davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

though the senator was more than
9, 900 miles distant from Washington.
and about 1000 miles distant from
Emporia. But the business was going
on, although he was absent. GOOD
business men having large interests to
look after cannot do everything with
their own hands. They can select their
assistants. and supervise; and that was
what Senator Plumb did, and his con-
stituents all believed in him and loved
him. because all of their business re-
ceived his attention promptly. 1t was
not necessary to explain to them what
methods he employed to accomplish
the result, nor how much it cost him.
This brief story would not be COM
plete without saying that the dear old
senator did by me as he did by all
others. He paid me literally; much
more than l had expected or desired.
Now, to illustrate what Congress
man Brundidge has found out.
never went to the postmaster general,
nor to the first assistant postmaster
general, nor to any chief clerk, for in
formation concerning Plumb's post
office business. l knew that DR.. Brum-
baugh was the clerk in charge of Kan
sas postal affairs, and 1 went directly
to his desk every day and secured the
informa ton without delay.
By the way, George Fenton was the
clerk in charge of the Ohio post offices,
Often have 1 seen Congressman Viii
liam Mckinley sitting. by the desk of
that subordinate and obscure clerk,
getting information concerning the
post office appointments in his district.
Congressman did not have private sec
retaries paid for by the government in
those days, and William Mckinley did
his own department work. Poor Fen
ton is dead now. If he had lived Nc
Kinley would have done well by him,
for he was a splendid clerk and did lots
of things for Mckinley, because he
liked him; things which were not
necessary for him to do, and which the
Ohio congressman highly appreciated.
Now you see how the departments
are arranged. The members of the
cabinet know very little about the de-
tails of their departments, and when
they are called upon for information,
they send for the quiet plodders in the
civil service. In the navy they call the
men who do the actual work, 1.-The men
behind the guns" These clerks who
carry on the real work might well be
called the men behind the scenes; for
they are they who handle all official
papers, while the higher officials di-
rect the general policies OF their de-
partments. Not one letter out of TO-
600 addressed to the postmaster gen
eral is ever seen by him. The same
may be said substantially of all other
cabinet officials.
The suggestion of Congressman
that there should be pro-
fessional private secretary in Washing
ton is very good one; but it will be
many day before it is carried out, be-
cause the politicians at the homes of
the statesmen will it otherwise: and
few congressman realize what an ad-
professional private secre-
tary would be to them and to their
SMITH D. FRY.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
Australian Oysters,

The Journal of the Society of Arts
saws that Australian oysters are cheap
and plentiful, being retailed in Sydney
at from siXpence to one shilling per
plate or bottle. The consumption is
enormous, and lasts throughout the
wear. The whole of the New South
Wales coast is admirably adapted for
oyster culture. Unlike the coasts of
Great Britain and even America, where
the temperature during the summer
months is frequently sufficient to pre-
vent the shedding of spat, and generally
to limit its quantity, the spat of New
South Wales is distributed in unlimited
profusion. Mr.. Coghlan, the New
South Wales government statistician,
saws the establishment of "parcs" like
those which may be seen along the
coasts of France and Belgium, where
oyster culture is conducted on scien-
tific principles, would be remunerative.
1t is said that the equipment for a Sgd
ney harbor picnic would be considered
incomplete without the means of de-
taching oysters from the rocks, Cd
which they are found in myriads.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

who know no more of the executive
departments than they do. and hence
their political private secretaries are
of little value to them in the fine OF
their actual work
One of the best secretaries the writ
er has known in many years was
Frank Flenniilen. who was with Sen
ator Plumb. of Kansas. for many
years, and remained with him until
the death of that great congressional
worker. The amount of work which
Senator Plumb did, with Flenniken's
aid, was regarded as phenomenal bv
his colleagues. The writer once had
an opportunity to ascertain some
thing of Plumb's enormous depart
mental business; and it might be in
teresting to narrate it here:
One day in May, 1890, Senator
lamb asked me to take lunch with
him, in the senate restaurant. saving
that he wanted to have a business
talk with me. Il am going to Mon
tana, and may be farther west. to be
gone several months" said he; land
Frank is going home to look after
business at Emporia. Now that con-
gress is not in session, and your news
paper business is not so pressing, it
has occurred to me that Frank might
send all letters to you, and you could
attend to my departmental business.
1t would be a great favor to me, and l
will pay you well for it,"
The senator was one of the best of
friends, and his proposition was &C
cepted. Two weeks later I received
from Emporia one large envelope con-
tanning about so letters asking for in
formation Of all sorts. From that
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

time on, tor about five monrne every
mornings mail brought big patches of
letters; sometimes as many as hun
dred. I sorted all those letters. May
be ten of them would be about post
Office appointments, ten more about
pensions, ten more about patents, or
land Office matters, and others re-
ferring to the other executive depart
ments. I would first go to the post
office department and get informa-
ton concerning the post office; max
ing shorthand notes on each letter.
Then would go to the pension Office,
and attend to all of the pension cases
before leaving that place. And So on,
every day the various departments
would be visited Systematically, and
the work of every day was cleared up
before bedtime. 1t became necessary
to hire a stenographer, finally. and
take him about the departments,
where the letters would be dictated
until noon, OF one o'clock. Then l
would send the stenographer off to
transcribe the letters on a type
writer, while l would continue in the
departments until every letter had re-
ceived attention. Finally. I would
write lot of letters myself, and die
tate others, until the work of the day
had been completed.
For example. on the 1st of June,
would write the letters, dating them
"Emporia, Kan, June l." They were
mailed to Flenniken, reached him in
three days, and, on June 4, at Emporia,
he would sign Senator Plumb's name
and mail the letters to the constitu-
ents. Each man thus presumably re-
ceived a letter from the senator; al
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

| there is cemetery. The new parsoh
age stood a few rods beyond the
church. If passers along the rcd saw
teams arriving there late in the eveI--
ing, they paid little attention. Log
gers teams often passed.
The loggers worked quietly and
quickly. Before IL o'clock the little
new parsonage. with the minister
wife, family and household goods still
in it, started on its singular Journey
first down to the lake shore, then
out on the ice, and so onward to Mars
ton, where the people were greatly
| astonished and mystified next morn
ing to see it, set close to their wealth
er-beaten meeting house, and making
| it look like an old soldier who had
| suddenly married a very young wife!
Smoke was rising from the Chin
| ney, and all curious inquirers at the
door were met by Mrs. Williams in
| person. who cheerily informed them
| that she was their new minister's wife,
and brought her parsonage along with
her!
The people of Marston could find
no fault with such a windfail. but the
people of Links Mills were greatly agi-
tated.
"A member of the church. a farmer.
driving into the village with vegetables
next morning, was the first to notice
the absence of the parsonage.
Wal, I'll be planted and hOed!" he
gasped. What's missin'?''
Brother Blodgett. d'you know our
parsonage is gomez he asked of the
first person he met, who CHANGED to be
one of the church stewards.
Gomez" was the surprised ejacula-
ton. Where could it go top
Dunno; but it amt there, sartin.''
The steward FASTENED to the church.
Sure enough, all traces of the parson-
age had disappeared. With dazed faces.
the two then went in quest of other
brethren and told the strange news.
Few would believe it until they had
gone to view the vacant site for them
selves.
y crowd gathered, wondered and
searched. 1t was not until nearly noon
that the facts became known. Many
were very angry, and meeting of the
church members was held that even
ing to decide what should be done.
Legal proceedings were talked of; but
meantime the story had gone abroad.
and the public generally applauded the
exploit.
When Rev. Jackson Williams re-
turned from conference SATURDAY.. to
preach his farewell sermon at Links
Mills, ne was as much astonished as
anybody TO find his family moved to
MarSton and he offered TO restore the
parsonage; but certain induIgent re-
gard for Mrs. Williams "cuteness'' at
length led the church members to Off
set the hoase against their late min
ister's unpaid salary. Mrs. Williams
row regards this parsonage as her own
exclusive property, and has been heard
to say that if their next circuit is not
more than 20 miles from Marston, she
shall take it along with her.-Youth's
Companion.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

shall have to rent a house until go
ahead and build one as / did at Mills. -
1t would be difficult for anyone ex-
cept an itinerant minister's wife to re-
alize the bitterness of soul which fell on
Mrs. Rosy Williams as she refolded her
husbands letter. But as calmly as pos
sible sue explained to Dolly, aged Is,
and jackson Jr., aged 13, that they
must stay at home from school on the
next day to help her in packing.
Dolly burst forth in lamentations.
''Our new, pretty house that papa
made! Have we got to leave it, moth
er?" she cried.
Eyes" replied the mother, sadly land
leave the most of your fathers salary,
too, 1 fear"
And live in some old dirty place
down at Marston, as we did year ago
at Simontown!" cried the little girl.
Il don't care! think it is too bad!
think this house belongs to us-or
ought to-"
Mrs. Williams thought so, too. Some
thing of her girlish spirit suddenly re-
vived, and it bore fruit that evening
in an exploit which will not soon be
forgotten in that part of the state.
The weather was still very cold.
Snow lay on the ground, and the two
feet or more of ice on the lake had not
as yet broken up. or thawed percep-
tibly. Just across the lake from Link 5
Mills, a crew of loggers with their
teams were 'brOwing" spruce logs. At
sunset they were not little surprised
to see the minister's wife approaching
on the ice. Her errand was soon made
known. She wished to hire them to
draw the new parsonage to Marston,
and she wanted to have the job done
before six o'clock on the following
morning!
The foreman of the crew laughed,
and returned an evasive answer. Find
ing that the men could not be induced
to attempt such a queer and doubtful
job, merely for hire, Mrs. Williams
then told the whole story, and appealed
to them to help her through with her
project. This appeal put different
complexion on the affair. 1t tickled
the humor and, no doubt, touched the
hearts of the lumbermen.
Wen do it, ma ami" exclaimed the
foreman grinning broadly. You get
your crockery down off'n the shelves
and your stovepipe cool. Wen be over
by nine or ten, and fetch chains and
skids and a couple of logs for shoes to
haul it on"
The Methodist church at Links Mills
stands little apart from the village
proper, and is separated from the rest
of the place by pine grove where
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
BLINDED BY SYNDICATES.
Mckinley and Hanna Readily Take
to the "BIinkers" of SUBJ
serViency.

President Mckinley, in conference
with Senator Hanna and Secretary
Dick. of the republican national com
mittee, is reported to have reached the
happy conclusion that the passage of
the Porto Rican tariff bill will not
threaten a serious detection from the
republican party.
1t is curious how easily one may be
| led to believe in the wisdom of n
| course toward which ones inclination
| leads. Several subservient congress
men having reported to the president
that there was no opposition to the
| Porto Rican tariff bill save in the
| large cities, and Senator Hanna him
self declaring his conviction that the
sentiment of the people against this
measure was "rot," Mr.. Mckinley
gladly allows these views to decide
the question. He is now all eagerness
for the bills passage.
Against Senator Hanna's verdict of
"rot" and a few place-seeking con-
gressmen's obliging blindness to the
truth in their respective. districts.
there are certain grim facts which n
wiser man than Mr.. Mckinley would
be afraid to ignore. Some of the
strongest and most influential repub-
lican newspapers in the union have
unqualifiedly condemned, and are still
so condemning, the iniquity of the
Porto Rican tariff bill. a number Of
strong and conscientious republicans
in the national congress have them
selves exposed the ominous un-Ameri-
canism and cruel injustice of the
measure. The popular protest against
it has been unmistakab BILE in tone and
volume.
President Mckinley and Senator
Hanna are blinded by the syndicate
''blinkers'' worn to keep them straight
in the path of syndicate subserviency.
They must in the end. however, learn
the full truth of public sentiment II
the Porto Rican tariff issue. They
have forced their party to a shameful
record on that issue. They must ac-
cept full responsibility for the con-
sequences at the polls next November.
st. Louis Republic.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
THE RIGHT WILL RIGHT ITSELF

"nen overcome with anxious fears,
AND moved with passion strong.
because the right seems losing ground
and everything goes wrong,
HOW oft does admonition saw:
tut trouble on the shelf;
truth Will outlive the liars day.
And Right will right itselfr'
by all the triumphs of the past.
BY all the victories won,
me good achieved, the progress made
Each day, from sun to sun;
IN spite of artful ways employed
BY perfidy or pelf,
vi one thing we can rest assured
The Right will right itself,
Cnshaken in our faith and zeal,
lis ours to do and dare
10 md the place we best can fill,
And serve our Maker there;
For he is only brave who thus
Puts trouble on the shelf
Ano trusts in God, for by His aid
The Right will right itself,
Josephine Pollard, in Ledger Monthly
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
The Necessary Thing to DC

Shall America continue to be the
land of the free and the home of the
brave? If so, the plain people must
rally in defense of the government Of
the fathers and drive the Hannaites
from place and power.-National
Waterman.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
A Plain Distinction.

whats the difference between a 40,
die and VIOLIN"
"a fiddle is violin when man who
plays it has on swallow-tail coat
Chicago Record.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

statement OF the purpose OF the meas
ure taxing the colonies and the dispo-
sition of The proceeds, and that of cur
bills in regard TO Porto Rico. The
statement of the act of King George is
an extract from Lord John Russell's
Life of Fox"
1.-The bill 'impos- "Under our meas
ing duties on Ce1 s4in ureS Porto Rico is TO
kinds of merchand: Sc be taxed, and the is
Wnen imported Il>O land pays both ways
the colonies required On merchandise which
the payment of such tEey ship to re-
duties to be made i'll %eIVe from this cOun-
gold and silver, anC try, and we have pro-
ordered them to beiVlde6 that the amount
paid into the eX- heretofore or hereaft-
cheQuer, where, with er received shall
the produce of all IDe placed at the dis
former parliament iposal of the presi-
airy duties, they were dent, to be used for
to be set apart as a the government now
applied under the may hereafter be es-
disposition of parlia- tabl1shed, III Porto
the future charges relief of the people
O protecting. de- thereof, and for pub
rending and securing lie education, public
the colonies. RUS works and orner gov
sells Life of Fox, Ornamental and public
Volume !, Page 45. purposes therein un-
til otherwise provid-
ed by law.
Mark the resemblance in these two
propositions. that the duties in each
case. both past and future, are to be set
aside for the benefit of the country
taxed. One difference is that, while
our measure taxes merchandise going
to and coming from Porto Rico, the
British bill taxed only limited num-
Der of articles coming into this coun-
try, did not tax our exports, and this
difference is in favor of King George.
But there is another vast difference
in the two cases-King George and his
ministry undertook to impose tax up
on English people-peopleo of their own
blood and race, who knew their rights
and dared maintain them; who knew
that the hearts of the English people
were with them. We impose these
taxes upon a people unused to assert
their rights in the past, and powerless
to maintain them if they had; upon a
people who welcomed our army when it
landed on their island as their friends,
who had come to free them from the
misrule of Spain, and who have con-
Quoted themselves in the most peace
able manner; upon people to whom
we had promised to bring 1.-The imnuni-
ties and blessings of the liberal insti-
tutions of our government" and to
whom we had said, by the mouths of
our highest officials, that to establish
free trade was "our plain duty" de-
manded by ''the highest considerations
of justice and good faith. '-Senator
Redfield Proctor. of Vermont, IN His
Speech of March 30.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
In his annual message to C,

In his annual message to con-
gress in December last President Nc
Kin1ey said of Hawaii: ''The people
of these islands are entitled to the
benefits and privileges of our consti-
tuition" If Hawaii. why not Porto
Rico? How con this republic make
fish of one of its possessions and fowl
of another?-N. Y. World.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
PROTEST OF PROCTOR.
The Porto Rico Outrage as Viewed
by Rock-Isibbed Re-
pa iicaE.

l submit, in parallel columns, the
statement of the purpose of the meas
ure taxing the colonies and the dispo-
sition of The proceeds, and that of cur
bills in regard 10 Porto Rico. The
statement of the act of King George is
an extract from Lord John Russell's
Life of Fox"
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19

tration followers were worried enough
to indulge in sneering criticism of the
brave admiral. Dewey's naive an
nouncement of his Cleveland brand of
democracy" coupled with his official
report as Philippine commissioner, in
dorsing imperialism, and his natural
leaning toward militarism make it
difficult to line him up where even an
independent nomination would develop
any strength. Friends of the admiral
regret that his ignorance of matters
political should have fired him with an
ambition which has no prospect of sat
isfaction.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
Dewcy's Gnndidacy.

Admiral Dewey's announcement of
his presidential aspirations has ceased
to interest Washington. Its only eff
feet on the democrats was to emphasize
their loyalty to 81 yam. The admins
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
For the Workingmen.

Resolutions are pouring in on con-
gress from the workingmen all over
the country asking the passage of the
Allen and Lentz resolutions for the
withdrawal of the United States troops
from the Occur D'Alene district. The
investigation of the mining troubles in
Idaho is not finished in the house mill
tary committee, but the wage workers
of the country protest against the con-
tinued use of the military in that dis
trict for the express purpose of terror
izing workmen into acceptance of the
permit" system, which is in viola
ton of the statute law of Idaho and the
constitutional rights of citizenship.
ADOLPH PATTERSON.
Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-04-19
McNinIey's Worries.

The republicans are now hurrying to
get through all necessary legislation
and force an adjournment as early as
June 1. President Mckinley has all
sorts of worries on hand-the greatest
one being the doubt of his renomina-
ton, and he has privately assured some
of his followers that he would be glad
to have congress off his hands as soon
as possible.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-12
941 Penn. Ave. NV.
open Saturday Evenings.

From the New York Times.
Women are found now and again in print
ing offices in this country, engaged in type
setting and in similar kinds of work, but
# would be hard to find a duplicate of the
Womens Printing Society in London, where
the entire establishment Is owned and man.
aged by women. and all the labor. with the
exception of heavy machine work. is done
by them.
This society has been carried on for a
number Of years a successful business.
Originally started by subscription for the
purpose Of training girls who were anxious
to earn a livelihood in this way, 1t rapidly
developed into prosperous concern, but 1t
has not lost sight of the aim OF helpfulness
to young women workers with which 1t was
begun. 1t is managed on the cooperative
principle No dividend may exceed ) per
cent per annum, and above that the sur
plus is to be divided among the hands by
way of bonus
Apprentices are taken for three years,
many OF them being girls just out of school
of about sixteen years of age Some of the
workers become at the same time share
holders.
About thirty young women are now en-
plOyed.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-12

willie on Friday evening. They will return
to this city on Saturday night. staying
here for a whole week to practice at Ma
tional Park. or possibly at the Georgetown
University grounds. If Captain Reid thinks
the team is in good enough condition
game will be played Wednesday in this
city with picked team from a Baltimore
country club, captained by Robinson, the
varsity third baseman two years ago.
The object Of playing so few games as
the schedule shows is to allow more time
for practice under the two coaches where
the weather is mild. This will also avoid
firing out the men, as on former trips
Two of the scheduled games are: April IA,
University of Virginia. at Charlottesville,
Va. and April q, Georgetown, at George
town.
Coach Nichols will join them in Wash
ington on Sunday.