The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-08-31

9 that the great struggle off the
 coast of Maine has been settled by the total "destruction'' of the enemy" It was a great game and was fine training for both branches of the service, even if the war did resemble that of the comic opera stage. The complete ness and effectiveness with which the at lacking forces were anihiliated should give great comfort to the inhabitants of that coast which would be the first target of foreign vessels making war on the United States. Although one or two ships were hung up on the rocks and the man. euvers of the others were not remarkable for a display of strategic ability on the part of the commanders the defense was conducted most creditably and the sailors would no doubt cover themselves with glory if they were fighting sure enough" enemy instead of warning against their native shores The dispatch with which the attacking squadron was theoretically blown to atoms by torpedoes. the eelerity with which land forces were theoretically "cut to pieces.' and the un- erring aim of the search lights, command our sincere admiration. The whole af- fair was good stuff" for the reporters and entertaining reading for the masses. come to technical grief in the near future. The sport is interesting.
 There Is one class of men who exert a powerful influence on the affairs of the world about them and are yet compara- lively little known. These are the editors of our great magazines. Although they are classed as literary men, they are not especially noted for their compositions and as writers they have little standing. However. there are a few exceptions. For instance, Frank A. Munsey contrives to keep his name before the public by his circus methods of advertising and colossal egotism, displayed in every issue of his magazine. John Brisben Walker Is fair ly well known, but not so much so on account of his connection with the Cos mopolitan. John Kendrick Bangs is noted for his humorous books, although few people associate his name with the edi- torial chair of the New Metropolitan. The IldJOTIly OI magazine fUiIO1S i've III Ill., erary obscurity. Very few people can tell off hand who is the editor of Scribners' or Harpers. or Lippincotts magazines. And yet these men are essentially intel lectual. They seldom write books but all of them could equal the average output. They are not considered men Of power but their opinions. and the articles they t,, q of events. There are few, very few, men of letters in the country who can accept ably fill the editorial chair of a leading magazine, although the lesser editors are legion. Taken as whole the position of tor-in-chief of a leading periodical Is one extremely difficult to fill. possesses many pleasant features. but confers little fame.
 While MT. Pulitzer is receiving volumns of advice as to how he should conduct his school of journalism, it is not inap- propriate to state that censorship for certain newspaper hobbies would be hailed by the public with acclamations of joy For instance, if hundreds of weighty discussions of the race question, of the remedy for lynching, of how the law must be maintained, of the solution of the negro problem, of the thousand and one incidents that are heralded every day in which the negro, the southern man and the northern man are the prin- cipals-if all these wearying topics could be carefully eliminated for even one day, the Pulitzer school of journalism had not existed in vain. Of course. they are live issues. but they have also been ban died back and forth for forty years or more, and so far the results seem to be exceedingly meagre. Besides the public tires of most fads and fancies in a few days or weeks. whereas these subjects have started forth from our editorial pages for weary years. A few remarks on the applicability of the Milwaukee maidens as chorus girls, or predicted notifications of bathing suits would af- ford measure of relief
 At last Sir Thomas has given up all hope and states sadly that he will never again attempt to lift the Americas cup. He was a long time in reaching this de-