davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
THE CHRISTMAS TIP.

Tipping has become a national vice.
Like the pension business, it has
grown on us until it has become
heavy burden. Originally a sponta-
neous expression of appreciation, it
has now become something like a
feudal right. Formerly the donor
gave his tip occasionally because he
was we'll pleased with service he had
received, and the recipient was duly
grateful for the largess. Now one
must tip constantly or be neglected by
servitors.
And at Christmas the desire for tips
take the form of open requests and
sometimes demands. Not only do ones
family servants expect to be "remem-
bered" at that time, but about every
functionary who has any part in the
complex life of the city comes around
to the householder with upturned palm.
There are the ashman, the freshman,
the janitor, the office boy, the restau-
rant waiter, the elevator boy, the bar
Der, the bootblack and dozens of
others, who may be forgotten for the
moment when the householder is maxi
Ing up his list of Christmas expenses
but who do not permit themselves to
be forgotten long. And If the house
holder does not come across with
the expected tips, and literally at
that, he is regarded as grabbed and
mean. Custom has popularized the
tip, and those who really cannot
afford to give away money in tips fol-
low the custom, to their own detri-
ment, because they haven't the moral
courage to break away from it. There
isn't any good reason why the Sleep
ing car porter, the waiter, the cab
driver, the street car conductor, etc,
should be paid extra by the public for
performing their regular services. 1t
may be, and possibly Is true that their
to be adjusted with employers, and
with which the public has no concern
At Christmas time, OF course, it is
the right thing for everybody to be as
open-hearted and charitable as posi-
BILE. The spirit of generosity that
marks the holiday is rather to be
encouraged than hampered, when the
generosity takes a proper course But
it is a peryersion of the Christmas
spirit to permit ones self to be held
up for tips to everybody merely be-
cause it is Christmas. The tip-chasers
are mercenary always and impudent
often. And like Che pension roll. their
number continues to increase.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
His Old Woman Beat.


Gas to dreams and dream books"
said Col. Hires of Indiana, to the De-
troit Free Press the other day, 81 had
bit of experience a few years ago
which proves that a mans wife .an
offset the bes tot them, at times.
was sent into the oil section of Ohio
by certain capitalists, and / got my
eye on tract of land belonging to
an old chap named Barnes. He would
not allow test well to be driven, and
when offered $50 an acre at venture
he replied:
want what my land is worth and
no more. will consult a dream book
and see you later
Two or three days after he called
on me and said the dream book told
him that there was a large lake of
oil under his land, and that he must
not sell short 81 $1,000 an acre 1
laughed at him, and he went away say
ing he would consult a fortune teller
| and let the result be known. When
he returned his price was S1,500 an
acre. He had been told that the sup
| ply of oil was inexhaustible. sent
| him off, and it was a week later when
he turned up for the third time, and
said:
Well, Colonel, I've come to make
| dicker with you about that land
Have you raised your figures to
| $4,000 an acre?' I inquired.
" No, sir; my figures have gone down
| to $50
How did that happen?
Well, l consulted the dream book
and it told me to ask a thousand. 1
went to a fortune-teller and she told
me to ask fifteen hundred. Then
went to my old woman, and she said
| to me, says she:
Jacob, if there's any man fool huff
| to think he kin find pint of lie I'M
der our land let him have it at his
| own price
And so you'll take $50 an acre.
I'm calculatin' l will
1.-THE land was bought at the figure
named, and although $1,000 was ex-
pended in sinking wells, the syndicate
| never got enough to grease the ma
chinery.'
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
AN ELASTIC CURRENCY.

The promptness with which the
House Committee on Banking and Cur.
rency reported the Fowler currency
bill justifies the conclusion that legis-
lation providing for more elastic cur
rency is almost, If not quite. in sight.
The Fowler bill that was considered
by the House at the last session was
too complicated, and aimed to do too
much, to be a popular measure. Bank
ers did not take kindly to it, and the
country treated 1t with Indifference. 1t
provided not only for an elastic cur
rency. but also for the retirement of
the greenbaclSs. for branch banks and
more subsidiary silver coins. The bill
which has just been reported favorably
to the House deals with only one SUBJ
ject, namely, an elastic currency.
That there is a demand for legisla-
ton along the lines of this bill there
is no doubt At all of the bankers
conventions this year there has been
talk of the need of a currency pos
sessing more elasticity than the pres
ent currency, and the newspapers have
been full of the subject In their an
nual reports and in addresses the Sec
rotary of the Treasury and the Con-
troller Of the Currency have presented
II in all OF its various phases. There has
been campaign OF education in re-
spect 10 the currency. and II is prob
able that the country is ready for leg
islation that will accomplish the OBJ
ject desired.
The bill provides that any national
bank may take out circulation 20 an
amount not exceeding 20 per cent. OF
its paid-up and unimpaired capital On
depositlng IN the United States treas.
ury government bonds. or gold. or both.
90 the amount of per cent. 81 che
groposed circulation. on this cir.
saiaiiQn taE o. one-haif 81
. per cent must be paid. and thig tax
"a 10 form . guarantee FUND Cor the
payment " NE notes " banks that
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21

There has been introduced in the
Virginia Legislature a bill to pro-
hibit the kissing of the Bible in the
administration Of oaths in the courts
of that state. The author Of the bill
argues that the miscellaneous kissing
of the book in court houses is
not only uncleanly and disgusting, but
is a menace to health. Diseases may
be passed from one person to another
through touching the lips to the vol
uma.
AS a matter OF fact few persons who
respect the cleanliness and integrity
of their lips, as they do the cleanli-
ness and integrity of their statements,
ever kiss the book. They make a pass
with the book towards their lips. but
there is no actual contact. The idea
of dirty and greasy fingers and of a
varied and uninviting assortment of
mouths that have previously come into
contact with the book precludes the
possibility of an actual labial salute
as an earnest OF veracity to follow.
Kissing the Bible, as a matter of fact,
is not an estoppel of perjury; it does
not guarantee the truth of the testi-
mony of the witness. Indeed. when a
witness gives loud. resounding
smack upon the leather cover of the
book, shrewd lawyers watch him the
closer and make his cross examination
the more severe and searching. The
unctious kiss of an Ananias is rather
in the nature of an effort to fool the
devil and the court and the lawyers.
The witness who has 1t in mind to
give false testimony will do 1t any
how, whether he kiss the book or not.
In many well ordered temples of JUS
tice in this part of the country some
concession has been made to decency
and hygiene by providing two Bibles,
one to be kissed by white swearers and
the other by the blacks. The one set
apart for the use of the blacks is US
ually in a rather dilapidated condi-
ton, because of the vehemence of the
kisses and the swearing. both being
hard on the binding. Whether there is
greater danger of disease than OF
damnation In kissing the book is a
matter that cannot be ascertained.
That account will have to be made up
hereafter. Meanwhile it may be said
| that the movement to abolish the
kissing Of the book is step in the
right direction.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
A strange Metnmorpbosi..

Statemen are not usally great sail
ors; says the st. James Gazette; even
Lord Nelson was invariably sick at
sea, and Lord Goschen, in the days
when he ruled the waves, was always
their victim when he stepped on board
one of his Majestry's ships. So, too, is
Sir William Harcourt, who was dining
on board a man-of-war when a storm
threatened, and the captain advised
him to occupy his stateroom for the
night.
Sir William thought the arrange
ment good, and went to bed. The cap
tain-who was. it should be said, a
very small man-forgot to tell the
steward of the arrangement, with the
result that at six o'clock the next
morning a knock was heard at the
door of Sir Williams room. No an
swer coming, and having knocked again
in vain, the steward opened the door
and asked. Don't you wish your cof-
fee this morning, sir?" Sir William,
we are told, turned over with snore,
and, dropping the cup and saucer, the
affrighted steward ran to the sur
geon's office. For heavens sake, sir,
come to the captain" he shoutea out;
mes speeches., and swollen to ten
times his natural SiZei"
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21

ognized Cornelius as the head Of the
family, and has had very high regard
for him. not because of his wealth and
social position, but because he has rec
ognized the fact that it is his duty to
be of use in the world-that as a citi-
zen there are responsibilities resting
upon him. Instead OF giving his life
up to pleasure he has endeavored to
make himself useful. Being a trained
machimst he has devoted his time to
the Improvement of locomotives and
to other things connected with rail-
roads, in which he is largely interested.
He has also busted himself with so
cial. economical and political problems,
and although still a young man
has made his influence felt in New
York in a number of ways.
He has not depended on his family
influence or his wealth to advance him
in the world. He has depended wholly
upon himself, and his success has been
so marked that he has been the SUBJ
ject of much favorable comment. 1t
has been a source of qualification to
men Of real worth in many parts of
the country that Mr.. Vanderbilt enter
ed upon a career of usefulness rather
than one of pleasure because it was
felt that his influence would be far
reaching-that it would lead other
young men of wealth to see that it was
nobler and better for a young man TO
devote his life to improving the con-
ditions of the period in which he lived
than to waste it in mere pleasure, and
that it would inspire poor and strug-
Cling youths to endeavor to make the
most of their opportunities in life.
When Mr.. Carnegie returned from
Europe the other day he urged the news
paper men who interviewed him to inn
press upon the young men of the coun-
try the necessity of making careers for
themselves such as Mr.. Vanderbilt was
making.
1t is because there Is very general
respect for Mr.. Vanderbilt that so much
notice is being taken of his illness. If
Alfred Vanderbilt were i'll. although
he has the bulk of the vast fortune his
father left, only an occasional mention
of the fact would be made, and that
because of his wealth.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21

Between bites of the simple breakfast
he had ordered the young clerk gazed
nervously at the restaurant clock, says
the New York Mail and Express. 1t
was plain he had oversight himself and
was paving the way to future indiges-
ton by boiling his food. The coffee
was the stumbling block. 1t was hot,
very hot, but the clerk needed it badly,
and he slipped it carefully, having due
regard for his mouth and tongue. But
time pressed, and, with a parting
glance at the clock. he reached for
his glass of ice water and prepared
to pour some of the frigid fluid into
his cup.
Don't spoil your coffee, young man."
said an elderly gentleman who was
eating his breakfast ON the other side
of the table. you take all the good
out of it by putting ice water in it,"
The clerk was at first inclined to re-
sent the interference. but the patriar-
chal appearance of the other man tenn
pered his resentment.
What am to do?" he asked. "I am
late for the office, and want this cof-
fee badly"
Let me show you a little scheme"
said the elderly man. Taking the cylin-
drical salt cellar from the table. he
wiped it carefully with napkin, then
reaching over deposited the glass YES
sci in the cup of coffee.
Salt, you know, has peculiar cool
ing properties, he said, meanwhile
holding the receptacle firmly in posi-
ton. '"They put it with ice to intensi-
fy the cold when making ice cream. 1t
is used extensively in cold storage
warehouses for cooling purposes, and
being encased in glass does not affect
IT'S power to any great extent"
AS he spoke he withdrew the salt cell
lar from the coffee and motioned to the
younger man to drink. He raised the
cup to his lips, and to his surprise
found the liquid cooled to such an ex-
tent that he could drink it without in
convenience.
''The uses of salt are manifold" said
the elderly man, with the air of one be-
ginning a lecture. 81 remember once
when l was in Mexico"
But the clerk, with another glance at
the clock, thanked him profusely
snd dashed out of the restaurant.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
THE REAL MONROE DOCTRINE.

1t is passing strange that the discus
sions in Congress. the utterances of
diplomatic officials. and even the mes
sage of the President. when it deals
with the declaration known as the
Monroe Doctrine" and attempts to
quote the language of President Mon
roe should quote it incorrectly and fail
to give the precise words in which that
momentous doctrine was enunciated.
The language which constitutes the
declaration, which has passed into his
tory as the Monroe Doctrine is as
follows:
I'VE owe it, therefore. to candor and
to the amicable relations existing be-
tween the United States and those pow
ers to declare that we should consider
any attempt on their part to extend
their system to any portion of this hem
isphere as dangerous to our peace and
safety. With the existing colonies or
dependencies Of any European power
we have not interfered and shall not
interfere. But with the governments
who have declared their independence
ana maintained IL. and whose inde-
pendence we have. on great considera-
ton and on just principles, acknowl-
edged. we could not view any inter-
position for the purpose OF expressing
them or controlling In any other man
ner their destiny. by any European
power IN any other light than as the
manifestation Of an unfriendly dispo-
Eiflon toward the United States"
The words above quoted are 20 be
found in the seventh annual message
~ President James Monroe dated Dec.
q 1928 They occur on page 2lS, yol-
ume 2, Messages and Papers Of Presi-
dents by Richardson.
u fs generally conceded that they,
not only enbcdY q principle second 10
n0ae in importance. bur the language
has always been considered fine spec
imen ~ plain warming coached Ia IN
eAcepuonabie diplomatic terms.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
Personal.

Gen. Corbln was hurrying around
a corner in Washington when he
bumped into a small boy. There,
now" said the lads mother, you
have run into that gentleman" He
amt no gentleman" replied the urch-
in, "hes a general"
Lady Rothschild, whose husband is
head OF the famous family, does an
immense amount of charitable work,
but never of a public character. In
the vicinity of Tring Park, her coun-
try home in Buckinghamshire, Eng,
She is known all over the countryside
on account of the benefactions con-
ferred at her instigation.
The King Of England is taking
means to guard his home life. He is
endeavoring to stop the publication OF
interviews with chance visitors at
Sandringham or Windsor. He has in
timated to his friends that he is of the
opinion that the privacy of his home
life should be as sacred as that of the
meanest of his subjects. At a recent
dinner the King declared that he dis
liked all interviews and personalities
in the newspapers. The guests are
supposed to take the hint and act ac-
cordingly.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21

Gen. Benjamin f. Tracy, formerly
Secrtary of the Navy under Harrison
is one of those who believe that the
Democracy will call upon Grover Cleve-
land to lead it in the next campaign
Gen. Tracy was asked if he regarded
Mr.. Cleveland as a possible candidate
He replied: Nobody ever heard of a
presidential nomination being refused
Mr.. Cleveland is a man of courage, in
tense loyalty and strong intellect. ]
do not think he would consent to be-
come a candidate of a faction of his
party, but if rendered the nomination
by the united Democracy, he would
scarcely refuse"
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
A Christmas Eve.

(Soliloquy of a boy of seven years.
From Leslie's Weekly.
s p. M.
That new boy in Miss Slater's room,
He says-and believe him
There isn't any Sanity Claus!
He's ten; you can't deceive him.
He came from Boston, and he saws
Such fiction's truly shocking;
don't quite know what that means,
but
I'll not hang up my stockingl
9P. NJ.
Somehow / can't get fast asleepi
/ spose cause I'm excited
How pa did laugh when l came up!
Ma didn't seem delighted.
They're down stairs yet I hear pas
voice
And ma. hear her rocking
/ wonder can they hear me 10
l go hang up my stocking.
10 r. NJ.
/ wish there was a Sanity Clausi
! like the old way better.
! used 20 write him what 20 bring
And IA would take the letter.
Harkl ! hear sielgh-bells. don't ~
And
Can that be SANITY knocklnRg
He doesn't knock but just FOR Fun
! Viii hang up my stocking.
edward w. Barnard.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
-
BRIGHT BITS.

Johnny Whiffie-"Say, do you call
1t fair, when you been good to yer Sis
ter, an KEEP yer face washed, an went
ter Sunday-school fer a hull month. an
then only git bum toothbrush an a
girls necktie fer a present?"-Judge.
-Gertrude-"After Christmas, I'm
going to give a luncheon to our church
ladies'" Augustus-"Why so soon,
Gertrude?" Because they
sold me this tough plum-pudding, and
they've got to help eat brooklyn
Life.
what beautiful blond hair she
hast" Yes. and what beautiful dark
eyes! Her hair must have been of the
same color originally" 81 happen to
know otherwise, Miss Jenny. Her hair
is of the true love sort" "How's that?"
"Never dyes. Chicago Tribune.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
THE MORNING NEWS is published

THE MORNING NEWS is published
every day in the year. and served 20
subscribers in the city. or sent by mall.
at 70 cents a month. sLoe Cor six
month, and $500 for ore year.
THE MORNING NEWS, by mall, six
times a week (without Sunday issue),
three months. s1-5O; six months. $500;
one year, 5000.
TIKI WEEKLY NEWS, two issues 3
week (Mon6ay and Thursday. by mail,
one year, 800.
Subscriptions payable In advance.
Remit by money order, check or reg
istered letter. Currency sent by mail
at risk of sender.
Transient Advertisements, other than
special column. local or reading no
tees. amusements and cheap or want
column. 10 cents a line. Fourteen lines
of aGlte rype-equal to one inch In
depths the standard of measure
ment. Contract rates and discounts
made known on application at business
Office.
Orders for delivery of the Morning
News to either residence or place OF
business can be made by mail or by
telephone No. 30. Any irregularity In
delivery should be Immediately report
ed.
Letters and kilograms should be ao-
dressed "MORNING NEWS" Savannah.
Ga.
EASTERN OFFICE, 2s Park Row,
New York City, H. c. Faulkner. Man
ager.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
EDUCATION IN THE SOUTH.


/ Hon. William T. Harris. United
States Commissioner OF Education. is
/ of the opinion that the educational
movement which had It's origin at Ca
pom Springs, Va, five years ago and
which is now organized under the
name of the General Education Board.
is going to be OF vast benefit to the
South. In the course of an interview.
published in the Baltimore Sun a day
or two ago, he said: 1T is the begin
ming Of the most promising movement
in education that we have at the pres
ent time. There is almost unlimited
capital behind It. I am informed that
there is no doubt that wealthy men
IN New York viii give millions of dol
lars, If they can be assured that If,
in planting It, fruit will be produced"
There is no doubt that those who
are interested in this movement are
very much in earnest The meeting
that was held at Athens. in this state.
last April was an enthusiastic and
successful one. Each year since it was
started the movement has grown in
strength and importance. There is rea-
son to believe that many more rich
men are interested in It now than
there were at its beginning. While the
purpose is to aid education in all parts
OF the country. it is the intention to
give special attention to the South.
for the reason that the South is more
in need Of assistance than any other
section.
OF course Mr.. Harris knows what
he is talking about when he says
there are millions of dollars behind
the movement. He knows the rich men
who are contributing to It, but he de-
clines to make their names public. be-
cause they are not DESTROYS of figuring
before the public in connection with
the matter. The fact is. they have
more money than they can spend, and
more than they want to leave to their
heirs. II is their observation that
children do better when they have to
struggle a little for themselves than
when all their wants are provided for,
and, in fact. more than provided for.
It is worthy of notice that Mr.. Carne-
gle said the other day, in denying
that he intended to make his little
daughter a present Of his great house
in New York city on Christmas Day.
that he did not want his daughter to
grow up with the idea that she was
to inherit great wealth, that. as a
matter of fact. he did not intend she
should have more than was necessary
for the needs OF a woman in her sta
tion of life. Evidently Mr.. Carnegie in
tends to follow out the purpose to
which he gave expression a few years
ago. namely, to dispose of the greater
part of his vast wealth during his life
time.
Rich men like Mr.. Rockefeller and
Mr.. Carnegie could not make better
use of their wealth than in helping to
educate the masses of the people of
the South. And it looks as IL it were
their intention to use some of it In
that way. If care Is taken to keep the
educational movement in the hands of
those who will see to 1t that the mon
ey contributed is properly distributed.
there is no doubt that good results
will flow from it-results that can be
easily seen.
The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21
MERIT REcoGNIzED.

The attention which the newspapers
are giving the illness of Cornelius Van
derbilt and the interest which
is felt in him generally are a
tribute 20 worth and genuine Amer
lean manhood. IL II also a pro-
tesla popular protest-agalnst the
injustice done him by his father
because he decided TO follow his own
lnclinations In choosing a wife. Ills
father, II viii be recalled. objected 10
the woman who became his wife.
though just what his objection was
never appeared very clearly IN the pub
ne prints. BE was cut on with 81
10000, The great bulk 81 his fathers
fortune going 10 Alfred, who was 70
be rerognizes az the head u tbs faiB-
ny.
The public, however. has always nee