The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-12-29
Smoke Nuisance and Other Evils

Smoke Nuisance and Other Evils
 He who states simply that smoke is a nuisance is in error. It is a scourge. For even those who watch with fascinated gaze the upward trend of fastastic spirals, might in a trice fall prey to anthracosis pull monum, or any other species of that most dread disease, pneumonoconiosis. For this reason, the public can in jus tice no longer withhold in skeptical indifference praises due-and so long delayed -theScity commission for it's patriotic effort to eliminate that which without our knowledge has been for always the bane of our existence.
 There are among us certain faceti- ous citizens who have smiled broadly and publicly whenever mention was made of the sanguine dream of Com missioner Weatherly. As a matter of fact that official has been ire quently compared to the eccentric hero of Miguel de Cervantes, who, despite the fact that evils, sorely needful of redress, abounded every where, saw only in the harmless wind mill worthy foe to conquer. And the hope of the commissioner that in the near future smoke might be put under the official yoke, has, furthermore, been compared to the foolish dream of Virginia settlers who came to Amer ica for the specific purpose of pluck ing dollars from those bushes on which humble berries grew.
 But those who seek comparisons, in this regard, should remember that while Ponce de Leon did take perilous passage across the bounding wave in search of the mythical spring of eter- nal youth, he did not return, despite his blasted hopes, with hands entirely empty. For if one in this skeptical age might believe the facts of his tory, the pallid Spaniard, ere his fleet ing breath abandoned the corridors of it's mansion, beheld the most flowery kingdom which had ever smiled into the face of man.
 There is no question but that all great men who lived in advance of their period were subjected to the ridicule of those whose visions could not so far extend. Mr. Bryan, it is recalled, lost the presidency because he followed tangent which bordered on the free and unlimited coinage of silver, whereas had he made sincere and eternal alliance with platform providing for tariff reform, he might have reveled in the glory of his dreams come true. There seems to be the barest possibility that in his commendible efforts to bridle deadly smoke, Commissioner Weatherly might overlook the very simple things right under his nose-even as that other great man, MT. Bryan, over looked the tariff. It is true that at the present moment the streets of Bir- mingham-in the very shopping dis trict- are to be transformed by the merest sprinkle from pleasure high ways into avenues of mud and sloughs of despond And it is said that there are certain residents on the highlands to the south and north who, despite the boards which rest on their bosoms, have never heard the reassuring though slothful tread of policeman; and that should a blue-coat stalk sud- denly today on the playground of chil- dren, no greater consternation could be caused by the startling appearance of Santa Claus, himself.
 Nevertheless, Commissioner Weath- erly should be upheld in his efforts to eliminate the smoke evil, especially since the general dispensation of Christmas cigars. For even the most callous and otherwise indifferent soul in Birmingham must squirm with a deal of feverish fear when he con- templates horrid death in the fell clutches of pneumonoconiosis.