The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-01-15


 Alabama and 1t Is worth all of the monuments of brass ana marble. But where are the others. Look around and you will not find many.
 We might as well be frank about it. we have not done our share to- ward holding up the hands of those splendid men and women who have tried to help their fellowman.
 We all know that today 1t Is or ganized effort which counts and not in- dividual help. Can there be worthier cause than that of the Young Mems Christian association7 Perhaps l have been a little bit hard on the communi- ty, and I wish to say that there have been number of men who have been working and they have laid the foun- dation for splendid civic development.
 For Athletics.
 "The Young Mems Christian asso- citation offers opportunity for athletic exercise. That is one of the finest things I know of. The man who wants to succeed in athletic pursuits must avoid dissipation and then athletics cul- tivates a dislike for it. rhen there are the night schools which try to give technical education. That too is the very finest sort of thing.
 I've have, in the past few years, built up some fine clubs, among them the Athletic club, the Country club, tho Phoenix and Southern clubs. But tho Young Mems Christian association, treated as a club, leaving off consid- eration of the religious features, is a place where young men gather who haven't the opportunity to belong to the moro expensive clubs.
 Now, doesn't 1t behoove the business men of Birmingham to furnish an at- tractive place for those young men who, in 6 financial way are having harder struggle than we? I am interested, not alone because I want to see handsome association building here for the benefit of the young men who will use It, but because I have seen what slow, pokey old Nashville and Savannah have done. If we don't get busy Mobile will get ahead of us.
 The time is propitious for the men or Birmingham to get together and stand together for those things that stand for higher civic development. We have not cultivated the habit of teamwork and now is the time to do 1t.
 eve have got our Greater Birmingham. Now let's adopt another slogan. Let's make 1t a Better Birmingham; better in that we will stand together for those thines that mean civic development, for the moral betterment of the community in which our children will live. There arc enough of us who have made some headway in individual business who want a better town and who can make one.
 "There is one man In our town who gets as much out of life as anybody know and he does 1t by helping the ether fellow. And that is the spirit of the century. The philanthropic, civic and charitable work is not scattered work, but 1t is becoming organized ana that is what we must bring about in this cam paign."
 Ward introduced.
 MT. Percy then introduced MT. Ward, secretary of the international committee of the Young Mems Christian associa- ton. He stated that MT. Ward really needed no introduction, and he presented the man who is here to conduct the cam paign. IiW benefits of the organized Young Mems Christion association.
 "A short time ago I was talking to MT. Stevens, president of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and he showed me papers which vouched for his statement that within the preceding SIX years there has not been single accidental deatn of an employe on his railroad and he at tributed it largely to the fact that there was Young Mems Christian association in every section on the road.
 The speaker then told or the organiza- ton of the association In foreign coun- tries.
 "The last man the immigrant sees In leaving foreign shores said MT. Ward, lis the man with the Y. M. C. A. iet- ters on his cap. This man sets the immi- grant off with information and literature of useful nature, and then when this same immigrant lands in the United States the first person he sees Is the man with the Y. M. c. A. letters on his cap This man furnishes the newcomer with any and all information he may want and thus sets him right on his ad- vent to this country. So the work is thoroughly organized and one can easily perceive the benefits derived.
 Big Campaign Ahead.
 "I believe this banquet Is Birmingham" continued the speaker, "and I must say that I like Birmingham. But there Is q big campaign ahead of you which means that . great civic movement Is to be carried through during the next two weeks. It Is a movement of which you will all feel proud when it is finished
 
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