The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-07-13
COMM ENT ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

i Ing daily; The diseusloi1 was invoked by the feat of a thief vhoY made of with cast Iron safe weighing nearly ton ln the Heat of the day when the ther- rnometer registered over 90 degrees. The robbery took place in a Ibig city and the police have not yet ceas&d to gasp from theif surprise at the nerV of the robber. Right here in Birmingham few weeks ago a large safe was not only stolen under the very noses of the police but was carried out to thq' edge of town and blown open with dyn1nrlte The spells of the venture were nqft very great and the daring displayed was worthy of better reward Birmingham offers about as many unique cases of robbery as any city in the Unit ed States can produce but about the worst cases on record are those of the masnewho stole sawmin and the man who stole house during the floods last winter on the Mississippi In comparison tine old story of the bur glar who stole h red hot stove pales into
 From Bogofa comes. rumors. incessant of the progrSss of the canal treaty but the horid 9loquenee of the Columbian statesmen ldoes not seem to have much effect onl either side of the question. It is chargeld that they are ilibustering and are not devoting their talents to real elucidatkon of the treaty but while away the time discussing the most trivial mat terst The delay in ratification of the canal treaty has been so pronouncedia and st devoid of d satisfactory explanation that the American people have come to the conclusion that American railway poodle is at the bottom of the whole affair. The South American republics offer fertile field for such tactics and 1t is altogether probable that such machi- nations are really going on in the Co- fombian capital. 4z
 To the casual reader the name of the French president looks alright but NJ. Loubet is in reality afflicted with most embarrassing patronymic Translated It means poodle dog" and is poor name. to say the least, for a man of his ability to be burdened with. In the presidents birthplace Montelimar, the name is pro- nounced 'Loubett" but in Paris and other  parts of France he is called 'Loubay.'' However Shakespeare's immortal query of Whats in nameY may be fttingly made. M.aLoubet is one of the greatest men before the public today and has just returned to his native country after being entertained in lavish style by the King of England r s, es
 Just now faint sounds of internal war at the vatican are reaching our ears. It is indeed deplorable for human greatness that before the saintly Leo passes away the cardinals should begin to wrangle over who is to be his success sor. At present Rampolla seems to be running things to suit himself. He has already issued ord CTS for preparations to be made for the approaching conclave and has verbally an- nounced that T am in power here while Leo lives" Rampola may be perfectly sincere in his efforts to arrange matters in the vatican and may have no desire for the papal throne, as he has already an- nounced, but there are others who cer- taihly do not possess such a commend- able spirit and would no doubt be glad for to pontiff to make haste in his departure.