The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-12-18
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 VIII Mako It . suco@ sThs announce ment is made that there will be an abundance of histletoe this season, therefore Christmas should be a complete success for the younger Iset.-Florence Times
 Lest We Forget-The Christmas spirit is in the air, as the holidays are approaching rapidly. Our minds are turned to the making of friends happy and we remember when we were young and how eager we were for Christ mas, and how happy we were when Santa Claus would come. It seemed to the writer then that Christmas came about every three years but now it seems to come about every three months.-Moundville News.
 Abuse of Pardons and Crime.-It is largely because of the abuse of the pardon and the parole that human life in the United States is considered cheap. It is because of this, more honored in the breach than in the ob- servance. The men who impose on the gov- ernor, therefore, become more or less par ticeps criminis in the Haunting of statutes which they are sworn to help enforce, and which, in many instances, they helped to make.-Anniston Star.
 Has Nothing On Huntsville-Red Moun- tain, South Highlands or any other part of our wonderful Birmingham, Alabama, have absolutely nothing on Greater Huntsville with her matchless sections for development via Scenic Heights along the Big Cove road, as well as other scenic spots in and about the city. Right here, to our way of thinking, is the beauty spot of the world and in time Greater Huntsville is going to stretch and spread all over these picturesque mountain sides. There's no way to stop the tide already flowing in that direction.-Huntsvllle Times.
 Results of Vat Protection.-A report of the destruction of a vat is an unusual bit of news now. Counties entered into cooperation with the state and federal governments in the cam. paign. The result is that a great portion of Alabama is free of the tick and cattle pro- duced in counties that are tick-free can be shipped into all markets. In addition to the freedom of the cattle growers in finding mar kets, prices are higher and producers are finding that the increased profits more than compensate them for the trouble and expense incurred by them in the dipping of cattle- Montgomery Journal.
 As To Local Self. lf.Government.-In grant, ing another years leave of absence to General Smedley D. Butler of the United States Ma rine Corps to serve as director Of public safety of Philadelphia, President Coolidge reads a lecture to Philadelphians on self-government. MT. Coolidge states truth that will be in- dorsed by every American citizen who believes in preserving those principles of self-govern- ment on which the nation was founded. The rights of the people should be jealously safe guarded from the interference of the military lin civil and local affairs, except, as the pres ident says, in cases of emergency.-Mobile Register.
 Roads Pay For Themselves.-Then who really pays for the road? Nobody. It pays for itself by reducing the cost of travel, just as labor saving machine pays for itself If you could buy a machine that would last for 20 years and save the labor of two men at cost of the salary of those two men for 10 years you would do so, for the first ten years it would be paying for itself and the second ten years it would Le saving you the salary of two men without any cost to you. The good road is not only paying for itself day by day, but is adding a profit to the motorist of 20 cents for every 100 miles which he travels. It is not question of 1'can we afford to build good roads," but "can we afford to be without good roads. s."-Moulton Advertiser.
 Of Benefit To Everybody-If the auto mobile owner were the only one to benefit from good roads we do not see that there could be any argument on the subject. But system of hard-surfaced roads is a benefit to every citizen, whether he be an automobile owner, property owner, what not The owner of car naturally receives a direct benefit from good roads, but because of that
 fact we do not see the justice in taxing him for the indirect benefit which his neighbor
 who does not own car receives from the
 same system of good roads. Property values
 increase and business prospers in direct pro-
 portion to the kind and character of highways
 which traverse given territory and we feel that all should bear proportlonately the costs
 of the benefit.-Brewton Standard.