The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-06-28

I had ride recently with my good friend, Lawrence Lee through some of the outlying suburbs of Montgomery. and got Q glimpse of the county.
 As VIC drove along I felt like crying out with Burns. 'The primrose banks, how sar." The roads were primrosed and the fields just sprinkled with them.
 Nature has been prodigal with prinl- roses in Montgomery county It would be mighty easy for maid "to trod the primrose path of dalliance," for the soil seems to be peculiarly adapted to the we'll beloved and democratic flower.
 It wouldn't be any trouble at all to organize Primrose leagues in ami around the Capital City if it merely called for bountiful supply of them. The primrose was the favorite flower of the Earl of Beaconsfield. He is dead, and will live in history as one of Eng lands great premiers, but known in this way to select circle of literary people, pnblicists, and historians.
 But there is another way in which his memory will be kept fresh long after the PrSmrose league, founded in 1885, year I was in England, by Lord Ran dolph Churchill dhe great but unfortu. nate statesman, who married Jenny Jerome, and whose son is frequently in the litnelignD in support of the princi- pies advocated by Disraeli, the Jew who dazzled the British and found favor with Queen Victoria, who knighted him for his conspicuous service.
 His public career has already been embalmed in many dusty tome. On April l9 the anniversary of his death, In 1881, thousands throughout England and the whole British empire wear primroses in his honor, and particularly all who are members of the Primrose league. The object of the league is declared to be the maintenance of religion, of the estates of the realm, and of the imperial ascendency of Great Britain"
 On card affixed to the wreath or primroses sent by Queen Victoria to oe placed upon his coffin was written in her maiesty's own handwriting: Ills favorite flowers: from Osborne. trib- ute of affcctionate regard from Queen Victoria The Earl of Beaconsfieid was always a prime favorite of Eng lands good Queen, and he had great
 
 of the nation
 On .he day of the unveiling of Lord Beaconsfield's statue all of the mem bers of the conservative party in the House Of Commons were decorated witu the primrose A small group had tor sometime been trying to hit on a plan to interest the common people of the kingdom in the principles of the party which was so closely identified with the aristocracy.
 To me, an American democrat, it was intensely interesting to know that an influential group of England's aristo- cratic parliamentary leaders were max ing an effort to democratize the con 
 servative party and win the support If the farming and laboring class ps adroitly appealing to their asthetic na- ture in founding the Primrose league. Lord Randolph Churchill was an aris- tocrat of the aristocrats, one of the Prince of Wales set, and yet he was one of the most democratic men in the realm. no doubt through the influence of his American wife. He was one ot the few men. like Gladstone. whom the man in the street knew. It is said that every .'cabby'' in London knew him. It takes the real thing to do a real thing.
 Now, Joseph Chamberlain. the Bir- mingnem statesman who entered his fathers business as a manufactures of wood screws, and acquired local repu-