The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-09

1T is interesting to speculate what will
be the condition of affairs fifty years
from today. By that time 1t is rea-
sonable to suppose that the problem of
aerial navigation will be solved and peo-
pie of means will maintain their private
flying machines. These conveyances will
be elegantly appointed and capable of
displacing the private car that is now so
distinctive. Poorer individuals will have
to content themselves with the $40 vari-
! ETY. of flying machine which will prove
admirable for business purposes and a
boon for bill collectors. These contriv
ances will consist largely of wings and
must be not only cheap In price, but
very simple in construction. With dis
lance practically annihilated by means of
the flying machine and wireless telegra-
ply In general use, we may expect a
general change in the manner of our
living more decided than any the human
race has experienced in its history. 1t
will then be possible for a man to reside
in Washington and do business In New
York, while musical comedy companies
can jump from Philadelphia to Boston
without upsettlng the temper OF the most
fractions chorus girl.
1t is probable that trains and steamers
will still be popular for freight convey
ance and will also carry many passengers
who lack the courage to try airships. The
voyage across the Atlantic will be made
of such small moment that it is prob
able that all up-to-date tourists will go
| by the airship route. Fifty years hence
1t is also reasonable to suppose that air.
ship races will be popular, and they will
bear little resemblance to the aerial con-
test which was attempted and is still
hanging fire at the louisiana Purchase
| exposition. One of the chief advantages
held forth by the airship races of the
future viii be that the contestants them
selves will be most In danger and the
highways will be left open for the agri-
culturist and his load of hay.
In fifty years from today 1t is to be
hoped that there will be a general revival
in literature and art; that there will
be few great poets. great novelists and
great playwrghts; that women will wear
sensible clothes; that the European con-
cert viii be in harmony; that the divorce
problem will be solved but not by the
George Meredith plan; that no less than
% new secrets for prolonging life VIII
be before the public; that Tom watson
will be convinced that there Is no chance
OF his ever being elected to the presiden-
CIV: that 'Lige Dowie will have made his
trim TO Jerusalem or some other point
eoualIy distant; that the trusts will be
philantropic in their ideas; that there will
be a new challenger for the America s
cup: that Vermont will go solidly for
the democratic ticket; that all the young
| sters now being named after Judge Par
ker will be grown up and good men;
that everybody will have money and that
| the democratic party will still be in power
despite the imperlalistic tendencies that
have been fostered by Roosevelt. But
J even If these changes do not come to
pass life will be different so years from
now.
Since Silas C. Swallow consented to be
famous as the prohibition candidate for
for much unseemly humor but the straw
that broke the camel's back, figurative-
ly speaking, was laid on the reverend
Silas in Muncie, Indiana, by hotel clerk.
| When Swallow had registered the clerk,
| thinking he would do a friendly favor
| to a travelling man, tipped to him the
| fact that there was barroom Just
around the corner What the prohibit
zionist candidate said under such circum-
stances is not related but the chances
are that he considered himself the VIC
tim of practical joke.
| Now that parrots have contracted the
appendicitis habit it behooves science to
discover some new complaint that can be