The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-23
The Enterprise of
 South Alabama People

ct selhshness in them Any movement can command their interest and their money as soon as 1t can be shown that the town Is going to be helped And there. will be more unity in it than you win ind in any public enter prise in city. That is what Atmore showed us-and Atmore is typical of the growing towns. which have made south Alabama famous, develop more rapidly than North Alabama
 The people of Atmore had been 'phoning ahead for us to be certain that we would not miss their hospi- tality. Along about o'clock of a hot afternoon we linked" down a long. hot country road and came unostenta- uously into the town. and, according to custom. made for the nearest place where we could get a cold drink.
 Runners rushed out and informed the reception committee, and before we had finished the first day in the drug store. former Mayor Burson and Mayor Mcleod had charge of us. and were directing our willing but tired footsteps wherever they listed. The school children rushed out in a body to see us pass. and we walked through two lines of them, with some flag waving and some light cheering. The committee guided us to the Hotel Car ney, which, beyond question, is the best hosteiry in all Alabama for town the size of Atmore. They led us to Proprietor Brooks. who showed us some splendid rooms and--wonderful in the telling-a bath room for each man. No man may even imagine the delightful luxury of bath until he has hiked twenty-five miles down a hot Alabama road, the powdery dust coating his face. with the perspiration drawn by the broiling sun.
 The Public Dinner.
 An9 after nightfall the leading men came into the hotel and We talked to them of the incidents, humorous and serious, of a long walk through the State. In time the word was given, and we marched into the great dining room of the Hotel Carney, where a splendid Supper was spread for our delectation. Just as we were. in our road garb--for our good clothes were waiting us at the Cawthon Hotel in Mobile-we took seats at the banquet table and spent an hour and half in pleasant talk and in satisfying mag nificent appetite acquired on the road from Flomaton to Atmore.
 The whole think was most gracefully done. They knew that we were tired that if the dinner was prolonged over half the night our weariness must in- evitably get the best of us. So they tabooed g speaking program. Dr. D. c. Burson. the prime mover of the occa- sion. gracefully welcomed us in a few words of hearty cordiality. For the party, I made reply, with a recital of impressions and incidents, of our walks afoot. Then the party arose. They talked with us a few minutes and then gracefully withdrew, that we might not longer be restrained from the placid but deep delights of rest and sleep. We caught and recognized that act of courtesy.
 The walkers were not of that class who had ears and heard not and eyes and saw not. The trip would have failed of one of its purposes if 1t failed to instruct and inform. We were never ashamed to look and ask questions, and I dare say we learned more of the country than if we had been whirled through it a hundred times on a fast train.
 That section of Alabama is indebted to the patriotic man, unknown to fame, who set the fashion of planting water oaks a generation ago.
 Of all shade trees, the water oak is easily the most beautiful. As South Alabama approaches the Gulf, one would think that it was the chosen spot for that graceful tree of dark