The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-01-22
TIE Rev. John W. West of Rich " mond is waging war on what he terms immoral pictures in the sa-

N HE Rev. John W. West of Rich- " mond is waging war on what he
 terms immoral pictures in the sa- looms of that city. In company with a friend and supporter MT. West made the rounds of the various bars, taking evil dence to have the proprietors arrested unless they immediately had their offen- sive works of are removed.
 While such a crusade is by no means original one cannot but speculate why such inconcolasts and moralists as the Rev. MT. West stop at saloons. To be consistent they should continue their la bors to the art galleries and there. armed with a hatchet in one hand knife in the other and wearing a look of virtuous determination destroy such pictures and statuary as offend their refined sensbili- ties. Anyone who has ever been inside liquor saloons knows that most of the pictures one the walls are copies of what are termed great masterpieces by con- tablishments the original works of great masters are often found
 It seems to be matter of location more than anything else, since pictures are tabooed in saloons over which hundreds of aesthetic people gush- in art galleries. It is true that in manys bars there are picture machines and other devices of a similar character which should certainly be removed for the benefit of public morals. but why preachers and reform CTS display such zeal to have taken from saloon pictures that are tolerated by peo- pie of culture is rather hard to see
 Occasionally the great sleeping empire of China starts fitfully from It's s1umbers and displays a desire to prerare for that future struggle which so many students of international affairs see fast approach ing. On December the dowager empress issued an edict appointing Prince Ching. the grand secretary; Yuan shi Kai, re- gently made commander of the navy, and a Manchu official to be a committee for recognizing the army on a n-tional basis with similar arms, equipment and organiz- ation. Yuan Shi Kai is alone capable of doing the work assigned 10 Jim and ap- pears anxious to start before the royal command is revoked
 It is often remarked that China yields but slowly to the constant buffeting which civilization makes on the bulwarks of it's state and society, but progress is pain fully slow, and if present inci,at are to be accepted as a criterian, China will never be thoroughly aroused until the great empire is overrun and divided among other powers of the world. Even then 1t would be many decades before the race would be effectually stirred from It's inertia and persistent clir ging to old ideas Although the empress may ride in gasolene automobile she rules over a people ages behind the Anglo Saxon, and even if she really desired western civiliz- ation, she would never live to see 1t gain a strong foothold.
 Jerome K. Jerome, the English hrrnor- ist. who prefers to have his name pro- nounced Jerum K. Jer'um, with the &C., cent on the first syllable is an interest," ing figure in contemporaneous literature and withal very modest one. The hu- morous philosophy which flows so smooth ly from his pen Is not the fruit of idle dreaming but of strenuous contact with the world. Tn Stage Land" there is far more truth than poetry, for MT. Jerome has been provincial actor, and what that means across the water is a life full of