The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-23

Cleveland in 1884, but it will prob
ably knife him.
AS New York has as electoral votes
each party will make a supreme eff
fort to secure them. Wilson expresses
confidence in his ability to carry New
York. Republicans are just as conf
dent that Hughes will carry it. AS
a betting proposition the interest in
the outcome was never greater than
it is now.
1.-THE trainers of the present con-
4 stitution of Alabama distrusted
the people, and that is why they made
it impossible for counties and school
districts to vote levies for special
taxes for school purposes. And that
accounts FOR
Only Few Opposing the appall
School Tax Amendment ing percent
age of illit-
crates in Alabama. Fortunately the
citizens composing the electorate of
today are more literally inclined.
AS result of the well organized
campaign being conducted by the de-
partment of education, with the en-
thusiastic cooperation of all the
teachers and friends of education, the
school tax amendment submitted by
the legislature will be ratified at the
general election on the 7th of Novem-
Der. The comparatively few men OPP
posing it are either those who think
the people are not to be trusted or
who ignorantly assume that the adop-
ton Of the amendment is equivalent
to tax levy.
The amendment only gives the peo-
pie of county the right to tax them
selves. Many counties will never be
able to make any Roadway in school
betterment until they have the three
mill tax that the amendment permits.
Some counties can get along perhaps
without it. The amendment simply au-
thorizes. With it's ratification the
question of better schools in the rural
sections is up to the people themselves.
1T0HE census bureaus recent bulle-
y tin showing a decrease in the
death rate in the United States is es-
pecially encouraging to those engaged
in hygienic efforts. AS the mortuary
statistics cover three years the COM
parsons are
Death Rate in This sufficient to in
Country Decreasing dictate marked
improvement in
general health conditions.
The death rate in the calendar year
1915 was 1875 in every thousand as
against 1876 in 1914 and 14.1 in 1918.
Last years decrease in the state of
New York was greater than in any
other state except Rhode Island. The
reduction in the United States as a
whole amounted in 1915 to saving Of
100000 lives.
The census figures seem to show
that the break-neck speed at which So
ciety and big business are going is not
as exacting in death tolls as some re-
formers believed it was. In New York
city, where swift living is much in evil
dence these days, the death rate is
lower than in Baltimore and several
other staid towns. This must not be
taken to mean that going through life
at breathless drive does not kill
many people. The average reckons
with the multitude of men and women
who avoid high living; those who keep
good hours and pay attention to the
laws of health.
Scientists who are specializing in
human longevity may make only slow
progress, but every year that brings
a decrease in the death rate, no mat
ter how slight it is, will stress the
hope that the time will come when
centenarians will be as plentiful as
octogenarians are today.
NN THEN Capt. Won Papen was in
wv formed that his room was
more desirable than his company in
America and returned home to the
bosom of the Kaiser he was of course
decorated. But there were greater
honors in store for him. He was
placed in command
Capt. Won Papen of a battalion at
Is at the Front first, but as soon
as he learned more
about trench fighting was given an