davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
The Intoxication Dodpe.

Judge Bregy, in ruling on plea of drunk
enness, advanced in defense of a man
charged with fraudulent voting, put his foot
down solidly on that old dodge. The Judge,
in charging the jury, warned them that it
was not their duty to take the plea into
consideration, saying:
"If you believe that the defendant voted
in the name of some one else, as has been
testified to, then the fact that he volun-,
tarily intoxicated himself is no defense.
He has not denied the fact Of the illegal
voting, but puts it upon the ground simply
that he has no recollection of the occur
renee. l say to you, as a matter of law.
that if the intoxication were forced upon
him, II the liquor was poured down his
throat, 1t might act as a defense, but vol
untary intoxication is no excuse
There was little reason to doubt that the
prisoner, although intoxicated had voted
illegally with a full knowledge of what he
was doing. and 1t is more than possible that
he had drunk liquor expressly to give him
enough nerve to violate the law. The iury
convicted him.
The tendency in recent years on the part
OF courts to reject drunkenness rs an ex-
cuse for crime is altogether in the line of
public decency and justice. Indeed, drunk
enness in such n case as Judge Breezy passed
upon yesterday is an aggravation rather
than an extenuation of the main ofTense
The intoxication dodge, like the insanity
dodge, has been overworked by lawyers
Juries should no longer allow it to impose
upon either their sympathies or their COM
mon sense.-Philadelphi Bulletin.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
A ClerGylnan's Story.

Zone day young man called to see me
Tor relief said clergyman in a sermon
recently. He asked me for some clothes.
He said to me, DO You know such and such
a woman? said to him, Yes; most ex-
cellent woman We'll, he said, L am her
son. / have not seen her for fourteen years;
can not find her address, she must have
moved lately. l want to see her once
again While 1 sent him downstairs to the
room where we gathered clothes for the
poor sent fellow priest to the house of this
woman to see If she would see her son. One
of her daughters tainted at his name, an
other, stronger than her sister, saw her
mother waver in her determination not to
have this cause of her misery return, and
said: Mother, If he comes home, leave.
For fourteen years we have been at peace.
l shall not live in the same house with him.
After attending to his needs told the son
that his mother would not see him and sent
him adrift, and he is wandering as thou
sands of others wander tonight, a misera-
BILE outcast the cause of innumerable
heartbreaks to those who love them. There
is no greater enemy of the family than in
temperance"
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

That statistics can be made to prove
anything has been often said. Just
what the honest statistics do prove,
however, rs to the relationship be.
tween crime and ignorance on the one
hand, and between virtue and educa.
ton on the other, is much disputed.
A New York paper has opened its
columns to the discussion of this
question, with the result that some OF
its correspondents assert that crime
and education are increasing together,
while others insist that the more
highly educated people become the
fewer crimes are committed. And
both parties to the argument make
plentiful use of statistics.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

If it be true that the Mexican gov
ernment has contracted with an
English syndicate for scheme of
colonization, involving the settlement
of l, ZOO, 900 Europeans within twenty
five years, the scheme is one of direct
interest to this country, remarks the
New York Mail and Express. The
development of the natural resources
of Mexico by immigration ought to
mean a vast increase in our export
trade beyond the Rio Grande. At
the same time, there are growing in
terests of our own capital in the land
of our neighbor with which so vast a
scheme of colonization might clash.
Further announcement of the details
OF this somewhat visionary plan must
be awaited. We would not allow the
establishment of foreign empire in
Mexico by force of arms. 1t remains
to be seen whether this proposed
peaceful invasion will accord with our
interests.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
SENATOR MILLS STORY.

Abraham Lincoln's Sweeping Pardon to
John L. Helm.
Senator Mills has new story about
Lincoln. It was told to him by a
son of John L. Helm of Kentucky who
lives in Corsicana:
cold John l.. Helm" said the SEN
ator, Twas a famous character in Ken
lucky. He was, if remember right
ly, a governor of the state, but at any
rate his position was most prominent
one. When the civil war came on
Helm was rabid secessionist. He
could not praise the South too highly
and could not heap enough abuse
upon the North. He was too old to
go into the war with his sons and re-
mained at home, doing all he could to
help the confederate cause and harass
the Yankees who invaded the state.
Finally he became SO obstreperous that
the federal general who was in COM
mand near Helms home put him in
prison. The old mans age, the high
position which he occupied in the
state, his wide connection and espe-
cially his inability to do any harm,
were all pleaded in his extenuation,
and he was released Instead of profit
ing by the warning, the old man be-
came more persistent than ever in his
course. Once more he was clapped
into Jail. This happened two or three
times, and finally, while he was still
locked up, the matter was brought to
the attention of the federal authori-
ties. Even President Lincoln was ap-
pealed to and asked to commit the ar
dent southerner to an indefinite con-
finement in order that he might be
curbed.
"Lincoln listened to the statement
of the case with more than usual in
terest. Then he leaned back and be-
gan to speak with smile upon his
face. You are talking about old man
John Helm? Well, did you know that
| used to live when 1 was a boy in
Helms town. He was kind to me.
He seemed to like me as boy, and
he never lost an opportunity to help
me. He seemed to think, said Lin
coin, with another of his almost pa
thetic smiles, that would probably
make something of man. Why, when
l went out to Illinois, poor and un-
known, that man gave me the money
to pay my way and keep me until l
got start John Helm? o, yes, I
know him, and I know what I owe to
him. 1 think l can fix his case.
And them" said Senator Mills,
Lincoln went to his desk and wrote
a few words. The bit of writing is
treasured in the Helm household to
this day. This is what the president
wrote:
=" 4 hereby pardon John L. Helm
of Kentucky for all that he has ever
done against the United States and all
that he ever will do.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
Washington Post.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

1t has always been favorite and
generally successful scheme of Euro
pean rulers, when they find them.
selves in straits as to home matters,
to awaken the loyalty of their people
or to divert their attention from their
grievances byreal or imaginary foreign
complications. This would seem tc
the New York Commercial Advertiser
to be the present attitude of the En-.
peror of Germany, and the neal
future will record his success or his
failure.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Once again England nervously is
discussing the possible exhaustion of
her coal supply, which forms the
backbone of her commercial supre.
macy. Leonard Courtney, as presi
dent of the Statistical society,
more than confirms Professor
Jevons's view that the supply will be
in peril within an ordinary lifetime.
The output for 1896 actually was thirty
per cent less than it would have been
if the rate of progress in Jevons's
time had been maintained. While
the British output has increased less
than IL times since 1860 the Ameri-
can output has increased ten-foid, and
while the American cost of output has
greatly declined the British has greatly
increased. This strengthens the Spec
tator's belief that America soon will
occupy a position of unchallenged
supremacy in the industrial world.
England must adjust herself to a
smaller output of coal and iron and a
readjustment of vocations. eff, ="
adds the Spectator, ''English suprem.
acy be destroyed, it will not be
through the failure of coal, but
through incapacity to keep pace with
the electric development in America
and Germany"
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
Queer system Of Enumeration.

The Indians of Guiana have queer
system of numeration. They count
by the hand and its four fingers.
Thus, when they reach five, instead of
saying SO, they call it "hand." Six
is, therefore,a 'hand and first finger"
Ten is "two hands," but twenty, in
(stead of being flour hands, is "a
man." Forty is two men" and thus
Jthey go on by twenties. Forty-six is
expressed as ''two men. hand and first
finger"
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Scientific agriculturists all over the
world were reused to keen interest
some months ago by the news from
Germany that by means of "nitragin,
that is, cultlvations of certain bacteria.
the productive powers of many i'm
portant food plants could be vastly in
creased. The theory was that by the
aid of this ''nitragin" the plants would
be able to assimilate large quantities
Of atmospheric nitrogen, and so make
the use of expensive fertilizers un-
necessary. Later experiments, un-
fortunately, show that there was little
foundation for the hopes excited by
those first made. Still, there is some-
thing in the German idea, admits the
New York Times. Trials conducted
by the Glasgow Technical college with
beans and red clover produced en-
tirely negative results, but some car.
ried out at the Lancashire County
Council farm have given som ewhat
more promising results, the plants
having been more numerous and
larger on the treated than on the un-
treated plots. In the case of beans
an increase of 18 1-2 per cent. was
obtained from the inoculated plots over
the uninoculated one.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
"The South is cumulative in Gallant

"The South is cumulative in gallant
ry," notes the New York Commercial
Advertiser. Gone state after another is
honoring its pretty young women, and
the women like it, even if their
new honors are subversive of that re.
firing delicacy so boasted of before
the war. Georgia has female colonel
of militia, so has Tennessee and South
Carolina, and recently the governor
of Arkansas made Miss Emma Whit
tington of Hot Springs honorary
colonel of the reserve militia. The
rank of colonel is the lowest, it ap.
pears, that the Southern girls will ac
cent -
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
American Colleges.

The number, large and small, of
educational institutions in the United
States aspiring to the name of college
is far greater than any one would
imagine who has not specially inves-
tigated the subject, and it is fair to
BAY that some of the smaller and
newer ones are doing equally good
work with their elders. According to
last years statistics 1896 there were
476 universities and colleges of
liberal arts" in the United States. Of
these, Ohio has the largest number of
any one state, 40; Illinois, 81; Mis-
souri,, 80; Pennsylvania, 80; New
York, Iowa and Tennessee, % each;
Kansas, Is; Indiana and Kentucky,
F5 each; California, 16; North Caro-
lima and Texas, 13 each; Michigan and
Minnesota, IL each; Nebraska, Mary
land, Wisconsin and Georgia, 10 each;
Massachusetts,, Virginia, Arkansas,
Alabama, Louisiana and South
Carolina, 8 each. In the total num-
ber of students, Illinois leads with
i3, 1852; Ohio comes next with u, SOC,
pnd New York third with IL 615. Mas
bachusetts has a total of 6244, and
Pennsylvania 9048. The older and
best known institutions are: Harvard,
Cambridge, Mass; Yale, New Haven,
Conn. Princeton, Princeton, N. j.;
Dartmouth, Hanover, N. H.; Brown,
Providence, r. l.; Cornell, Ithaca,
N. Y; Columbia, New York city;
Amherst, Amherst. Mass; William,
nnd Mary college, Williamsburg, Va;
University of Virginia, Charlottesville,
Ya.; Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, Nd;
and others. Boston Transcript.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

it would work? By George, H. you're
a trump. I'll try it."
That evening they were both down
by the spring. and I hid behind a
tree. I didn't hear the first part Of it,
but 1 got there just in time to hear
Jack say: Lady Mary, l love you.
Will you be my wife?"
with pleasure, she answered,
gayly. ''You silly boy, why didn't
you say SO before?'
Gust what I told him, said I, COM
ing from behind the tree.
"Did you? You dear boy, you may
kiss me for that. Keep still, Jack.
And did.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
Season of Good RESOLUTIONS.

:. Ihis is the season of good resolutions.
FOR although every day of our lives should
be as much the beginning of new wear for
us, In putting away from us the things OF
wee ana accepting the things of virtue, yet
to-day custom has provided a certain
definite time for looking back in dissatis-
faction ON our lives in the past twelve
months. time to turn from the weak
nesses, follies and sins that have in that
period rendered our hearts unacceptable
TO Goa, resolving with renewed courage to
race the future, trusting in His willingness
to aid us in our struggle
Butter indeed must the retrospect be to
the man whose indulgence in drink has led
MIN to the commission of sins of which In
MS lnmost heart he is ashamed, and from
whlch he would have shrunk in horror had
ne not been under the influence of iuuor
Bitter 1ndeed-for he is conscious of the
possibilities for good within him. stified
ana rendered worthless because of his
habitual or periodic drunkenness. DuIled
though his conscience may be by repeated
onenses. there are undoubtedly times when
the sting of remorse is in his soul. There
Is an accusing voice that is never entirely
stliled, though it may be deadened by con-
tinual SHINING, and this voice insists upon
the enormity of sin.
But there is hope for such as he On
TINS Gay OF the New Year the bells are pro-
claiming the beginning of a new spiritual
order OF things for each and every one of
us, II we will but cooperate with the grace
OF God. Old DESIRES old sins old habits
that we have clasped to our hearts and
worshiped for the past year, perhaps for
many years, we may to-day cast away for
ever: breaking and destroying them even
as the heathens long ago broke and de-
stroyed their idols when they turned from
them to the love and service of the God of
righteousness. To-day we may emerge.
with His help, from the darkness and strife
OF sin to the light and peace that is OBJ
tanned only through self-denial and self
con1uest.-C. t. A., in Sacred Heart Re.
view.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
A TEMPERANCE COLUMN,
THE DRINK EVIL MADE MANIFEST
IN MANY WAYS.

Ring the Bells of Temperance-The seaso,
OF Good ResOlutions-A New Years An
peal For the Practice of Self-Denial-
Intoxication is No Excuse For Crime
ting the bells Of temperance, grasp a broth
er's hand,
,,1 Enase sisters dark despair away;
stand, w
He will give His strength to those whe
Ring the bells of temperance. no uncertain
sound o
Falls upon our listening ears to-dav.
Never mind the battle raging all aro1nd.
stand, If need be, in the thickest fray.
Ring the bells of temperance, ring them
loud and clear,
Let them drown the clamor and the din,
One, our God and Leader, banishes our
fear,
In His Name the victory we win.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

The Rev. DIR. H. w. Thomas of the
Peoples church in Chicago is anxious
for the formation of vigilance COM
mittee to put down the highwagmen in
that city, and says that he would like
to be permitted to carry shotgun in
the streets. This minister of peace
declares that the only way to stop the
"hold-up'' men is to kill few oi
them
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
Candle Fish Food, Medicine and Light
in Alaska.

in Alaska.
With the discovery of the Klondike,
with all its winter privations, comes
also the practical discovery of fish
found along the Alaskan shores which
it is said will furnish food, light, heat
and medicine to the prospectors who
have gone into the new Ell Dorado.
This fish is of the smelt variety, but
larger and fatter They are caught in
nets easily, aud on being caught, are
found to be of rich green color on
the back variegated with blue, and
with golden reflections on the belly.
On being caught these fish are dried
and stored. When the Alaskan is
showed in and without light, he SIM
ply inserts the tail of one of these fish
in a crack in the table and touches a
match to its nose. Itgives out clear
three-candle power light. The back
bone is largely formed of phosphorus,
which not only causes it to ignite
easily, but also accounts for the
strength of the flame and heat devel-
oped. The substance of the fish,
largely fat, retards therapid burning as
the tallow acts in an ordinary candle.
The fish is also valuable as food. Still
another use to which it may be put is
as a substitute for cod-liver oil, which,
aiding the natural heat of the body.
serves to protect against the severe
cold. 1t is to be hoped that scientists
will discover way by which the skin
of this fish may be made into clothing,
and its backbone sharpened into min
er's picks.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

DR.. Cumley, Chicago dentist, has
been made the subject of inquiry by
the grand jury, because he locked his
door on the mother of boy who
wouldn't have his tooth pulled, al
though the dentist and the mother did
their best to persuade him. The
woman refused to pay dollar for the
dentists wasted time.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
Misery Due to Drink.

say that firmly believe that there is
more evil done to this community, more
pecuniary loss, both to theildividual and
to the State, and more domestic Eisery
due to excess in drink, than to all other
vices And last, but by no means least, I
say that there is more crime due to this
cause than to all other causes. You NAV
say. in American phraseology, that is s'tail
talking" but I am not speaking extrava-
gantly, and am dealing with facts. says
Mr.. Justice Hodges in an address in Wcs-
ley Church, Melbourne, Australia.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Rev. r. s. Macarthur declared in a
recent sermon at the Calvary Baptist
church, New York city, that he did
not believe the food referred to in the
Bible covered the whole earth. He
also regarded as pure fable the
statement that the ark rested on
Mount Ararat.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Bishop Leonard of the Protestant
Episcopal Missionary Diocese of
Nevada, Utah and Western Colorado,
says that the Indian has no profanity
not profane word in his language.
When he desires to swear it is neces-
sary for him to learn English.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Osaka has been called the New York
of Japan. With the manufacturing
villages that cluster around it, it has
population of about million.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
How 1t is Done in Nevad.

Five university boys have been dis
missed from the University of Nevada for
drunkenness. This is as it should be SO
far as the dismissal is concerned. If onr
universities would be less lenient to stu
dents who are like rotten apples in the uni
versity basket, parents would not dread
sending their sons and daughters away
from home influences to the great univer-
stiles. The publication of such action will
not injure, but will rather help, the Nevada
University. Pacific Prohibitionist.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

If the Salvation Army people sue.
ceed in making their wholesale farm
ing scheme net them five per cent.
upon their capital, some of our hard,
working, lifelong farmers will want
to get Commander Booth fuckers
recipe for the operation, predicts the
New England Homestead.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

An Amsterdam paper states that the
diminution in commercial value of
agricultural lands in the Netherlands
In the last twenty years amounts to
634, 600, 900 forms.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
A Few Temperance .Don,t,. .

Don't take the first glass and YOU can.t
take the second.
Don't act as il God gave you a mind that
you might becloud it with drink.
Don't think you are more Of man IL YOU
drink. 1t really doesn't add to your
stature, mental or physical, the least frac-
ton of an inch.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

The Irish Cyclist says: "'The but.
tonless shirt, remarks a very much
married man, was invented at about
the period that woman took to bicy.
cloc
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Some time ago committee was ap-
pointed in Russia to consider whether
it was advisable to permit women to
practice law in that country. A ma
jority decided in favor of the innovs-
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Rhode Island is said to be the only
state which has college where
students, in addition to regular
branches, are taught the art of road
building.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
How to secure Pro.peritv.

With gold in the Northwest. pearls in Ar.
kansas and big crops in every State we
should have prosperity, and would have.
too, were 1t not that the saloons destroy
faster than nature and man combined can
produce The People
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

India's area of wheat farms is now
about two-thirds as large as that of
the United States. The wheat is
still threshed by being trodden out
by bullocks and buffaloes.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Only $4,000 of the 80, 900, 900 Of
Prussia possess wealth representing
an income of $1,000 year, and only
$4,000 own property to the value o.
1925. 900.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Mountain climbers frequently find
butterflies frozen on the snow, and so
brittle that they break unless care
fully handled When thawed the
butterflies recover and fly away.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

A writer in the Fortnightly Review
thinks that 55, ZOO farmers, each with
a 1OO-acre farm in Canada, could sup
ply all the wheat England needs.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

The officers of leading London
hospital believe that the general in
crease of cancer is due to excess in
meat eating.
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10
a FIELD FLOWERS COMPLAINT.


r.
II
Until
Nora Black and White
Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-02-10

Complaint is made in New England
that the school system is under thI
domination of the professional and
literary classes.