The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-11
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

timely reminder of the fact that very
shortly the battleship Alabama" will be
ready to breast the pillows and give de-
fiance to the defiant. The soldier asks that
the people of Alabama be reminded of their
| binding obligation to present to the Ala
bama" suitable silver service; that being
the only gift that can be reasonably pre-
scented to that warship which bears
1 name that is immortal. knowing The
Age-Herald to be the leading newspaper
| of the state, l thought l would offer my
suggestion for what it may be WORTH
! Briefly, the soldier suggests that each
! county and each Incorporated city or town
| in the state donate reasonable sums to
| general fund. Get the ladies interested
/ in the matter, and by means of oyster
| suppers, church fairs, and the like, to-
| gether with personal contributions. much
money could be raised and the good name
| of the state be kept free from asperson."
He further suggests that an effort be
made to induce the present Legislature to
appropriate money for the object aimed at.
|
| The soldiers suggestion must appeal to
| all Alabamians with irresistible force, one
| would think He describes himself as lone
| who loves his native state and his coun-
try" and his letter proves him to be ac-
curate in describing himself in this way
! AS to the legislature, there can rest no
hope in that law-makng, and money
raising, money-spending power. The legis-
| lature seems to be given over to penny
wisdom and pound foolishness. The spirit
| hot xubi
enable it to vote few dollars towards the
purchase of proper present to the great
warship that bears the name of the great
| state which they represent or misrepre-
| sent, as the case may be. Alabamians
must needs appeal to Alabamians direct
| Years ago when the cruiser Montgomery"
on its first voyage, entered Mobile harbor,
| 1T was met by the lamented Mayor Reese
| and large delegation of Montgomerans;
| who formally presented to the cruiser in
| the name of the people of Montgomery a
| silver service that cost s., 500. All the fur
| niture in the officers quarters of the cruiser
| Minneapolis, together with a superb silver
| service, was presented by the city of Min
| neapolis. The plan runs throughout the
| proud navy of the nation. All battleshps
| are named for states, cruisers, as a rule
are named for cities-in the most part
! capital cities. By direction of Hon. Hilary
| A. Herbert, sometime secretary of the
navy, there is a cruiser Montgomery and
a battleship Alabama. Alabamians are in
honor bound to make a suitable present to
the Alabama" and in providing the pres
ent 1t will not be dsloyal to remember
| Raphael Semmes.
Judge James Greene, of st. Clair, was in
town last night, returning home from Mont
| gomery. The popular and genial judge is
| one of the most honored of the twelve
| judges who adorn the charming little coun-
| ty town of Ashville. He has been spending
4 a few days in Montgomery, having to do
! somewhat with certain pending legislation
liner is proving to be powerful candi-
date for governor said Judge Greene.
| Don't say anything about it, but liner Is
| the winning man." OF course, the reporter
will not repeat what the judge said. st
Clair is mother of governors" declared
the judge Rufus W. Cobb, for four years
| governor of Alabama, is a st. Clair man.
| So were Governor Roberts of Texas and
| Governor Hewitt of Iowa, not to mention
| Others"
ash Ituuy ItOOSeNSll porn at Ash
ville?" was asked.
THY jest is idle lad" gravely observed
the judge "go we and read history"
! "Vrginia has produced presidents and
| statesmen generally, but not until now has
the old commonwealth sent forth a man
who doomed up before the country as a
| great American said William Ryan, FORM
| erly Of Richmond. I'm John Shelton Will
| liams, who has just been elected president
| of the Seaboard Air Line, Virginia has
| son Of whom she can well be proud Mr.
| Williams was elected president of the Geor-
| gia and Alabama before he was 29 years old
| 1t was his first railroad experience He is
| only 81 years old now. He is a banker and
| broker in Richmond and is a director in
| many of the large financial institutions of
| Baltimore. He is a recognized force in
| Wall street; and if he lives ten years he
| will measure fully up to the biggest of the
| New York magnates. And the best of it is
he is known to be severely honest and
/ straightforward in all his dealings. Rich
mond has had many excellent and progress
| i've bankers and men of affairs, but VIII
| liams is the only one OF her financers who
| has risen to national Importance and WHO
| has to be reckoned with by Wall street. He
is well bred and educated, his mind being
essentially algebrac, but in business he is
| self-made. All the money he possess he
| has earned and earned it legitimately And
| all the leadership which is today accorded
to him is the result of his own brains and
pluck"
II can well comprehend the appalling
| disaster caused by the cold wave in the
| Panhandle of Texas" said former Texan
In the lobby. 1.-THE people there were not
| prepared for such low temperature, and
there must be the greatest suffering and
| much loss of human lives. The cattle were
| without shelter, and judging from my per-
| sonal knowledge of that vast district, I
have no doubt that they have persisted in
| countless thousands.
AS for the ordinary 'norther' of Texas.
| 1t Is great blessing. IS 1T clears IN tho