The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-04-16
IN HOTEL LOBBTES
AND ELSEWHERE

! scene Thursday night. The occasion was
the meeting of the jefferson club, one of
| Birmingham's most popular social organ
izations, and the question up for discussion
was one of great import-the tariff ques-
ton.
1t seems that number of the members
of the club are heartily tired of what they
consider the exorbtant taxes that are lev
| led on the members to keep the club ma
chinery moving. This is the democratic
side Taxation for revenue (for the band)
| only is their motto. The other members
are high tariff republicans. Protection to
our infant organizations" is their motto.
The meeting opened with Reed Going
in the chair, and right well did he apply
| his iron rulings. Bailey Kimball of the
| democratic side opened up the debate. He
flung the harpoon at the czar; he fairly
roasted 'Dingley'' Prescott. the republican
leader. with his satire and invectlves Give
| us free Dances" exclaimed Bailey"
Dances which are not bought with our
very life blood; dances which one can en-
| joy without this accursed tax hanging over
| our heads like PAIL
"I would also plead, my countrymen."
continued ln6 eloquent bdl4ey, loi thS
abolition of the initiation tax In this great
country of ours, where all men are Gre
ated equal and are entitled to equal priv
| ileges, it Is class legislation to cut off by
| such tyrannical laws as this their right to
all enjoyment of that sublime pleasure the
participation in the Terpsicorean art.
IN the name of justice give us back our
| rights, which have been taken from US,
and let us again have free dances!'
Bailey Klmball spoke nearly two hours
Then arose Dingley Prescott, of the
ways and means committed. e., the Sec
| rotary, treasurer and collector of the club
and began his speech in reply to Mr..
| ''Bailey."
"Dingley'' had not his opponents glib
ness of tongue and impressiveness of de-
| livery but he answered with all the power
| of his mighty intellect He argued for
| protection and high tariff, showing how
all aristocratic tendencies of the club
would be forever ruined by the repeal of
| the initiation tax, and how the band man
| would soon bankrupt the club If the reg
| ular taxes were reduced.
But Notwithstanding l"Dingley's'' wis.,
dom. "Bailey's'' words had had their eff
AOSs anu ~ ;" dS oiiiy dilCi SAdi oOih5
| had applied the party lash to the backs of
his and "Dingey's'' reconcentrados, that
"Baileys" anarchistic measure was voted
down.
The democrats of the club claim that
Reed Going took the constitution into
his own hands and several times wilfully
changed it to suit the desires and needs
of his party. Bailey says that num-
Der of the members of the democratic side
of the club were absent from Thursday
| nights session, in attendance upon a
| swell reception and as soon as he can get
his side together again, then woe to
| ''Reed' and "Dingley' and their aristo-
| cratic ideas! a
In the event of war with Spain, cleo
tricity would play prominent part" sad
| A. M. st. John, New York electrician who
was in the city yesterday. "This would be
| one point in our favor, for the Spaniards
| have little or no inventive genius.
Edison can produce light that will
render absolutely harmless Spains terrible
| torpedo flotillas we read so much about.
| Science has found way to destroy the
| mines Spain has planted in the harbors of
| Cuba More important still, science tells
| end of Cuba to the other this summer, and
| in the rainy season, too, and lose hardly
| man from the dread malarial and yellow
| fevers.
'As to the light that renders absolutely
| harmless these terrible torpedo fotillas?
| Well, the torpedo boat is demon of dark
ness only. 1t is an enemy that creeps upon
| it's foe in the night. In the daylight 1t is
ofa .,xxYl Tn fha
| daytime it can be seen and blown to pieces
| before it gets near enough to do any dam
| age.
I'm order that an object may be observed
| distinctly the light must be behind it. 4
| must appear in silhouette. Ignite bonfire
behind a tree, for instance, and you can
| see it's outline distinctly.
by the use of chemicals which ignite
| and produce a light when brought into con-
| tact with water the ocean can be lighted
up for about four square miles about any
of our vessels That is an ample distance
to render a torpedo boat useless, for the
moment the latter appears within the hori-
zon of the little span of day thus made she
becomes easily visible, and within two
minutes she can be riddled by the modern
rapid-fire guns.
|
| out from the ship fleet 1t is to protect
| from guns of peculiar construction. 1t is
all very simple and not so expensive as
| might be imagined"
| "rrbe common expression heard In, WASH
| ington among the persons who do most OF
! the war talk is one of disappointment with
| the presidents message on Cuban affairs"
| said a gentleman from that city yesterday.
| .They fall in line with the comment OF
one of the gallery habitues at the capltoi'
who after "a wait of hours to hear the
! much-heralded message read, passed upon
| n the one remark: Well, Lee ought to
have stayed. in Havana; they'd have given
| him banquet tonight.
| SPANS BLACK RECORD
From the Buffalo News
l. Who has ground Cuba into the ground
! for century?
/ SDain.