The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-26

SOc1allSm r1SeS 10 clhlnl TOT ltSelI the part and function and remedy, pure and genuine literature Is brought forward to try conclusions. Whatever letters may be worth to the consciousness of organ !zed society, the literature here discussed, recent as is it's discovery. must be all lowed an essential factor in the estimate.
 It is. proposed because of well known anxiety or students of history, for ex- pansion of resources of that cult to tell of personal attainment which, thus early in it's place, has ripened into an in tellectual and moral affinity, north and south, of pronounced adaptation.
 The mere fact that a young southern born man, bred on a farm, should go to the great northern city. without friends there, without money, yet prosper, even exceedingly. may not be in itself worthy of this place the printed page. But when that young man rises to the situa- ton, sees the pending sacrifice of the spirit and substance of his native land on the altar of Moloch. and pledges way of rescue, at his own hands, he becomes the hero, born in tiine
 Within the last score of years, Walter Neale. Virginian. hardly yet In the prime of life, has published, in New YorK, more standard works of southern history than all the other publishers of the world combined. He has, withal, written with his own hand, historical works of the class of text books. Captains of industry. commanders of armed men, on land and on sea, statesmen. philosophers, poets and inventors we justly demand knowl- edge of by the printed volume of their lives. It is meet and proper that we shall know somewhat of him who edu- ho fy, 1rrn uo 1f the south as none before him has dared to do.
 Southern literature must be correlated to the ascertained character of the south. The compact of 17S7 is less a fact of compromise, entered into by sovereign states-''nations," MT. Neale denominates them--to promote the general welfare, than between the Puritan section and tho Cavilier. The surviving principle of state sovereignty In the federal government. has been asserted alternately. from the beginning, as the weapon to protect the Puritan section and the Cavalier, each from ascendancy over the other The Cavalier ideals were broader, the Cav alier spirit more virle. Tn normal compe- tition the Cavalier section prevailed. The south governed the union.
 Time passed, European immigration Of different character from the earlier set tiers of American soil came to. 1t by scores of millions. The sword and the purse of the government united. and mil lions of unlettered Africans, without a native tongue, were brought forward to pronounce upon the most beautiful and complex form of government ever wrought out by the brain of man.
 Vespasian drove in triumph through the thronged and shouting streets of Rome, 1ou- In chains Even at that hour the great school of Jabne re- opened it's doors in the conquered city of Jehovah. Jewish youths began to learn anew the history of Jewry. From the school came "permen' to publish the story abroad. After the school had done its work, the Jews made their most glorious defense of Jerusalem against Rome.
 We may not forecast the full effect of the inspiration of the Virginian lad, who consecrated himself to the task of set ting up, in the waste places of American history, successor to the school of Jabne! The act has been accomplished. The eternal years of truth await the fruit am not writing in advertisement of trade. I am pointing joyfully to the silver thread upon which hangs the noblest motive of endeavor now, ip this generation, which appears competent to vindicate the south. Walter Neale has made secure the future influence of the south in the United States-by challeng- ing the whole world to look upon us.
 Walter Neale was born in northern Vir- ginia in the year 1873. He was born to an early ambition and to the consciousness of power. He is man with the tradi- tional grandfather Two centuries before the Norman conqueror put foot on En- glish soil his ancestors were nobles there. His maternal blood is of the Bowdoin line of French nobility. For one of these Bowdoin college is named. Bowdoin was the maiden name of MT. Neale's Virgin ian grandmother. Francis Hopkinson, one of his ancestors, signed the Declara- ton of Independence; Joseph Hopknson of the same blood was the author of Hail, Columbian Through the Ions strain of this blood individuals have been devotees of the fine arts, music and liter ature.
 The family of Mir Neale have been ac- tive in the social and the political life of the part of Virginia in which they lived from the early colonial period. He was at college, at the age of IT, when his fa- ther died suddenly. There seemed to be no bank account left by him. But he owed no man. The family that was left to the college student for support and ad- vice comprised an invalid mother, six sis ters and brother much younger than himself The studies of the school were not abandoned. but the management of the farm was taken up by him.
 Neale had matured a purpose afore- time, and this was to become great pub fisher and great writer. In the year 1892, at 1s, he went to Washington city to begin lifes work. With him went the whole family-a resolute, confident fam ily. each able and ready to take share in the venture.
 The young mans path was straight. The first year of his labor as writer brought something like s5Oo0 to him. The family maintained comfortable home. He held before hirn, without shadow of turning the two goals. early fixed-the fortune of great publisher and the fame of letters. He labored and studied assiduously. He took up the elemental law books and learned enough to qualify him fdr admission to the bar. He read of science and philosophy deeply. Studying Spencer. he even entered the dissecting room of & medical class daily that he might study Spencer more thoroughly.
 At the age of A years MT. Neale mar ried Miss Margaret Ellen Stuart. two years younger than he. In the young wife was blended .he blood of four emil nent families of South Carolina. the Stuarts. the Rhetts, the Barnwells and the Thomsons. Thereafter he maintained two houses. that of his mother as before. and his own.
 When he was % years old The Neale Publishing company was organized in Washington, Walter Neale, president and controlling spirit
 Subscriptions to the stock, by charter members, reached only small sum. There was but one manager and he the