The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-15


 they are all be considered. Crusades have indeed become such a fad that no line of special activity or endeavor Is com plete witout one and the man who can succeed in getting a crusade started against him is already made. Witness MT. Shoot As an individual he might have remained in congress forty years without creating a ripple, but as a Nor mon he is as well known as Uncle Mark Hanna. Although no crusade has ever been conspicuous for it's success and Dow ies undertaking was painful ''izsle,' they show that the people are moving along and if we were not crusading we would probably be doing something worse.
 The vanity of riches has a pleasant and righteous sound which has tempted frequent discussion. People are fond of talking about this subject in its various phases but however 1t is viewed such talk always sounds ridiculous to those persons who do not have any cash. Van ity as here used may have two meanings. First it may stand for the hollowness ot riches and the emptiness of idle wealth, or it may simply refer to the self conceit of those who possess 1t in large amounts. The remarkable feature of such contro- versies is that no one seems disposed to cease the race for riches, even though they be the source of much evil, and peo- pie swindle one another just as cheerfully now as ever befor Even the trust mag mates sometimes get together and bewail their hard lot in being overwhelmed with money but the price of oil goes up instead of down and the isthmian canal is not yet constructed.
 The matter of naming streets is one that should receive more consideration thousand thoroughfares which now trav- erse our cities originality of nomencla- ture is painfully lacking and repetition, even in the same town, is often very confusing. Perhaps the best system yet devised is that of numbers but this can easily befuddle a stranger who is not familiar with directions Yet it is hard to suggest entirely new names for all streets and when one considers how many
  it is not astonishing that Main streets are numbered by the thousand Broad streets are even more numerous. If pos sible it would greatly expedite city traf- fife if all streets were numbered but this is impracticable from the fact that it would be necessary for old residents to learn their towns over again and where streets are irregular numbers would be worse than duplicated names. The street in a modern city is more important than fine public buildings and this has long been recognized as is evidenced by the fact that immense sums are expended in keeping them fit for traffic.
 Recently a meeting of owners of sail ing vessels was held in an Atlantic sea- board town for the purpose of taking steps to save their business from total annihilation by steam craft. Since the advent of ocean liners and huge freight steamers driven by engines representing thousands of horse power sailing ships have steadily declined until now they may truthfully be said to be entirely super seded. Although from a picturesque and romantic viewpoint sails surpass steam they are outclassed when it comes to a test of utility and firms now owning ves- sells of this type may as well make up their minds to dispose of them or equip them with steam. The days of creaking canvas and dangers in the rigging are de- parted Just as certainly as the knight in arm& or the hired fool who was not always what his name implied
 P C.