The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-05-20
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
AND ELSEWHERE

for Girls, at Montevallo, and the election,
by willing board of trustees, of Rev. DR..
George b. Eager. of Montgomery, to the
vacancy caused undisguised amazement in
Birmingham yesterday. Representative
men in public professional and business
life were bitterly resentful in their ex-
pressions regarding this latest daring
scheme of the governor to add materially
to his political strength, with view to a
possible election to a third term, and
subsequent victory in the fight the gov
ernor has opened to drive the peerless
Morgan from his seat in the United States
senate. Several of the most conspicuous
leaders of the state organized democracy
from various sections of the state were
seen during the day, and each one OF them
freely expressed sentiments of indigna-
ton and resentment. It was apparent,
they declared, that the governor had made
up his mind to subvert every possible
power of his position to the furtherance OF
his own individual schemes. He had
scorned the constitution, and now he had
performed the eliminating oct in his
record of subjectng his authority as chief
executive to the promotion of his private
desires. He had caused to be turned out
a faithful servant of the state, who had
done educational service of incalculable
value, in the hope of winning political
support from one of the religious denoml-
nations in Alabama The sober reflections
OF Christians of all sects would be inter-
esting to know just now.
There is mystery about all this traffic.
t1ox in or.d m ha Mnufayalln school.
Most trustworthy evidence comes from
Montevallo that DIR. Eager declared that
he was entirely ignorant of any movement
to elect him president of the school until
just before the trustees met in official
session. 1t was asserted in the Hobbies
yesterday in the most positive terms, and
upon the authority of most reliable men
of prominence, that for some time past
leading Baptists have been strongly pro-
testing against DIR. Eager accepting tho
presidency of the Girls School on the
ground that such action on the part of the
best known Baptist preacher in Alabama
would work serious injury to the Judson
Institute at Marion, Baptist college for
girls, which for fifty years has been dear
to the heart of every true Baptist within
the bounds of the state; and deservedly
So for the Judson Is acknowledged to be
one of the best institutions of It's kind In
the entire south. 1t was maintained, as
the chronicle goes, by representative men
and women of DR.. Eager's denomination
that if he intended to enter upon educa-
tional work his first duty was to the JUDI
son. Yet it is stated that DR.. Eager de-
clared that he was ignorant of any pur-
pose to elect him to the presidency of the
states great school at Montevallo In all
this gossip Of the Hobbies there is an ele-
ment of mystery.
The high character and intellectual
ability of DR.. Eager cannot be questioned
by any man. He is the most conspicuous
figure in the mighty church he leads in
Alabama, and he commands universal re-
spect. Whether his deep and brilliant
mind will adapt itself to the duties of con-
Quoting the first industrial school for girls
in the south is a matter that cannot now
be passed upon In the desperate fight in
favor of the Moody liquor dispensary bill
before the legislature at Montgomery the
past winter, DR.. Eager took the lead and
easily maintained his mastership. He is a
man of striking personal appearance, and
of polished and graceful mnnner in social
intercourse. He looks the gentleman and
is a gentleman. He is also a scholar and
an orator. The learned doctor is likewise
a good newspaper man, If the statement be
true that he conducts the religious depart
ment of the Montgomery Advertisers Sun
day edition.
Next to the election of DR.. Eager, the
turning down of John Mcqueen and W. w.
Wadsworth as trustees of the Montevallo
school created most establishment. No
other trustee was SO devoted and SO en-
thusiastic in the cause Of tho school as
Mr.. Mcqueen, and he championed its cause
in the legislature with remarkable success.
His course regarding the constitutional
convention and other questions, was not
pleasing to the governor, and SO his official
head dropped into his exeellency's capac-
ious basket Mr. Wadswortr also has been
a Woodworking and useful member of the
board; but it appears that he had dis
pleased the governor.
President Reynolds had done more to
build up the school than all other men.
1t was his pride and his hope, and he gave
to it all that was best in his life Sud
denly and without warning, and without
any semblance of explanation to himself or
to the public, he is turned out of an Office
he had made great. An explanation is due
to the people of Alabama, but they are not
likely to get it. The people get nothing
from official sources except by the grace
of the governor, and the public fountain of
the governors favor is not running just
now.
Lucen v. LaTaste. who has just been
elected president of the National Travellers
Protective Association, is the president of
the Alabama division of that powerful and
expanding organization of drummers. He
resides at Montgomery and represents a
noted firm of school-book publishers, his
territory covering Alabama and extending
into adjoining states. He is a man of
great energy, of engaging personal quail
ties, and Is very successful in his business