The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-12-29
DOCTORS DINE AND
 TALK THINGS OVER Jefferson County Medical So- ciety Holds Annual Banquet DIR. J. c. MORRIS PRESIDES Wyatt Heflin, Jordan, Cunningham, Riggs, Wilson and Woodson Among
 the speakers-Notable Gather
 ing at the Birmingham.

ciety took place last night in the beautiful dining room of the Birmingham hotel.
 The room was exquisitely decorated for the occasion, the formation of the tables being extremely artistic, all diners being able to face the speakers table and read fly hear every word that was spoken. The walls were hung with palms and ever green and lilies of the valley ornamented each table It was the unanimous iudg ment of persons at the banquet. that In point of decoration, service and menu the facilities afforded last night by the Birmingham for banquet purposes have not been excelled perhaps in the history of this city.
 At the close of the banquet the society expressed it's appreciation of the hotel s diligence and attention by voting the management it's sincere thanks.
 Features of the Banquet.
 The features of the banquet were the exceedingly happy manner in which Dr. Lewis c. Morris. the newly elected pres ident, performed the duties of toastmaster and the after dinner speeches made by Dr. R. M. Cunningham, Dr. Wyatt Hefn, pr. Cunningham Wilson, pr. w. M. Jor- dan. Dr. E. P. Riggs and pr. l.. G. Wood son.
 The banquet opened at g o'clock with an invocation by Dr. Charles H. Jernigan. For an hour thereafter the diners enjoyed one of the most delicious feasts set at a Birmingham banquet board To economize time, Dr. Morris, as toastmaster, started the speech-making before all the courses had been finished, an innovation that is likely to be adopted at other banduets here. The first speaker was Dr. W. M. Jordan, the predecessor of Dr. Morris in the office of president of the society. Dr. Jordan when he arose to speak, was greeted with sallles of 'Willie!' Billy and Little Willie" indicating that the process of fermentation had lost none of it's potency in Birmingham.
 His Toast.
 Dr. Jordans toast was "rhe Jefferson County Medical Society" He began with a humorous allusion to the Ananias club, saying that if Ananias qualities were de- manded in speakers at the banquet there were 19l members of the society who would take precedence over him. The nominating committee of the Ananias club would, he said. find excellent material in pr. Homer Collins, Dr. Wyatt Hefln Dr. J. c. LeGrande and Dr. R. M. Cunning ham.
 Speaking seriously, Dr. Jordan then re- ferred to the history of the society and to its contributions to the development of the county and state. He spoke with no little repressed eloquence of the self-sac- rlticing devotion of Dr. Lucke Dr. Craw- ford, pr. Taylor and pr. Jordan, the elder, who had remained here in the cholera epidemic of 1873 and daily courted death in the discharge of their profes- sional duty He referred anonymously to one member of the society who was loved by all men and hated by none-who lived slave to his profession and died martyr to It. To another member. he alluded as one who had for 36 years walked the narrow path of professional and moral integrity" To the hate Dr. W. b. B. Davis he also paid a diserimin- ating tribute of affection and admiration.
 In conclusion Dr. Jordan urged that the policy of harmony and concord be pursued by tbe society and that the work of cooperative effort be carried forward to even greater accomplishment
 Dr. Wilson's Criticism.
 pr. Cunningham Wilson, the next speaker, read a brief manuscript, prefac- ing the reading of it with the remark that he had never made a speech in his life. Ifc e,,,l.t In the course of his paper, he sharply criticised the organization of the state medical society. charging that the state counselors and county examiners were a travesty upon democratic government and that in the very nature of things, they must go" These remarks of Dr. Will sons were heartily applauded
 No good can come from such laws, |" said he. and they will not be tolerated much longer"
 Dr. Wilson paid a notable tribute 10 Lieutenant Governor Cunningham, saying that pr. Cunningham's action in the senate had saved the profession in the state from disgrace and that in gratitude for that service the doctors fought to I.
 Heflin's Wit.
 Dr. Wyatt Hefiin, in responding to the toast, Dry Docs," made the wittiest speech of the evening. He said he wasn't qualified to do the subject justice, as only a member of the Ananias club could do so.
 Speaking of the Ananias club" said pr. Hefin. there are only three accom- plished liars in all history. Ananias Is one of them, and my friend, Walter Moore, is the other two.'
 Then pr. Heflin began to have fun with Dr. Cunningham, the lieutenant gov ernor.
 "Then. there is another Dry Doc,' said Dr. Hefiin. He came from way up in Franklin county. He started out in the ministry. He was a disciple of John the Baptist, and he began to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He stuck to that for while. and he did fairly well at 1t. But he decided there was more money in the contract doctor busi- ness than in preaching, and so he came down to Jefferson county and went to work for big corporation in Ensley"
 Dr. Hefin then told an inimitably witty story of how Dr. Cunningham was sere- naded one Christmas night at Ensley by Tennessee company employees, and of the