real ize that loud talk and argument put no money in the bank. Pros perity and Politics have a rela tion, but you will never know much about it until you fix the mind on getting all the prosperity you can OUT OF YOUR OWN INDUS TRY. There are countless voters in the United States who feel that they could run the government, but who, very apparently, can not run them selves. The great value of learn ing that government means guid- Letters From the People DOROTHY DIX AND FLESH POTS. Editor The Georgian: The vegetarian Is always a fa vorite butt for tlfe wit and the joker. His superior diet enables him to receive the prods of the Philistine without an attack of eholer. So, while enjoying the laugh, I ask permission to correct some of the errors of your clever contributor. A vegetarian'is not a vegetable arian. The former term is derived from the Latin word vegetus—vig or, strength, vitality. The diet of vegetarianism consists of fruits, nuts, grains, roots, vegetables, eggs, milk, cheese and butter. Some omit the animal products, but that is optional. Delicious nut meats are now made from all kinds of nuts and almonds which contain no skin, bone and fat to throw away, and whose handling and cooking give no offense. Your contributor's ideal husband is an epicure. But in vegetarian ism there is much more scope for palate-tickling dishes, the variety being greater, more refined, esthet ic and subtle. And the reformed diet creates a more sensitive sense of taste and a finer discrimination of flavor. The gormandizing husband, with his drinks, dopes and smokes, lolling in his easy chair, too ob fuscated to think beyond his ani mal appetites, is not a pretty pic ture. He is only one type, and not likely to aid the world in get ting forrader in the things that matter. A more likely type to sur vive is the one that refuses to turn the stomach into a cemetery by eating scorched corpses and avoids al! dangerous dopes, poisons and stimulants, including the unfra grant weed extolled by Dorothy Dix. I am sure that in Atlanta there are many ladies who have higher ideals of a husband than " a nice fat gentleman, with a pink skin," who can digest "steak a vard square.” If "a well cooked dinner" is the main thing to "keep a man in the strait and narrow path.” then. Lord help all such matrimonial ventures! JAMES MELDRUM. Atlanta. Ga. anee, management and control lies in settling down to the business of guiding, managing and controll ing one’s self. - You have your crops tn raise and your money to spend. You raise crops by being busy arid turning out as much good work as lies in you. Most men, like you, think they know how to spend money. Rut they do not. There never was a harder thing to learn than how to distribute the Income, doing it with justice to yourself and all others. Urges Setting Aside Fund For Needs of the Future. Government and organizations of men become very powerful, but let every acre of ground in America. . produce its maximum of crops, and you will see all the rulers of trie people standing in amazement at the vastness of prosperity. Likewise, let every workingman work with all his energy, let him learn how to govern himself,.to ad minister his family affairs, to begin to set aside some of his earnings as a fund for the future, and he will tell you without hesitation that while it may pay to argue about Politics and Prosperity, he, in the meantime. Is taking care of his own Prosperity, BY PRODUCING IT. The gentleman who meanders through life looking for a windfall or a pension is apt to get shabby and to lose connection wltji three meals a day. Until he comes back, he is a stray dog without a master. What he needs is to examine the power of the Initiative IN HIS OWN BEHALF. He must set things going again. The wise advice of all philosophers,, once expressed in these words, ‘‘First be sure you are right, then go ahead,” is the Initiative in its highest form. The Successful Man Is One Who Does Things. If you are fond of trout, it will give you only a second-hand form of satisfaction to sit on the bank of the stream and see anothi .' man catch tjjem. If you want them in your own frying pan, you know what to do. Prosperity is the same. If you want it. go out and get it. The fact that another man across the street is making good will not cheer up your family. There is a very direct connect ion between Prosperity and Gov ernment, but the connection is first with self-government. Me-t men are prone to wish that all things be done for them. But the man who wins out sees the joke, in that platform and begins - to do all things for himself. SUCCESS OF NEW GAME LAW. Editor Th? Georgian: The new game law of Georgia has proved a success. Jesse Mer cer, the state game warden, de serves the honor for this good r> - suit. Not only has the law pro tected the game and fish, resulting in the greatest abundance of both, but the protecting machinery has made its own expenses and has $13,801.78 in the bank to the state's credit. Mr. Mercer asserts, and the facts bear out his assertion, that the ad ministration of the office has been definitely economical, not nearly one-half of the revenues having been expended for putting the law into effect and for its execution. Eor this splendid result the state has not been taxed one cent and the department will be able, to con tribute to the school fund, whence the excess of the collected funds goes. Mr. Mercer calls attention to the fact that the law has been popu lar generally with the people, and that only one clause has been much criticised—that for the protection of field latk*. He claims that the farmers do not like the field larks and want to have the privilege of shooting them out of their crops. He also says the people in general want to shoot robins about Christ mas' time, whereas the law finds no open season for robins. The state warden stresses the fact that while Georgia has gen et ally been in the forefront of other reforms for the people, she has lagged behind in the respect to the protection of her game and fish until now, arid that Georgia will soon be abreast of the times and of those states which have for years been giving time and thought and money for this great reform, the protection of her game and fish. While the state does not require a report from the warden, he is compiling an interesting and in structive report for the aid of the legislature in strengthening and perfecting the law. With the re sults thus attained in less than two years of his administration of this department, it may he said of Jesse .Mercer that he has proved himself a mosA efficient, tactful and worthy public servant and is entitled to the thanks of the state. JOHN W. GREER. Tifton, Ga,