The age-herald., 1901-06-21
The Genius of the Cotton Fields.

Said newspaper man last night:
 "The greatest of the worlds cotton ex- perts is a remarkable man.
 "He Is. Secretary H. G. Hester of the New Orleans Cotton Exchange, who gave for yesterdays Age-Herald an extraor- dinary interview regarding the govern ment's efforts to secure accuracy in cot ton statistics, and who dealt with the question of Alabama coal and Texas oil together with the phenomenal growth and splendid promise of Birmingham
 Secretary Hester was chosen for the secretaryskip of the New Orleans ex- change, the most responsible and most confidential business position In the en- tire South, more than thirty-one years ago early in the year 1871; and from the day he assumed that great trust down to this hour he has commanded, and, best of all, fully deserved, the entire confidence of all the cotton men of the South.
 "At times when other experts were justly or unJustly brought under sus- picion. and when disappointed specula- tors went so far as to reflect upon the integrity of even the agricultural depart ment of the government, Secretary Hester stood upon proud plane above all clouds of doubt and mistrust, and ouly words of honor and confidence were spoken of him.
 He stood still strong man in a blatant land; one who was calm in the confusion of tongues that made bedlam about the tower of Mammen
 
 Secretary Hester is a former newspa- per worker, and his heart still warns to men who toll for the press, albeit he is more pursued by reporters than any other man South.
 never declined to receive the gen tleme nof the press but once, and that was in Ashville, N. C., the other night, he said in Birmingham Wednesday after noon. I left New Orleans in an over worked and very tired condition, and I was wearier than ever when I reached Ashevilie. I retired early the night after my arrival, and was just falling asleep, about 10;90 o'clock, when some unknown friends of the press sent up their cards with an urgent request for an interview; but I was impelled to beg them to excuse me. I was sorry, but rest and sleep were very essential to me that night.
 Tt Is my rule always to receive men of the press, thoughs as you can under stand. I seldom have anything of mo- ment to give them My purpose often Is to dodge them, but when they catch me in I receive them gladly. So since I passed through Birmingham two weeks ago for North Carolina and Wash ington I have been lodging the inter viewers. The Age-Herald reporter Is the first one to corner me and I own up and tell all I know that he wishes to ascer- tain. I am pleased to do so, for I am ready to talk and the information I am enabled to give Is of vital importance to our great south'
 How happy and charming is all that and how strikingly in contrast with the bad manners and vulgar patronage of the horde of rude upstarts in politics and business who conceive 1t to be the part of their poor little greatness to be rude to reporters, and who will then sneak around and try to get themselves in the newspapers! No man who Is rude to a reporter, when the reporter ap- breaches him under instructions from a superior, is worthy of respect or confi- dence.