The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-12-05
ETCHINGS FROM
CURRENT TOPICS,

1
ing at 1.-The opera house is sufficient proof
of the fact :that Birmingham could and
would support a thoroughly firs't-elass
| end handsomely appointed theatr. This
city of cultured people outlived and out
grew Ithe present opera house many years
| ago.
1T is am ugly, una1tractive, inart.eitic
| building, very small aud vecy unsafe,
and ttlhere is no reason that "a city COM
posed of the class of citizsns who consti-
TUE Birningham's populztfon should any
| longer be forced to attend this opera
house. For many years she opera house
| has been a reflection upon the taste and
refinement of the citizens, and no MAN
or woman of ctTltiva.ion in Birmingham
has ever carried a friend into the build
| ing without feeling 1T necessary to apollo
| gize for lis primitivene.ss and hcmeqiness
and to keep a sharp lockout for possible
| confDagrations and consequent pan1cs.
| Birmingham deserves IA larger ard
more elegant building for amussmends,
| one that cam be occupied without a COM
| Stunning terror of fire or without offending
| good taste with the dismal parquet, UNI
| inviting dress circle; ugly, uncomfortable
| boxes, and "a gallany fun of gods" who
| make many evenings hbdeous with their
| noise and racket. During the past eigh-
| teen months THE opera house has BEEN in
a measure renovated, but it is yet very
| far from being what a city Of Birming-
| hams size and Importance should de-
| mand
There lis no reason that every muSi-
| cal and dramatic star which visits At
| lairlta or New Orlean MS should not also
| come Ito Birmingham. They would do
so if there were "a theater which would
accommodate satisfactorily and comfort
| ably the many hundreds of people who
| would Hbe.aily patronize every good
company which could be induced to come
| h'sre.
| No city In the south has more APP
| preciative class of people than Binming-
| ham; tlhey are entirely Familiar with all
| aIhe best attractions, either playing in the
| larger cities or travelling in the various
pans of the country and they cam be
safely depended upon to patronlze gen
erously everything worth seeing and
hearing. They do NOT wish 20 be forced
to enjoy ths very few ueallIy excellenl
companies which come TO the city in
theater entirely unsuited ITO the require
ments of any but IA very small, UMPIRE
teptious town. Birmingham is rapidly
putting off her swaddling clothes and
becoming a city in all THAT THE term i'm
plies.
The visit of Secretary of Agriculture
Fo,,r 10 will
certainly rebound to kindliar and clos
er feeling of interest between the diff
| ferent sections of the country. 1t has
also given this distinguished member of
McKinley's cabinet an opportunity TO
judge for himself of The progress be-
ing made in .he south, educa tionally
agrlculturally and otherwise. Secretary
Wilson is Scotchman by birth, a man
of wide information, few prejudices and
with a willingness to see matters as
they really exist in every part of lhis
great nation.
The primary cause of Secretary VIII
sons visit to Alabama was the dedica-
ton ON the agricultural building at the
celebrated school of Booker T. Washing
ton, near Tuskegee, on last Tuesday.
After visiting all the different branches
of this school with Governor Johns on
and other officials, all of which were
astonishing revelations to the secretary,
| thsse gentlemen addressed an audience
| of four or five hundred white men and
thgrty-five hundred negroes, all I'M ent
upon hearing the notable men present
| give their views of existing conditions.
| Ex-Governor Northern, of Gsorgia, and
Hon. J. l.. M Curry made excellent,
| speeches. but, naturally, the especial in
erestt of the occasion ,centered upon the
addresses by Governor Johnston ard Sec
rstary Wilson. The programme was di-
yersified by plantation melodies from
a negro choir and during the four or
five hours consumed in the exercises,
scarcely person left the crowded build
ing.
Governor Johnston, after being intro
duced by Prof. Booker Washington, and
received with remarkable en- lhusiasm
and approval by the vast audience, took
the ground that the constitution of Ala
hama is for all races and classes and
explained to Secretary Wilson Lhst the
laws, which gave the negroes the aid
yantages of the taxation of the state
for their schools and colleges were made
by southern while men, former slave
holders, and their descendants; that
while money was now freely given for
educatio PURPOSES to the negroes, not
withstandHng they pay SO small part
of the taxes, shat this supply could not
continue unless the beneficiarles show
themselves worthy Of the outlay. Gov
ernor Johnston took the position that
while great advancement cannot be ex-
| pec]ed of this generation, THE next must
prove that they are becoming better,
and more dependable citizens. THAT the
prosperity of all classes was dependent
ONE upon the other.
Secretary Wilson's reply was replete
with admirable advice and wise sugges-
lions, and he remarked that the present
southern conditions were a revelation to
him. He said that had he been told be-
fore coming south that a democratic
IL.