The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-06-09

lAaaai 2 Y - - = with it a group of expert soil and farm men to tell the farmers what had been learned by the scientists about their bus mess.
 Specially important Is to be the soils information. which will be discussed by men who have attained prominence In the study of It. This is a hobby of Con- missioner Wilkinson, who tried to get a bill through the legislature-and hopes yet to see it pass-to give every county In the state q complete soil survey. This Is the imperative need at this time, he thinks, and will have attention until something comes of 1t.
 The latest move of the commissioner Is likely to be handicapped, however, 1T the space necessary to work IL out Is not provided. This is his idea for m exhibit at the capitol of every product of the state, including grain, hay, food crops, timbers, minerals and all others,
 There is no room In the present guar ters but it Is hoped that with the organ ization of the building with the new offices occupied there will be space enough r. that this will be one of the most pro- ductive sources of good to the state in that 1t will give at a glance. compre- hensive insight into what can be raised or dug up In It's hills and fields. This is especially so of the mineral resources Chairman Mitchell of the state tax com mission says that in all of the thirty counties visited so far by the board or members the most cordial reception has been given.
 In every case the county officers have expressed willingness to cooperate in every way for the collection of all the taxes that will be needed to carry on the work which the state has laid out One member of the Montgomery board gave out the impression that he and his as- sociates would not make raises but the others by resolution promptly went an -recorA as being in entire accord with the state commission. <
 We have been cordially received and given the heartiest support said Judge Mitchell and l do not anticipate that there Is going to be any failure to fall in line and do everything necessary for the advancement of the work We have in hand"
 "The outlook for successful summer school at the University is very bright,
 
 has been here this week. We are go- ing to have a splendid corps of lnstrue- tors and a notable collection of men and women to lecture, so that the stu dents who attend this year are going 10 be we'll cared for in every way. We have three men in the field working up stu dents and they are meeting with enthu- siastic receptions in all the counties. The result should be good for the school and the teaching forces of the state. We are endeavoring to make the summer school a distinctive feature of the edu- cational effort of the state and will be very happy when we have interested all the teachers in the work it Is proposed to do through it's influences. It Is force for advancement they cannot afford to miss
 President Abercrombie is greatly inter- ested in the prospects for the school of mines that the trustees have voted to establish and for which full professor ship has been provided, He thinks it of vast importance to the mineral territory especially, and looks to 1t in short time for the men who are needed in the ln- dustrial districts. ''It is course that is many more sided than most any other, said Dr. Abercrombie, "and will require careful attention at all times. The peo- pie of the state will be benefited in larger degree from this department than from most any other so far as mechani- cal excellenca&g goes" Dr. Abercrombie was present at the meetings of the building committee Saturday and aided in working out the plans considered.
 Already the minds of the public men are turning to the session of the legislature which will get back to work the first week in July, and the talk of what may be done turns largely to schools and rev enue With the avowed endorsement of the governor the Reynolds compulsory education bill Is expected to become a law. Senator Reynolds has been very active In building sentiment for it dur ing the recess and he Is pretty sure of a support that will almost If not more than quite put it on the books. It has only to pass. the approval of the governor is assured. So far the only objection to the measure has come from the black counties where 1t Is feared the negro will come in for aid out of proportion to that provided the whites The bill obviates this feature by certain of it's provisions but someway the op- ponents do not seem to be fully assured Senator Reynolds believes that the bill will give the highest service to the white children of the state and does not fear the negro difficulties.
 -'The legislature has increased the work of the secretary of state in large meas ure" said Chief Clerk Cyrus Brown, who was digging himself out of a mountain of correspondence the other day. Tt is 20 per cent heavier than 1t was the first of January" However there Is clean bill on the desk of this popular officer all the time.
 A messenger boy carried a telegram In to Leon c. McCord, one of the seereta- ries of the supreme court this week. McCord took his time about receipting, leaving 1t alone for a moment while he moved some papers, Look here young feller," said the youngster; sign that book. I atn't got time to stay all day: have work to do." MT. McCord has tened to fix his signature and laughinaiy dismissed the little fellow with a word of arrangement for his energy.
 Private Secretary to the Governor Fort took a couple of hours off the other day and went to the hall game. This reck- less expenditure of time was so much unlike Fort that his associates in the cap itol insisted that 1t be put in the papers, Fort Is one of the most persistent stay