The age-herald., 1901-03-27
Scents the Air of Prosperity
 Throughout Section
PASSED THROUGH THE CITY
Noted Preacher Is a Great Friend To the Newspapers and Is Ever Ready To Submit To an
 Interview.

through the city yesterday afternoon, en- route to Meridian, Miss. where he lec- lures tonight. Dr. Talmage was seen at the union passenger station by an Age Herald reporter, and although somewhat discounted by the fact that there was no parlor car on his train, he found time to talk most affably and interesting of his southern trip on Pastoral Visita- tions," as he calls his featuring tours.
 Few men are more approachable to newspaper people. He is ever ready to open his splendid fund of general infor- nation, and to chat most interesting up- on any topic that the reporter suggests. He is pleasant conversationist. and ex- presses himself forcibly and clearly on all subjects, whether 1t be current, news or questions requiring deeper thought.
 Enquired About Storm.
 The celebrated clergyman spoke most feelingly of the terrible catastrophy which befel the city on Monday, and inquired most sympathetically concerning the extent of the damage done by the storm. He then drifted into "reminiscences of his last visit to Birmingham about
 
 ten years ago. and referred to the re- markable progress that had been made In the development of the district and of the south generally. He spoke of the air of contentment and prosperity which he had met on all sides on his present tour. and especially of the cordial hospi- tality with which he had been received by the people.
 "1'he best evidence of prosperity he said lis that people do not complain, for we are all prone to complain if we have the least thing to complain about"
 Prosperity of the South.
 "I understand" he continued that Birmingham is enjoying splendid pros perity, and I have found the<same evil dence of contentment among the people in all the cities have visited"
 Concerning the prosperity of the South he said:
 Ut connot be otherwise when your mineral and manufacturing resources are being so wonderfully developed These natural advantages were almost unknown n few years ago, but now they are being advertised in the financial centers of the North and East and capital looking for investment is obliged to come In this di- rection. A gratifying fact to be observed in this respect is the dying away of all sectional acerbities. The Spanish war did much to crush out these feelings, and I do not really think they now have any lodgement except in the minds of those people who wish to make an unholy use of them'
 "The negro question:" he said in reply to a query lis one which the South, and the South alone, can settle wisely. It is peculiar to the South and best understood by her people, Somehow when discussed in the North it becomes a source of IT. ritation. Besides the people in the North have enough problems of their own to solve without attempting to work out the many complexities of the negro ques- tion."
 An Admirer of Grady.
 Dr. Talmage Is a great admirer of the lamsnted Henry Grady of Georgia and holds his friendship with the distinguish ed Georgian in sacred memory.
 Had Grady lived" said Dr. Talmage. "he would have been United States Senator and have made name through out the world. I was present at the New England dinner when the brilliant Geor- gian made the speech which so captivated the gathering and afterward the country. Mir. Grady and I became intimate friends and began a correspondence which only ended with his death.
 This reminds me of the manner in which received the sad intelligence that my talented friend had passed away. l was on a trip to the Holy Land and at the time my ship was entering the har- bor at Constantinople. As we neared port the American consul met us, coming out in small boat. Immediately he got near enough I inquired, Any news from America? Nothing could have given me deeper distress. for Grady had become Southerners intimately and have warm friendships among them, but could never have a warmer regard for any than I entertained for this one who is dead"
 Dr. Talmage is accompanied by his wife and daughter who were anxious to see the south, and are delighted with the tour.
 Reverting to his trip, the distinguished preacher said:
 These lecture tours are to me much the same as pastoral visitations necessary in church work, and seem but handshak- ing with the vast throngs whom I have been enabled to preach to through the press My audiences, I observe, are much the same throughout the country. com posed as they are of reading and think ing people.
 A Friend of the Newspapers.
 My relations with the newspaper men have always been friendly and even cor dial, for have found them genial and in telligent. If our literary characters un- derstood the newspaper men better they would get along betteE and many little rough places might be smoothed
 When they tell me they are afraid of the criticisms of the newspapers tell them that such criticism is stimulating. and. like Turkish towel. it induces good circulation of the blood"
 His long service in furnishing moral pabulum to the public through the press being remarked upon, the doctor con- tinued:
 Yes, mankind. you understand, may be divided into two great classes, the friends of society and the foes of society I am one of the friends and newspapers are like individuals, they will forgive and ex- cuse many things in friend,
 This is not an age of books, though