The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-13
PRESIDENT TAFT
PINES FOR FRIENDS
Divinity of Position is Irksome
to Big American.
LAGERCRANTZ RICH MAN
Is One of the Great PhiIanthrOpists of
Sweden-SenatOr Johnston of
Alabama in Making Friends
At Washington.
LAGERCRANTZ RICH MAI
by RALPH VI. WHITsIDE

lonely. The divinity which hedges about
presidents as we'll as kings is irksome
to the big, hearty American, who has
been called to the highest office in the
world. Not that the President doesn't
have company enough. Oh, my, yes,
enough and to spare, of a kind. Senators
and representatives. delegates and diplo-
mats wear holes in the White House
carpets, but they all are on business.
They want something, and what the
President desires is somebody to come
in who can slap him on the shoulder, say
Hello Bill, old man." smoke a pipe full
Of tobacco. swap yarn or two and
generally have good old soeiable time.
Not that there are plenty of men who
would be de- excuse mel charmed to
do this very thing, but always with the
idea that Some time, sooner or later,
there might be a chance to put in word
for some friend or some pet scheme.
Now, Mr. Taft has highly developed
social instinct; he loves company; he is
never happier than with group of con-
genial, pleasant, storytelling, laughing
friends; he makes friends easily.
Some day he may get what he wants
he probably will. but just now he is pay
ing the penalty Of greatness. In the
meantime the men who would enjoy being
with the President In a purely social
way and without Interior motives and
whom the President would enjoy having
with him are keeping away. for fear
they will interrupt him In his work or
that they will be suspected of being after
something.
Therefore il you are an old friend of
Mr.. Taft drop in at the White House and
see him when you are In Washington
He won't mind IL the senator's are kept
waiting In the ante-room. Let the door
keepers worry about that. They do.
1t is not generally known that his ex-
ceilency Herman de LagercrantZ, min
lister plenipotentiary and envoy extra
ordinary for Sweden at Washington is
one Of the rich men among the diplomatic
corps, but is also one of the leading
philanthropists of his country. Mr.. La
gercrantz is at the head of a great steel
industry in Sweden. Is builder of rail
road coaches and has great estates near
Stockholm From his early manhood he
has been q student of sociology and a
firm and efficient friend of the man who
is down and out. He established the first
home for homeless in Sweden and largely
due to his efforts in Stockholm alone
now provision is made for lodging $500
men each night He is a great friend
and admirer of General Booth OF the Sal
walton Army, and has given both financial
ana moral assistance to the great work
done by that fine organization. He is
deeply interested in mission work and in
other church affairs.
Mr.. Lagercrantz is firm believer in
4 4. IL. - 20 a
Gently said:
There Is one thing which surprises
me, and which surprises all Europeans.
about America. and that is the marvel
Gus growth OF your cities In Europe we
try to stem that growth; it seems to us
that it is wiser to persuade the people
to live in the country as far as possible.
Surely, agricultural life is more simple
and sane than life in a crowded city can
possibly be- and believe that could peo-
ME OF even moderate means be persuad-
ed to leave the city and go into the coun-
try especially here where there are such
great and wonderful opportunities in ag-
rlcultural pursuits. IT would not only
be better for them morally, but also
financially"
Miss Helen Taft and two school girl
friends, who are her guests at the White
House. occupied seats reserved Tor the
President and his family in the Senate
gallery yesterday.
Miss Taft and her friendsfdid not seem
to be familiar with the faces of many
members of the Senate so Vice President
81 ernnan went to their rescue and point
ed out senators who interested thsm
We can all rest easy now. Treasurer
See Mc(lunx has demonstrated the fact
that 1t is perfectly safe to handle green
backs or yellow backs. old or new with
out fear of infection.
The germs which inhabit paper money,
according to experts. are harmless, so you
may ha ndle with perfect safety all you
can get hold of.
To cotton, cane syrup. crowder peas
and sweet potatoes the South is to have
added some entirely new crops If tests
row being made by the Department OF
Agriculture are successful.
In time the market reports in our south.
ern contemporaries may include quota
tions for '.yantias, tares and dasheens.'
What are they? you ask. We'll. your
Uncle James Wilson answers that ques-
ton thus:
"These plants comprise salad plants.
tubsrs. which are excellent for table use
and also for stock feed. roots which are
valuable sources of starch and from
which alcohol can be made. They have
formed the staple food OF the native
tIawaiians, and are important food crops
IN Japan China the Malay archipelago.
Porto Rico, and many other hot coun-
tries.
s.They can be grown on lands too wet
FIR 81 ne~ root crops or any cereal crop
except rice"
TIE other day Col James Gordon. sem
90. A.a.isarpi ancient and gray
bearded. bore down on the Senate res
taurant An, o.icious mental. who
thought the colonel was probably the
westminster fam Ped,ink. halted him
briefly AT the door leading into that SAM
trary whe-e the senators eat, cycling him
with suspicion.
.ranfen RE. So. forrer senn.o-?"
"Not vet Proba bly, will be s,on.'
Then Colonel Gordon w"n1e' l',s way
TO n senatorial table and proceeded to
commute with the official PIE.
..-rennesseans do not believe that former
sheriff Ship and his companions should
have been punished b. the United States
.npseire c,ilrt by prison sentences for
their alleged failure Of duty in the Chat
tsnpoga lVnch'ng case" asserted James
SenforS Of Nashville. Tenn. who was
here recently.
1.-THE sentiment in my state at the time
of the sentences was thet tlcse ~er
should not have been sentenced to jail
Tnyes tiss lions in Chattanooga showed
clearly that they could not have pre-
vented the mob from lynching the re gro
who was the cause Of all the trouble.
am certain that people in Tennessee do