davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Republic Officials Here.

A party of Republic Iron and Steel company officials, including Chairman k. w. French, President Alexis w. Thomp- son, Vice President John F. Taylor, Traf- fic Manager H. R. Moore, Directors P. D. Kimberly, Charles II. Wacker E. N Ohl and Assistant to the President Wayne Wills, together with J. B. Bas- sett of Cleveland, arrived in Birmingham yesterday and are stopping at the Hill man. All of the Republic officials live in Chicago, except MT. ohl whose home is in Pittsburg
 It is said that no special significance attaches to the presence of the party in the district. Routine inspection will oc- cupy the time of the officials. They will be here until Tuesday night.
 MT. Bassett is not concerned with the company, but he is one of the largest iron merchants of Cleveland and prob ably has the largest bar iron warehouse in the world.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
New Army LeqisIation.

The militia bill is a law, and the general staff bill soon will be. These two measures will vastly change the military service both in detail and in general direction-in the states and at Washington. It brings the entire force up to the most approved methods, and Secretary Root is cer- tainly entitled to credit for inducing congress to pass the two bills, All ob- jectionable features have been strick- en from the two bills, and as they stand they command the support of the country.
 The militia bill does not take the control of the militia from the states, but it does provide that they shall have the advantage of drill and discip- line and the use of improved arms, all at the expense of the general gov ernment. Every regiment of the na- tiOlldl Sudiu VIII DS uletuc iSduy iOi war. Heretofore such regiments have been when war comes no better than raw recruits, the officers being as a rule as raw as the rank and file. All this is to be changed, and the national guard is to be brought up as far as possible to the standard of the regular army.
 The general staff bill provides for a planning expert cont ol of the army, especially in war times, consisting of one chief of staff, two generals, four colonels, six lieutenant colonels and twenty captains. This staff is to con- trol the army instead of general who had no real authority. The law does not go into effect until next August, when General Miles will be retired for age, and when he goes out of active service the general staff will be or ganized, and the army will be directed according to modern rules and modern experience.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Musical Notes,

The Ben Hur music is rich and sym phonic and will be rendered by an or chestra of twenty-three performers. MT. Felceky, the conductor brings a concert meister and three or four other musi- clans. MT. Calman, supplies the balance of the orchestra, but he has to bring two French horns from St. Louis. an aboe and a bassoon from Cincinnati, violin from Atlanta, another violin from Memphis and a violoncello from Huntsville. There will be two rehearsals today and two to- morrow.
 S. Kronberg, representing the Metro politan Opera House orchestra, conducted by the millionaire musician, J. S. Duss, is in Birmingham. He brings Duss south in May and is trying to arrange for a performance in this city. Edouard De- Reszke. the great baritone will come with the organization. The orchestra will number about seventy performers. Mir kronberg brought Grau's Opera company to Birmingham last year and he is al- ways welcome visitor to musical cen ters.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
BOOkY BITS.

From Life.
 A book in the hand is worth two in the press.
 Too many books spoil the trade. Many hands make light verse.
 Circumstances after bookcases. A good name is rather to be chosen than great characters.
 Dead authors tell no tales
 It's long page that has no turning Authors will happen even in the best regulated families.
 Fine feathers do not make fine words. Where there's so much puff, there must be some buyer.
 gilt-edged volume needs no accuser. profit Is not without honor save on a best-selling book.
 The love of sequels is the root of all evil.
 publisher is known by the Go. he keeps.
 Don't look gift book in the binding. Two vanrevels are better than one. Some are born Corelli; some achieve Coreli, and some have Corelli thrust up- on them
 ye cannot serve Good English and Mammon.
 An ounce of dialect is worth a pound of royalties.
 A new broom, sweeps clear
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

President of the seeding states disguised in bonnet, dress skirt and other fe- male apparel. at the time of his arrest
 It is a fact not generally known that the outer garments worn by MT. Davis are in possession of the government Se- curely locked in an official safe here is a tin box containing the outer garments worn by Davis when arrested, and also his riding spurs one of which is broken. These articles are in the original box in which they were sent from Georgia to General Schofeld, by the officers mak- ing the arrest.
 They consist of a shawl about four feet square, the ordinary Paisley pattern, with black border; a rainproof coat. without the cape, and the spurs mentioned The shawl is such as was worn then and is , worn now by men of advanced years to protect the throat and shoulders. It is, in fact, a large muffler The rain coat is a mans garment It Is short, with broad shoulders, and, with allowance for the change of mode, is a commonplace waterproof coat. It is of soft gray ma terial, and if worn now by middle-aged man on a rainy day would not attract any special notice.
 Jefferson Davis's negro body servant, who was present at the arrest. is now an employe of the senate. He has said that no effort at disguise was made, and his statement is borne out by the articles mentioned
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
SCHOOL BOOK TRUST.
From the Marshall Banner.

From the Marshall Banner.
 The book trust having captured the sen- ate committee on education, and already being intrenched in the educational de- partment there is little hope of the peo- pie getting any relief on school books during this session of the legislature. There is always class Of men who can be handled with money--and 1t seems the book trust has managed to find a suffi- cient number of this class to block legis- lation for the next four years to come at least
 From the Ashland Standard
 School text books are to high, and are heavy burdens to the poor who are striv- ing by rigid economy to educate their children. The prices of books are fixed and maintained by the trusts, and we stand sorely in need of some legislation that will free us from the iron heel op- pressor. We think the adoption of a uni- form text book law by the state will fur nish us some relief. Outside of lowering prices of books such a system offers other advantages that the people of the state are entitled to receive. The legis- lature has the power to grant relief prayed for. will it do it?
 From the Wetumpka Herald.
 Uniform text books for our schools would be a step in the right direction. It would be a great saving of money in the price of books to the parents of the chil- dren, because every time a teacher is changed or the child is sent to different school, new and complete set of books have to be purchased. There is no home in the land where there are several chil- dren but that have on hand a large quan- tity of worthless secondhand books. If we had uniform text books each and every child as they become of school age could take up the books studied by the older ones, and by that means the tax for books would be nominal, and beside there would be a system inaugurated in the mode of teaching that would be of great advan- tage to the children of Elmore Select the very best books of each branch of study and let it remain a permanent uniform text book.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Denies the Reports.

Rome February S.-The vatican em- phatcally denies all rumor of Cardinal Ramollis dissatisfaction regarding Gov ernor Taft's attitude in the Philippine question. The effect of Mgr Guidrs lat est reports and mature consideration seem to have decided the vatican that the best solution is to return to the original proposition made by the United States to resort to arbitration for the purchase of friar lands, the settlement of the rentals, the indemnity for damage due from the United States and the ad- ministration of the charitable and edu- cational trusts. It is reported that the Pope has always supported this.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
IN HOTEL LOBBIES.
The Eastest, Train.

''The Empire State Express of the New York Central once more has the distinc- tion of being the fastest train in the world" said man interested in railroad affairs
 Tt had to yield the title for tune to the Southern Express, the flyer oi the Orleans railway of France whlch runs between Paris and Bayonne. me Orleans company published a scheuule which made the train run at an average speed of 54 miles per hour including stops. The schedule of the New York cen tral train was only 53 1-3 miles an hour between New York and Buffalo, including stops.
 There was considerable complaint on the part of French tourists, however that the Southern Express did not maintain US schedule, always losing at least an hour during the 4s8-mile run. The officials or the road have now revised the schedule, so that an average of only 49 1-S miles an hour is made.
 ''The Empire State Express is hard to beat, for on one stretch between Fair port and Rochester, 1t maintains a speed of 66. 33 miles an hour for nine miles,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
A SOLDIERS VALENTINE.

Florence F. Pratt, in Life It was only square of paper lace Where roses and hearts entwine, And beneath them loving word or two;
 Only valentine.
 frivolous thing. in an envelope
 All covered with cooing doves, Forget-me-nots, and ts, and darts, And little ecstatic loves.
 Twas sent by a girl who kissed 1t once
 As she stood in the whirling snow, Where the lights from the corner store
 through the storm
 Sent out a hay glow.
 But your Uncle Samuel must have guess
 ed
 No matter what else might wait, That letter must go post-hastei post haste,
 From here to the Golden Gate. For across the river and over the hills And the prairies, on it flew; It lodged a wreck. and it entered storms.
 And once twas the last train through! Then forth it put to the Western sea, Where the speeding waves upcurled; And the Cupids and .love-birds sailed away To the other side of the world. Oh, wonderful scrap of paper lace, It went to hospital bed Where a homesick soldier tossed and turned And would not be comforted And somehow the soldier felt that day Soft arms. whose pressure he knew, And home. and love. and health, and hope. | Thrilled him through and through | And he felt new love for our Uncle Sam | Who had lent his trains and men | And ships. that the whole world apart, | Two hearts might meet again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
HoesoN,s RESIGNATION.

From the Washington Times.
 Captain Richmond Pearson Hobsons S resignation from the navy stirs only mel ancholy' echoes. The passing from the service almost unnotieed of an officer who less than five years ago flashed into meteorc fame, who shared with Dewey the plaudits of the hero worshipping American public, who was apparently predestined to play & commanding role in our naval and military future, Is but another reminded of the errancy of hu- man judgment, of the perversities of human foresight.
 That the hero of the Merrimac exploit, the prisoner of the Santiago Moro, singled out for professional distinction and extraordinary lineal advancement, should in four short years have com pletey dlssipated his nimbus, complete ly esfranged himself from the service in which he rose to reputation, puzzles the mind that does not measure the frailties which may intertwine with genuine ca pacity for heroism.
 What unlucky star shone on Captain I1oDSOH rom Ine udy ne came nero out of Santiago castle no present day astrologer can venture to determine. But from the day he seems to have been pur- sued by perveIgty of fortune almost consciously malevolent His relations with the naval service have been mark ed by clashes and friction, and his pro- fesslonal career ends now apparently in misunderstanding and disappointment. Politics. which 1t Is said he plans to enter, may offer him more congenial field of effort. In it, 1t may be hoped, he will find satisfactions plainly denied him in a con-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Chinese Walls in Other Countries.

Austria-Hungary, Germany and Rus sia are now lined up against the bless ed Dingley tariff, and they propose to do the Dlngley act on their own ac- count. They do not see why they can not erect and maintain Chinese walls as well as the United States does. The Dlngley game, they say, is game four can play at as well as one.
 The new laws of the three govern ments do not specify by name the United States, but it is well under stood that while they must buy raw cotton in this country, they will not purchase other American products while the United States attaches to their own products heavy duties, thus keeping them to a great extent out of this country.
 The Western farmer will soon ascer- tain that where ne sells he must buy. He cannot go on selling his wheat, corn, cattle, bacon, sausage cases and Germans, and then turn about and vote to exclude their products. This is contrary to the laws of trade. It is contrary to the financial capacity of the three countries, for no country can settle heavy adverse balances in currency
 The Russians, Austrians and Ger mans may be compelled to pay higher prices for some meats and bread stuffs, but our own experience shows that they will stand such advances if they can force America to break down it's Chinese wall. We are paying exor- bitant prices for wooIen goods and a hundred other articles of prime neces- sity, and yet we go on cherishing our Chinese wall in pursuance of theory, and now we are up against Chinese walls erected by our opponents against our own products.
 We have no right to complain. We showed them how to build trade walls, and they have accepted the instruction afforded. The right to grumble is even denied to us, especially to those republican farmers in Iowa and similar states who nave been voting year in and year out for Dingleyism. An ob- structed and lessened foreign trade stares us in the face, and the consum- CT at home goes on paying the protect ed trusts exorbitant prices up to the tariff limit. This is Dingleyism up to date, at home and abroad
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Imnalrs sense of Taste.

Tt is not generally known that smok- ing very seriously impairs the sense of taste" remarked man who is good judge of a well-seasoned dish.
 "on that account it is said New York families that are particular about their table delicacies are abandoning the French chefs and are gradually sub sttuting women cooks. The reason as- signed is that the French chef is an in- veterate smoker, and that his sense of taste is not as delicate as that of a woman who does not smoke at all.
 Tt is a well known fact that tea and coffee tasters, and whisky samplers, men who command verh high salaries for their services do not smoke at all, for they realize that smoking would soon unfit them for their york;
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
The Worlds Population.

"As is we'll known, the world is pro- gressing in pofIlation as in some other things" said . statistieian. Tn 1850 the population of the globe was about S47,- 00o,000; now 1t is 1,6OO,000 coo. Since 1851 the population of England has increased 132 per cent, of Germany SS per cent, of France 20 per cent. and of Europe gem erally about S5 per cent. Property and comfort exhibit like growth. Seventy years ago but per cent of the dwellings in Great Britain were worth a rental of $100 year or over, whereas today. the percentage Is 16. At a recent meeting of the Royal Statistical society it was held by Maj. P. G. Craigie that if largely growing urban conditions and augmenting dependence on distant lands for much of the raw material of our home industries and for a considerable share of our food supply are imposed upon us by the eco- homie condition of the present, the obli- gation is all the more enforced to man- tain that mastership of the sea which in the past has served to unite rather than to sever the scattered factors of the British empire. "
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Race Problems Prominent.

Secretary Elihu Root is a lifelong republican. He was born a republican il Central New York, which is more strongly republican than Vermont or New Hampshire. He is an inborn, in- bred republican, and his speech at the Union League club deserves on this account more than passing notice
 For, after showing that President Roosevelt had appointed fewer negroes to office than Mckinley, Cleveland,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
From the New Orleans PIeayune.

From the New Orleans Pleayune.
 1WO hundred thousand acres of NO land in east Texas are to be pur-
 chased and settled by South Af- rican burghers. The party, headed by ex-President Reitz. of the Orange Free State, returned to the city yesterday evening with the news that the big tract would be purchased if it could be had at a price consistent with the desires of the commission. The land is already picked out and negotiations for it's pur- chase are now going on. A large part of the tract is not cultivated. but from the parts that are cultivated an idea could be had of the productivity of the soil, and the land in every way complies with what the commission thinks are the requirements of their countrymen farmers.
 The members of the commission think that the land of west Louisiana is rather too low for farmers who are accustomed to the kopjes of South Africa. East Texas, however. meets every require ment.
 Mir Dalm of Kalamazoo Mich, who is well acquainted with the condition of the Dutch ettlers in the northwest, is one of the strongest advocates for the southwest, finding that the temperature of this section Is much nearer to that to which. the burghers have been accus- toned
 | TaY. R6nr representative in Washington, found the country quite different from what he 1 expected. He had been told that Dutch colony of several years ago was a fail ure, but, to his surprise, he found that the settlers were prosperous and happy, and many of them wealthy.
 All the members of the party spoke in the highest praise of the country through which the Southern Pacific escorted them, and found 1t almst the ideal of what their countrymen need.
 The special train came in shortly after o'clock. The party went to the Hotel Grunewald. Dr. Reitz was very much wearied with his trip and went at once to his room.
 The party was made up of the follow ing pr. Francis William Reitz, ex-Presi- dent of the Orange Free State; Mrs Reitz, Hon. c. W. Van Der Hogt, former representative of the Boer government in Washington; the Rev. J. A. Van Blerk former chaplain; P. A. Dalm, editor and 1 publisher of the Holland American, Kala- mazoo, Mich, and Gen. Samuel Pearson. John Davis Newman, land and immi- grafton agent of the Southern Pacific, brought the party out from New York.
 Dr. Reitz and his associates were met here by Col. s. F. B. Morse assistant passenger traffic manager of the South ern Pacific. The party left here two weeks ago on a special train of two Pullman sleepers and special coach. Colonel Morse said: T am perfectly satisfied with the trip which was made for purely educational purposes. We made ten runs, tying up at night and running in the daytime. We went from New Orleans to Corpus Christi to San Antonio to Austin, to Houston. tc l New Orleans.
 q think we accomplished what ". started out to do; that was to convince our guests that this great southwestern country was the place for their people il they contemplated coming to America "Dr. Reitz and the members of his party were unanimous in the opinion that the attractions of this section were great. CT than of any other part of the United
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
TRUTH RESTATEQ.

Washington Special to Philadelphia Press
 It has been stated or misstated, so often as to have become almost matter of history" that Jefferson Davis was disguised as a woman when captured by the Federal authorities in Georgia in 1865
 The illustrated papers of the period con- tained pictures representing the former
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
White Instead of CoIored.

Guthrie, Okla, February s.-A change has been made on the Choctaw lines through Oklahoma and Indian Territory. White men are taking the places of col ored brakemen, who have been employed on all passenger trains.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
Freight Embargo Lifted.

Baltimore, February s.-Officials of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad stated to- night that the freight embargo which had existed for several weeks, has been lift ed and that there is no congestion of freight at any point on the line. Freight is now being accepted from all connec-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09
About Persona

Louis Saks, accompanied by three as- sistant buyers. returned from New York , the later part of last week and early yesterday morning Herman saks, aa-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

Romulus did not, it seems, found, Rome, but he stole the credit for it, and he has managed to keep it over two thousand years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

Justice Holmes does not hold that the ballet poster is artistic, but he does say that it is legal.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

MT. Hobson wants navy made up of Merrimacs in war full of adven- ture.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

The cable tells us King Edward had his nerve with him when he dined with General Miles, and was not bit flustered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

We have 11,000,00O men available for military duty, but 10,OO0,000 of them could not hit the side of barn.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

President Schwab is still earning bis salary by let.ng MT. Gayley stay in charge of a good thing.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

What Wu said anu what Speck is saying makes up a good part of cur rent Washington gossip.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

There is eleven feet of snow in Idaho, and the groundhog could not come out
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

King Edward has been put on a rigid diet of breakfast foods, and he may be driven to a desperate resigna- tion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

All things do not come to those who wait-for instance, Frank Duncan to Sheriff Burgin.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

The governor of Georgia visited New York, but he left his battalion of col one1s at home.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

Addicks and Delaware are about to part, and the country is duly grateful
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

The reception that the Parker boom will receive in Boston will be very chilly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

President Roosevelt is wrestling with the selection of a canal com mission.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

General Miles will soon receive a barrel from his clipping bureau.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

Castro has more debtors than a get rich.quick concern in New York.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

The ballet poster is free now to dis port itself ad libitums so to speaE
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

Summer boarders will flock to Yer mont next summer
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

The south pole is fully as evasiye as it's northern cousin.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-09

--------se---------------~ General Miles is the moving picture of the world Ideal newspapers are as rare as ideal pulpits.