The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-04-28
SOCIETY AND HOME TOPICS FOR WOMEN
The Elyton "City Beautiful" Club With Mrs Felix E.
 Blackburn President c Credit to Birmingham

Every citizen of Birmingham, whether young or old, has bit of affection tucked away somewhere In his heart for old Elyton.
 If old Elyton could speak its mind about the Magic City guess 1t would say:
 There's my little sister that God gave me to love- and see how she's grown up into great big old Birmlngham-lots big ger than I am. but still my little sister,"
 Certain if there is spot in and around here that should be pointed to as beauty spot, in this big. old, grimy, dirty, smoky district, 1t is Elyton-the home of the Mudds and the Walkers and the Martins and the Eubanks and the Smiths, and the Earles and the Greenes- Birmingham's splendid pioneers-those who forged the trail and opened the way for it's prosperity, and whose names stand today for the best, the truest and the most loyal that can be desired in citizenship.
 In arranging the ''various' city beauti- ful clubs, what more fitting than that Mrs Felix E. Black burn should have been chosen president of the Elyton City Beautiful club?
 A worthy product of old Elyton-her forefathers being among the earliest set tiers of this district. Mrs. Blackburn points with pride to the fact that she never lived outside of Elyton.
 Within stones throw of the old Eu- bank home where she was born and bred, her own beautiful residence stands today and in her heart beats a loyal devotion to every tree and twig and brook and flower that inhabits old Elyton
 There is a sweet sentiment that clus- ters round the circumstances that Mrs. Blackburn relates about her children climbing the same old trees wading in the same old streams, and playing in the same old yards that gave her so much pleasure IS child, and in her gentle, sweet way she talks of old Elyton as she would of a near and dear relative; as something apart from the busy, bustling atmosphere that Birmingham creates-something re- mote, and yet tangible, intimate close.
 Mrs. Blackburn in chatting with me a few days ago about the city beautiful plan as applied to Elyton said among other things:
 "Of course, you understand that Elyton has just remained Elyton through all these years. It has never risen above just Elyton. It has never resurrected as many other old places have done. but has sat quietly with dignity, allowing the en- tir ecountry, round about to grow up and become commercialiZed and yet not touch the hem of her garments with it's spirit of progressiveness A few of the old cit izens and their progeny still remain of the old Elyton community and we have watched it grow old and remain dormant through all the years scarcely a sprig or a flower being changed until the time came when the way was forged for the first street car line, which, of course, made a big difference in every way to the little village"
 "The excavations for the street car lines made the first perceptible change in Ely ton" continued Mrs. Blackburn, and it is a great pity that the guIches and hollows .'..''...'................. those who must obey the laws should have a voice in making them, and that those who must pay taxes should have a vote to the size of the tax and the way In which 1t should be spent
 'I believe that it is just that those who are governed should have a voice in the government, and I accept the doc Urine that the government must derive it's just power from the consent of the governed.
 T believe that extending suffrage to women increases the proportion of edu- cated voters, increases the proportion of native born voters and that it increases the moral and law abiding vote very much, while increasing the vicious and criminal vote very little. Women form a minority of all criminal classes, and a majority of all classes working for human advancement
 T believe that the 100000 women wage earners of the United States should be allowed to voice in making the laws that so vitally affect their welfare
 T believe that women of leisure who are giving their time, their talents, ana their money to serve the public welfare should be able to support their advice, and their work, by casting their bal lots.
 T believe that busy housewives and professional women are entitled to give public service in the same way in which busy men give it-by casting their votes
 T believe that, believing all these things, l should stand firmly and en- Enthusiastically for equal suffrage, that I should work for it, and, having received it, that I should exercise the privilege it gives me-