The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-03-08
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD

i hands should equal this record. Although brain work Is really harder in the long run than manual labor, it must be re- membered that the body tires far more quickly than the brain, and the latter will stand more grinding than the former. The average man who tolls faithfully for eight long hours does not feel that he has been loafing and Is glad enough to reach home when the days work Is over. However, there are certain skilled ma chinists and artisans who make big wages by working but two or three hours day. These men have what is commonly known as snap" and perhaps they suggested the idea of longer working hours to MT. cowles of Cleveland.
 The "professional Confederate'' is what Col. W. c. P, Brecknridge styles the men who are conspicuous now in their patriot ism and loyalty for the old south, but were equally conspicuous by their silence when war was declared between north and south While it is gratifying to note that not many such "Confederates'' survive. there are still few, and they never fail to make themselves noticeable at all re-
 
 against the north and many are accused of preparing partisan histories, but they are not recognized as true representa- lives of southern sentiment of today. The real Confederate who fought and bled for a cause he deemed just is honored by north as well as south, but the "profes- sonal Confederate" is far from being an admirable character.
 Now that preparations are being made to begin work on the Panama canal the questions of health and sanitary arrange ments have become important Surgeon General Rixey is going to Panama to in- vestigate the conditions now prevailing, and his report will be awaited with some degree of interest. While frightful tales have been sent abroad of the filth and squalor prevailing at Colon and other towns on the isthmus, and the mortality list is alarmingly high, yet experts as- sert that man can live in tolerable com fort so far as health Is concerned if he will devote the proper care to sanitation and drink boiled water all the time. It is pointed out that the men heretofore em- ployed in digging the Panama canal were prlnClpdlly negroes rom jamaica, who paid little attention to the laws of health and consequently died in large numbers But whatever the health authorities may say about precautions the fact remains that Panama is no. paradise and the young engineer who thinks of seeking his fortune in the construction of the Panama canal should pause before making up his mind. It is possible for a. man to be In wretched surroundings and still have very good health, and the very fact that such elaborate care has to be exercised in order to avoid illness shows that Pan- anna is far from being a desirable place to spend eight or ten years.
 Considering the large number of asy- lums and private sanitariums in this coun- try, it is really astonishing how many lunatics manage to get to Washington. Nearly all these persons are armed and are headed for the White House, under the delusion that they have wrongs to avenge. Some of them are captured before they do any damage, but often they en- danger the lives of many people before be- ing disarmed. The recent deplorable af- fair in the war department gives a strik- ing illustration of the dangers to which public officials are constantly subjected. President Roosevelt has himself had wide experience with cranks, and 1t is remark able that he has thus far escaped injury.
 P. c.