davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
The Proposed Tax on Checks.

The proposed stamp tax of two cents
a subject of interest among business men;
and the proposed exemption from stamp
taxation of all checks under $40 Is freely
discussed. The New York Evening Post
recently obtained from five city banks the
proposition of checks under and over that
sum, and it was seen that even in New
York nearly one-half of the checks paid are
under $780, In the country over one-half
1t estimated, are under that sum.
The banks are opposing an exemption of
small checks; and it is believed they are
not trying so much to increase the govern
ment's revenue, as to render the check tax
unpopular, thus insuring its early repeal.
At the best it will be vexatious tax, and
the more widespread the vexation is the
quicker, no doubt, the tax will be repealed.
The tax is practically one that falls upon
the business man, and he will not be able
to shift the burden at once If at all.
The entire stamp schedule. containing
thousand worries for every man in active
business, could be sidetracked by a simple
amendment directing the secretary of the
treasury to enforce the income act of 1894.
1t is on the statute books unrepealed. Its
constitutionafity remains to be settled, of
course. The vote of to settled nothing.
Two new members of the court have not
LIZ
court upon the question is as doubtful as it
ever was.
The broader question is this-shall BUSH
ness men and men of small means be vexed
by multiplicity of stamp taxes, in or
der that the accumulated wealth of the
country may evade a just proposition of
war taxation This is question before the
senate this week. The extent of the trouble
ing Post In two downtown banks and
three small uptown banks 21,S15 checks
were paid on the day of the investigation,
of which 9029 were under $40. These fig
tious such tax would be. and to show
also the extent of the relief that lies in the
substitution of an income tax. 1t may be
unreasonable to expect the plutocratic sem
ate to do what the house would not do,
but as things stand the senate is closer
to the people than the house, and any ap-
proach to just taxation must be inaugur-
ated there, or else go unheard and UNI
needed.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
Landing Troops in Havana.

The proposed raising of ten regiments of
yellow fever is not feasible. but without
regard to this proposition the preparations
for an advance into Cuba seem to be pro-
crossing. 1t is nowhere thought that the
four cruisers which recently left the Cape
movement, and 1t is everywhere thought
that vigorous action on the part of the
limited States will hasten the war to its
ending, and thus bring benefits of various
kinds, and perhaps save valuable lives
The opposite theory is. however, stoutly
maintained. The government seems to lean
to a policy of vigor and action without a
day of unnecessary delay.
The landing force WILL 1t is thought, be
made up wholly of regulars, as none of the
volunteers are sufficiently hardened and
drilled for field work in Cuba The Matan-
zas reconnaissance pretty plainly showed
that the armored fleet can with impunity
silence any battery on the island. even the
batteries at Havana. Under the protection
of the guns of the ships landing could,
1t is claimed. be readily accomplished
probably at Matanzas, and as soon as
position had been properly fortified and
safeguarded, the army would be ready to
open communication with the insurgents.
or support any movement that the feet
might be ordered to make.
Whether the regulars and the insurgents
and the fleet could take Havana Is perhaps
problematical. General Blanco is undoubt-
edy holding that city with well-nigh 100000
good Spanish soldiers That problem may
call for $1,000 volunteers. and when 1t will
be attempted no one outside the board of
strategy and the highest officials knows,
even If they do. The taking of Havana
will occur when affairs for such a move
nent are ripe, and not before.
The advance into Cuba. presently antici-
pated, does not look to the early capture
Of Havana. 1t is believed 1t will be a move
nent to secure foothold on the north
shore from which the insurgents can be
supplied, and from which movement
AGAINST Havana can eventually be con-
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

OF the fifty-seven graduates at West
Point twenty-five of them are southern
boys, and every one of the twenty-five is
eager to go to the front in the war to
avenge the Maine.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

must hover close to a large cruiser In order
to obtain supply, or else must keep close
to shore, using that as It's bases of opera
tons and making short trips Of few
hours.
Naval officers expect that many torpedo
boats will be destroyed during the Spanish
war. Yet the chance of destroying bat
tleship at a no greater cost than the loss
of a torpedo boat and the death of a small
crew would be a distinc element of victory.
In spite of these dangers the United
States government finds no difficulty In Sc
curing officers and men for the dangerous
duty. The younger officers prefer to be in
charge of a torpedo boat, rather than hold
a subordinate position on a battleship, for
while there is more danger there is also
more glory.
It is universally recognized that the Span
ish torpedo boat flotlla is a factor of the
utmost consequence. In the opinion of ex-
perts, who were especially consulted, these
crafts are thoroughly up-to-date. Taking
them individually, they can invite compar-
ison with any in the world. The fotilla
consists of the PIuton, twin screws,
launched last year at Clydebank; the Fu-
ror and Terror, twin screws. built at the
same place in 1896; the Ariete and Rayo,
twin screws, constructed at Chiswick in
1887, and the Azor, single screw, launched
at Poplar in the same year. Their Drin-
cipal dimensions can best be given in tab
ular form:
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

If the war progresses as fast in the Sec
ond ten days as it did In the first ten
days, it Will soon be ended, and the boys
will come marching home a little browner
perhaps in every way, but none the worse
for their patriotic service.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

gun had bore of eight inches only. and
his cruisers were not .cIreumstance"
alongside such ships as the Iowa or IN
diana or Oregon.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
Senator Cass's Dignity

The other day saw man slap Senator
Hanna on the back. cry Hello. senator!"
and receive a pleasant salute In reply,
says the ION the Tip of the Tongue man
in the New York Press. No man dared
take liberties with Cass. In 1886 the pro-
prietor of the National Hotel in Washing
ton was a man who so closely resembled
the great senator from Michigan that he
was often mistaken for him. An old friend
returning from a journey, entered the lobby
and, seeing him leaning against the desk,
slipped up behind and hit him a. terrific
whack on the shoulder, saying cheerily ana
simultaneously. Hello, old man here am,
back again! How are your" Senator Cas-
Strengthened up his six feet three, and turn
ing upon the assailant his terrible. blood
shotten eyes almost annihilated him with
a look Not word was spoken. That
look was ample. The stranger was SO
"rattled" that he could not even apollo
gize, but skunk dejectedly out of the hotel
Later in the day, when congress was
supposed to be in session, the stranger re-
turned to the hotel to shake hands with
the proprietor and tell him all about the
Cass incident Walking bravely up he
laid his hand down on his friends should
der, and without waiting for a greeting,
surprised him with: See here, old fellow,
you got me in a. deuce of scrape this
morning. Why, you know I took old Cass
for you; slapped him on the back. nearly
taking off shoulder. and the old fool
looked at me as If he wanted to commit
murder. The darned old lunatic-why
doesn't he stay out of here? He knows"
Again the great senator from Michigan
Strengthened up his six feet three, again no
turned his biood-shotten eyes, again he
looked and again the victim fled. Two mis-
takes of that kind In one day.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

The American women can bring France
to her senses One months cessation of
American purchases would be very last
ing object lesson to the good people of that
country.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Uncle Sans territory is now so wide that
Brer Simpsons morning gun goes off at the
same time that Brer Dewey's fleet is sound
ing the tattoo, and lights are going out.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Those who are in hurry should remem-
Der that the war was only ten days old
when Commodore Dewey sent the Spanish
fleet to the bottom of Manila harbor.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Even If the Alabama volunteers do not
encounter Blanco's army, the training they
will receive will not be lost to the coun-
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

The scuttled Spanish ships in Manila har-
Dor must recall the Maine to the Span
iards. Ghosts will walk abroad some times.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Spain may have won victory at Ma
Mia, but her ships in the ooze of Manila
harbor do not prove it.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

If the Olympia could have met Montijo s
fleet in the open sea, she could have whip
ped the whole lot
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Let the Cape Verde fleet come in and get
the Manila news. There is nothing selfish
in the American outfit.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Admiral Dewey's recipe for the annihila-
ton of fleets is eagerly awaited.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Connecticut is entitled to ive-eighths
Of a brigadier-general, and the governor is
trying to find him.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Wait until the lS-inch guns near Havana
begin to talk. Admiral Dewey's biggest
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

The Oregon and that Cape Verde fleet
are popularity thought to be racing towards
a meeting point.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Poverty has it's compensations. Poor old
Spain has no war poets.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

In regard to armament and coal capac-
ity, the Pluton. Ruror and Terror carry
each two 14-pounders, two 6-pounder Max
im-Norfenfeldts, two 1-pounder Maxims,
and 100 tons of coal. Each has compile
ment of seventy men and has two torpedo
tubes. The Ariete Is furnished with four
S-pounder quick firing guns and two tor
pedo tubes. The Rayo Is similarly armed
and the Azor has, beside the rapid iire guns
an extra torpedo tube three in ALL The
complement of the smaller boats is about
twenty men.
It may be noted that the first three of
the six boats are classed as torpedo boat
destroyers In point of speed the Pluton
will have her equals in fully fifty torpedo
boat destroyers ordered by Great Britain,
of similar dimensions and tonnage, and
there are seventeen of these that are to be
two knots faster and one, the Express IS
credited with the estimated speed OF 50
knots Many of our boats are OF deeper
draught. None of the thirty-two or thir-
ty-three knot destroyers however, have
vet been taken over by the British govern
ment, so that the Spanish Pluton can COM
pare with any afloat. For purposes OF
comparison it may be noted that Chill has
four Birkenhead-built destroyers with
speed of over thirty knots, and the Ar
gentine Republic one from Poplar that ex-
ceeds twenty-seven knots.
Spain has other torpe do boat destroyers
in to Audaz and Osado, built at clyde
Bank. in 1897 and belonging to the same
class as the Furor and Terror. They have
three tunnels, not unlike the English crane
AN 1897 boat-now at Portsmouth, which
has a maximum trial speed of thirty knots,
and sea speed of say, twenty-seven
knots. similar to the Bat, Channels. Fly
ing Fish, Star and Whining-sorc - the
English fastest torpedo boat oestroyers
available for service or actually in COM
mission.
There is no difference between torpedo
boats and torpedo boat destroyers except
that the destroyer is the larger more sea-
worthy, and carries some guns for offensive
purposes. The destroyer is not expected to
destroy plain torpedo boats much as
ships of greater size and tonnage. The
torpedo boat and the torpedo boat destroy
er are alike the foe of the battieship and
the sleepy cruiser.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Judge Coffey, of San Francisco, is de-
scribed by the News Letter of that city
as having strong disapproval of garrul-
ity. A lawyer, he declares. should culti-
vate conciseness.
An attorney learned In law, but afflicted
with the disease of -windedness in a
peculiarly malignant form, was neatly cut
short the other day by the tart and astute
probate judge.
After pleading in very plain case, with
wearisome prolixity the worthy attorney
suddenly asked, in a rhetorical vein, but
with no idea of concluding his argument:
"Need 1 say more?"
Judge Coffey had been impatiently wait
ing for an opening, and perceiving his OPP
portunity answered quickly, but with the
blandest courtesy:
mo. brother, you need say nothing
more" I
Before the lawyer realized the remark
of the court, and while he was about to
resume his grafton, standing with open
mouth and out-stretched hand, Judge Cof-
fey decided against him, dismissed the pro-
ceeding and called the next case on his
docket.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
SHORT STORIES
OF THE DAY.

A schooImaster in Brooklyn. y. T. has
distinguished himself by refusing to allow
LongfeIlow's Building of the Ship to
be read aloud in one of the public schools.
says Literature, on account of the i'm
rropriety of the following lines:
He waits impatient for his brile,
There she stands with her loot upon
the sands.
Longfellow. it seems, was also The au-
thor Of the well known and equally shock
ing lines:
I know a little girl
And she had a little curl
That hangs down in the middle OF her
forehead, etc.
In confederation of this statement a cor
respondent of a New York paper tells the
following story: Miss Blanche Roose-
Welt since well known as an authorizes.
while preparing 1.-THE Masque of Pando-
ra" for the operate stage. was invited to
stay ut the authors home in Cambridge.
One summer evening, while sitting on
the piazza with the good. kindly poet. Mss
Roosevelt, having mentioned some of the
nonsense verses then current in tn news
papers, ventured the opinion that the very
siliest of these were the lines beginning,
81 know a little GIRL etc. While she was
repeating the Objectionable verses, a menu
Der of the family who had not heard the
previous conversation came upon the scene
and said, as the lady concluded, why,
those are Mabeis verses" And then it
came out that Longfellow had written the
lines for the amusement of one of his child
dren.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
MeKinIey,s Eol tail Horse

"Surely Colonel Webb Hayes will be heard
of in this exigency. He is at least good
soldier, and thoroughly well trained, while
the man his own distinguished father loved
so well and promoted, now president OF the
United States, will be glad to aid the young
colonel of Ohio militia, says the Phiia-
dalphia Inquirer. By the way, remcn1-
Der Webb Hayes once telling me delicious
story about the presidents first appear
ance on horseback.
"The Hayes boys were younger, of course,
than young Mckinley but had that feeling
CT Jealousy that bright boys of 10 or IL
sometimes evince toward lads barely out
Of their teens. William Mckinley had
been promoted said Webb Hayes, and
was to make his first appearance on horse
back. We boys were with father in West
Virginia. and as the young second lieuten-
ant, in rather a nervous condition, made
his first appearance on rather ridiculous
looking nag, with a bobbed tall remember
my brother and 1 getting behind some
trees and maliciousy yelling:
s" Billy Mckinley on a bobtail horse"
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

That brigade of immunes will not ma
terialize, much less be modified.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Uncle Sam is waiting for news from Ma
Mia before he begins to cut notches on hi:
gunstock.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
General Grant on Golf

Golf. although a comparatively recent
importation to this country, has been
played in it's native land for many years.
General Grant, when he was in Scotland,
heard a great deal about. the game, and
being a guest at country house., ex-
pressed a wish to see how 1t was played.
Accordingly the two gentlemen went out
to the park.
The host teed the ball, says Pearson's
Weekly, and waggled the club with all due
solemnty, and the generals expectations
ran high as he observed these impressive
preliminaries.
Presently there was heavy thud,
flight of turf and the little ball still sat on
the tee. Again. and yet again thud,
heavier than before, with turf still flying,
with ball unmoved, and the golfer perspiring
and perplexed.
whereupon general Grant gently re-
marked:
''There seems to be fair amount of
exercise in the game, but fail to see the
use of the ball.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

In referring to 1.-THE war; it will soon be
necessary to designate your war;
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

| 1t gives the republicans pain when they
are told that George Dewey is a lfe-iong
| democrat.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

Remittances can De made by express.
postoffice money order or drafts at current
rate Of exchange. Address
THE AGE-HERALD.
Birmingham, Ala
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

ms cruisers were not u circumstances
alongside such ships as the Iowa or IN
diana or Oregon.
OF the fifty-seven graduates at West
Point twenty-five of them are southern
boys, and every one of the twenty-five is
eager to go to the front in the war to
avenge the Maine
The American women can bring France
to her senses. One months cessation of
American purchases would be very last
ing object lesson to the good people of that
country.
Uncle Sans territory is now so wide that
Brer SIMPSONS morning gun goes off at the
same time that Brer Dewey's fleet is sound
ing the tattoo, and lights are going out.
Those who are in a hurry should remem-
Der that the war was only ten days old
when Commodore Dewey sent the Spanish
fleet to the bottom of Manila harbor.
Even If the Alabama volunteers do not
encounter Blanco's army, the training they
will receive will not be lost to the coun-
try.
The scuttled Spanish ships in Manila har-
Dor must recall the Maine to the Span
iards. Ghosts will walk abroad some times.
Spain may have won a victory at Ma
nj 10 ht1f ba- CHI In Of ila
harbor do not prove it.
If the Olympia could have met Montijo's
fleet in the open sea, she could have whip
ped the whole lot.
Let the Cape Verde fleet come in and get
the Manila news. There is nothing selfish
in the American outfit.
Connecticut is entitled to fve-eighths
OF a brigadier-general and the governor is
trying to find him.
The Oregon and that Cape Verde fleet
are popularity thought to be racing towards
a meeting point.
Uncle Sam is waiting for news from Ma
Mia before he begins to cut notches on his
gunstock.
Spain's bark is worse than the bite of
her shots.
1t gives the republicans a pain when they
are told that George Dewey is a lfe-iong
democrat.
In referring to 1.-THE war; it will soon be
necessary to designate your war.
That brigade of immunes will not ma
terialize, much less be modified
Admiral Dewey's recipe for the annihila-
ton of fleets is eagerly awaited.
Poverty has its compensations. Poor old
Spain has no war poets.
Spain talks better than she shoots.
Weyler talks, and Dewey shoots. =.
---------------
MANILA is A BEAUTIFUL CITY.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
weyler talks, and Dewey shoots.

Spain talks better than she shoots
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

spain's bark is worse than the bite of
her shots. 4f
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05
Editor
suBsCRIPTIoN RATEs.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES.
Daily and Sunday Age-Herald. %
Daily and Sunday per month............ 20
Sunday Age-Herald alone. per annum.. 2 %
Weekly Age-Herald, per annum. l %
All subscriptions payable In advance.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

The great drawback to torpedoes is that
they carry but a small amount of coal and
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-05-05

OF course, all of these shots would not
hit the boat, but il an allowance of 8 per
cent. is made as the number that would be
effective 1t is found that the Porter would
be hit thirty-three times in going 900 yards,
twenty-five times in going 700 yards and
eighteen times in travelling 500 yards.
All of this time the torpedo boat is un-
able to do anything in return for until It
gets within range of 500 yards, which is not
included in the foregoing calculations, 1t
cannot return the enemy's fire, although
exposed to 1t. The attack can be made in
two ways One is to steam up to about
600 yards, bows on, stop and fire and then
back straight out. The other is to steam
up, turn around, firing from the deck tubes
while turning and steam back at full speed.
When the first plan is used the boat is
under fire longer, for her backing speed is
much less than her going speed. The ad-
vantage is that the least surface Of the
boat Is offered as a target to the enemy
The objection in the second case Is that
while turning the entire side of the boat is
at the mercy of the enemy's guns, and the
boats stern, with the steering gear, is ex-
posed to damage while running away. But
by the last method the after torpedo tubes
may be fired and the boat may get away
more quickly. These points have, however
not been submitted to the test of actual
warfare and are largely theoretical.
The great drawback to torpedoes Is that
they carry but q small amount of coal and
The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-10-06
FEAR GRAVE DISORDERS.
Exodus of Foreigners From Paris Very
Probable.

Exodus of Foreigners From Paris Very
Probable.
PARIS, Oct. 4.-The holding of the
Dreyfus demonstration organized by
NJ. Presence. one of the leaders in the
agitation for revision, was prevented
by the closing of the Sale Wagerian.
M. Presence and his friends tried to
force an entrance, and an uproar re.
suited. The police then interviewed
and arrested NJ. Presence, M. Vaug.
han, editor of The Aurore, and Deputy
Morey, amid shouts and countershouts
of give revision" "Vive larmee.
"Vive lola" and IA bias les Jesuits, "
and the crowd was dispersed. The
persons taken into custody were subse.
quently released.
1t transpired later that many per.
sons were injured in the disturbances
though sticks were the only weapons
used. Although the disorders have
not been attended with serious results
they have created intense alarm among
the foreigners at the hotels and it is
probable that an exodus will occur,
the guests fearing grave developments.
The working classes so far have held
aloof but the leaders of the rival par.
ties are doing their utmost to stir them
up and it is believed that the disor.
ders will be repeated.