Birmingham age-herald., 1895-01-06
Social and Otherwise.

IAr items of social interest will be gladly DoIed in this column II sent to Mrs. George c. Ball, 21s1 Highland avenue.
 In the present awakening oi the south an awakening already too long delayed to matters which are. necessary for the preservation of our honor as people and of our material welfare as a section, the plea is sometimes made .'that we should cling to our traditions.' Aye, and so we should! Lives there man, breathes there woman, ip whose veins flows the blood which for centuries has been wermed by southern suns, who doss not hold to the glorious traditions of our race? Can there be one 80 deaf 10 all the voices of the past that they hear not stories of time when heroes lived and died? Is there one so cold or dead that his heart does not throb with joy when those traditions are told from sire to son? No, there are few trai- tors in our land, and scarce an ingrate can be found. Our traditions are the sacred, holy things which men and women in the south, who are worthy of their b rthright, will not see rudely touched. Many of these traditions antedate the. fateful days of '61 some of them begin in the earliest times of American his- tory, and whenever and wherever they originated they are worthy of the people'to whom they belong. They tell of southern truth and honor and of the love of our ,ce for what is just and pure. The long,gone past holds no tales of political greed and dishonarable dealing among the men who It because of thls past and it's teachiug t6 we hayearoused ourselves to tue ser- odI hess of our present sur rounofass. With past iumi. nous with deeds, of brave men, thiak you the south could long remain quiet un- der conditions which have brought upon us the reproach of other sections and poverty and material distress which yield not to labor and patieice. It IS because of our traditions that We have said that we will no longer be indifferent to the principles and creeds of the heroes of old. The miser- able practices of O few politicians whose bit- ter fruit is being eaten by our entire people must not be cOnfounded with our tradl- tions. The south is now doing what Amer ican citizens always do in trenen- dous crisis, simply taking her position for right and honor, and this she does because of the teaching of her peerless history. Her traditions will assist in her rehabilitation, and because of them her fu- ture will be equal to her past.- We should not confound the practices Of compara- lively recent period with the traditions or a magnificent history.
 
 The people of the south are broad gauged, and yet conservative, and are equal 10 discussion Of all the questions of The day which appeal to the consideration of the outside world. We have right 10 our conservatism, but we cannot delay ihe coming Of changes because of ie. We eff. ct no good by getting behind our preJudices and failing to see the trend Of modern events There is nothing in our tradl- tions 10 preclude study of any subject which the world is now discussing. Your, and my objection to any movement, political or social, will not stem tide, which may engulf us if, like the ruler of old, We be- lievs that our weak voices will prove all powerful. It is not necessary that we adopt all the fads of our times because we grant them hearing and discussion. The big brained southerners are learning that all men and women are entitled to their opinions, aud that we are gaining nothing by refusing 10 listen to those who differ with us. Unless we are broad and brave enough to study the questions of the day without bias and prejudice we shall drop hopelessy beh ind in the march of modern progress.
 Take the question of woman's suffrage. Perhaps you do not desire 1t, and con fess never 10 have felt a creving for such privileges, but we cannot shut our eyes to the fact that many of the truest, best women in the south, and as for that, iu Birmingham, are heartily in favor of this movement. Their arguments for it are as convincing as ours against 1t, perhaps more so when we consider the almost help less condition of property holding women under the present law. And we shall do no violence to our traditions nor injury to our mental and moral welfare if we reason together upon O subjsct which is engross- ing the attention not only of women, but of many of the most distinguished states men of our nation.
 The Cadmean circle was entertained by Mrs. William B. Leedy on Friday after noon. After the transaction of important business paper upon 'Fhe New Year' was read by Mrs. J. A. VanHoose, a poem Weakley and stories appropriate to the season by Mrs. q. M. Williams and Mrs. W. l.. Sims. After the completion of the literary programme refreshments were served, and the c.rcle adjourned to meet next Friday afternoon with Mrs. Harry Jones.
 The following unusually handsome iuy. ion has been received: ''Mr. and Mrs. krles 1eed Pollard invite you to be pres-
 the marriage of their daughter, Vir-
 AScott, to Mir. Burwell Lee Boykin,
 iay evening, January 16, 1895, at s.
 2phn's church, Montgomery,
 2ollard is one of the most
 kdmired young women of
 been a great belle since
 eociety. She has, united
 Beauty, a charm of manner
 te friends of all her admrers.
 ? alike are devoted 10 her,
 she has been, at home and
 Jas been tue recipient of un-