The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-28

The Philadelphia lodge in line extend ed so far that two bands were necessary to make the music for them to march by The New York lodge, as mother of the Elks, had an immense float representing the famous old woman who lived in a shoe. A Cincinnati float represented Roe co.'s famous Garden of Love" In the reign of Louis XIV, and not member regretted the cost of $5000. There were colonial soldiers from Cleveland, Zouaves from Detroit, lfe-savers from Atlantic City, and Pilgrim Fathers from Boston, while the famous Toledo Cherry Pickers one of the leaolng military organizations of the country, marched the entire dis tance without bend or break in the whole line The Manila lodge bore a banner on wich was emblazoned At Home 11,000 miles away" while a com pany of three upheld the honor and dig nifty of Honolulu.
 Davenport, Iowa, preserved the mem ory of the first members, the Jolly Corks, by appearing in suits made en- tirely of champagne corks, while from the SchuylAIn valley came a realistic mining scene. Men of all ages and sizes came. The -t~...c coast sent Koenig ' feet inches tall, and Sullivan, feet 2 inches short. The Kansas City lodge swung into line as a complete circus The Adam Humbug and P. T. Nopaws s Circus' they called it, and in fifteen or twenty cages rode prominent lodge mem bers representing fierce and blood-thirsty creatures of the jungle. The fattest member of the lodge in tights and pink ballet skirts posed the queen of beauty"
 Philadelphia, the convention city," has been the scene of many parades. but 1t Is admitted that this of the Elks has eclipsed all others. Even the 2000 heat prostrations incident to the crowded ~k- R@1 Io. from going down in history as a red letter one in national parades. The dis play there recalled to many the wonder full effect that enterprising Elks wrought for the entertainment of their guests in Cheyenne Canyon some years ago. On every available ledge of the great gorge, on the highest crest of its upper edge, and amid the boulders far down in the bottom calcium powder had been placed and when night had fallen and darkness wrapped the canyon in an impenetrable veil, the powder was ignited with an eff feet decidedly weird and uncanny. The varied lights 1ared and flickered against the three thousand foot wall with start ling effects until one could imagine a realized chapter from Dantes Inferno"
 The humanitarianism of the Elks has been questioned once. The public ac- cused them of being unwilling allies in the slaughter or IH6 1nOuHldll elhi be- cause hunters supplied the teeth used as insignia by the order. A committee is Investigating the charge, and meanwhile the elk tooth badges by unanimous con sent will be laid aside for a year. As many of the teeth are of celluloid, the committee will have more optimistic report than many have expected. The Elks teach no other religious doctrine than that of charity and brotherhood to man, and the greatest secret they keep is that of their private charities dis pensed to brothers in need Iney make no special point of teaching patriotism, vet the practice Is most inspiring to oth- CTS, for at Valley Forge they mean to erect sz50,6og monument to Washington. This as well many other things entitle them to the bit of arrogance they dis play when they solemnly aver that the initials of their order, "B. P. O. E., stand for Best People on Earth
 Tomorrow-Buttons and Button Max ing