these fields are too seldom honored in this way, and the spirit which prompted the erection of these monuments is particularly creditable; sad to say, however, both effigies are wretchedly placed and are in themselves exceedingly poor things.  Art is something, indeed, about which Birmingham has much to learn.  So far as I could discover, no such thing as an art museum has been contemplated.  But here again the critic should remember that, whereas art is old, Birmingham is young.  She is as yet in the stage of development at which cities think not of art museums, but of municipal auditoriums; and with the latter subject, at least, she is now concerning herself.

Even in the city’s political life contrasts are not wanting, for though the town is Republican in sentiment, it proves itself southern by voting the Democratic ticket, and it is interesting to note further that the commission by which it is governed had as one of its five members, when we were there, a Socialist.

Another curious and individual touch is contributed by the soda-fountain lunch rooms which abound in the city, and which, I judge, arrived with the disappearance of barroom lunch counters.  In connection with many of the downtown soda fountains there are cooking arrangements, and business lunches are served.

The roads leading out of the city in various directions have many dangerous grade crossings, and accidents must be of common occurrence.  At all events, I have never known a city in which cemeteries and undertaking establishments were so widely advertised.  In the street cars, for instance, I observed the cheerful placards of one Wallace Johns, undertaker, who promises “all the attention you would expect from a friend,” and I was informed that Mr. Johns possesses business cards (for restricted use only) bearing the gay legend:  “I’ll get you yet!”

As to schools the city is well off.  Dr. J.H.  Phillips, superintendent of public schools, has occupied his post probably as long as any school superintendent in the country.  He organized the city school system in 1883, beginning with seven teachers, as against 750 now employed.  The colored schools are reported to be better than in most southern cities.

Of the general status of the negro in Birmingham I cannot speak with authority.  As in Atlanta, negroes are sometimes required to use separate elevators in office buildings, and, as everywhere south of Washington, the Birmingham street cars give one end to whites and the other to negroes.  But whereas negroes use the back of the car in Atlanta, they use the front in Birmingham.  It was attempted, at one time, to reverse this order, for reasons having to do with draft and ventilation, but the people of Birmingham had become accustomed to the existing arrangement and objected to the change.  “After all,” one gentleman said to me, in speaking of this matter, “it is not important which end of the car is given to the nigger.  The main point is that he must sit where he is told.”