davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
HE COULD NOT DO IT.
Colonel Watterson Will Never, Never
 Carry Out His Rash Threat.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
 Colonel Henry Watterson of Louisville. Ky and the country at large. is too much of 8 Christian gentleman and too much of an American to be much of A pessimist, although he strives now and then to disguise his strong optimistic leanings.
 It is very doubtful if he would remain passive in the presence of anybody who might take liberties with the good name of the land. although he loves to find fault with it himself, and is seldom hap pier than when shying bricks at some of our cherished political and social insti- tutons.
 Before the Woman's club of Englewood on Monday evening he made some re- marks about the virtues that go hand in hand with poverty and the vices that go hand in hand with wealth, which most of us have heard before and which most of us will subscribe to or refuse to sub scribe to, according to our points of view.
 Similarly, he declared that of all places he would choose Switzerland as his home If he were exiled, because the true ideal of Jeffersonian democracy is dominant in that little republic. but the colonel would not think of settling down over there unless he were first exiled from his native land and his beloved Kentucky. Bad as things may be in this country, he  would not exchange them, unless forced to do so, for the best that Switzerland could offer him, with all its Jeffersonian simplicity.
 And we are glad of this because 1t would be a shocking thing if Colonel Watterson should migrate to one of the Swiss cantons and then awaken, all too late to realization of the fact that even in simple Switzerland the plain peo- pie are ready to bow great deal lower to the medium of exchange and to stay bowed longer than they are in his own country.
 Colonel Watterson would not we are satisfied, be guilty of the ndiscretion of throwing up a certainty here for an un- certainty in the Alps. He never could be contented. The cold embraces of the Jungfrau, even though everything else were equal, would only be a constant and a sad reminder to him of the loss he suf- fered by turning his back upon his own warm hearted, if occasionally fickle, Star eyed Goddess
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Prices ot Active Stocks.

Using twenty active stocks as a basis, the Wall Street Journal shows that the decline from the highest point in 1902 to the lowest point in 1903 was 47.S5 points. Northwest" for example, went down 11S points; Louisville and Nashville, 64h points; New York Cen tral, 56A points, and Pennsylvania, e9A points. The lowest prices were recorded on September 2S of this year In the great bull period that followed 1897 an average advance of 92 points was recorded in the twenty active stocks mentioned, and the decline of the present year took away just about half of tLat advance. In other words, the stocks mentioned stand at about 40 points below the high point of 1902
 Has the decline run it's course? The Journal supplies this answer:
 Considering the extraordinary advance III wealth or the United states during that period, considering tkat railroad mileage has not increased in anything like the proportion of population, consid- ering that railroad capitalization per mile has not increased in anything like the ratio of increase in surplus earnings available for dividends has been at all times in excess of the rise in market prices, and at the present time shows a larger percentage on market price than at any time since the boom started, the question may well be asked, whether the decline in stocks has not eliminated? {? There is at least some evidence in favor of an affirmative answer to that ques- tion."
 The Journal does not feel confident that the tide has permanently turned but it feels sure that the bottom has been reached. Prices in Warl street are as rule prophetic. They are based on the future, and if the decline in stocks has culminated we may be sure investors look hopefully to the future.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
HOW OLD IS ANN 2"
Teacher Says 18, School Board Chair
 man IA, and Now It's In Politics.

Special to the New York World
 Washington, December 10.-Hiawatira. Kan, where the song comes from, is disrupted over How old is Ann?" When the query reached there every man. wo- man and child in the place. lead-pencil in hand, began to figure on the problem
 One bright school girl asked the prn- cipal of the public school. How old is Ann?" The principal figured and then announced that Ann is 1s The child went home and told her father a banker who is chairman of the school board, that Ann is IS.
 Not for mine' answered the proud father, who had figured it out 14. He filed charges against the principal, alleg- ing that any one who figures Ann out IS is unfit to teach school.
 The school board wrestled with the problem but was unable to determine cer- tainy whether Ann is IS or 14. but as the man who made the complaint has consid- erable influence the board was disposed to call it IA and dismiss the principal The latter wrote Representative Curtis to- day requesting him to use his influence Wltn lne SCHOOL Doafu to nOlu nm ills job
 But no matter what the decision," he adds, q am certain that Ann Is 1S'
 MT. Curtis Is friendly to the principal who has considerable influence in politics.
 How old is Ann?' MT. Curtis asked his friends. They figured. and then ad- vised Mir. Curtis to see MT Courts, clerk to the committee on appropriations, who is an authority on figures.
 MT. Courts dropped deficiencies and surpluses and worked on the problem for hours He finally gave as his verdict that Ann might be either IS or 14
 That suits me-" declared Mir Curtis. q can give decision. Both sides are right"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
PERILs OF PNEUMONIA.
Some Proper Precautions That May Be
 Observed.

From the Chicago Record-Herald.
 Last week there was forty-nine deaths from pneumonia in Chicago The week before last the number was thirty eight From now on the death rate will increase The health department estimates that the total number of pneumonia deaths be- tween the end of October and the end of May will be 2,1OO, or seventy a week. The pneumonia victims will be almost twice as numerous as the victims of con- sumption.
 Many of these deaths can be avoided if proper precautions are taken. The ordinary man is apt co think that be- cause he never has tangible or visible evi- dence of the cause of the disease 1t is He is wrong.
 The first thing for him to do Is to live a healthful life. The better physical con- dition he keeps himself in the greater will be his powers of vital resistance and the greater his chances of escaping the dis ease if he is exposed to infection.
 The next thing to do is to avoid the places where the danger of infection is greatest. The crowded and ill-yentilated public hall or street car should be on his black list. The man who is able and will- ing to walk back and forth from his home to his work place every day instead of riding in the cars is materially increas- ing his chances of surviving the winter.
 Finally. sanitary precautions to prevent a pneumonia patient from injecting other members of his family are essential. The family physician possesses the knowledge that the situation demands. and he Is not doing his duty unless he gives full ir- structions and sees that they are fol- lowed.
 There is nothing spectacular or dramat- ic in the struggle against pneumonia. as the health department bulletin points out. It is persistent public educational work that will tell in the end. The more of 1t the better.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
NoRDIcA DIVORCE CASE.
After Years of Married Life the Prima
 Donna Is In the Courts.

New York, December 12.-It is an- in a suit by Lillian Nordica, the prima donna, for legal separation from her hus- band, zaltan Doeme, the Hungarian ten or. They were married May 26, 1896, in Indianapolis. No reason for the suit is given.
 The engagement was announced two years before the wedding. while both were at the Bayreuth festival, where Nordica sang the role of Elsa in "Lohengrin,' and MT. Doene sang for the first time in opera in 'Parsifal." They had met in Beyreuth some time before, and Nordica asked Mime. Wagner, widow of the great Ger man composer. to engage Mir Doene for principal tenor role. Mime. Wagner did not believe that Mir. Doene's voice was equal to the task, but yielded when Nordl- ca's maid began packing trunks prepara- tory to the prima donna's threatened de- parture. ts
 It was reported at the time of the mar riage that Nordica had paid the expenses of MT. Doene while he was acquiring an education in music. Nordica denied this, but admitted that she had lent the young man money which he had repaid. MT. Doene is 37 years old, and Nordica is A. He is handsome. with the dash. fire and impetuosity characteristic of the Hungar- ian race.
 Nordica was Miss Lillian Norton before she was married to Fredeick A. Gower, in 1885. Mir. Cover was very wealthy, and was connected with the Bell Telephone company. Their married life was very unhappy, as both had lively tempers, op- posite views on many subjects and totally different dispositions. Although MT. Cow ers wealth and position helped her in her profession she applied for a separation. The same day MT. Gower made a'balloon ascension to test air currents. The ball. loon was driven to sea, and MT. Gower was never seen again. Nordica was born in Pennington. Me. She studied music in Milan, Italy, and made her debut in opera in Brescia, Italy. Both Nordica and MT. Doeme have appeared in Kansas City several times.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Germans in Birmingham.

When I came to Birmingham, said a man from the north "I was very much surprised to hear so little German spo- ken on the streets, and naturally in- ferred that there were not many native Germans in the city
 q came from a city where 10 or 15 per cent of the population is Teutonic, and was accustomed to hearing the language freely spoken. Within the past two weeks I have heard more German spoken in Birmingham than in two years before. The natural inference I have drawn is that there have been a great many per sons from the fatherland who have come to Alabama and Birmingham within the past few months.
 Birmingham is such a cosmopolitan city that the old country should be well represented; and German citizens are so famed for their thrift and industry, that 1t Is a little strange that more ac- tive measures have not been taken to get more of them to settle in this dis trict."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Gold Mining in Clay County.

Dr. J. P. Motley of Motley stopped in the city q few hours last night en route to Memphis where he goes to look after business interests. He is one of the most influential men in Clay county The town of Motley that was named in his honor few years ago, has grown from a crossroads, with one store, into a hustling town. He said:
 ''The all-absorbing question in our sec tion of the state is gold minings Recent discoveries have shown that there is an abundance of the yellow metal stored away in the red hills of Clay.
 ''So confident has one company become of its presence that they are installing a s5O000 plant at Cowpens. This will be an up-to-date mining plant in every re- spect and will greatly boom our section With the new railroad that will be built into our county at an early date. Clay is destined to become one of Alabama $ leading counties"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Mobile Medical College.

Dr. w. H. Wilder returned Saturday night from Mobile where he delivered an address before the Mobile Medical society and the students and faculty of the Medi- cal college. He said, "The Mobile Medical college is in a most flourishing and pros porous condition. There are now 200 stu dents in attendance at the college, and the faculty and students seem to be doing some good work. The college is adding to it's equipment every day, and it will soon be one of the most up-to-date medl- cal schools in the country"
 When asked as to his opinion of the authorities of the college, in reference to the appropriation provided by the last legislature for the maintenance of the institution. about which there seems to be hitch in the payment of the amount to the college authorities. he said: Tt is the concensus of opinion among the leading members of the Mobile bar that the college is entitled to, and will receive the appropriation"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
SPINDLES AND THE BOIL.

From the Galveston News.
 The only way out is to come across ana locate the mills where they belong-close
 by the cotton patch. When the change is
 made there is going to be lively hum in
 the southern states. The price of cotton
 will be kept up by natural conditions and
 the legitimate inducements and forces of
 competition. The farmer will then be able
 to sell at the door of the factory; and. if
 one factory is unwilling to pay good price, he (the farmer) may be able in an hour to drive on to another factory. One trouble with the cotton raiser has been the long distance between his field and the
 mill: and this long haul has been lined
 with numerous specuators picking pick ings from every bale as it passed from hand to hand. Then there was return haul for the finished goods which came | back to the raiser of the raw material
 with all the charges added including half I dozen profits. There is going to be all most revolution along some lines, of | business and gambling when the cotton mill comes to the cotton patch. It F bound to come.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
VALUE OF SCIENTIFIC
 FARMING MADE CLEAR

N no department of the government
 has there been in the course of a few years, chiefly, we may say since Secretary Wilson came to its head such sound, beneficial development and pro- gress as in that of agriculture.
 Beginning as a bureau, the chief agen- cy-and that of questionable utility-of which was to distribute free seeds to the farmers it gradually expanded into a department and has come to be, under the wise management of the present in- cumbent. one of the most beneficent and useful instrumentalities of the govern ment.
 It is to be assumed that every farmer will read this report in full, and every intelligent citizen should know something of what 1t covers. great benefit of the department as now administered is the opportunity it affords for advanced students in the various branches of ag- riculture. There are 241 of them under instruction, and 132 have been taken into the classified service. MT. Wilson gives some striking figures bearing on the gen. eral, in fact, the preponderating, impor- tance of the interests he stands for. The enormous increase of agricultural exports Is well known, but it's extent and impor- tance have not been generally appreci- ated. MT Wilson shows that the bal ance of trade in favor of such products in the last fourteen years was s4,SO6, ,OO0- = coo. In commodities outside the farm the balance was against us to the amount of $S65, ,000,00O, leaving a net balance in our favor of s3,94o, ,00o Mir Wilson truly says. "It is the farmers who have paid the foreign bondholders," and on their prosperity and well-being rest that of the entire country.
 It would require too much space to even enumerate the varied activities of the de- partment. all showing fertility of re- source, original research and most grati- flying results. Dangerous epidemcs among cattle have been handled and sup pressed. New varieties of cotton and to- bacco have been produced, adapted to q
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Use of Personal Cards.

"A number of enterprising statesmen have adopted the use of engraved per sonal cards in carrying on their busi- ness" said the manager of local print ing house. "Take, for instance, piano salesman. An enterprising young fellow will secure a stylish card, and have only his name engraved on it. He will then present himself at the residence of some one whom he thinks is likely buyer and sends up his card. The person who ereceives the card thinks perhaps 1t is an old friend at the door and comes down immediately. If the receiver of the card should get business card the chances are the old message, not at home would be sent to the caller, and he would miss his opportunity to make possible sale.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Cost of Food Officially Stated.


 The November Bulletin of the Ma tional Bureau of Labor presents the cost of living in 2567 workingmen's families living in all parts of the coun- try east of the Rocky mountains. The income of eacn family did not exceed S1200 a year, and the cost of thirty articles of food was investigated. The average income of the families under observation was SS2719, and the aver age expenditure was s76S.54. of which $32690 was for food. The average number of persons in the family was 5.31, and the average cost of food was $61.70 per capita, or F cents day for all ages.
 The investigation covered thirteen years, and in that time the low level was reached in 1896, and the high level in 1902. The retail prices of food have risen 16 per cent since 1896, and in 1902 such prices stood il per cent higher than the average prices of the thirteen years. These figures apply equally well to Alabama, for 219 of the families under investigation lived in this section of the country.
 The larger a family income the smaller the percentage of it expended for food A family that has an income of $120O expends but 29 per cent of il for food A family whose income is below $500 spends, on the other hand nearly 43 per cent of it for food, the demands of the stomach being as in exorable in the one case as in the other.
 \ The more apparent the prosperity the higher the prices of food. In 1898 we were in the depth of severe de- pression; in 1902 we were riding a boom that extended to nearly every thing. The conditions that supply plenty of labor to wage-earners, take from his earnings larger percentages through the increased cost of food. The wage-earner is pinched, in other words, either by low wages or want of em ployment in dull times, and by high prices of food in apparently prosperous times
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
"SMiTTY IS ALL RIGHT"
Exclaimed President Roosevelt, Enthu
 siastcalIy.

During his last visit to Cincinnati the President had requested Major Smith, the organizer and leader of the celebrated First Regiment band to play Garry Owen, and the famous band rendered General Custers favorite battle piece in true mill tary style. President Roosevelt remarked with enthusiasm, "Smltty is all right and that is just what Major Smith says pr. Parkhursts Vegetable Compound Tablets They are all right" They keep the stomach in good condition. digest food perfectly, cure Constipation, Rheumatism, Catarrh and all Diseases of the Blood, Heart. Liver and Kidneys. A thirty days treatment can be had from any drug store for 25 cents.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14

wider range of climate than those now In use, and varied to meet special wants; large areas of land considered useless have been shown to be available for al- falfa and for marconi wheat. heretofore not grown here. and the possibility of raising tea In the south profltabiy. and on large scale, demonstrate. Tn the in- sect Kingdom the work has been invalua- ble, enabling the farmer in many direc- tions to check ravages of his crop. which has been considered remediless, and incl dentally great benefit has come to the feathered tribe by showing that they play an Important part in keeping down insect pests.
 The boll weevil small but most de- structive beetle, which has worked havoc with the cotton crop, and threatens to de- strop it wholly, has so far baffled all at- tempts to control it, but it is compara- lively new affliction. and if congress gives the secretary the money and the scope he asks for he will be pretty likely to find some remedy If not, it will be the first time he has failed. Important work has also been done in soil analysis, determin- ing what each section is best suited to grow, and the general conclusion estab- lished that the productivity of any soil de- bends more on its chemical condition as affecting the supply of soil moisture with it's dissolved mineral nutriments than any thing else.
 It is being conclusively shown more and more each year that farming ought to be, and to be really successful. must be, sci entifically conducted. A good farmer must be educated. The time for the tra- ditional, unintelligent, unproductive meth ods has passed, and the men who cling to them will go to the wall just as the corresponding class will in every other walk of life Who will question that the lot of an up-to-date, prosperous farmer. and all may be such, is the most availa- ble of all? To stimulate and enable them all to become so the department of agri- culture has very greatly contributed, and it Is entitled to large credit.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-14
Prospects of Democratic Victory.

The probable nomination of MT Roosevelt by the republicans next year lends courage to the democrats and in- spires them to united action and even enthusiastic effort They feel that the tide has turned, and that democratic victory is at any rate possible. Let us see what the case is.
 The states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Ne. vada, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia will not be seriously contested next year. They are confessedly democratic states, and they will cast 162 electoral votes out of 476. The winner must have 239 votes.
 The democrats, therefore, must SC. cure 77 votes in the contested states. In the east lie three states, all centered around New York city-a city which will roll up next year a great demo- cratic majority. These three states are New York, New Jersey and Connecti- cut. If we can carry one of them, we can carry all, and the three cast 57 electoral votes-just 20 less than the democrats need. It is scarcely reason able to think that a heavy democratic vote in New York city next year can be overcome in the rest of that state in year in which democrats are united and hopeful. At any rate let us assume that the three states clustered about New York city will go demo cratic--here, then, shall the 20 miss. ing votes be found?
 A hot fight must be conducted for them in every one of the following states: Delaware, 4 votes; Colorado. Q; Indiana 15 Idaho 3; Utah, 3: Mon. tana, 3; Washington, 5; Wyoming, 8; West Virginia, ', and Nebraska, S-a total of 52 votes. Oregon and Rhode Island both went democratic last year but they are not included in the con tested list because they usually go re publican in Pres -dential years. In the list named we should not only be al