The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-16
GREAT AND NEAR-GREAT
 PUBLIC MEN IN ALABAMA
7y WALTER HARPER.

About 3 o'clock on the morning follow ing a general election in Jefferson county a years ago 6-months-old boy with q tendency to badness sat upright in his crib at Jonesboro and asked, Father what was the vote in Toadvine?'
 All hope for that boys future greatness was despaired of on the spot. He might lave been a back tax commissioner, po- lceman, train fagman or street car conductor, but his doom was sealed. lie was destined to be politician. And poll tician he was, is and always Will De- though he has in his latter days climbed upon the shelf that has but one narrow exit beside the wide-open door and the broad plank that leads to the un- certain chamber of "Once Was"
 Though he points to few notable ex- captions to this unpleasant fate the sub feet of this sketch moved uncom1ort- ably in his chair when asked what ms plans for the future are. His friends be- lieve he is an exception and that ne will land high and dry with force enough behind him to carry him farther on up the sunny slopes of public usefulness.
 But he is holding a thankless, laurel less job at the present time, though 't is in line with his life ambition, and one of the penalties that the politician must pay. His office is often referred to as the best paid in the state and many good men have sought the place careless of what the future might hold
 But the patriotic politician will dare anything to serve the people in the fat test places
 The subject of this eulogistic compost tion is admittedly one of the most pop ular men in Jefferson county. His friends believe that he will be mayor or governor some day, and since majority of the people seem to be his friends there Is no telling what may happen in spite of the fact he is now holding down the hardest and fattest job in Jefferson county.
 The boy that began to watch Toadvine when he was a child is native of Jeff ferson county. He was born at Jonesboro December r, 1868, and comes of one Of the oldest and most respected families of this part of the state. His grandfather brought his father, then small boy. to Jefferson county before Alabama was ad- mitted as a state. The grandfather set tied about where the Sloss furnace is now ocated on on First avenue. The village of Elyton was in easy walking distance when the black mud did not interfere with walking.
 The grandfathers grave is still pre- served with one or two others of Bir- mingham's pioneers between the Sloss furnace and the Southern shops.
 The son and father of my victim set tied at Jonesboro when he decided that the dream of Birmingham was myth. He was farmer.
 The hero of this narrative ,as literally grown up with this city and district. He has never allowed 1t to finger long from under his watchful eye and loving pres ence With the exception of a few trips to Montgomery and one journey so far away as Louisville he has remained close to the haunts of his childhood. He has never for moment lost line on Toad vine.
 He was educated in the common schools of Jonesboro and that vicinity and grasped his first opportunity to break into the profession of his life He started as al derman of Bessemer. which place he held for two terms, after which he was tax assessor and collector for the town for two terms. Following this he was assistant postmaster of Bessemer for 10 years, but he tired of this. The place was not elective and he began to lose in- terest in Toadvine.
 He jumped into the clements again and WAS elected clerk of the circuit court