The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-19

Atlanta, December 13-(Special.)-At
lanta is nothing if not practical She be-
leves in taking care of the useful, and
IN letting the beautiful take care of it.
self. She goes in for material progress
today. The esthetic side of life can be
looked after tomorrow.
Business is business" is the maxim
of the average Albanian. Ask him what
It means, and his answer win be that it
signifies a conditions of commercialism
in which there is no room for anything
that is Improbable. 1t is a rule of ac-
tion which causes sentiment to be smash
ed the instant 1t is found to stand in the
way of our money-makers and their
schemes.
Among Atlantas leaders, however,
there are broad-mined, far-seeing men
who are able TO shape and regulate this
spirit SO that it loses its repellant harsh
ness and selhshness, and becomes simply
the genius of practicality, in which form
it builds up, developes and pushes for
ward movements, enterprises and ideas
which are the forerunners of prosperity
and happiness.
Ex-Secretary of the Interior Hoke
Smith is a notable representative of this
class. He is so thoroughly practical that
/ don't suppose he ever had a dream in
all his life With him, sleep is sleep-the
opposite Of wakefulness regulated by a
sound mind in a sound body, a necessary
condition which is as reliable, serene and
Endisturbed as his wide-awake condi-
ton is at high noon
Mr.. Smith made the discovery early
in life that 1t is possible to take care of
ones own interests and those of his
neighbors at he same time, and that to
do so Is, in every sense, the best policy,
as the advancement and prosperity of the
community at large must, sooner or later
bless and benefit each individual.
Though one of the leading lawyers of
the country, making bigger fees than
were ever heard of before in Georgia. he
manages to find time to popularize and
widen the sphere of what is called prac-
teal education. This takes money and
work, as well as time, but he considers
all three well spent when they aid in
making our young people better prepared
to support themselves, when they leave
school, In some useful and productive oc-
cupation, requiring well-trained hands
working tremendously with well-trained
minds.
Year after year. Mr.. Smith has quietly
and persistently worked on this line, and
with the most gratifying success. 1t is
largely due to his efforts that the sons
and daughters of Georgias best families
now think it credltable as well as profit
able, to become skilled in some art or
industry requiring hand work with the
brain.
AS president of the Atlanta board of
education for a long period he has been
in a position to push the improvements
he advocates in our educational system,
and they have been favorably received.
not only here, but elsewhere in the south.
He has given numerous travelling libra
ries to the school children of the farm
ing districts, and in his own town pays
hundreds of dollars out of his own pock-
ct every year to help the children of the
poor who are unable to Duy text books.
With his heavy law practice. this edu-
cational work keeps him very busy, but
he is prominent and active in religious
social and business circles, and is as con-
versant with the great issuess of the
time as when he was in President Cleve-
lands cabinet His real estate invest
ments are very extensive and valuable,
and some of them are notable additions
to the city. For instance, the magniti-
cent new Piedmont hotel, in which he
owns a half interest.
The talk about his candidacy for the
United States senate at the expiration
of Senator Bacon's term does not have
the effect of drawing him out. His
friends and supporters have greatly in
creased and multiplied as the sliver is
sue has receded into the background, and
close students of the situation predict
that he will be Bacons successor.
Whether he re-enters official life or not,
he will be a potential factor in our pub
lie affairs. The spread of his practical
educational ideas and methods will be
glory enough, and will cause him TO be
hailed as popular leader and benefactor.
1t goes without saying that Mr.. II. M.
Atkinson stands in the front rank of
Atlanta's practical men.
Mr.. Atkinson is a Bostonian, Harvard
graduate and a nephew of the famous
economist, Edward Atkinson. He is as
much an advocate of strenuous life as
President Roosevelt himself, and after
leaving Harvard he went to the far
northwest, where he became a cattle
king, and held his own with the rough
cowboys of that region, who are not
likely to tolerate young college man
from the east, unless he has plenty of
nerve, pluck, and other manly qualities,
and is a dead shot and a rough-rider.
Atlanta attracted him in the days when
Henry Grady and Mr.. Sam Inman were
her foremost and active citizens and set
Ting here he was fortunate in at once
winning the friendship OF DOtn. a young
man still. he has in a little more than a
decade won the good will of his fellow
townsmen, and his qualities of leader
ship in great enterprises his public spirit
and princely liberality are so conspicu-
Dus that the mere announcement of his
connection with any local movement or
business venture insures its success
He had not been long in this section
before he was strongly impressed with
the natural advantages of Atlanta and
Birmingham, and certain other localities
In Georgia and Alabama. With Napole-
onic quickness of decision, he made Ut
his mind to invest his capital there. and
some of his eastern friends with practi-
eally unlimited resources went in with
him. Within the past two or three years
eled the big street railway and electric
eled big street railway and electric
llsht properties in Atlanta and elsewhere
purchased immense timber interests
made fortunes for himself and his part
ners, ala at the same time he has giver
withoul lstint to various worthy publ,
and p{yAte objectss his checks ranginl
from S 100 to $4,000.
Somf of his enterprises were so darinl
md 81 such a Largo scale that they pro