The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-08-15
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
MATTERS OF THE WORLD

question which is sometimes scornfully
asked as to what becomes of the first
honor men at college by stating that the
salutatorian of the class of 1864 at Ham,
is governor of the Philippines and the
valedictorian of the class of 1864 at Ham,
ilton is the present secretary of war If
these are the only examples that can be
cited out of hundreds of first honor men
who are graduated every year the case of
the honor winner is not a very hopeful
one Wiseacres are fond of showing by
precept and example that the man who
gets out in the world early in life and
hustles for a living is the man who sue
ceeds. The first honor man usually de-
velops into pedagogue and spends his
life grinding out knowledge for pittance.
Yet, after all, the man of education Ii
permitted certain pleasures which the man
who lives only for money has no con-
ception of. and in the end his life is,
perhaps a more satisfactory one.
1t will be pleasant news for the children
of the sunny south to know that Barnum
81 Bailey's great circus will display its
wonders for their Inspection. The circus
will appear In Birmingham in October and
is sure of doing an enormous business. The
Barnum & Bailey enterprise has Just re-
turned from an extensige tour of the Old
World where 1t was a sevensday wonder.
The advancement OF the circus IN America
was hardly realized by foreign people
before the arrival of the big show and
huge crowds attended whenever a per-
Torrance was given.
The Daughters of the Republic of Texas
have sent out plea over the land for
assistance in purchasing the remainder of
the Alamo. The church Of the historic
old structure has been kept up by the
daughters for several years but the por-
ton of the building formerly occupied
by the priests is now a wholesale grocery
house. There Is something incongruous
when the faded courtyard resounds with
the noise of the negro drsyTnen and the
hustle of modern commerce. The Daugh-
tiers of the Republic desire to keep the
entire building sacred to the memory Of
the heroic band who fell within the
chapel and they are now trying to raise
funds for this purpose. On account of
the love which Texans hear for the Ala
mo the remainder of the historic struc-
ture will no doi5t soon be purchased.
At last the Missouri mule is to be
recognized for his services and will be
specially honored at the ST. Louis cx-
position. 1t were high time that the
colored brothers right hand ally be re-
warded for his share in the prosperity
of the southland With all our modern
machinery and labor saving devices we
would have hard time in getting along
without the patient. but sometimes ,arbi-
trary, mule. The great cotton crop would
fare badly If the useful animal were re-
moved from our service and the planter
who now holds his own against the
manufacturing strength of the east
would lose in the struggle of course
on the broad grain fields of the west
the mule has become practically useless
for cutivating purposes and is now Of
service only in hauling, but in the south
he is still very valuable and whatever
form the mule exhibit assumes at the
fair it will be satisfactory to southeru
people. marble statue would hardly
be the correct thing but some other suit
able testimonial of esteem will no doubt
be devised.
The world is filled with writer's who
cannot write, preachers who cannot
preach and per sons in other walks of life
who are incapable, but the life-saver
who cannot swim would seem to be the
height of absurdity. Yet a man was res
cued the other day at one OF the beaches
near New York who was on the verge of
drowning. His business Is that of a life
saver. but 1t is hardly probable that he
is much of a success. P. C.