The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-09-08
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

IN H., was mentioned or l saw the name in print, always associated it with the poli- tics of the Empire state but as a lovely city and good place in which to do business, it had never entered into my thoughts
 But now l know better as through the kindness of c. S. Gookin, I have been permitted to look over the golden jubilee souvenir of the Albany TypographicaI Union, No. f. commemorating the Sixty fifth session of the International Typo graphical Union, held in the city of AL 1 bany, August s-14, 1920, as well as it's own seventieth anniversary
 
 I'll admit that it is always with a sense of weariness that l pick up such a VOL ume, for usually they are gotten out in a stereotyped way, and so far as 1 am personally concerned a little of such local boosting and national puffng satisfies me; l congratulate the souvenir commit tee on the compilation and arrangement and excellence of the articles
 
 It was natural to suppose that the souvenir would be model of tspo- graphical elegance, clothed in artistic lovelness of the scenes, the quality and texture of the paper and the neatness of the type and the skill of the compo- siton, and the accuracy of the presswork. For publishers as well as printers it will l lcng be beacon for inspiration and emu- lation. As conventions come and go, 1 classic with gem of a setting
 
 l l am sure that the delegates from the various parts of the country to the h. | ternational Typographical Union at Al 1 bany were surprised to find that the capital of New York state was such a magnificent city with it's worderfut rnhlic buildings, it's splended schools, it's con- modious churches, it's great hotels, its lovely homes, it's mammoth mercantile es- ! tablishments and it's up-to-date manufac- turing plants. Naturally, the state capitol is the outstanding architectural feature yet the Plaza is most imposing. 1 But Albany, unlike Birmingham, did no, 1 have to go out and annex river, TOT il l is situated on the banks of the picrur- it's discoverer CHenrick Hudson, 1609), on which navigated the first steamboat, the Clermont, with it's inventor Robert Full l ton, on it's initial trip New York to All bany, in 1897. But one thing I say, and | that is the Albanites were no prouder oi the event than will we be here when the Warrior comes into it's very own and our own Birmingham" docks at Birmngport | The sky line of Albany from the rryer gives it the appearance of a splendid city and is most impressive It has changed wonderfully since I made the trip to il years ago in one of the palatial excursion boats from New York city I knew then it. was rich in historic lore. for it makes claim to being the second oldest munich pality in the United States. It has been the capital of the Empire state of the union since 1797, and has earned not only a national but an international reputa- l -%NoSN-iAN because of it's noted public men.
 
 But the delegates cared less for the DO litical movements which had been inaugu rated in Albany than they did for thu fact that fifty years before the Interna tional Typographical Union had been borr in it. What care they to know that tn city in which they were observing thei golden jubilee had had its beginning il of citizens who loudly boast of progen itors who had settled in it in colonia ard revolutionary times They troubled | themselves little about the birth of others for it was their own birth which was up permost in their minds.
 | I; would make interesting reading fo the craft to read the story of Lcr. c Shephard, the veteran ex-delegate, tvh died at his home last March, as for fit, years (that is during it's whole life) n had been a member. When he joined tn International Typographical Union ]; 1870 it had less than 10,010 members, bu when he died it had grown into an arm of more than 70,00o. He was greatl missed, for he was a prime favorite a all of the annual gatherings, for it wa said of him that in spite of his years, h had the heart of boy at recess; and h enjoyed the spirit of shirt-sleeve democ raey which is characteristic of the uno printer at play
 But the I. T. U. has not only grown i Plumbers. but it's receipts have greatl multiplied Going back only to 1890 ther came into the treasury only s2S, ,070. 5 while during the fiscal year they wen beyond the million dollar mark. The there was balance in the coffers C 8, ,502. .37, while now it's kings ransoi ' of more than $500,ooo. But this does nc tell the whole story, for it has balant } in all of it's funds of nearly s2.o0o,0Oo C be exact. si.s26,os2.2O.
 5 But even this amount of money is nc
 held so dear to the heart-of the averag , printer as is the Union Printers Hon at Colorado Springs. It was first thougf : of at New Orleans in May, 1857. b'
 dropped until 1860, when it was again di icrssed at the eighteenth session at Cir cinnati it was deemed impracticable.~ i, was taken up at the thirty-fourth convel
 tion at Pittsburg in 1SS6 and brought in r the realm of a. possibility by the ~git o slo,ooo from George w. Childs and A.