The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-20
Mr.. Oscar G.. Turner Asks :

There's an old saying-an aphorism-
that all the good Indians are dead. but
when the Potlatch celebration takes
place the coming week and the Red Men
nocl through the streets of Brming-
ham by the hundreds with their gaily
colored Indian regalia, towering head
dress and ferocious looking war paint,
there'n be hardly anything but good
Indian in the crowd. True. they may
be only make believe" Indians, as the
children say, but lots of times the inn
1tation is more attractive than the real,
especially in the case of indians"
Birmingham is to be turned into one
grand wigwam for the Potlatch cele-
bration, the length and breadth of the
town will be infested with enthusiastic
men. women and children, reviving
custom that in a measure is sort of a
thanksgiving for all the generous
kindly blessings that have been be-
slowed upon this community by an all
powerful and wise Providence who has
made 1t possible for success and plenty
TO reign in this fertile valley and in the
Magic City of Birmingham.
one of the chief assets that Birmfng-
ham possesses is her civic pride No
town can succeed without this and the
cooperative spirit. team work" as it
were. is the most important factor in
the success of any new and growing
place.
Birmingham is ION the map let me
say right here, everywhere you go.
Register at a hotel in Gotham, from
Birmingham. Alabama" and you don't
have to explain yourself.
In California and the far west, when
you say you are from Birmingham, they
know instantly that it's the town where
the rich men make iron and er-er-steel
for living
Abroad the Englishman and the
Frenchman, the Dutchman and the
Irishman know Birmingham, and when
the Potlatch celebration is over thereil
scarcely be a spot on the face of the globe
where Birmingham's name won't be
emblazoned in golden letters of pros
perity and plenty.
Into Birmingham some three wears
ago there CHANGED to drop the very best
Indian of them all.
man whose heart is as big al his
body, and kind, and generous, and
clever. and ambitious to a degree.
should doctor place his fingers on
the pulse of Mr. Oscar c. Turner, for it
is needless to say that it is he to whom
] refer, and proceed, to feel the pulse OF
that progressive young man, let time
be mdnig ght or dawn, during heated
meeting of the Potlatch committee Of
which he is chairman, or when he is
speeding throu' he streets in his big
seven passena ffirg car, he woull
find it thur oit -
Should atrror aa a ,oclSet ther
momete alt Mr forn sr's throat. 1t
would pr iiles egister LOG 3-5
HI a y yays hurried, for
let na aa drner is not quies-
5e'a saa tier and some en-
1tc afea above normal.
Hes 4IWeys keyed up to concert
Yt8eh. ans dress parade" means to him
eagf Fl does to the soldier--a real"
asi 80 battle.
fr Turner not only possesses the spirit
rogress and hustle, but he can't un-
rstand the lack of 1t in anybody else.
1t is impossible in his mind to asso-
ciate 'innocuous desuetude" with any
rnan OF woman when it comes to his or
her own home town.
"Civic PRIDE is his slogan, and
there's never been single, solitary
man in all this community who has
done more individually, for Birming-
ham, and with as little idea Of self ag-
grandizement as this clever Georgian
who has cast his lot among us and be-
come citizen of this city allying his
faith in its future with ours.
Mr.. Turner has no use for a dead
one"
He says, IF you are an Indian put on
your war paint for the Potlatch and
give the war cry"
Many optimists have I seen in my
short newspaper career, but for genu-
inc, downright honest, whole souled
brmming enthusiasm over this great
big city of ours, permit me to repeat
that the "blue ribbon" goes to Mr. Tur-
ner
Mr. Turner has the optimism OF
youth and vitality, strength and men
tality, and his word in social well
as in business circles means something.
To his ingenuity and eleyerness Bir
mingham owes the Potlatch celebration.
1t was his fertile brain originated