davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
The Consolidation Question.

The people of Jones valley are not an ex-
ception to the general rule which tells us
that in union there is strength. Under the
Birmingham amendment and under a new
constitution, which is now Fortunately in
sight, the people of this valley have the
power to organize a city and start hither-
ward a tide of capital and immigration that
would render the entire valley one of smil-
ing prosperity and contentment.
Cut up into dozen municipalities, as the
complish the greatest good for the entire
number. All will be more or less lame, even
the central town. and the only way in
which the highest possible good can be at
tanned to lies in joining of hands in an
union, in consolidation.
1t goes without saying that a load can be
best borne by putting all interested in that
load under it. The public load of Jones
valley should be carried in that way, and
on that load should be piled all the wants
of every part of the valley. Each bearer
of the load holds in his fingers from time
to time little white ballot, and though
that ballot he can compel proper attention.
All public wants in this country are at
tended to, as a rule, through the judicious
use of the ballot, and Jones valley is not
exceptional
The whole case of consolidation is very
simple Do the people of Jones valley, or
do they not, desire the reputation, the
benefits, the manifold advantages that
would spring from an union of strength,
of purpose, of effort? If they want city
that will be a material help to all, that will
be a source of pride to every man in Sne
state and even in the south, If they want
a city of high instead of town of infer
ior rank, then they will one and all, re-
CARELESS of appeals, regardless of narrow
views and extreme selfishness, get togeth-
err as other towns have done or are pre-
pairing to do; and the census of 1900 will
then tell storq that will be prelude to
the greater story or 1910.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
The Coming Convention.

On the first Monday in July, so runs the
constitutional convention bill, the electors
of the state are to go to the polls, there to
decide whether a convention shall be held
or not. and then to choose the members of
it. to be assembled, In case of an affirma-
tive answer, month later at the capitol.
This long-sought result should be a matter
for deep congratulation throughout the
state; for no good citizen will harbor
doubt either as to the passage of the bill
by the house before the recess. or of the
outcome of the July balottng. The state
now expects the house to do it's duty.
Possibly, let us still farther hope the one
hundred and thirty-three members of the
convention can be selected in primaries reg
-ulated by law, the primaries thus becoming
the real selection, although a full vote in
July will become necessary because of the
opposition that will certainly show itself.
But as nearly all white men in the state
will practically stand together in the coming
battle, it becomes doubly important to have
the primaries carefully and honestly con-
Quoted, as they surely will be If a good
primary law should be put into operation.
In the coming convention the state as it
is at the close of the century, and as it will
be in the new century should be represent
ed The state as 1t was in the troublous
days of quarter of a century ago has
passed away, and the representatives of
that era are no longer the representatives
of industrial and commercial up-to-date
Alabama. Alabama is pre-eminently a
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
CONGRESS CONTROLLED BY A FEW

Washington Correspondence of the N. Y.
World.
The machinery of both branches of con-
gress is in the hands of a very few men.
In the house six or eight men control the
course of legislation. They map out plan
each day, decide what legislation shall be
considered, fix adjournments and attend to
every detail.
The house members who run things are
Reed, Dingley, Hit, Henderson, Cannon.
Payne and Dalzell.
On the senate side four democrats and
five republicans are practically in charge
Although the other senators have not the
slightest idea what will come before the
senate the next hour, these men know at
u what is to be the order of business at
2, at 4. at 5, etc.
The senate leaders are Hale Elkins
Aldrich, Allison and Warren, republicans;
German, Caffery, Cockrell and Jones, of
Arkansas, democrats. Senator Warren is
the Junior member of this coterie AL
though serving his second term and still a
young man. he has shown great political
sagacity and capacity.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
Popular Government.

1t is very easy to say that If the people
of a given county desire county superin-
tendent who is an expert teacher, they can
eelct one. So they can if they organize to
defeat the ruling clique that is naturally
organized in each county, but 1t is much
easier in the legislature to defeat the
cliques than it Is in the people at large.
The cliques may and do elect legislators,
but in a matter that concerns the children
of the state the representatives can afford
to represent the people, disregarding for
once the cliques that have sent now and
then one of their number to Montgomery
If they must obey the usurpers of the popu-
lar will, let them do SO in matters that do
not closely pertain to the welfare of 100000
bright young lives, the hope and very ex-
istence of the state in the next genera
ton.
When a man says the people should be
charged with all responsibility, he should
at once become a supporter of egalized pri-
maries, for without them, the mass of the
people cannot regain proper participation
in the public business against those who
make politics a business and source of
gain and livelihood.
Disguise 1t as we may, legalized primaries
have become a necessity in all states where
the white population is expected to stand
together. Under such a state of things,
election day is not a day of battle 1t is
a ratification meeting under certain pre-
scribed formalities. 1t follows therefore
that the real election should be carefully
supervised. carefully guarded in every way
consistent with freedom of political action
every vote cast should be counted, and
every voter safeguarded to the primary box
even to a greater degree than he now is to
the election box. 1t is matter that goes
to the very root of representative govern
ment-to government by all who can be in
duced to activelp anticipate in the trans
action of the public business.
A bill to legalize primaries should, in fact,
be entitled a bill to restore representative
government. Clique government should be
abolished. or rather the people should be
given the fullest possible opportunities for
curbing. checking, and at times overthrow
ing Clique rule. This Is probably all that
can be accomplished In this stage and con-
dition of the world. The trend is In the
right direction, and by the end of another
century means perhaps may be found for
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
NON-yOTING In TIE SOUTH

From the Boston Herald.
The southern states that have practically
DISTINGUISHED their eolored voters are crltl-
cised for the small vote cast in them at
the late elections. 1t is unfortunate when
men get into the habit of not exercising the
right of suffrage, but we must look for the
reason of it in these instances to the fact
that there are no serious divisions in poll
tics in the states in question. To go fur
Their back and trace the cause of this, 1t
is found to be created by circumstances
which have made ordinary politics inopera-
tive. Politicians north and south insisted
upon raising the race issue there, and by
SO doing they practically compelled the
bulk of the citizens to join the democratic
party. Setting aside the question whether
the former were right or wrong in their
action, 1t is entirely clear that it has had
this effect. Instead OF depriving the demo-
Gratis of advantages, as they strove to do,
they have played straight into their hands.
In point of fact, they gave them not only
all the support that their party was enti-
tied to, but a great deal more. good
many men who were republicans in the
north were promptly transformed into dem
ocrats in party action when they went
south. They had not parted from their re-
publican principles, but the race issue, as 1t
was managed In the south, induced them
temporarily to take this step, and in some
instances converted them even further.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
THE CHRISTIAN SCIENTIST

From the Springfield Republican.
The fact that the late Harold Frederic,
journalist and novelist, died while being at
tended by Christian scientists attracted
great attention. Public feeling was much
aroused in England, and a eoroner's jury
indicted the "healers' for manslaughter.
But the prosecution in the criminal courts
has now been abandoned by the state and
the defendants released on the ground that
they honestly believed that hey were doing
their duty toward their patient The
scientists" the prosecution admitted, had
been guilty of no neglect in their treat
ment of Mr.. Frederic, &C cordng to their
lights and standards. The decision is i'm
portant as precedent, since it seems to
place the responsibility for the results of
christian science treatment entirely upon
the patient, so long as the healer" does
not fail in the line of moral obligation As
christian scientists do not pretend to be
physicians, and do not advertise themselves
as such, it is difficult to see how the crimi-
nal laws can be made to reach them And
1t is just as well that such should be the
case. The person who sends for a Chris
tan scientist" rather than a doctor, as
sumes responsibility that cannot be en-
tirely thrown upon some one else in ca Sc
the results are unhappy.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
The carolines no longer go unwooed.
GENERAL WHEELER
From the Boston Herald.

From the Boston Herald.
That peppery little democrat from Ala
bama, General Joe" Wheeler, has come
back to congress to be something of a lion
among his associates. His political OPP
ponents in that body are greatly mellowed
toward him from his recent services In the
war. He did not carry a particle of politics
into this, but proved to be as efficient as he
was plucky in his Cuban campaign. 1t was
especially agreeable to some of the union
soldiers of the civil war who remembered
how enterprising an opponent they found
him in his cavalry expeditions at that time
to realize that he was on their side In this
later military work. His stimulating of
General Shafter at a critical time was one
of the most fortunate features in our army
incidents.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
Worse Than DingIeyism.
Editor

The gulf states are deeply interested in a
repeal of the absurd navigation laws of the
country. These laws were passed to re-
cruit the ranks of the tariff robbers by
adding the strength of ring of ship-build-
ing barons The combined ring still holds
good. Each set of robbers stands by the
other, and both rob and Cypress the people
numerically
They not only rob the people at every
possible turn, but between them they have
succeeded in driving the flag from the seas
Not an American vessel went through the
Suez canal last year. When the country
was in democratic hands one-half of the
carrying trade of the world was done in
American vessels; now only II per cent. of
it is carried under the stars and stripes,
and the tendency is downwards. We are
taxed $3.50 900 a year by foreign ships,
and the apparent balance of trade must
exceed that great figure before there is a
real balance in our favor.
But the south is particularly crippled by
the legislation that the combined ring OF
favored interests has put upon the coun-
try The SCUM is DESTROYS of sharing in
the Cuban and Porto Rican trade, and yet
1t cannot buy ships for that purpose except
at monopoly prices. 1t cannot go into the
open market and buy ship to carry lumber
or coal or iron or cotton to Havana, or
San Juan or Manila. 1t may be able to
induce a foreign owner to take the busi-
ness, but in that case the foreign tribute
would be increased, and the flag would
become even scarcer on the high seas
Odious and oppressive as Dingleyism is,
the navigation laws are even worse. These
laws say that in all coastwise trade, now
stretching we'll around the world. an Amer
lean shall pay what few shipbuilders may
demand, or else he shall accept foreign
flag, or else he shall confne himself to the
home trade These laws discourage trade.
They practically render an export trade
in American ships impossible. They are
disgrace to the country, a hindrance to its
prosperity, a tax upon all industry, and
stumbling-block to progress. The people of
the south should demand their abolition.
American shipbuilders hold a more de-
structive monopoly than can be found in
even the Dingley campaign schedules.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

is bursting in my heart she says, and one
'ejo'ces in l err g-ad life There is no use
specializing as to the Widows future. The
gods will take care of that. Meantime she
laughs care to the winds and good men
bow the knee in her living presence. And
stood in the living presence of that old
sweetheart of NINE" as James Whiteomb
Riley so exquisitey phrases 1t. Remem-
Der Riley on his "Old Sweetheart" The re-
atty of those exquisite lines do not apply TO
the fair widow but the spirit abides.
You do not know what you say urges
young doctor, who is in love with tender
maiden and who objects to the proposition
that the friendship of other mems wives is
to be treasured above the by-play of young
women who listen to the love tales of all
men and regard them as truth from on
high. This young doctor has a very impor-
tant lesson of life to learn, and one hopes
that he may learn it in the fullness of
time. The maiden, fresh from her text
books-but never in this life to escape from
her mentors-enters her perfumed bath
child and the curtain falls. She energies
from her dressingroom woman. From the
soles of her silk stockings to the white
rose that mods as the plume of purity upon
her nobly poised head, she is a woman.
The child has passed away. The woman
faces with eager eyes all her bright world.
She is now for man to WOO and man to win,
and she enters gleefully upon her career of
conquest. She should believe all men and
trust none. She shall awake one morning
to find herself bride, and then shall begin
tha b,,efpaec of life
The only bitterness love of woman ever
yet created came from vanity. The only
remorse man or woman ever felt came from
egoism. That which we call conscience is
the incarnation of selfishness. Conscience
the sense of depreciation or shame or dis
honor-egoism is the foundation from which
all of 1t springs. The eternal egosm
brings into this life every pain that it not
of physical ailment. Did you ever feel that
your heart was bursting and bleeding? Did
you feel a real heartache? Did folly never
bring you to throw yourself face down.
ward and kiss old mother earth in the hour
of grief and regret? If you answer me no,
then go you out and proclaim yourself the
elect of God. No priest is needful to you
You walk hand in hand with omniptence
But every outrage upon that intangible
thing we call conscience demands sacrifice
and humiliation at the altar of self-love.
1t is rude to be truthful with one another;
but we may be truthful with ourselves and
still retain our positions in society.
THE MURMURER.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

establishing government by the people. of
the people, for the people. Abraham Lin
coins wild dream will probably be realized
a hundred years hence. We are slowly
moving in that direction.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
MIR. M'KINLEY NOT PERFECT

From the Huntsville Mercury.
When Senator Pettus~raised an objection
to the eulogistic utterances employed in in
viting President Mckinley to visit Ala
bama, he voiced the sentiments of nine out
of every ten Alabamians possessed OF sound
reasoning. The citizens of Alabama will
be delighted to welcome President McKin-
ley to their midst and to entertain him as
BELTS his station, but they do not regard
him a bit of executive perfection.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The postponement of football game on
account of weather is without precedent.
weather. the more and better football has
heretofore been the rule, but Ann.ston holds
that football and mud do not necessarily
go together
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

What cheek! looks queer in another
tongue. The Spaniards say, Quelle toupet!
and they apply ii to our esteemed president
when he remembers the Maine.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

President Mckinley calls for the abroga-
ton of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty, because
he says the country should control the
Nicaragua canal, but doubtless he knows
his partner in the open-door business
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Helen Miller Gould seeks no honor, but
the honor that General Joe Wheeler pro-
poses for her Is eminently due the angel
of Montauk" and the typical American
woman.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
ALL SHOULD DROP BAILEY

From the Admission Index.
Since Bailey's fight against General
Wheeler, surely no Alabama congressman
will support Bailey as leader of the house.
Congressman Underwood should now by all
means drop Bailey and support Bankhead.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

A fine start towards fine convention
could be made by the election as delegates
of the governor of the state, of the two
United States senators and the five Judges
of the supreme court.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

1t is now proposed to put the Pacific
railroad monies into Nicaragua canal, on
the ground they have been devoted to in
teroceanic purposes. and should not be di-
verified
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The syndicates and spectators are ahead
of the army in Havana in more respects
than one. The army will find nothing there
that Is not nailed down.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The expansion question is dividing DEM
ocrats. Senator Lindsay is to be pitted
against Senator Vest, both employing the
constitution os a cudgel.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The long recess will carry the members of
the two houses back to delightful constitu-
encies, if they will first pass the convention
bill. 1t is up to the house.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

AS each nation falls into line for the
cars peace conference, 1t adds more ships
or more men to its forces.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Blizzard-swept Texas has the sympathies
of frost-bitten Alabama. Misery has bed
fellows this time.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The esteemed Cologne Gazette regretully
admits that the American navy of 1901 will
outrank it's own German navy.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The cases of Senator Quay of Pennsyl-
vania and Senator Kenney of Delaware are
now up to the petit jury
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Let the convention bill be the legislature
Christmas gilft to their constituents.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Another Gould heir is ready to annex an
tagious.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The house can delight the people by
promptly passing the convention bill-the
sooner the better.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The state needs in the coming convention
her best and most progressive citizens.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

General Miles and all ex-privates have
been ruled out by the whitewash board.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

A Cyrano stage nose is better than one
leycorn.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

All nature has it's compensation-the snow
covers the country's golf links.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The length of the presidents message
shows that the spirit of expansion is all
pervading.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Haleyism is an effort to Guido the car
like fethods of the gentleman from Maine.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

Congressman Roberts will certainly take
kindly to the pairing privilege in congress.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
CONVENTION AND THE RACE ISSUE

From the Admission Index.
If the people of Alabama would settle the
race problem peaceably and without blood
shed, constitutional convention is what
they must have.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

The foot Of worlds hero treads the soil
of his native state.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11
THE MURMUR
OF THE WORLD

1t is probably not within the province of
the wretch who murmurs of the world to
discuss the matter of woman's apparel, but
there is one thing that appeals to him ir-
resistibly, and that is the old but always
new proposition to abolish the corset. This
instrument of torture is one of fashions
badges of servitude that should be cast
aside as unworthy of. free and untrammeed
girlhood and young womanhood. Woman's
form divine needs no such harness. The
painfullest thing in society is to see
woman overlaced. You have seen her, the
overlaced woman; how she ambles along,
and in evident suffering
The full roundness of the curves of a hui
man figure that nature has made perfect
is destroyed by the corset. Many of us
have never seen that thing of fashion lex
cept in showwindows). but all of us have
seen it's effects upon the street, in drawing
rooms and at balls. Those of us who are
thoughtful do not care for It; we abhor
it, in fact. 1t robs the noblest thing in this
animal life of its truer nobility. Take a
perfect figure, or even one not naturally
perfect, as viewed by the trained eye of
the artist, and it is entrancing-almost be-
wildering in its nameless charms. Harness
that same figure in a corset and 1t be-
comes commonplace 1t is artificial, and
all that is artificial is a purchaseabe guam
tity which fails inevitably to captivate
DO you know" queried beautiful mat
ron of the wretch yesterday, that ten
pounds of hips may be purchased for sew
enty-five cents?'' The wretch knew moth
ing about it, but the question interested
him.
The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-12-11

ST am fixing up the pavilion on the top
of Red mountain for summer residence"
said Sterling A. Wood. 81 am going to
move into it with my family about the lst
of May, and stay there until frost drives
us to a lower altitude. The question of
water up there is troubesome; but / am
having a big cistern constructed to catch
the winter rains, and give us an abundant
supply of water through the summer
months. 1t is only question of short
time before there will be a street of resi-
dences all along the crest of the mountain.
No other city in the country has such a
beautiful mountain so close to it. From the
heart Of the city out Twentieth street 1t is
Just a mile and half to the top of tho
mountain. Any other city would have utilA
lied the mountain long ago. We shall see
a grand boulevard there some day; but why
not now?" A