davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23

slaves should be pensioned, and south
ern sentiment will second the motion.
Why, thea, may it not be passed by
the next congress?
When the census was taken in 1860,
as the civil war was coming on,
there were 1858, 100 slaves in the coun-
try 1t is reasonable to say that this
number was increased to 1000, 900 by
the end OF the war. Using the pen
sion rolls as a guide. it is safe to say
that 1 $50 900 of the ex-slaves are still
living, and if they are pensioned at
the rate OF 500 a year the pension
roll would be increased to the extent
of $145,00O,OO0, and the south would
thus receive about as much pension
money as the north does.
The Hanna proposition is very
lively one and the country has not
heard the last OF it by any means. 1t
may prove a boomerang 10 the repub-
licans, but it is fairly launched, and
they cannot now sink it or drive it
out of public view
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
UNIFORM TEXT BOOKS.

From the New Decatur Advertiser.
The uniform text book bill should be
enacted. 1t has passed the house and will
doubtless pass the senate.
Inquiry into this matter in states which
handle the school books show that easier
grading of pupils ana a great saving
of expense to patrons of the schools are
obtained by uniform text book law. and
the contracting of the state with pub
fishers for books at low rates.
Moreover, there are many schools in
the rural districts near which no books
are sold. and it would be a geat con-
venience to the patrons of such country
schools to have the books put in their
reach in the double sense of having some
source from which they could be obtained
and of the lower price at which .ney
could be bought.
In West Virginia the law is recognized
as wise, without any evils resulting from
its operation. Our near neighbor, Ten
nessee, has firmly established such law.
The fears of those who apprehend job
berry and deficit should only make the
state the more vigilant in guarding these
dangers.
In California the state even prints its
school books, and, all things considered,
It would seem by far the best to pass a
well-guarded and judieious uniform text
book law.
In this connection, credit should be
given State Senator Taylor of Livingston.
for his disinterested work for many years
in the interest of popular education and
the uniform text book measure.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
MUSICIANS AS LOVERS.

Rupert Hughes in the Smart Set.
The long and the short of it is. per-
haps, that music, being universal art,
like 2 universal watch key, will set going
the complicated cogs and springs of every
soul, and yet not regulate or assure the
rhythm. Music stimulates and satisfies
the mind in any of its whin.s. You can
tune 1t to a softly chanted prayer, or a
dance orgy; to a hymn of exultation, or a
tinkling serenade; to a kindergarten song,
or the blood-thirst of armies; to voluptu-
Gus desires that cannot, or dare not, be
worded. or raptures distilled of every hui
man dross; to cynical rallery, the
throb of young lovers heart; to the hi
larity of drinking song, or the mid
night elegy of ineffable despair How is
such an art as this to compel or to deny
anything or anybody?
Musicians, then, are only ordinary clay
who happened to make music. instead of
other things of more or less beauty or
value. They are ordinary puppets of cir
cumstance, who might have been happier.
and might have been unhappier, with the
women they wed, had those women died
younger or lived longer; or with other
women or with none at all.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
The Pool Selling Bill.

A gentleman who came up from Mont
gomery last night, and who has been
close attendant on the legislature, was
asked about the prospects of the pool
bill. and said 1T stands no chance to
pass. | do not believe it could get
through the house if no lobbying at all
were done against it.
There are plenty of members who are
on the watch besides the Jefferson dele
cation, all of whom l understand oppose
it. Men like Mr. Starr of Dallas, Judge
Walker of Madison, Captain Simpson of
Lauderdale. Mr.. Scheussler of Chambers.
Mr.. Thomas of Chambers and dozens Of
others, would see to its defeat. Even if
1t were called up at late hour with a
thin house. it could not slip through, be-
cause these men are always there and
Speaker Tunstall would not connive at
a trick"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
Government BUILDINGS.

ut is gratifying to find that Chairman
Mercer of the house committee on public
buildings and grounds has taken hold ac-
lively of the project to start work at
once to secure a home for the new de-
partment of commerce." said a Washing
ton man at the Morris.
Throughout his career Mr.. Mercer mas
shown himself to be a firm believer in
the necessity of pushing vigorously ahead
in the making of a national capital. He
has accurately measured not only the OPP
portunities but the duty in this regard.
Both as a member of the district COM
mittee and as head of the public buildings
committee he has done yeoman service
toward filling the gaps between the real
and the ideal Washington, and it would
be eap-sheaf in his congressional ca
reer, soon to come to a close for the pres
ent by his retirement from the house
for short time only, it is to be hoped
to secure an appropriation for the pur-
chase of a site and the preparation of
plans for this new executive branch of the
government.
Such a provision at this session of
congress would set new pace IN the mat
ter of providing for the building needs of
the government. Heretofore congress
has been willing that the needs should
accumulate until sheer shame has de-
manded activity and appropriations. To-
day hundreds of the clerks of the public
seryKe are scattered about in inadequate
rented quarters. This is not only finan-
lie interests 1t is wasteful and incon-
venient and even dangerous method"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
Good Town for Lawyers.

Birmingham is the best town In the
south for lawyers" remarked a promi-
nent member of the bar the other day.
"One of the chief reasons for this is that
so many suits are filed in the courts. more,
probably, than in any other city of its
size in the country"
Continuing on this line he said Nearly
everyone here who has a ghost of show
to win a suit at once goes to a lawyer
and soon thereafter a suit Is filed. If
anyone is hurt by accident, that person,
as a rule, seeks damages"
The attorney who was speaking said he
was confident that this was one reason
why so many young lawyers located in
Birmingham, and that to members of the
profession it was really tempting field
Another reason" he said, lis that
there are so many cases in the courts of
other natures, and in nearly all of Them
even on the smallest misdemeanor
charges. several attorneys are employed"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
Stands in attainder of eternal shame.
Loves Labor Lost.
Southern Colonization.

The southeastern railroads have al
ready taken hand in the immigration
problem by offering excursion rates
from the Ohio and Mississippi gate
ways to southern points at one fare
plus two dollars. Beginning in March
and lasting until November any far
mer in the northwest can buy such a
ticket and inspect any section in the
southeastern states outside of the
chief cities and the districts within an
hours ride of them. The object is to
attract western farmers to southern
lands and their resources. The rail
roads that offer these rates are the
Baltimore and Ohio Southeastern,
Cincinnati New Orleans and Texas
Pacific, Frisco, Illinois Central, Louis
Vile and Nashville, Mobile and Ohio,
Nashville, Chattanooga and st. Louis,
Norfolk and Western, Southern, and
Yazoo and Mississippi Valley.
These homeseelars' rates will, if
maintained throughout the year, go
long way towards bringing here the
very people the agricultural counties
of this state most need. We need col
onies of such people who can In that
way best conquer and control local
Conditions. Colonies do not become
homesick, and they invariably find
some products that can be proftably
grown There are such colonies at
Cullman and Fruithurst and in the
trucking district near Mobile, and
there is no reason why one hundred
more colonies of a similar nature
should not be installed in this state.
They will be doubly welcomed, and
the railroads will bring them in at
low rates.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
From the New York Herald.

From the New York Herald.
Prof John b. Smith. the state ento-
mologist, today made this announcement:
ut will be a satisfaction to know that I
have worked out the life history of the
salt marsh mosquito. l know just how
it breeds and just where it breeds now,
aGd the knowledge is brand new. The
ago."
The result of the professor investiga-
tons are given by him in detail The
salt marsh mosquito has certain we'll
defined peculiarities that distinguish it
from all other specie, and that make it
easy to study its habits. It is the most
numerous and annoying of all the mos
quito pests in this state, because it
abounds at the seacoast resorts at time
when its pestiferous attentions are most
undesirable.
1t is almost certain, Professor Smith
says, thai the adult salt marsh MOSQUITO
does not winter in the adult stage. be-
cause the most careful research along
shore very early in the present year fail
ed to disclose single specimen. while
malaria and mouse mosquitoes were found
in some numbers He did not find the
insect until the spring was we'll aG-
vanced.
1t is almost equally certain that they
do not winter in the larva stage be-
cause no wrigglers were found when the
winter had just ended, but were dscov-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
PECULIARITIES OF THE
SALT MARSH MOSQUITO

cred in great numbers and of very small
professor concludes that the winter is
passed in the egg stage and that the
eggs are laid singly or in groups on
grain or sedge, or even on the ground.
When the water becomes sufficiently
warm the wrigglers hatch, and the sea-
sons breeding is started. Areas that are
regularly covered by ordinary tides are
not breeding places for these mosquitoes,
nor are ponds or pools covered only at
tides. if they are six inches or more in
deapth and contain fish or fiddler crabs.
1t will be news to many that the fiddler
crab is one of the most destructive enc
mics of the mosquitoes. It may be put
down as general rule, says Professor
Smith. subject. perhaps, to exceptions,
that where fiddler crabs live mosquito
larvae do not
"Depressions at the beginning of the
upland. covered only by winter or storm
tides. leaving pools that last for weeks
and are reflled by rains, are ideal breed
ing places" he says Draws, drains or
bitches that fill at tides and do not drain
clean are bound to become filled with
wrigglers Any depression in a salt marsh
area not connected with the tide that at
any time holds rain water for a week
will breed mosquitoes"
There are hundreds, perhaps thousands,
of such pools. ponds, bitches and depres-
sions along the Jersy coast.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
"AT THE WALDORF"

From the New York Press.
Very few persons say .'Waldorf-Asto-
ria because it is the American habit to
abbreviate everything. The hyphenated
hotel is never hyphenated in ordinary
conversation 81 am at the Waldorf" is
deemed quite sufficient. A large number
of people make the Waldorf their "hang-
ing out place when in reality they never
take a meal there. and have never seen
the inside of a bedroom. At certain sea-
sons of the year there is an influx of hat
statesmen here They come from all parts
of the country, representing manufacture
ers. Nearly all of them put up at the
Mills hotel No. /. for bed and board,
and meet their commercial friends the
wholesalers. at the Waldorf. where they
do their pickering between sips in the
cafe. 1t is not pecessary for a man to
spend SIG a day in the Waldorf for the
privilege of swelling along Peacock alley.
A couple of drinks puts him on an equal
ity with the regular struts who live in
the house. l wonder If the Waldorf will
retain its vogue when the Aston and
knickerbocker are completed
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
ZoLA's ESTATE.
e Kansas city World.

From the Kansas City World.
Word comes from Paris that lola died
comparatively poor.
Beyond the house in which he lived, and
a fine collection of pictures he left little
or no estate. That seems strange.
He made hundreds of thousands of dol
lars with his pen. His books have been
the vogue in France for many years, to
say nothing of their sale elsewhere. His
royalties were enormous There was coed
reason why some of the immortals OF
English literature "of whom the world
is not worthy should die poor.
Think of Milton selling paradise Lost
for $50. Shakespeare had no market for
Hamlet" or Macbeth save his theatre
audiences.
Grub street traditions tell many a sad
tale of the wearisome travels of genius
up and down the staircases of aristocratic
patrons.
That was in the day when the man
behind the pen made but precarious
living. lola made several fortunes, and
spent them. He was eXtrayagant. Know
ing want in the days of his beginning,
having made money, he went to the other
extreme and spent it lavlshly.
Besides there were irregularities" as
the French say, in his lie. He kept up
two family establishments, and this with
the full knowledge ana consent of his
wife. French ways are not our ways,
thank goodness.
1t is said that while the sale OF Zola
books has fallen off since his death, the
ROYALTIES will be sufficient to maintain
his legitimate family.
lola had no vision. He has LETT no lueai
for the world to worship. He was simply
a realistic historian of his times. me
only time the world applauded him was
when he bravely spoke in behalf oil the
prosecuted Dreyfus.
And that was about the only time he
ever deserved applause.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
IN HOTEL LoBBIES.
LEGAL Holidays.


1T Is not recalled that two legal hoIl-
days have ever come together before
This Monday is a legal holiday because
Sunday was Washington's birthday
This is national. Tuesday is a legal holi-
day on account of Mardi Gras.
This conjunction could only happen
through the fact that Mard Gras is a
movable day. The conjunction Of the
two will come again sometime in the
future and the only reason it has never
happened before is because Mardi Gras
has been a legal holiday in Alabama
only some ten or twelve years Inc act
was passed about the time Selma ana
Montgomery were INDUCING in earniVals
of their own, and they backed up the
Mobile members in extendig the great
holiday of the Gulf City to the whole
state.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
FIGHTING JOE WHEELER
MUCH APPLAUDED IN N. O.

a hospital for the sick and wounded Amer
lean soldiers. Because it had been the
Boat Club the hospital became known
as the Boat Club hospital. Miss Wheeler
had thirty Red Cross nurses under her
direction, and there were $50 patients
in the hospital.
The other two daughters of the gen.
eral. Miss Lucy Wheeler and Miss Carrie
Wheeler, also did duty as army nurses,
but they were not regularly commits
stoned as was Miss Annie Wheeler. In
1898. when the hospital at Montauk Point
became so crowded that there was not
a suffeiency of nurses to care for all the
sick, Misses Lucy and Ca rrie Wheeler
promptly volunteered their services, and
they assisted in the hospitals several
weeks until the shortage of nurses was
overcome.
Speaking about the Confederate re-
union to be held here in April, General
Wheeler yesterday said:
Il think the coming reunion in New Or
leans will be one of the largest and most
successful the veterans have ever held.
Undoubtedly it will be one of the most
largely attended for New Orleans is iii
every way most suitably located for such
gathering. The proposition to raise
fund to bring here the old soldiers who
are not able to pay their expenses is an
admirable one, for reunion is a great
thing for the old fellows
General Wheeler, of course, will be
here for the reunion. He will remain some
time after the carnival. and then
turn to his plantation in Alabama, but he
hopes to be here for the big gathering of
Confederate soldiers, and only something
of the utmost Importance will keep him
away
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23

From the New Orleans Picayune.
At the Schley-McCl reception yes
terday afternoon no speaker was more
applauded than General Joseph Wheeler
Fighting Joe Wheeler" the hero Of
three wars. 1t was the first time and
perhaps will be the last time that the
two great commanders, one of the army
and the other of the navy. will speak
from the same platform Both are
Southerners. one from Maryland, the 9TH
er from Alabama. In the Civil war one
was a lieutenant in the Federal navy,
the other a lieutenant general Of
Confederate cavalry In the Spanish
war, one was a commodore i'm command
of flying squadron. the other was a
major general of volunteers in command
of an army corps. One won the naval
battle of Santiago, the other played no
small part in the capture of the city of
Santiago.
While the occasion may not soon pre-
sent itself again for the two great com
manders to speak from the same plat
form, they will still be near together for
many days. The Common street side of
the St. Charles hotel has become the
apartment honse of distinguished visit
ors and most particularly the sixth floor
The suites of Admiral Schley and Gener-
al Wheeler Immediately adioin one an
other on this floor Admiral and Mrs
Schley occupy rooms Nos. 6o1 and 6O3
General Wheeler and his daughters occu-
Ply Nos. COS and COZ.
Miss Annie Wheeler went to Cuba du-
ring the war as Red Cross nurse, and
established the first hospital in Santiago.
She secured the use of the Boat Club in
Santiago bay and there she established
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
TO a WATERFOWL.

BY William Cullen Bryant
whittier. midst falling dew,
While glow the heavens with the last
steps of day,
Far through their rosy depths, dost
thou pursue
Thy solitary way?
Vainly the fowlers eye
Might mark thy distant flight to do thee
wrong,
AS, darkly seen against the crimson sky,
Thy figure floats along.
Seekst thou the plashy brink
OF weedy lake, or marge of river wide.
Or where the rocking pillows rise and
sink
On the chafed ocean tide?
There is a Power whose care
Teaches thy way along that painless
coast
The desert and illimitabe air
Lone wandering. but not lost.
All day thy wings have famed,
AT that far height, the cold thin at
mosphere;
Yet stoop not. weary, to the welcome
land,
Though the dark night is near.
And soon that, toll shall end;
Soon shalt thou find a summer home
and rest.
And scream among thy fellows; reeds
shall bend
Soon DER thy sheltered nest.
Thou'rt gone the abyss of heaven
Hath swallowed UP thy form; yet, on
my heart
Deeply hath sunk the lesson thou hast
given,
And shall not soon depart.
He who. from zone to zone
Guides through the bound,css sky thy
certain flight.
In the long way that must tread alone,
VIII lead my steps Alright.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
Circular to Press.

st. Petersburg. February 22-The gov
eminent, in a secret circular, sent to the
press calls attention to the declaration
published in the Official Messenger, Feb
fuary 10, in which the newspapers are
instructed to refrain from publishing ar
ueles hostile 10 Turkey in connection
with the Macedonian situation. Todays
circular says the previous declaration
clearly indicates the desire of the Gar
TO promote fully and earnestly reforms
in Turkey, and it recommends the papers
to abstain from superfiuous attacks upon
.he Sultan and the Turkish government.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
It's luck when you lose; judgment when
you win.
The pleasures that are sweetest to the
taste are those we have never tasted.
mans first child makes him feel ten
years younger; his fifth adds three gem
erations to his age.
The man who can always tell his wife
right off the reel how he knows he loves
her is the highest development of sheer
genius.
When a man is going home late at night
from the club he is sure he is going to buy
his wife a pearl necklace the next morn
ing for the fun he had: when he gets
up he has row with her because she
hasn't got a dollar to lend him for car
fare.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23

IN other words, coal is carried to
Constantinople almost as cheaply as
BUT own coal is carried from Birming-
ham to Mobile, and even the cost of
transportation to Buenos Ayres is less
.han two dollars a ton. None of this
English coal goes as ballast. 1t is car
ned at the rates named as other
freight is carried, and by vessels reg
Ilarly engaged in trade, and not by
ramp vessels simply desiring some
hing in an outward voyage that it
may go where it can secure a profita-
bic cargo in homeward trip. These
Dw charges at sea enable English
.oal to hold good trade in the West
indies, in Mexico and in Central
America, but English coal will be
iriven out of the Caribbean Sea and
he Gulf of Mexico when we have an
Open Warrior.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-02-23
DR.. UIIman on Text Books.

The defence of the majority of one
in the board of education, presented
| by DR.. Samuel Ullman, is erroneous
when it says the bill passed by the
senate is not the Johnston bill. 1t is
the governor of the state, by the SEN
ate. and by all the people except here
and there teacher who desires to re-
tain control over the selection Of
books in himself, for himself Such
teachers are altogelner too individual
for the common good. True, a few
lines were, on motion of Senator Rog
ers, stricken out, so that absolute
state uniformity was provided for in
stead of state diversification. 1t stands
however the Johnston bill, and it has
been well and favorably tested in
Tennessee.
DR.. Ullman's attempt to show that
school books are no cheaper, book for
| book, in Tennessee than they are in
Birmingham, will change no member
of the legislature, for the legislators
have at hand set of Tennessee
school books, and their prices tell the
whole story. They are from 30 to so
per cent below book trust prices in
this state, and Governor McMillin
says the annual saving to the people
of Tennessee through the text book
law is S25O,OO0 Presumably Governor
McMillin understands the Tennessee
situation better than DR.. Ullman.
DIR. Ullman seems to think school
books are published and regulated on
the almanac plan. He seems to think
there are four-months books, and nine
months books, and SO on ad infinitum.
This is a mistake. A geography is a
geography, and it is as good in rural
school as it is in a Birmingham
school, and vice versa. 1t is much
better than the geography that Super
intendent Dill of Bessemer mentions,
and yet is used in a school in Jeffer-
son county, This is ample comment
on the system now il use, a system,
too, that DR. Ullman seems more than
willing to retain.
Now, why should not Dr. Ullman
and his teachers be generous? Let us
aid the poorer schools of the state as
Superintendent Bill and Professor
Stott suggest This will not injure
the city schools in the least. 1t will
simply limit the opportunities of some
| teachers Surely DR.. Ullman will not
say that "the governor, the superin-
| tendent of education and three emf
| nent educators" are incompetent
that they cannot select as good school
books as teacher here and there can.
Surely not. The Johnston bill pro-
yides that school books shall be Sc
| lected for the public schools through
out the state by the governor, the SUI
perintendent of education and three
eminet educators. This at least would
drive out the geography used in Jeffer-
son county in which Birmingham is
not mentioned.