davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Influences That pebauch.

> Fully 80 per cent of all that is dis
honest, all that is corrupt and all that
is menacing to free institutions in
municipal and state government can
be traced directly to the influence of
these quasi-public corporations upon
local politics. They not only debauch
city and state governments, but it is
their consistent policy to maintain
these governments in state of pros
titution-their influence is cast habit
ually against'all decency and efficiency
and integrity in public affairs. The
sentiment in favor of municipal own
ership is grounded almost wholly in the
belief that the people have no other
means Of protecting themselves
against the rapacity and criminal
greed of quasi-public corporations.
They are not flying to municipal own
ersbip, but are being driven to it as
a last desperate measure.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
The Dancers of a SURPLUS.

The arrangement of the currency
system and extravaganza in public ad
ministration that amounts to almost
robbery are not the only evils arising
from the large accumulation of rev.
cenue in the United States treasury. A
surplus tends to capitalization and an
unnatural and undesirable strength OF
the federal government. 1t leads to
the creation of great many unneces'
sary offices and the erection of many
unnecessary buildings and the cult.
walton of the false idea that the great
government of this country is at
Washington and that the states are
mere provincial establishments.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Riiti.r,s Rjobts Calmly IGNORED.

I, The calm and deliberate manner, In
which. the House of Representatives
last "chawed up" Mr. Butler of Mis-
souri,, who has been sitting as mem
Der during this session of Congress,
will serve as a caution to reckless
Democrats elected by a narrow ma
jority of 1000 who seek to break Into
the Republican house of representa-
tives with only certificate of cleo.
ton as their credentials. How grand
and strenuous is the grand old party!
How irresistible is it's power when it
gets its, graphing irons on a de-
feated brother and drags him from
under the avalanche Of Democratic
votes apd lands him safely on the
floor of the house! And how helpless
the poor devil of Democrat is with
only his certificate of election from the
governor of his state, based upon a
majority of 6,400, when the Republi-
can house wants his seat for Re
publican brother. on the outside!
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Campaign Pledges Repudiated.

Senators and representatives in
dorsed the pledge OF the President
that Cuban reciprocity should be
passed. Republican state platforms
declared in favor of it., Next to the
promises of antitrust Legislation there
was, mo. pledge more general or uni
,versal, than the one that Cuban reel
procity should be enacted this winter
Having won the election on that's prom;
Use. what has been the performance?
When the. treaty was sent to the Sen
ate it was Kept sedulously in the rear
until the statehood, farce presented .
shallow excuse fol, letting. it expire.
There have been more glaring indivfd-
ual cases. 0f, the reppdiation. of cam,
paign pledges, but there have been
few in which the BAD faith assumed $50
wide national character. ~ j..
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
when She is Heard of.

"Chunka Lunk," remarked the
Dowager Empress of China, come
here!"> Sff
The keeper of the royal embroid-
cry scissors approached.
1T has been reported to me-" con-
tinued the empress, sternly, that you
have referred to me as an old cat.
Is this SOP"
1T is, o Sister of the Green Cheese
Moon" replied Chunka Lunk, brave
ly, "but only in the most compliment
airy way. The newspapers have you
killed so often, you know, that you
must have as many lives as feline!"
"Um!" remarked the empress, less
sternly, that's all right, then. 1
thought perhaps my finger nails were
beginning to wear Off"
Gazing proudly at that badge of
no-work royalty, she relapsed into
the innocuous desuetude from which
the last cable news had brought her.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
n Reuix'af of SumpfuarY
Lasvs Might BE Of Service.

Perched on the top Of 1t was a work.
mana poor Norwegian who scarce
ly speaks English. His back was to-
ward the crane. and he never saw it.,
nor did any one else until 1t was with
in two feet of him. If the arm Of
the giant crane struck him it would
crush him as 1t would an egg shell.
Twenty feet below was the ground
strewn with jagged pieces Of iron, to
fall on which was instant death. The
workmen below saw his danger and
shouted to him. The man turned
half way round and felt the crane
coming. It was death either way,
and, paralyzed with fear, he collapsed.
At this critical moment when every
one else had lost his head, one man
was there who knew what to do, and
did it. Twenty feet away when the
impending doom over the man was
first seen, in less than two seconds he
cleared the space and stood among
the jagged iron.
Jump for your life! It's your only
chance!" he cried, and he braced
himself to catch the falling man,
while the crowd held its breath. The
two men came together with an i'm
pact SO great that both were picked
up senseless. 1t was case of clear
grit, cool judgment and prompt
action.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Phlpps and American Labor.

Henry Phipps, who rolled up for
tune in connection with the starvation
wages long paid by the Carnegie com
pany, is playing Prince Magnifco in
the far East.
While poverty stalks the regions
where his corporation subdued a
strike with guns he has given the gov
ernor general of India a large frac
ton of a million dollars to be used In
developing that portion of the British
empire.
Never was there more conspicr.
Gus violation of the proverb that char.
ity should begin at home.
Phipps was shrewd enough to col.
lect his interest, however, in advance.
Special attentions to Phipps as a
guest at the governor generals recent
durbar secured the donation of for.
tune got out of the sweat and star
walton of American labor.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
The Lesson STausht BY Congress.

The fifty-seventh Congress, in spite
of failure in the performance of duty
has, nevertheless, indirectly served
the people. Its record proves that 8
change in the majority control Of
Congress is imperative If the peoples
will is to prevail. Voters have beer
taught. that the trusts control the Re
publican party. Antitrust legisla
ton, tariff revision and a wise and
profitable reciprocity must come
through a Republican defeat at the
polls. The effect of this teaching
should exercise compelling in
Huence in next years election.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Both Houses to Blame.

The Senate rules certainly need
modification, but the House goes as
far in one direction as the Senate does
in the other. The House refuses to
deliberate, and this forces on the Sen
ate the duty of giving proper consid-
Grafton to bills which pass the House
inconsiderately. The House does
worse than this by continually passing
bills, or parts of bills, for buncombe
with the confident expectation that the
Senate will kill them. The truth is
that the members of both houses are
largely responsible for the conditions
of which they are continually com.
planning. Legislative blackmail is
rampant at both ends of the capitol.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Rotten Roroujahs In ii The se,his;te..

!. Speaking of rotten borough repre-
.sentation in Congress, what's the mat
ter with Delaware? With a measly
1S5,00O'' inhabitants SO corrupt that
even. Gas, Addicks owns and uses
them like cattle, 1T sends to Washing
ton. two Senators to do his bidding,
.Addicks' great strength, outside of
his money, was the knowledge that his
opponents had too much principle"
to admit Of 1.-The coalition Of minority
Republicans. and Democrats to effect a
decent election. New Mexico has a
larger population than Delaware, and
1t certainly would never fall under
more ignominous 'bossisms than Della
ware now tolerates. Delaware ought
to be annexed Pennsylvania. Quay
and Addicks would .be team for
you. ~ ..a gg,stf-fb
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

often warned, against exposing herself
to sudden fright. She complained of
having nightmare and said she often
woke up in a state of terrible fright,
so weak that she could not call for
help. One morning she was found
dead in bed with an expression Of abb
ject terror on her face. l have no
doubt that she died. from fright pro-
duced by nightmare
Persons subject to nightmare who
have weak hearts should avoid sleePN
ing on the back. They should, lie on
the right side and have the right arm
extended SO they will wake up If they
turn over. Most nightmares are the
result of sleeping on the back or the
left side, where the heart is so COM
pressed that 1t has little room for free
action" H
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
The pevourina steel Trust.

The steel trust continues to show
signs of deliberate and comprehen
sive, policy Of absorption of all other
concerns in the same line of business
which are of much Importance. Need
less to say, its purchases will have
to be made at very high prices, and
it's policy will lead bold and ambitious
men to establish new iron and steel
mills for the purpose of selling them
to the big trust at a fat profit. II
that sort of thing goes far enough
there. will be grave trouble ahead for
the greatest of the industrial com.
binations.-
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Shall the Curse 3. Resser<di


ignored, even when defiance might
mean a trifling matter of hanging OF
burning alive.
In the good old once-upon-a-time
when Edward III. was king of Eng
land, furs of ermine and lettice were
strictly forbidden to any but the
royal family or mobiles having f1,0Ov
year or more-the milliOnaires OF
the time. Cloth of gold and silver and
habits embroidered with jewels, lined
with pure minever and other expen.
sive furs, were permitted only to
knights and ladies whose income ex-
ceeded 400 marks yearly.
The families of knights whose in
come was more than 200 marks and OF
squires possessing 200 in lands or
tenements, were allowed to wear cloth
Of silver, with their ribands, girdles,
and other accessories reasonably orna-
mented with silver. They were al
lowed also to wear wooden cloth of the
value of six marks for the whole piece,
while all the unfortunates of less prop
erty or lower rank were forbidden to
wear silk or embroidered garments of
any sort or such ornaments as rings,
buckles, ouches, girdles and ribands.
In the reign Of Henry Nv. not only
was "cloth of crimson, cloth of velvet
or motley velvet" forbidden to any
save persons of high estate, but the
cut of garments was regulated so that
no person, be his condition what it
might, was permitted to wear a gown
cut or slashed into the form OF letters,
rose leaves, posies of other kinds, or
any curious devices, under the penalty
of FORGETTING the same, and the tailor
who undertook the order was to be
imprisoned during the kings pleasure.
Likewise in the time of Edward ~.
no one under the rank of a lord was
permitted to wear the indiscreetly
short jacket or pike or poulaine" to
his shoes more than two inches in
length, and no yeoman or person of
less degree was permitted to have
holsters or stufing of wood, cotton or
eadis in his purpoint or doublet under
a penalty of six shilling and eight
pence fine and forfeiture, and every
tailor or shoemaker guilty of making
such apparel for unprivileged persons
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Dancer In Nightmares.

IT believe that dreams sometimes
kill" said prominent specialist on
nervous diseases the other day. "Of
course don't know that they are ia
tai, but have every reason to think
so. had a woman patient whom I
was treating for a number of compli-
cations, including a weak heart. She
could not bear any excitement and I
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
What the Combines Have Done.

Amohg'fthe labor measures that a
Republican majority has shelved in
the Senate are the anti-injunctiop
bills, the eight-hour bill, the railroad
appliance measure and the immigra-
ton bill. 1t is very well known who
are the opponents of these salutary
measures. They are great combines,
the shipping, steel and other trusts,
who are deadly foes of any measure
that is designed to help workingmen.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
!. .encouraoinq Extravaaance..

Now .wefare a "two-billion-dollar
nation" and it is not probable that
the limit has We, been reached. Our
statesmen will be extravagantatust as
long as the people are willing to be
taxed to pile up a surplus in the treas
hry. II taxpayers are Indifferent to
their own interests they may rest as
sured that Congress will place no
curb on the reckless expenditures of
the peoples money.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
4 Tho. Policy Is Responsible.

Most of. the mob were foreigners,
as the familiar statement carried in
/; tAeo dispatches from West, Virginia
The list of casualties does not wholly
bear out this statement. but the, ma
tiogality, Of, the rioters is not impor
tant, 1t has a certain significance
however, when one'racalls the policy
,tbatishasifooded the mining regions
with labor that knoWs nothing of our
Language or laws and has no concep
ytidn, Of that ingrained respect for
legally CONSTITUTED authority which
alone makes possible a government
bS the lpeopie.'..1', IL. tk>,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Colonization Not a Success.

France spends annually for her col
onies a little more than $4,000, 900,
while the aggregate Of it's business
with them, export and import, is but
$62,000,0 900, and but 1000 a year emf
CRATE to French colonies. But France
has not been the least successful
country in building a colonial en-
pire, for Germany's geographically
large possessions cost more than the
aggregate of the exports and imports
from them.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

the satire Of the poets quantity prove
that sumptuary laws were universally
disregarded.
The complaint Of Chaucer's Parson
concerning the sinful, costly array Of
clothing" is to the effect, with the
spelling modernized, that "the sin in
superfiuity of clothing which maketh
it so dear to the harm of the people is
not only to the cost of embrouding,
the Disgusting, indenting or barring,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Jkln Them in Infancy.

The thing to do with the. trusts Is
not to wait until they have done the
damage, but when their intentions are
clearly avowed-as they are in most
cases, If not by admission at least by
construction-to SO legislate that their
power for doing evil may be curbed.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
WASTEPUBLIC MONEY.
RECENT CONGRESS RECKLESS IN
ITS EXPENDITURES.
More Than $1,5oo, ooo, 900 Appropriated
During the Session Just Closed
Danger in the Accumulation Of Gl.
gantic Surplus"

The Congress which has just ad-
journed appropriated over $1,000, OOO,-
900 from the national treasury for the
support of the government for two
years This is twice the amount ex-
pended by, the government ten years
ago.
1t is a vast increase over the govern
ment expenses during the Spanish war.
1t is more than four times as much as
was expended during the civil war,
when the cost of the armies in the
field was a million dollars a day.
When Speaker Reed was reproached
with the fact that the Congress in
which he was GEAR" was "a billion
dollar Congress" he replied that this
is a, billion dollar country" 1t might
now be described as country of bill
lion-dollar trusts.
This rate of public expenditure can
not go on forever. Under the appar-
entity illimitable prosperity of the.cpun-
try there turks always the danger of
panic, disaster and bankruptcy. If
this condition shall be precipitated 1t
will be caused mainly by the fact that
the money of the people is being with
drawn from the uses of legitimate
busitfess by the enormous accumula-
lions of hundreds of millions of dollars
as surplus" in the national treasury.
If the powers that be are wise they
will take in sail before the storm
comes but there do not appear to be
any signs at present that this prudent
policy will be adopted. =,
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
Nothing Worse could Be Done.

: President Roosevelt has summoned
an. extra, session of the. new Senate
Since some of the work expected tc
be accomplished in this special meet
ing will require enabling legislation by
the House of Representatives, and
since the expiring Congress has done
none Of the things. which the interests
of the nation require should be done
there ought to be an extra session Of
both branches. Possibly there might
come no more good from the new Con
gress than from the old one, but there
could come nothing worse.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

Those legislators who have recently
proposed laws about kissing and cell
bacy and taxing real or bogus lords
might try their luck at few sump-
tuary laws. They would be quite as
well-timed as the others and more
useful, and perhaps just as little
needed, especially il they should aim
to RESTRAIN the expense of citizens in
apparel" for it is sadly recorded that
never were such laws made but to be
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

There would be no talk of race sui
eide il all married couples were like
Mr.. and Mrs. Cormac McCallis of
Hazleton, Penn, who have Just had
their twenty-third child born to them.
Mrs. McCallis is forty-five. She was
married at the age Of seventeen.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

| ounding, paling, winding, or bending
and semblable waste of cloth in vanity,
but there is also the costly Turing in
their gowns, SO much pouncening of
chisel to make holes, so much dagging
of shears with the superfluity in length
OF the aforesaid gowns trailing in the
mire, etc." This would not come so
much amiss by the way in describing
a very smart 1903 frock.
So 1t appears that these happy folk
OF long ago went gayly on in their
vain ways Of spending very much
more on gorgeous raiment than they
could well afford or than the law al
lowed and bravely defied fines and
forfeiture in order to present a gallant
appearance.
But this is a utilitarian age, and If
some strenuous soul were to introduce
sumptuary laws to-day they might
prove Unexpectedly popular as offering
very decent means of escape from
the ruinous elegance of modern dress.
For instance, it would be satisfying to
say with conscious virtue Harry
wanted dreadfully to give me an err
mine stole and muff this year, but l
felt that We must obey the law, which
forbids it to any but billionaires, you
know"
Or:
Mime. Branagan wished fairly to
cover my new frock with open-stitch-
ing, but l wouldn't put myself in a
position to be cursed by the dear
bishop for all the frocks in Christen.
DOM"
Or, with a sigh:
Irish point would have been love.
ly thing to trim this dress with, but
we aim to be law-abiding citizens and
lace is forbidden to those with less
than $4,000 year."
1t would be much pleasanter to say
such things than to acknowledge open
ly or tacitly that you couldn't afford
the article or to strain every nerve
to get them and pay the consequence.
There are plenty of level-headed WON.
en- to-day who could extract degree
of restfulness' out of the conscientious
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

They fear most the passage Of the
anti-injunction measure, which would
curb the power of federal judges to
issue sweeping injunctions that de-
prive laboring men of every right
which the constitution has conferred
upon them.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

The messenger boys can never ex-
: pect to conduct "a successful strike
until they invent a scheme by which
they can exercise authority QyseSg. their
mothers. :. ,GsI.s ~ = y.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

A Philadelphia minister advises
young women never to marry man
until they have thoroughly reformed
him Why mot make :gsure, of him
first and reform him later on? 'f>s
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

King Edward Of England. has join
ed four clubs during the past year,
Nowzt thesqueen doesn't believe him
When he gets; in late'it will simply
show that She isn't willing to listen
to reason. va; yis'''i' q. as,r," y
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

Count Tplsteig .mailtain that the
accumulation Of vast, riches is not, a
go6df decd; Abut :" an evil'' one. Tie
beauty of this theerv'is that the good
deeds will always. outnumber the
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

England againnhas been consider
ing. the problem of a. food supply lin
!. case of a foreign war. The best way
ito dispose Of that matter is to keep
on good terms. with !. 1.-The United
States. In that case there will
always be food and to spare.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
.yV;TftfFH1,

The biz supply : 81 sSns n.f powder
! that the sultan is arranging ito buy
/. in, Germany is not idasispaas fda. toilet
use BY the female ,lssF members NeF Of his
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

aNs5h, thatts,'J nly bfs :yax; I'VE, often
hear pleaded tin excuse'fof sdfie one.
But when a, mans wayssNEa offensive
TO bis fellows he's f SAILED s ap9Qn to al;
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27
-rAIGL-t-Ttil

4. Congratulations cQptinpa to. pour, in
on Mrs. Ormsby:, til" Mother, iof the
famous ,quadruplets, i while the mel
ancholy plight of Mr.. Ormsby is per-
sistently overlooked.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

Prince Albert Kakailimoku Kumuia-
:..kha, last descendant of King Kane
+. hameharof;Ha&aii, is. dead. Let us
hope he has, gone where the, good are
/. o. X.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

:, From recent numerous scandalous
eruptions in royal circles abroad one
gathers that the, sarsaparilla market
4, is on the verge of boom.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

Theatrical managers love full
= hbuse; but 1T is sad sight for, the
!. man whose three aces haye3induced
him to pay to witness it, -'..!|.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

The lioness Aesop tells about, yoq
remember entertained somewhat
different. opinion concerning large fam
lies.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

=. The news that the. author of "All
CoonS Look Alike to- Me" il bank.
rupt should, cause genuine regret in
Indiandla.
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

y: ,Baltimofeees new city, directory
...giyesathe city population ofee64, 725
-155, 76S,,mor than the census, en,im-
'.rerators, found I'M 1900. Evidently the
Baltimore directory publishers, are en-
terprising people. y; .2'"pf., ~
Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1903-03-27

suffered the pain of cursing by the
clergy, as well as forfeiture of 20
shillings.
The wives of esquires and gentle
men and knights under the rank of a
lord were forbidden to wear any kind
of corses, which means the body of
the gown and not a corset, worked
with gold, and the wives of persons
not having 40 pounds yearly and
widows and their daughters of smaller
possessions were forbidden to wear
gtrdles ornamented with gold, silver
Or gilt work or any corse of Silk OF
coverehief made out Of the realm. 4.
But it is not necessary to give any
more examples Of the well-laid plans
of kings in order to lead up to the
fact that they went the same way that
those of mice and ordinary men do.
The lamentations Of the clergy and