The Selma Mirror from Selma, Alabama • 5

THE MIRROR, SELMA, ALABAMA SHEFFIELD WANTS ALDERMANIC FORM PETITION TO ORDER ELECTION TO ABANDON COMMISSION GOVERNMENT FILED GETS SUNDAY SCHOOL MEET Birmingham Unanimously Chosen As Place for Holding the 1918 Convention. to the commission form of city government in Sheffield on the part of quite a number of the citizenship, has resulted in the filing of a petition with the Probate Judge asking that he certify to the president of the commission the fact that the latter may order an election for a vote. The petition was filed in Tuscumbia and the Probate Judge ceeded to ascertain that the petition contained the names of a sufficient number of qualified voters. Birmingham Gets 1918 Meeting of S. S.

Birmingham. Birmingham was unanimously chosen as the place for the meeting of the 1918 State Sunday School convention. During the past year the general secretary visited 41 counties, traveling a distance of 561 miles, in attending 110 meetings, at which he made 340 addresses. In these meetigs 1085 Sunday schools were represented, while the total attendance was 15,452. In addition to this work within the state, the general secretary made 28 speeches at various conventions and meetings at places beyond the confines of Alabama.

During the year he mailed 46,459 letters, 6076 packages, 752 volumes for the general library and 2,139,000 packages printed matter. Y. M. C. A.

of State To Raise $25,000. will furnish $25,000 of the $3,000,000 to be raised in America to build and maintain suitable Y. M. C. in the United States army during 1917.

This was announced following the meeting in Birmingham. The International Work Council of the Y. M. C. A.

was assured the co-operation the Birmingham and all the Alabama branches of the organization. Several Alabama cities are expected to provide separate buildings. Ordered to Shoot to Kill. doing sentinel duty in Alabama are ordered to shoot to kill if the order to halt is not obeyed by suspicious characters approaching their outposts. One of the cavalrymen, following his instructions, killed a negro near Hull, a small stain county.

Captain McMeans to General Steiner Tuscaloosa, Tuesday that a negro having the identification card of the Vredenburgh Sawmill company, bearing the name John White, was killed by Sentinel Fred Campbell at a bridge over Big Sand creek. The negro was running under the bridge and refused to halt. Montgomery Gets Templar Meeting. -With selection of Montgomery as the next meeting place, the fifty-seventh annual grand conclave of the Knights Templar of Alabama came to a close. It was the unanimous opinion that the entertainment in Tuscaloosa this year was one of the most enjoyable that has ever been had by the grand commandery.

The following officers were elected for the next term: Grand commander, J. F. Spearman of Anniston: deputy grand commander, D. C. Carmichael a Dothan; grand efneralissimo, J.

V. Flack of Mobile; grand captain general. William A. Trimby of Selma: grand senior warden, Lawrence H. Lee of Montgomery; grand junior warden.

J. P. Melvin of Tuscaloosa; grand prelate, J. W. Johnson of Birmingham: grand treasurer, F.

M. Sullivan of Selma: grand recorder, George A. Beauchampe of Montgomery; grand standard bearer, Woolsey Finnel of Tuscaloosa: grand sword bearer, Lawrence Gellerstedt of Troy: grand warden. R. H.

Walcott Albany: grand captain of the guard, W. H. Cooper of Montgomery. Leaves Note to Bondsmen. developed that J.

S. Cameron, the circuit clerk of Greene county, who has disappeared, left a note in his safe to his bondsmen, telling them where they could find all of his vouchers and receipts and stating that his accounts gere in good shape: that he was leaving for parts unknown, and not to attempt to find him. Reunion Will Be Held As Planned. -Gen. George P.

Harrison, commander-in-chief of the United Confederate Veterans, has announced posttively that the reunion this year will not be postponed, but will be held in Washington, beginning June 5, as planned. Additional Bonus Given Employes. -The Gulf States Steel company has granted an additional 10 per cent bonus to their employes. The increased bonus will become etfective May 1. The company now pays a bonus of 20 per cent and the latest bonus increases this to 30 per cent.

Farm Work Caught up. -Farm work in this county is almost caught up in the past two weeks of fair weather. MISS WILSON SINGS. Daughter of the President Gives Concert in Birmingham. -Miss Margaret Wilson, daughter of the President, visited Birmingham May 2, accompanied by Mrs.

J. Ross David, pianist, and gave a voice concert at the Jefferson theatre to benefit the American Red Cross. Miss Wilson, who is a most enthuslastic worker in the Central Chapter of the Red Cross in Washington, came Birmingham in the interest of the the membership campaign for a strong Birmingham chapter. The money from all concerts given by Miss Wilson is used for the advancement of the American Red Cross. Mrs.

Mathis Plans Tour of State. completely organized, every county busily at work to solve its own particular problems of food production, and all together a composite whole attacking the problem feeding the state and having a surplus for the nation, is the plan of Mrs. G. H. Mathis, who is in the Birmingham district for two days, planning with the various committees of the civic and commercial organizations in the interest of her food compaign.

Mrs. Mathis has just completed a tour of seven counties, which resulted in the complete organization of food duction committees in each of them. Morgan, St. Clair, Calhoun, Cleburne, Talladega, Walker and Cullman counties are the latest scenes her campaign. She now contemplates a general tour covering 45 cities and towns in northern and central Alabama un- der the auspices of the local Rotary club.

New Publications on Farm. series of publications under the title, Home and Farm Conveniences, are now being prepared by Thomas Fullan, of the Alabama Extension Service. Several members of the series are now ready for distribution. Each publication is prepared in the form of a leaflet, and gives instructions in detail on how to make at home, at slight expense, some useful implements, utensils, or piece furniture. The instructions are accompanied by drawings.

Postmasters Recruiting Many. Decatur Th postmasters of north Alabama are making the recruiting officers for the army look to their laurels. At the local station oneCourth of all the recruits enlisted to date have been sent in by postmasters. Miss Elizabeth Simpson, postmaster at Hartselle, and R. L.

O'Neal, postmaster at Huntsville, have four each to their credit. Postmaster Claude McMillan has one. The postmasters receive $5 for each man accepted. Captain Grayson Dead. Huntsville.

Funeral services for Capt. John W. Grayson, for many years one the foremost citizens of Madison county, who died at his home in the eastern part of the county, from the effects of a stroke of paralysis, were held here. Captain Grayson was a Confederate veteran and commanded a troop of cavalry in the Fourth Alabama regiment. Tuscaloosa to Invite Editors.

will ask to entertain the next meeting of the editors Alabama when they meet in Gadsden this month. A representative will go to the meeting backed with invitations from all of the civic bodies of Tuscaloosa, City Commission and newspapers asking that the pen pushers be the guests of the Druid City in 1918. Finger Valued at $1000. little finger is worth $1000. So the jury in the case of D.

M. Hall vs. the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron company decided when it rendered a verdict for the plaintiff. The case was heard before Judge H. A.

Sharpe. The plaintiff declared that he lost a finger while in the employ of the Sloss company. Court to Convene. spring term of the Coosa county circuit court will begin at Rockford May 7. Judge S.

L. Brewer, the judge this circuit, will try the cases and the state will be represented by Circuit Solicitor W. B. Bowling and Felix L. Smith, newly appointed county solicitor.

State Labor Meeting Planned. organizations ot Anniston have begun the work of preparing for the reception and entertainment of delegates to the conference of the State Federation of Labor, which fill meet in this city May 21. for a three days session. Farmers Making Good Time. in this section have been putting in busy days with Farm work in this section and the continued fair weather is giving them opportunity to make up for time lost by the rainy weather of some weeks ago.

Tin Can Famine Felt. Anniston. -There is a tin can famlue, according to statements made by some of the hardware dealers in ton. One dealer, who had about 80,000 cans, left over from last year, has dis. posed of nearly all of them.

Horticulturists Meet. Gut Coast Horticul- tural Association, representing three states, held a long session here. More than 100 delegates were present. Dr. O.

F. E. Winburg was re-elected presldent. BLINDNESS WORST IN EARLIER YEARS Government Report Shows Largest Number Lose Sight When Five Years Old. MEANS LIFE OF AFFLICTION Increase in Number of Adults Affected in Recent Years Ascribed in Part to industrial Growth of Country.

A report on the blind in the Finited States made by Director Sam L. Rogers of Uncle Sam's bureau of the census, indicates that 30.8 per cent, or somewhat less than one-third of the blind population lost their sight when less than twenty years of age (including those born blind) 47.4 per cent, or somewhat less than one-half, during the early or middle years of adult life (from twenty to sixty-four years); and 21.8 per cent, or a little over one-fifth, in old age (after passing their sixty-ffth year). More persons were reported as having lost their sight when less than five years of age than in any other five-year period of life, 16.4 per cent, or about one-sixth, of the total being included in this group; persons reported as born blind formed 6.6 per cent of the total and persons reported as losing sight when less than one year old 5 per cent, these two groups together contributing 11.6 per cent, or more than one-tenth, of those reporting the age when vision was lost. These statistics are based on an enumeration of the blind made in connection with the census of 1910. The blind population enumerated was 57,272, and by sending out special schedules through the mails the bureau obtained data regarding such subjects as the cause of the blindness and the age when it occurred from 29,242 blind persons.

Significance of the Statistics. The fact that the 30,000 blind represented in the returns had on the average been blind for 16 years makes plain the gravity of this misfortune, says the report. Although the risk of blindness in infancy, childhood, or youth is relatively small, yet, as shown by these figures, the complete elimination of that risk would reduce the blind population by nearly onethird. Similarly, the elimination of the risk of blindness during the early or middle years of adult life would reduce the blind population by nearly one-half, while the elimination of the high risk in old age would cause a reduction of only one-fifth in the number of existing cases. Of course, the earlier the age at which the sight is lost, the greater the magnitude of the misfortune; loss of sight in infancy means a life of blindness, while loss of sight in old age ordinarily means only a few years of that affliction.

For this reason the increase in individual happiness and the benefits to society In general that would accrue from a successful campaign against blindness in early life would obviously be vastly greater than would result from a corresponding reduction in the blindness occurring in old age. In this connection it is significant that since 1880 there has been a distinct decrease in the proportion of blind who lost their sight in infancy. In 1880 persons who became blind before completing their first year of life formed 15.3 per cent of the total reporting, as compared with only 11.6 per cent in 1910. Increase of Occupational Blindness. The proportion of the blind who lost their sight during the early or middle years of adult life has increased somewhat since 1880.

It is probable that this increase is in part the result of the great industrial growth of the United States in the last 30 years, which would naturally bring in its train an increase in the number of cases of blindness due to occupational injury or disease, and hence in the number occurring durIng the years of economic activity. A much larger proportion of males than of females lost their sight in the early or middle years of adult life (twenty to sixty-four years of age), the percentage for males being 51.4, or more than one-half, as compared with a percentage of 41.8. or about two-fifths, for females. This marked difference with regard to the period of life when loss of sight occurred is of course the result in the main of the cases of blindness from industrial accidents or occupational diseases. Below the Mountains.

Researches of the United States coast and geodetic survey, carried on in recent years, prove beyond doubt that mountains are not held up by the rigidity or strength of the earth's materials, but by the fact that the materials under them (in the outer portion of the earth) are lighter than normal. The higher the mountain or the plateau, the lighter is the material under it. The principle is exactly the same as that which makes an iceberg float. The portion of the iceberg that 1s above water is held up by the large mass of ice-which has a density lower than that of water--in the submerged portion of the berg. So, in the case of the mountain, the portion above the general level Is held up by the lighter material under the mountain, which extends down to a depth of about 60 miles -Youth's Companion.

CHANGE Amendment to the Constitution Not Required, Is Opinion. First President Took Oath of Office on April 30, Says Official in Support of Contention. March 4 is not the date upon which the government of the United States, under the Constitution, inaugurated, and therefore it is a mistake to have the terms of the president and vice president and of members of congress date from March 4, in the opinion of Samuel Russell, clerk of the senate committee on expenditures in the post office department. Mr. Russell has made 1 a study of the matter and is convinced that a constitutional amendment is not required to change the date of inauguration of the president.

In a statement regarding the matter Mr. Russell said: "The designation of March 4 for the quadrennial inauguration of the president was not made by the Constitution. The date was fixed by the act of the old congress, under the articles of confederation, which submitted the new Constitution to the states for ratification. "Although the day set for the inauguration of the government under the new Constitution was the first Wednesday in March, 1789, the new congress did not assemble until on which day the senate organized by choosing John Langdon as its president, and summoned the house of representatives into joint session to canvass the vote of the electors for presldent of the United States. The votes were opened and counted by Langdon In the presence of both houses.

Every one of the 69 electors, from ten states, had voted for George Washington for president. Washington took the oath as president on the balcony of Federal hall, New York, on April 30, 1789. 'As a matter of fact, the inauguration of the government under the Constitution did not take place on March 4, but on April 6, as to the legislative department, and on April 30 as to the executive department. Washington in no event could have qualified prior to April 6, the day upon which the fact of his election to the presidency was found and declared by congress. And so, if Washington had occupied the president's office for the actual tenure of four years as prescribed in the Constitution, the day for succeeding presidential inaugurations would have been April 6, and not March 4, which, in any view of the matter, was not the date upon which the new government was inaugurated or upon which its de jure or de facto existence was initiated, or from which the quadrennial succession in the presidency and congress should have been reckoned.

MILITARY DRILL IN SCHOOLS Uncle Sam's Educators Favor It as Embodying Program of Physical, Moral and Civic Teaching. Military training in the public schools of the country conceived as military drilling is undesirable and unavailing; but military training conceived as a comprehensive program of physical, moral and civic education is desirable, even necessary, according to officials of Uncle Sam's bureau of educaU tion, who have looked into this phase of the schoolwork in many cities. It is pointed out by these experts that military training thus conceived offers a possibility of unifying and ennobling the now confused and disjointed activities in the field of physical and moral discipline. The physical and moral values of both gymnastics and athletics are well understood, but both lack comprehensive and unifying motive, according to these officials. It is the opinion of these men who have just completed this study that military training will, in the strict and technical sense, not be grafted upon the schools, but military training in the sense of a comprehensive program for physical, moral and civic education in which some appropriate military affairs may be included is likely to find its way into all schools at no very distant date.

"TRADE DIPLOMAT" TO JAPAN Uncle Sam Recognizes Growing Importance of Trade With Orient by Sending Attache to Tokyo. The growing importance of American trade with Japan has induced Uncle Sam to station a commercial attache at Tokyo. Secretary Redfield announced that this important position has been filled by the appointment of Frank R. Rutter, assistant chief of the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce of the department of commerce. The new attache will be accredited to the American embassy at Tokyo, but will devote his entire time to commercial work in behalf of the bureau of foreign and domestic commerce.

As is the case with the other attaches already in the service, he will be at liberty to leave all routine work in charge of his secretary and give his entire attention to any commercial problem or trade developments that may come to his attention. Such ofAcials have been called the government's "trade diplomats." The service was Inaugurated at about the time the war started and since then there have been attaches stationed at London, Paris, Berlin, Petrograd, Peking, Melbourse, Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Hima and Santiago, Chile, PROMINENT WOMEN IN UNCLE SAM'S SERVICE C. HARRIS EWING Representative women from all parts of the country are enrolled in the National League for Women's Service and many of them are undergoing training to enable them to render best aid to the government during the war. In this group of leaders of the league are shown, seated from left to right, Mrs. Edward R.

Hewitt, New York; Mrs. William Cummings Story, president general of the D. A. Mrs. Hugh L.

Scott, wife of the chief of staff, U. S. army; Miss Maude Wetmore, chairman of the league; Miss Grace Parker, New York, and Mrs. Lidsay Patterson, Winston-Salem, N. Standing behind Mrs.

Patterson at the extreme right is Miss Anne Morgan, daughter of the late J. Pier. pont Morgan, who is treasurer of the organization. SOLDIERS OF SEA ALWAYS READY Uncle Sam Has Not Bothered His Head About Preparedness of Marine Corps. OLDEST BRANCH OF SERVICE Has the Distinction of Having Won the First Battle Ever Fought by U.

S. Navy in Revolutionary Days. Much has been said and written since the beginning of the international crisis as to the preparedness or unpreparedness of the army and navy of the United States, but what about the United States marine corps, the oldest and one of the most important branches of Uncle Sam's military establishment? Beyond taking steps to increase the force, Washington has bothered its head very little about the marine corps. The reason is simple. There has never been any question as to the preparedness and eliciency of this branch of the service.

The marines are always ready for whatever duty they may be called upon to perform. They are usually the first sent to answer the call of war. "Semper Fidelis." That motto translated into English means ever faithful. It is the motto of the United States marine corps, and no body of men ever lived up to traditions handed down for years with greater fidelity than the officers and men comprising this force. Perform Many Duties.

On shipboard the marines have a great many duties to perform. They form a part of the regular crew in handling the guns, manning the secondary batteries mostly. They learn a multiplicity of things that would be advantageous afloat and ashore. They can plant mines, as well as build bridges, and for quick landing and operations ashore they have 10 Superiors. On November 10, 1775, before a single vessel of the navy was sent to sea, the marine corps was organized by resolution of the Continental congress.

On December 13. 1776, congress directed that 13 ships of war be built. On the 22d day of the same month congress passed a resolution declaring Esek Hopkins commander in chief and appointed officers for all the vessels then in service. This was the first step taken toward the creation of the naval establic ent which has won imperishable fade for the United States, and upon which is based the claim of the marine corps to be "the In the early part of 1777 a battalion of 300 marines and landsmen, under the command of Maj. Samuel Nichols, landed from the fleet under command of Commodore Hopkins at the Island of New Providence, in the Bahamas, assaulted and captured the English forts protecting the island.

taking a large quantity of cannon and military stores. This, the first battle of the American navy, was fought and won by the marines. Throughout the Revolution the marines were at work proving their patriotism and devotion to the cause. In the troubles with Tripoli they played a conspicuous part. Again, in the war of 1812 the marines distinguished themselves by the gallantry of their conduct and their work in battle.

In the years that followed they saw active service in the Florida war. in Sumatra and in the West Indies. From 1846 to 1848 the corps was engaged in the war with Mexico, where it figured in every quarter, and made a most excellent record. oldest in the service." Win First Battle for Navy. Import More Goatskins.

The shipments of goatskins from the Karachi (India) district for the United States increased in value from 564 for 1915 to $5,595,238 for 1916, according to invoices certified at the Karachi consulate. SHEEP RAISING URGED Uncle Sam's Experts Decry Continued Decline in Industry. United States Could Easily Produce the 300,000,000 Pounds of Wool Now Imported, It Is Said. Normally, the United States imports from about two-fifths to more than one-half of the wool required for domestic consumption, according to Uncle Sam's experts at the department of agriculture. During the past three years importations have ranged from nearly 250.000.000 to more than 500.000.000 pounds each year, the average being over 300,000,000 pounds.

It has been found that in some sections of the United States there has been a steady decline in sheep production since the earliest statistical reports of the department of agriculture. This has been true also in every other settled country except Great Britain. The explanation undoubtedly is an economic one, say the department's experts. In general, the primary purposes of sheep growers has been to produce wool. This cannot be attained profitably on high-priced land.

Naturally, therefore, it is pointed out, that with the increase in land values there is a rapid decline in the number of sheep. In Great Britain meat has been the principal product and wool the by-product. and the sheep industry has flourished. After studying the problem, officials say that'it American farmers will follow the British custom the industry can be put on a profitable and permanent basis. The greater number of sheep in Great Britain are raised in the hills and on land comparable to much of the waste land of American farms.

The areas in this country, especially in the East and in parts of the South, now relatively little used, can be profitably devoted, the men point out, to sheep production if the farmers will secure the proper breed of sheep. Sheep also can be made profitable on high-priced land, it is said, as British experience shows. They compare favorably with other animals in economy of production. They require a minimum of expensive concentrated feeds. They exceed the larger animals in the rate of maturity; lambs can be made ready for market at from four to six months.

They make possible the economical and fuller use of labor. They are of assistance in keeping the farm free from weeds. The sheep farm is usually a weedless farm. A census shows that in the United States only one in seven farms of over twenty acres now support sheep, with an average of one sheep of shearing age to three acres of land. The 000.000 pounds of wool now imported annually could be secured, it is said, from 50.000.000 sheep.

and this number could be added to our stock if, a fourth of the remaining farms sustained one sheep for each three acres. Not so long ago the department canvassed crop reporters in 36 states in reference to sheep on farms. The replies indicated, it is said, that the number could be increased 150 per cent without displacing other animals. American Toilet Articles Popular. There seems to be a rapidly growing demand throughout the Far East and Australasia for American toilet articles, All through China, eastern Siberia, Japan, the Philippines, Straits Settlements, Malay States, and the Dutch East Indies, and in Australia I have found American toilet articles on sale, and: a demand for a larger supply, writes one of Uncle Sam's commercial agents.

The war has practically stopped the shipment of such articles from two main sources (France and England), and the products of a third leading supplier (Japan) meet their readiest sale in Japanese and Korean cities, This field could be worked up to a far greater extent than it is at present, and offers, Indeed, one of the best opportunities for the American exporter..