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THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN
Published Every Afternoon Except Sunday
By THE GEORGIAN COMPANY
At 20 East Alabama St., Atlanta, Ga.
Sntered as second-class matter at postoftice at Atlanta, under act of March 3. 1871.
Subscription Price—Delivered by carrier, 10 cents a week. By mail. $5.00 a year.
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Beavers and the Law
The following paragraph is taken from a letter received
today by The Georgian, from a citizen of this state:
What, after all, has Chief Beavers accomplished byway of lasting
benefit to Atlanta? He has made crushing war upon a class of weak
women—a war that, in spite of their demoralizing business, will come to
nothing. Why not have let well enough alone, for segregation seems to
be about the best solution of the problem? Beavers has stirred up a situ
ation that will be in no wise relieved because of the stirring. He, made a
great mistake—he probably was seeking notoriety. The problem he as
sailed is not to be settled by sensational methods. I would not say that
Beavers is a fool, but I do say Beavers was very foolish to invoke the
senseless crusade he did.
This correspondent probably means well, but his point of
view is all wrong.
The problem that confronted Beavers was the problem of
enforcing the law--that’s all.
It primarily was none of Beavers’ business whether it was
a good law or a bad law. It was the law—and he had TAKEN
A SOLEMN OATH TO ENFORCE IT to the limit of his ability.
Atlanta has said by municipal statute that the places Beav
ers closed shall not exist inside the city limits. Beavers did
not make that law; he never has been constituted a court to
pass upon its reasonableness, nor yet the common sense of it.
To say that Beavers did a “foolish’’ thing when he insisted
upon the enforcement of a law that is written in the code as
lucidly and as clearly as the English language can make it, is
to say a “foolish” thing—more than that, it is to say a dis
tressingly unpatriotic and discouraging thing!
The Georgian's correspondent invokes an ancient fallacy
when he attacks the thing Beavers did, and Beavers for doing
it.
HE CAN NOT SO ARRANGE HIS PHILOSOPHY THAT
TWO WRONGS WILL MAKE A RIGHT.
He thinks the municipal statute under which Beavers pro
ceeded is wrong, and he seeks to remedy that wrong by hav
ing Beavers do the further wrong of violating his oath of of
fice !
The Georgian's correspondent, in undertaking to do that, is
fair neither to Beavers nor himself. Beavers found an undis
puted illegal situation in existence; he wiped it out. He was
right.
The question of whether a law is a good law or a bad
law. per se. is a question entirely aside from the duty of a
sworn official of the state.
It may be that the present municipal statute is not the
best statute that Atlanta might have, in the matter of handling
the problem The Georgian's correspondent, refers to. Men may
differ rationally about that—and they do differ.
But so long as it REMAINS THE LAW. there is but ONE
course of action open to officials of the city, high and low.
The law must be enforced!
The Lesson of Success
We hear often that Bell, the great and useful scientist, “in
vented” the telephone.
Nothing has done so much to free men from limitation of
time and space as the telephone.
It was the turning of a screw that made Bell the great
and deservedly popular man that he is.
But long before the days of Bell. Reis, the German school
master. was actually using a telephone of his own invention.
Reis could whistle, sing and transmit other interesting
noises through his telephone. But it was impossible to SPEAK
through it. The voice could not be sent from the transmitter
to the receiver at the other end.
Reis s idea was that the telephone must be arranged in such a
way that the electrodes did not quite touch. He wanted them as
near as possible, but he did not quite let them touch each other, lie
was sure that that was right, and therefore the little screw connect
ing the two electrodes kept them about one-thousandth of an inch
apart.
Bell's idea, which gave him millions, which has enriched the
human race by thousands of millions in saving time and labor, was
that the electrodes MI ST touch, but very faintly.
HE TURNED THAT SCREW ONE-THOI SANDTII OF AN
INCH AND THERE WAS AT ONCE THE TELEPHONE OF
TODAY.
That turning of a screw one-thousandth of an inch, that faint
distinction between success and failure, between inarticulate whis
tling and shouting and useful, distinct, clearly heard speech, that
turning ot one-thousandth part of an inch this way or that, is some
thing that happens in the lives of nearly all of us.
T her< are thousands of human beings in this world, millions of
them, with important messages for other human beings, with emo
tions, moral sense and character that need expression. But some
thing is the matter with the screw that puts the mind in touch with
the outside world. And the message is never carried distinctly it
never REACHES.
In all of us there is something that might at any time be done,
some effort oi the will, some application of concentrated thought,
some new idea, some effort, some reaching out, born of hope that
will not be destroyed; some little turning of some screw in the brain
■ one-thousandth part or one-millionth part of an inch, that might
mak** oi the man unheard, misunderstood, lacking th< mprehen-
sion of his fellows, a creature as far above the man that he was as
the telephone of Bell is above the useless telephone of the poor, dis
appointed German schoolmaster,
The Atlanta Georgian
IN THE COILS i
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Silently, surely, the gambling habit. Jike a noxious serpent, coils gradually around its victim >
until it crushes to death his prospects, his reputation and his character. >
The Miraculous Movies
rr>HE other day there was a
j swell W|dding in a Western
city. *
The ceremony was out of doors
in a garden under the trees. There
was a little procession from the
house to the garden; then after the
ceremony there was a banquet at a
beautiful spot under the spreading
elms. After the banquet there was
a wedding journey to the shore of
a little lake.
Now, the particular point "as
that every feature of this wedding
was duly recorded by the untiring
movies. One hundred sets of films
were prepared and presented to as
many guests and relatives, some of
whom were unable to attend.
Ten Years From Now.
And it so happened that 1 was
one of the guests who received a
set of the movies. I put them in
my eameragraph, called in the
neighbors, and we had the wed
ding all over again, even to the
playing of the music.
I have tite films. They are mine
to keep, and 1 can produce this
wedding at any time. Ten ytars
from now it might be very inter
esting in case there is a divorce—
bless my soul, Terese, how terribly
sunburned the back of your neck is!
The value of moving pictures as
a factor in education Is very great,
and the extent to which they can
eventually be used no mon can say.
The business is still evolving,
climbing, growing, aviating. From a
mere plaything, w hose business w as
to astonish and produce "Oh's”
and ' Aah's." wi' now have some
thing the pedagogue prizes.
There w'as a time when children
used to run away from school.
Finally, we heard of children run
ning awav and going to the moving
picture shows. But now that the
movies are being used as an educa
tional adjunct, children are running
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1912.
By ELBERT HI BBARD.
Copyright, 1912, International News Service.
away from home and going to
school.
The Montessori system of educa
tion is founded on the proposition
that everything that makes an im-
He Blames Stage
Door Johnnies.
Editor The Georgian:
I have read with a great deal of
care all articles published in all At
lanta papers during the last few
days regarding the moral house
cleaning of Atlanta. In this move
the cheap theater is also included,
and along this line I would like to
offer a suggestion to those inter
ested in the work, and believe that
if they will follow my advice on
the matter, the cheap theater prob
lem will be solved in quick order.
To begin with. 1 have been a the
atrical agent in- Atlanta for twelve
years, and in close touch with the
theatrical situation here in all lines,
and I have watched the cheap thea
ters and cheap shows and must ad
mit that it is serious.
The trouble with the cheap thea
ter does not lie with the employ
ment of these girls, but with the
stage Johnnies that hang around
the theater entrance and entice
these girls out to the clubs and
other resorts.
There seems to be a fascination
for stage girls among a certain
class of men. A girl may work in a
factory at three per and never be
molested, but let this same girl go
to work in a chorus in one of the
local cheap theaters, and some one
of the well know n society Johnnies
will become attracted at once and,
with his automobile to back his
flashy dress, he does not find it
bard to tempt these girls after the
show for a joy ride.
Now. let the police and good
workers get after the Johnnies,
Let Judge Broyles send a few of
the would-be sports to the stockade
for a long period, and you will soon
find that if you take away this
nuisance from the stage door the
girls will soon learn that they must
look upon the show business as
they do any other line, and as a
means of making a good salary.
GEORGE B. GREENWOOD.
Atlanta. Ga.
pression on the senses is educating
the child. Impressions on the brain
through the sense of sight is the
easiest possible way to teach. In
fact, it is the natural way to teach.
There is p fascination in motion
—just note the crowds around any
show' window where something is
being done.
What Children Want.
Children w’ant to go somewhere.
They want to see things, and this
constant desire for motion, move
ment, new scenery, new' ideas, new
sensations, is all a natural part of
the great evolution of the individ
ual.
The child learns through his
senses, and should learn in joy.
The thing that interests him. that
holds his attention, is the thing
that is educating him.
The use of moving pictures is
being advocated in a great number
of schools, from the grades up to
post-graduate courses.
There was a time when a piano
in a private home was considered
the very height of luxury. Now the
most modest cottage contains a
sei viceable instrument.
1 can remember when the Reming
ton typewriter was exhibited at
Philadelphia at the Centennial ex
position. Operators were desired,
and an advertisement was placed in
the Philadelphia papers for men or
women to run these machines. A
postscript was added to the ad
vertisement thus: “Only those who
can play the piano need apply.”
It was supposed that the degree
of digital skill acquired in playing I
a piano was requisite in running a
typewriter.
Pen-Pusher Won Race.
Also, 1 remember one worthy
teacher of Spencerian penmanship
who offered to race the typewriter
in writing out 5.000 words. A
day was set. The Spencerian pen
pusher won the prize, the lady at
the typewriter having had a case of
nerves in mid-flight.
M e all said that the typewriter
was a very wonderful plaything,
and the way the operator would
print your name out on a slip and
hand it to you made us think we
had achieved fame. We folded up
the precious slip and carried it
away to show to the folks at home,
proving to them Brother Jasper’s
• dictum that “The world do move.”
THE HOME PAPER
Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Writes on
How Grafters Are Made-
Early Training of Boys
Responsible For Their
Acts in Later Life.
Written For The Atlanta Georgian
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Copyright, 1912, by American-Journal-Examiner.
IF you do not want men to be
grafters, begin with the little
boys in their kindergarten
age; and train their minds to think
of something besides personal gain.
Do not buy their good behavior,
or their polite attentions, or their
small duties with pennies, sweet
meats. or promises of picnics. In
stil! into their young minds a per
sonal pride and self-respect which
will cause them to be ashamed of
receiving presents for every good
act.
This can be done by making the
child a confidant and by talking in
a friendly way which will interest
and entertain, about the value of
good manners, and the pleasure
and happiness which older people
feel| in children who show good
breeding; and making it plain that
any lack of politeness and willing
ness to oblige others, or any dis
play of greediness for pay, or ac
ceptance of money for little acts of
courtesy, reflects upon the family
pride and gives strangers an op
portunity to look down upon such
children.
All Children Should Have
Individual Pocketbooks.
A frequent and pleasant reitera
tion of similar ideas will invaria
bly guide a child away from
thoughts of looking for or accept
ing money for every courteous act.
Then when the child has formed
dignified ideals in this matter, an
arrangement should be made so
that the boy or girl has an indi
vidual purse, if only a few pennies
each week can be afforded to sup
ply it. If a child desires to become
a wage-earner, have it understood
that it is a matter of straight
business.
He does an errand for .a nickel
or for a penny, as the case may be,
but the courtesies which every
well bred child is taught or the
thoughtful acts which should be a
part of his education are not to be
sold or bought.
Meantime parents and relatives
should make a point of not impos
ing upon the good nature, time or
strength of children, by making
them continually run errands and
fetch and carry when a. little
thoughtfulness would prevent the
necessity.
Children have certain rights
which are sometimes, if not fre
quently, overlooked by their elders.
It seems a small thing for Jack
to be asked to run up two flights
of stairs, or over to a neighbor's, or
to the post box on the corner; but
if there are four older people who
ask the favors a dozen times a day
Necromancy
By ELLA WHEELER WILCOX.
Copyright, 1912, by American-Journal-Examiner.
I.
XT THAT necromancy lies in little things!
V V A yellow rose, set in a yellow jar.
Smiled through the window of a city shop.
And lo! the hot street vanished, and the voice
Os blatant commerce suddenly was hushed.
I seemed to walk along cool corridors.
Where fountains played, and priceless statues gleamed;
Out from an alcove tiptoed tender notes
Os harp strings, lightly touched; a woman laughed,
And silken garments, kissing marble floors.
Exhaled a fragrance, subtle as their sound.
No discords marred the harmony of life—
Reauty and mirth, and music, made the world.
What necromancy lies in little things!
iL :
What necromancy lies in vagrant airs!
Idle and happy, basking in the sun.
Where art with nature held high carnival.
One summer day there fell upon mine ear
A half forgotten melody. It flayed
My heart out into strings whereon the hand
Os Pain thrummed misereres, and the light
Spilling upon the earth from flawless skies
Was changed, and charged with darkness. From deep grave:
Dead Sorrows rose, with mould upon their shrouds:
And in the eyeless sockets of their skulls
Burned old despairs. The haggard Past stood forth
And hid the radiant Present from my sight.
What necromancy lies in vagrant airs!
fei
id' t
a it becomes a little tedious for Jack.
And when the elders forget to
say thank you, and are quick to
complain if Jack is slow, then the
injustice becomes more and more
apparent to the childish mind.
Perfect courtesy, absolute polite
ness, and unvarying appreciation
should mark a parent’s attitude to
ward a child.
The Fault Always Lies
With His Older Associates.
Then it is an easy matter to make
that child feel a keen delight in
doing little acts of kindness and
performing little duties for the
parent. And with no thought of
graft; for that is precisely what it
is, when a child is always on the
alert to receive some money return
for every act.
Whatever Is wrong in a child,
the fault lies with his older asso
ciates.
Every man who is in prison for
deceiving the people In his misuse
of power and his misapplication of
influence, could have been made
impervious to temptation if he had
been rightly reared the first four
teen years of his life.
A fashionable boarding or mili
tary school does not supply the
kind of education, referred to.
That must come from persona!
association with an older person,
who.sj mind is wholesome, and
whose principles are high, and who
makes it a solemn and beautiful
duty to awaken the young being to
an understanding of life in its very
truest and best sense.
Not by talking religion or phi
losophy, but by malting clear the
small personal responsibility which
rests on each human to become the
very finest and best type of his
race, and to begin being this type,
by scorning whatever Is petty,
small, ignoble and mercenary, and
by cultivating whatever is big and
broad and altruistic and helpful,
while developing the qualities
which will lead to independence
and success.
Teach Boy to Take
Pride in Himself.
Any boy-who has been given this
association with an older individual
will never stand before the world
in the shameful limelight of a
criminal.
Do you have to pay your boy for
| every little act of kindness or
every courtesy he shows?
Then why have you not taught
him to so love and respect you.
and to take such pride in himself
that he could not be a small
grafter?