The age-herald., 1902-03-23
MUCH BUSINESS TRANSACTED
Banquet Wednesday Night Was Bril- liant-oratory Was as Sparkling as the champagne-HefIin and
 Robinson Win Applause.
BY HOMER GEORGE.

 of Home Sweet Home at the dance Thursday night the convention proper passed into history, but not until this morning did all the delegates reluctant ly return to their homes. Yesterday the Birmingham crowd left on their special car. but members from Selma and Mont gomery remained until this morning. Returning home they left in Mobile such heartfelt thanks as are rarely ex- pressed for entertainment offered guests of any convention and took the best wishes of as happy and delighted lot of entertainers as ever joyously laughed and danced their way into the hearts of any assemblage.
 Mobile was assuredly in her happiest humor while making the drummers have that royal, good time only such fellows may have Always travelling. always see ing. and always working the drummer learns to make more of chances offered for a good time than any class of m en. Never happier than when making others happy the Mobile people naturally made the trip of the delegates exceedingly pleasant.
 The convention was itself harmonious to a remarkable degree and no time was lost in the transaction of business. All elections were quiet-only one contest being noticeable during the sessions- that between Ought Smith, of Selma. and Jim Cunningham of Birmingham. It was a joke.
 The result of the elections is given in the following list of officers:
 President-James A. Daugherty of Birmingham.
 First vice president-W. R. Mabry. of Birmingham
 Second Vice President-V. E. Atkins or Selma.
 Third Vice Presidential. M. Hopper of Mobile.
 Fourth Vice President-J. H. DeWeisse of Montgomery.
 Secretary and Treasurer-E. u. Elgdon, of Birmingham.
 Board of Directors: J. M. Kennedy Montgomery; D. R. Copeland, S. w. Lee. w. F. Tyler, J. H. McCary and R. F. Collins, Birmingham; w. P. Hutchinson, Mobile; w. T. Atkins, Selma
 State Attorney, James l.. Tanner Bir- mngham.
 Chairmen of Committees-Railroads Robert Cunningham, Birmingham; Leg isation, J. w. Weiss, Mobile Press. c r. Moritz, Montgomery; Employm ent o P. Smith. Selma; Hotels N. H. Frohlich stein. Mobile; Sick and relief, Jim Gun ningham. Birmingham.
 The following delegates were selected to the national convention: From Post A J. M. Kennedy; alternate, s. w. Jones Post B, R. Cunningham, R. E. Collins O. P Gaut; alternates, J. H. McCary Eugene Ware. D. R. Copeland. Post c H. M. Price, E. M. Johnston: alternates J. C.. Turner. F. s. Cleveland. Post D l.. M Hooper; alternate, Ernest Lamar J. H. McAndrews, as retiring president and B. l.. Higdon as secretary and treas urer. besides the president J. A. Daugh- .I-- l.I- offices.
 Banquet "Wednesday Night
 The most brilliant affair in which the Travellers Protective Association mem- bers took part was the banquet rendered Wednesday night. Around the different tables were gathered 159 Travellers Pro- tective Association men, politicians, and friends of the organization. An excellent menu was offered. carrying with it sev- eral wines with champagne as the last, and behind all were musicians doing rag time.
 Among the notable array of guests surrounding toastmaster J. D. Block, an orator of no mean ability, were Cover nor w. D. Jelks, Hon. J. Tom Hehin MT. Samuel P. Jones' of Louisville, Ma tional President of the T. P A.; MT. l.. V. LaTaste of Montgomery; MT. Ed Rob- inson Hon. c. L. Laveretta, Adjutant General W. w. Brandon, MT James L. Tanner, Col. A. s. Lyons, MT. J. H. Mo Cary, and many others.
 Heflin's Magnificent Speech.
 After Gov. Jeks had made a speech. MT. Tom Hehin was introduced as the most brilliant orator of the state of Ala bama. He filled his hearers to overflow ing with good humor. His effort was pleasing In the extreme and he was ac. corded the place given him by the toast master when he was termed Alabama more than Bob Taylor"
 Brilliant Reply.
 ITO the speech of MT. Hefin, Mir Et Robinson of Mobile was called upon tt reply. He is Mobiles pride an orator natural born. as graceful, as forceful a. any speaker in public life in the state He was greeted with almcst continuous applause. Ills speech was as follows:
 Several causes contribute to my be wilderment this evening. The exceedpe brilliancy of this occasion the genial flow of eloquence and humor from a body of men whose charm of conversation is in imitable; the hearty good fellowship which was flashed about this board and sealed thousand sparkling sentiments with the effervescent benediction of the wine tina, warns and cheers-all these have most naturally appealed to my sense of gratt tude and appreciation that the local com, mittee has honored me with an invita-. tion. ..-.' st. .'-'. =.. -.'
 But fidelity to truth compels me tc admit that there are other features whict have inspired me with unusual terror When the publication of the programm, for this banquet placed me on notice tha the opening gun would be fired by a dis tingushed speaker imported from Ken tucky-a state where orators are said tt grow on trees-and that then the brillian son of Chambers would unlimber the ar tillery of his surpassing eloquence, I con hot falf rr,I irresistible impulse to take my philo sophical pop-gun and retreat before reached the field of oratorical conflict. My worst fears, gentlemen have beer realized. Kentucky has more than vindi cated her reputation as state of orators while the Bob Taylor of Alabama prince of orators that he is-has ravisheS our ears with humor that entrances anC eIoquence such as he alone can wield.
 What, then, in my despair, am to dt except take refuge in the philosophit declaration of Thomas Carlye in his grea Edinburg address that Silence is the eternal duty of man? If the committed expects me to hold up Mobiles end of fl in such fast-speaking company as that I must admit, with all humility, that they Esnd open a new commercial pathway te