The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-11

| T IS seldom indeed that citizen of the
United States Yields a hammer SO
I vigorously against Washington as did
Lieutenant Governor Sherman of Illinois
a day or two ago. Mr.. Sherman an
nounced very emphatically that he would
not be a candidate to succeed the late
Congressman Marsh from the Fourteenth
Congressional district of Illinois, and in
the course of his remarks he spoke as
follows:
washington is the most aristocratic,
plutocratic, money-ridden, flubstocratic
place in Christendom. 1t hasn't an equal
that 1 know of on the face of the earth.
A Congressman is nothing except a PEN
sion agent and a postoffce solicitor. A
Congressman in Washington is in the
position of a small boy, with one-half
of his suspenders and a torn shirt, look
ing through a small knothole at a ball
game
Verify, such contempt for the national
capital and these who help to make it
picturesque is unseemly. 1t is a great
wonder that Lieutenant Governor Sher-
man did not pay his respects to the ma
tional lawmakers in more detail. There
may possibly be some disagreeable fea-
lures attached to the job of a Congress-
man, but We have been preaching all the
time that there is no more delightful city
for residence in the country than that
same Washington which Mr.. Sherman re-
viles. OF course it takes money to move
with the real people in Washington.
Perhaps that is what inspired some of
Mr.. Sherman's vigorous adjectives.
A wise female has announced that a
womans club is 1.-THE non-professional
university for women in their second
youth" On the face of it that looks like
a reckless statement. Second youth"
implies a sustained and prolonged resi-
dence in this vale of tears. If every wo-
man could be convinced that she is in her
second youth when she needs the services
of a club there might be a decrease in
the membership.
Up in Buffalo-made famous by song
the curtain lecture has been dropped and
the Amalgamated Vigilance Committee of
been formed by certain DANES whose
spouses have the 'night-hawk habit"
Force will replace persuasion and it is
hoped to improve local domestic condi-
lions.
1t were just asa well to give the dogs
chance. There is no excuse for assassi-
mating a canine just because he is not
feeling well. In addition to being down.
right cruelty to the dog, 1t is da-- rous
to the community at large. Policemen
who shoot in the streets are liable to kill
a prominent citizen at any time.
1.-THE newspapers are nothing more than
black irruptions of type and they roar
like monsters-lilSe maniacs breaking
loose" Thus spoke Henry James, the
peerless juggler of English. He over
looked the fact that his novels are large
ly irruptions of words which keep the
common people guessing. Continuing in
this pesslmistic strain, Mr.. James said
that the newspapers, along With our COM
mon schools. are the influences which
keep our speech, crude, untidy and care
less" Still the world could manage to
worry along very well without reading
Mr.. James novels, although affairs would
be in dolorous plight if we were to
lose the newspapers, with their Crude,
untidy and careless language" Product
of intense activity and strenuous endeav-
or. bearing the news of the world broad
cast every day and relating events with
astonishing accuracy, the newspapers
have n mighty mission to perform. That
they do perform II there is no doubt, even
though the methods be crude and such
as to draw the criticisms of a finicky
writer Of abstruse novels.
Stamps are quoted at 81 per in Fair
banks, Alaska, and the last lemon has
been sold for 50. 1t is probable that frivo-
lous correspondence will cease until post
age goes down. There Is also a good
opening in Fairbanks for an Italian fruit
vendor
The Wilies are once more seen abroad
with coat over one arm and shirt sleeves