The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-07-27
THE CANNING AGD.

Jfe statement sent out that Mi. !, Bryan has been making speeches into a photograph induces The New Haven | Register to indulge in some reflections on the canning business This" it gays. "is the canned age. so to speak. 1he things which once were for the deiectation of the wealthy few are now | brought in convenient packages to the reach of the millions. What were once joys and delicacies for the good old | summer time and the fresh country | alone. are now spread around the glad | year and brought to every nook and corner. every flat and attic and cellar. of the world. Every delicacy of field and garden. every life-sustainins pro duet of plain and valley. is canned or preserved for the nutrition of every nation. But not alone the realm of the stomach is considered. Every grade of music and that which is call cd music is likewise preserved, to be opened not once but many times. as fancy may choose. The heavenly voice which scars between the acts. the deli cate wit and humor of the vaudeville stage, the divine melody of the con cert orchestra" all these are saved for the delectation of ourselves and the neiehbors. More than all this, we now have as one of the latest tie canned sermon. warranted to greatly sarpass the natural variety as a cure for in- somnia."
 We are somewhat apprehensiye lest they run this canning business into the ground. or up in the air before they are done with 1t. It is perfectly true that the wonderful development of this method of preserving all kinds of foodstuffs has been genuine boon to humanity, and we have on more than one occasion had something to say in advocacy of more canning plants or factories in our own section. To see immense quantities of fruits and vese- tables left to rot and thus become a dead loss seems like ingratitude to- wards bountifnl nature. To put all this surplus for which there is no home demand into cans for future sale or use would not only be source of profit but would afford foods and deli cacies for the family which could not otherwise be obtained.
 And it Is well enough to have what has come to be called canned music. The photograph is great invention, and it is a genuine treat to many per- sons to sit in their own homes and listen to god music and songs. or evon to enjoy the dialogues and jokes of the vaudeville performers. Sometimes the phonograph may be overworked. and become something of a nuisance to the neighbors. but for all that. Q great deal of enjoyment can be deriv- ed from a good one with records of popular or sacred music and songs.
 But when 1t comes to canned ser. niors" we arc not 70 sure that it will not be an evil instead of good thing. All over the country we read complaints oE small church attendance. and many are the plans and suggestions put forward to induce people to attend church more generally. If the time comes when a man can sit in his own parlor or by his own freside on Suu- day and listen to the music of the church choir and the sermon of the preacher is 1t not fairly certain that they will not trouble themselves to go out to church? That, in our iuds- n,ent, would be the natural result ID many cases, and there would then be many more empty pews and seats in the churches than there are as it is now. Better not put the church ser vice up in cans. we judge.
 When 1t comes to canning the poli- tical speeches there Is something to be said in its favor. Many man goes out to hear a candidate speak when the performance is really bore to him, or when he can i'll afford the time, but he goes because he considers 1t a duty to his party and a courtesy to the cam didate to be present. If the words and the sentiments. even the very voice of the candidate could be put into pho nographic records so that the citizen could sit and listen to 1t during his moments of leisure. or after his days work was done, would 1t not help to spread political information where 1t
 
 speech is generally a dry business. but | listening to if from a photograph | would be a different thing entirely. On the whole we think canned speeches | would be both popular and educating.