The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-05-23

passenger traffic will never again be what it once was. The railroads have taken away travellers who formerly enjoyed leisurely trips along the rivers, we'll content to eat of sump- tuous fare, to gaze out dreamily as the shores slipped by and to sleep at night, lulled to rest by the monotonous cough of a packet. As means of locomtion steamboat travel had it's shortcomings, but in many respects it was ideal and in it's day was deemed luxurious.
 The older generation will remem- ber-that part of it which was fa- miliar with river towns-picturesque scenes at steamboat landings. The levee at New Orleans lives in song and story, with it's roustabouts and voluble mates who drove their black charges with profane eloquence. A few years ago a visitor to New Or leans, Memphis, Louisville or St. Louis would have been sadly dis illusioned. A steamer might have been observed here and there, but it was plain to see that river trans portation was dead. The Mississippi at St. Louis was almost deserted, the majestic Father of Waters" flow ing past, scarcely needed by the busy people of a city which long since turned from the river to become one of the railroad centers of the coun- try and forgot the mighty stream on which it was once dependent.
 The palatial steamboats ofe,a by gone era survive chiefly in stories of the past. No one who has ever come in touch with river life has failed to be caught in the same spell which enabled Mark Twain to inn mortalize his experiences on the Mississippi. The rivers of America are coming back" but they have lost their glamor. We are living in prosaic age which gives but a passing thought to such antiouated craft as the "Natchez" and the Robert E. Lee"
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 Although price cutting is reported throughout the country, New York bar tenders are still charging $1 for drink and the price of "moonshine" in the south is almost prohibitive.
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 An Illinois doctor arrested for prac- ticlng without license, styles himself naprapath. Dictionary sharps are at liberty to wrestle with that word.
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 Two Birmingham salesmen were fined $1OO each in Mobile for having barely enough whisky in their possession to make a sizable "nightcap."
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 Germany's war criminals have been summoned to appear before the supreme court at Leipsic, where they may receive a slap on the wrist.
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 If British manufacturers can export manufacturers, the matter is at least worth looking into.
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 MT. McAdoo labors under the handicap of being the presidential son-in-law in a country which has no use for crown princes.
 King GSorge has ordered s5 suit of overalls. However. he isn't going to coma into close contact with pick and shovel.
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 The spread of the opium habit in China may eventually make the Chinese more plastic in the hands of the Japs.
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 The death of Carranza will remove one disturbing factor in Mexico. but Villa is still to be reckoned with.
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 Magazine writers in quest of 'snappy' material seem able to find plenty of in- spiration in a trip to Cuba.
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 Falling prices would cheer the ultimate consumer more if he were assured that they would not rebound.
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 Politics makes strange bedfollows. There's the case of Hoke Smith and Ton, Watson in Georgia.
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 Before assuming the presidency of Mexico, it is advisable to insure safs means of exit.
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 It is said that Villa makes prohibition prohibit by hanging the festive bootleg ger.
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 Salt Lake City's increase in population is not directly attributed to the teachings of Brigham Young. a. # * Cities with an awakened conscience no longer resort to census padding