The age-herald., 1900-02-15
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
 AND ELSEWHERE

home paper-ln commenting on the Ala bama press. said yesterday
 1.-The newspapers of Alabama have work ed hard and faithfully for the upbuilding of the state. They have given the best efforts they could command, and in the great majority of cases have gone unre- warded. They advertise day after day or week after week the resources, the prod uots, the development, the progress of their respective communities and the move ments of the citizens, and take the liveliest interest in whatever promises to benefit the town or the state. They give their space freely, and the editors join hands with the other citizens in inducing outsiders to come among them. The real estate own CT, or dealer, sells land and reaps profit; the landlord secures tenants; the merchant secures additional trade and greater prof it's, the farmers are given larger markets and enhanced prices for their products in fact, every class of business, every trade and every profession is benefited except the editor. He, perhaps, books one or two additional subscriptions that do not much more than pay for the white paper before 1t goes through the press, and that Is about all. It is doubtful if the average weekly newspaper in Alabama has an in- come of more than $1 800 year. and out of this must be paid all expenses, including the paper bill, ink, postage, license, taxes. rent, and printers before the editor gets anything. When these bills are settled the editor does not have much left. He has done more for his town than perhaps any other half doezn men and yet does not re- ceive the pay of common iaborer around public works. The editors of the weekly press of Alabama are intelligent energetic. patriotic and persevering. and dt may be that in time they will force the public to give them just recognition"
 Selma is a. splendid town and one of the best commercial points in Alabama" said a well-known resident of that city. Ut was an important town before Birmingham was on the map, and continues to do a good business, but it has not kept pace with the mineral district of the state, yet the people there. have not been idle They a1ave made a great many Improvements an the last few years that the world has never heard of. The Journal of that city calls attention to the absence of Selma's name from the trade journals of the country, and urges that the matter be no longer neg lected. That paper says: The Journal is in receipt of the February issue of that splendid industrial journal, the Baltimore Manufacturers Record, and 1t is filled with most interesting news. Under the head of "Construction Department" giving the in- dustrial news of the south, we note in the Alabama column that Selma is conspicu- ous for its absence, simply because nobody has undertaken to send news of tine city to the Record. Selma has plenty going on that should be published abroad in fact, articles from the city should be frequently sent to the industrial journals. We conn mend this idea to the consideration of the Selma Industrial League.'"
 Na.t.fz
 Sam Slim, the wise man of Oxford, Cal houn county. whose name in every day life is James B. Kelly, uncle of Chancellor Richard B. Kelly, writing of the senatorial contest says: Fact is, if there's a John ston man in these parts haven't been able to find him. All our candidates for the senate and for the legislature are Morgan men, and if there's more to come out they will be tagged Morgan for the senate.' And we're going to elect a democrat to every office in the county. Then let us thank God and take courage"
 The federal government owes the state of Alabama about S10,000 for wall tents furnished the Alabama regiments when they volunteered for service in the Spanish- American war. There were 446 of these tents. The state also supplied the volun- teers with other equipage for which it has not been, reimbursed. Adjutant-General Brandon has taken the matter up and is now trying to get a settlement with the government. The National Guard of the state will need the tentage when they go into camp at Mobile in May and the ad- jutant-general will endeavor to secure either the money or tents to replace those turned over to the government by that time.
 "No reduction has yet taken place in the division force of the freight and passenger departments" said well known travelling freight agent. "There has been much talk about doing away with travelling agents but the railroad companies will hold on to them for some time to come. As to sweep ing reductions in the number of local traf- tic men, freight and passenger officials, em- ployed in this district, will look for them when see them"
 "Birmingha is well advertised as a great iron and steel center, but it is fast becen,- ing the center of line of small industries as we'll, which in the volume must mean much for tEis city's welfare" said a promi- nent business man. 'It is a noteworthy fact that Birmingham has a commanding and profitable flower traded green house huslness-that must soon take rank with the industries in heavier lines. Our climate is said to be peculiarly adapted to the pro- pagation of roses and carnations. Formerly the green houses here supplied only the local trade, but this winter they are mak- ing large shipments to New Orleans and other points in this range of country. New Orleans Is one of the greatest flower mar kets in this country. The Louisiana cli- mate is not suited to the propagation of large and fully developed roses This time of the year the New Orleans weather is too hot far ox,1 Tha nSI11f ic