The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-12-15
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

1t is not entertaining, 1t is certaily not diverting and for a great many people 1t is not instructive. However the chief object of the problem play seems to be to afford opportunities for the dramatist to dis play his powers of inteiaty. his knowledge of disagreeable subjects and his ability in diologue. while for the "star" a chance is given to revel in oceans of emotionalism.
 The organ grinders of Philadelphia have taken step in the right direction and one that could be followed to vast advan- tage by their fellow craftsmen in all parts of the country. They have organized themselves into an association for the elevation of ''barrel organ" music in the City of Brotherly Love- They have chosen a censor whose business will be to choose the tunes he deems fit for Philadelphians to hear. Tunes that are now associated with hand organs, will be eliminated and 1t is proposed to discourse classical selections altogether, even rag time" being excluded if the elamor Of patrons will permit. It Is hoped by this means to inspire in the breasts of Phll- adelphians a regard for the compositions of old masters who have never perpetrat- ed anything like "Bedelia" that could be called "the rage" The plan is one that does credit to the minds and hearts of the Italian virtuosos who have propos- ed 1t, but it remains to be seen whether classic airs on barrel organs will be any more delectable than fragtime." A hand organ is apt to make ''ragtime" out of Beethovens moonlight sonata.
 It is reported that the Duke and Duchess of Manchester had 8 sorry time of it in Chicago. The opulent pork pack CTS and their sumptuous spouses appar- ently had their breath taken away by the advent of such nobility as resides in the persons of the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, especially in the "dook who was noble before he got married. Even Mrs. Potter Palmer refused to be- stir herself, and all up and down the line of "Chicago's "4O0 there was nothing doing" The effete east may hint that Chicago, being a wild and un- cultured waste, was thrown Into confu- sion and did not know what to do with the "dook'' and his wife, while Chicago will probably reply that the town is too big and too busy to waste any time over l titled visitors. At any rate the duke 1 and duchess spent two whole days in Chicago without causing talk and the explanation rests with society in the Windy City.
 The census report recently issued shows an interesting state of affairs. There are | 1, ,63S, S21 more men in the United States than there are women. If women were to continue usurping the positions of the stronger sex until all of them got jobs there would still be about 1,6sS,31 males in the United States who would have to l be provided with work as nurses, cooks and chambermaids. This would be the case if the present ratio were to con- | tinue fixed. However, the proportion Of men to women in the United States has been decreasing slowly since 1s9O and the two sexes may eventually get on an equal footing, as in the days when the world had but two human inhabitants. When Adam and Eve conducted their geological garden this menace of the ad- vanced woman and the problem as to which is really the weaker sex did not exist. P. c.