The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-06-07

as a -trafn-a-day railroad whose
 tracks were substantially streaks of rust.
 MT. Sage, however. was persuaded that
 the time would come when 1t would prove
 of value to some other railroad corpora
 tion serving IS a connecting link which
 would be of consequence to some thor
 oughly live railroad company. His pre- dection was correct although he did not live long enough to see it fully justified At the time the New Haven Railroad company was facing all kinds of embar- rassments and was humblng itself before the attacks made by the department of justice at Washington, severe criticism was voiced for the construction and op- eration of a branch line one of whose terminals is at the point where the Penn sylvania Railroad company's and the New Haven Railroad companys> lines
 meet within stones throw of Hell Gate and the other terminal is at White Plains, opposite one of the embankments built by WashingtQ1's soldiers just before the battle of White Plains was fought.
 The venture was spoken of as reckless
 and extravagant But there were wise men who did not look upon the venture
 in that way, believing that ultimately it
 would create a business which would re-
 turn profit. That is understood to have been the view of Howard Elliott when ne became president of the New Haven, all though he had no part In the promotion of this railroad. Now 1t seems as though the view of these experienced railroad
 men will be justified. For the New Haven people purpose continuing the line until it meets the great through line between Poughkeepse and Boston at point near
 Danbury, Conn. The late Jabez A. Bost- wick, who accumulated a fortune with the Standard oil company became, short ly before his death, financially interest ed in the railroad line running from Poughkeepse to Boston. He agreed witf
 President Mcleod of the Reading, who
 secured control of this property witt
 intent to make 1t supplement the Reading in the view that it would be of the high
 est importance to construct a branch line from Danbury to tidewater New York city. President Mcleod failed In his pur.
 pose and MT. Bostwick died, and now the New Haven company is about to demon. strate that the little line built from White Plains to Mott Haven is to become what
 Russell Sage expected it to become. An Honor for Cause
 l It is so rare a circumstance that 8 university feels justified in conferring ont of the highest degrees it has the char. tered privilege to bestow upon an active
 working newspaper man that the selection by Columbia university of Charles R. Mil. Ter, eultOr OI the NeW 1OTk IlmeS TOT tnt degree of doctor of letters should be of in. terest to every newspaper worker. From one point of view it Is an honorary de. gree. but from another 1t was given fol merited cause. It often happens that 2 veteran newspaper man who has distin guished himself also in some other voca 1 tion receives high honorary degree, but MT. Miller's honor is bestowed upon hin | In recognition of his actual editoria achievement. Especially since the war 1T l Europe began have his editorial discus
 sions commanded great interest and ad
 miration.
 l One of the foremost literary authorities of this city was asked if there were an
 other man in the United States who coult
 have written the masterful note to Ger
 many which President Wilson wrote. Tn,
 reply came instantly that the editor O the New York Times could have done 1
 and substantially in his various editorial
 had achieved as greatly in this respect al
 the President did. And 1t is the gen
 eral impression here that it was in recog
 hilton for recent editorial work that Co
 lumbia has thus honored Mir. Miller.