The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-01-25

" doubtedly the most cratic of all the Presidents this country has ever had. The fact that he should invite and receive negro women and negro men to purely social reception at the White House is beyond the understanding of the people of this country. If he be fopd of negro women and negro men, he should have the deeency to entertain them in private. Why he should force their pres enee socially with his distinguished guests is beyond comprehension. To in- vite them to meet his wife and daughter on terms of social equality can mean no more nor less. to outward appearances, according to social customs, than a de- sire on his part to bring about an anal gamation of the races.
 The reception at the White House on Thursday evening was privatel not a public, affair. It was in honor of dis tinguished friends of President and Mrs. Roosevelt, and not considered political gathering in any sense of the word. The President, therefore, by inviting negro men and women to come to his home and meet and talk with his wife and daughter and other distinguished women guests on terms of social equality has committed that which almost borders upon a crime. I believe the man undoubtedly has a screw loose somewhere in his brain. can account for his acts on no other ground
 I am rather surprised at many of the features of the revenue bill prepared and presented to the Alabama legislature by State Auditor Sowell. This bill would play havoc with the banking interests of the state and especially with merchants and business men who have to make short time loans. don't know of any thing which would be more unjust and annoying to business people than this proposition to put stamps on every note made. or course, it would raise revenue for the state, and lots of It. But as far as the matter of revenue Is concerned, this could be raised If you taxed every working man in the state 10 per cent of his salary or wages. There are thous- ands of ways of raising revenue. but don't know of any one which could be more annoying than the one MT. Sowen proposes.
 He likewise proposes to tax merchants on their stocks of goods at an assessed value of 75 per cent of the amount of in- surance they carry. This is likewise un- just unless land values shall be raised to the same limit. As 1t is now, very little real estate in Alabama is taxed at more than 20 per cent of it's actual value. The merchants already bear more than their proportion of taxes. Indeed, they are un- justly taxed in many instances, and they are certainly entitled to the same consideration accorded owners of real es- tate.
 This bill of MT. Sowells needs many amendments and changes, and doubtless when the legislature adopts revenue bill, MT. Sowell himself will hardly recog- nize the measure even as skeleton of his own making.
 The killing of Editor Gonzales by Lieu tenant Governor Jim Tilman of South Carolina has caused the eyes of the en- tire country to be concentrated upon that ~---~----~-~~->-,--->------ of Mobile, will visit Birmingham this week.
 T. B. Lumpkin of Atlanta is stopping at the Hillman.
 C. Pearce of Mobile is at the Morris.
 ". P. Cousins of DanWlle, Va, is reg istered at the Morris.
 w. J. Boykin of Gadsden1is at the Met ropolitan.
 J. H. Johnson of Talledega is stopping at the Morris.
 James B. Jones of Fayette is at the Metropolitan.
 w P. Jennings of Lynchburg, Va, is registered at the Metropolitan.
 J. T. Morgan of Memphis is at the Hillman.
 L. E. Grace of Montgomery is at the Morris.
 Ed J. Little of Tuscaloosa is registered at the Metropolitan.