The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-09
A GEM.
A Speech that Bestosvs Great Credit
 upon Builders.


 A Speech that Bestosvs Great Credit
 upon Builders.
 At the celebration in Birming gham of the entry of the A. B. & A. Railroad into that city former Governor Jelks was one of the speakers. His remarks are worthy of the widest publicity. He said:
 We are met to welcome our friends from the provinces. to thank them for their coming to rejoice with us: and as well tb congratulate the builders and ourselves that the great work which has cost them more than three years in time and energy, and millions of money. Is so near completed as to make 1t at once immensly useful to Birmingham and large section of the country. Beyond congratulations: it is in our hearts to eulogize the gen. tlemen who are responsible for this great work
 "one of the early road builders was one Appfus Ciaudiuss Hed 1t was who built that sdueeno ofs roads, as the old poets called 'h. sand the, later poets as well. the great Appian Way. The builder rnodistly named the road after himself
 T can imagine a scene something like we have here upon the occasion of the opening of that great highway Rome having prepared feast for the ladleS and gentlemen or the pFONinCoS' Claudus was the guest of honor. He heard himself greatly praised and toasted.
 We have forgotton that Claudius was a great scholar, the writer of 'his- tory, ant author of no mean renown. We have aforgotton that he taught his countryasys battles successfully. We
 have forgotton too, that he was great democrat, an aristocrat himself, but helieveing sin the rule of the common people.i' We have forgotten hts zeal and patriotism. We have forgotton. notwith hstandlng his services. that he was neglected by his own people in his old age We remember him only as the builder of a great highway. Not many men of whom history speaks are entitled to a higher place than this one
 "A few years ago at a good roads celebration in North Carolina some en- thusiasts hunted up the deserted grave of a man who made the mountains passabie in the early years of that state and uttered praise of him. whose dull ears could not hear the words These gentlemen. our principal guests tonight. have built a good road. as long as the Appian Way. over whose rails day by day will flow. we hope. | in the future a commerce equal to that which flowed in and out of that other imperial city in the days of it's vigor. The have overcome great physical obstacles, and large obstacles of another kind; they have built the greater portion of 1t in a period of deep depression. No one at this board except themselves knows at what ex- l pense in mind and body and. treasurer this work has been carried on. The | gentlemen themselves could tell if they
 would speak.
 As far as this gathering can. we ukA vnYz ! their daring and their money shall have fit reward. If they do not live in history as does Claudius and that | humble gentleman of the North Caroli- | na hills, they ought to, and they at least will be treasured here tonight, and we hope tomorrow. Those of us present will try to see that you are honored tomorrow.
 For my part would prefer a statue in a great park to the honor of a builder. than to one whose sword had carved his way to fame or to one whose voice fixed a place for him. Up with the builders; let them be the i'm l mortals; let the poets write and the orators proclaim. that the builders are the persons of real consequence and | that princes among the builders are l those who link the ends of the conti- nent together with the rail that neith CT halts nor tires.
 Tonight is yours. you builders We hail you and we praise you. Make | the most of the. occasion. We mako no promise for the future. Tomorrow l or may be the next day, we will speak of the insolehce of the roads underl- | ings: we will protest that the service Is damnable. and the rates confsca- tory of shop and farm--and we will say y | this whether the changes be true or
 not-so make the most of the evening. Get hilarious if you will Live to- | night, for tomorrow, or the next day, | we may cruelty you"