davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
THE oElY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
If our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing.
 Antony and Cleopatra.
Union League Club and the South.


 The merchants and bankers in the Union League club, led by Merchant Cornelius N. Bliss, attempted to med dle, with their long purses largely filled with southern money, with diff fcult southern problems. But Robert c. Ogden told them that meddling on their part would but render the situ- ation more trying and complex, and after a long discussion the report in favor of a meddling policy was tabled, the vote being S8 to CO., It may be called up again, although this is scarcely probable. The proposition in- volved legal test of the state con- Btitutions that disfranchise negroes, and also an appeal to congress to cut down representation in proportion to Acknowledgement
 If the business men of New York desire to begin a legal and a politi- cal crusade against the south, the fact should be made known wher- ever there Is a buyer of goods or a seller of products in the southern country. This section cannot afford to trade in city that proposes to dis organize southern society, throwing whole states back to conditions that invite corruption and deterioration in a hundred different ways. The elimina- tion of the negro vote in this state has given us an electorate that has discarded dishonest ballot box methods thus enabling the people to elect of. fleers and a legislature that no poodle ist dare approach. If New York de- sires to restore general rottenness to Alabama, Alabama desires to know it, and she will respond in a proper and telling manner. The Union 1eaguers did not cover themselves with glory in the final vote on the proposition to begin meddling in southern matters. The vote was SS to 60, when it should have been unanimous. However, vote of 8S to SO will suffice at present.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
NOT OPPOSED
 TO A ST. LOUIS EXHIBIT

he told them candidly that he was favor able to the object they had in view. but with the present lights before him he could not think of approving a bill for an amount larger than $1O,OO0 and did not know that he could do that
 Tt must be known that the governor appointed the commission at the request of the commercial and business organiza- tions from names submitted by them, and he in no way was committed to any aid on the part of the state
 "The governor would be glad to see the state represented at St. Louis and believes 1t would be of great benefit to have creditable exhibit, but like many members of the commission he is clearly of the opinion that anything short of a full and complete exhibit would be worse than none at all, and that if money enough cannot be obtained to do the very best nothing. should be done at all.
 MT. w. P. Lay of Gadsden correctly stated the true position of the governor when he spoke against the adoption of the resolution prepared by MT. Craighead of Mobile in its original form in which he said that the commission ought not to turn loose now; that something might turn up and the commission might yet be able to do something It was known, MT. Lay said, that the governor was favor able to the undertaking and had given 1t every encouragement and was not opposed to it in any way except from financial standpoint as to the ability of the treas ury to stand an appropriation and he be- lieved the commission and the people would uphold the governor in his position if they fully and correctly understood it. MT. Lay added that he thought the gov ernor was right with the present lights before him and he was sure that if con- ditions changed and the financial outlook grew brighter the governor would be re- joiced to do all that was possible to have the state make an exhibit at St. Louis"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
PREDICTS PARkER's SUCCESS.

From the Washington Times.
 Ex-Senator Pugh of Alabama, after six years of retirement from public life, has emerged long enough to make predic- tion as to next years campaign. Briefly told, his prophecy Is that President Roosevelt will be nominated by the re- publieans and that Judge Alton B. Parker of New York will be named by the demo- crats. Trusts and tariff, and concentra- ton of wealth, he says, will be the lead ing issues, and he concludes with the declaration that Judge Parker will be elected. It will be. he says, a mighty struggle between the money power or ganization and the people, but he believes that the people will be victorious.
 MT, Pugh thinks that ;re Parker senti- ment Is strong in the south, and this opinion Is shared by many leading demo- crats of that section. He declares that the New York jurist is the strongest man who could be nominated, and that with him as their candidate the democrats would be able to defeat Mir. Roosevelt.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Truck Farming.

"The development of truck farming in the Birmingham district has been marked within the past ten years, but there is room for much greater development, said a Morris avenue merchant who owns a small farm near the city.
 Few industries pay better than truck ing near large market Early truck is always in brisk demand here and the soil is well adapted to raising all the fruits and yeRetables,'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
From the Montgomery Advertiser.

From the Montgomery Advertiser.
 FAN the highest authority it is said IVY that Governor Jelks feels that
 the resolution adopted by the Alabama fair commission Wednesday con- veys wrong impression of his attitude toward a state exhibit at St. Louis.
 At the capitol yesterday it was said that the wording of the resolution might unjustly leave the impression that he had violated some pledge heretofore made or had in some way committed himself to the movement to have large appropria- ton made to make an exhibit of the states resources at St. Louis.
 Governor Jelks declined to discuss the matter for publication.
 Speaking of the matter to an Advertiser representative one of the governors closest friends said:
 'It ought to be known that the gover- nor has never had anything to do with have Alabama represented through an ex- hibit at St. Louis. The fact is it would have been very improper for him to have done so. l know that he has been hearti- ly in favor of the matter all along and sympathized with the idea of having an exhibit at the Worlds fair, believing that it would do much to induce capital and home-seekers to come this way, bur dur ing the session of the legislature he said to all who approached him on the sub ject that he could not see his way clear for the state to expend any money in that direction, as without revenue law 1t was impossible to make any sort of call culation as to the receipts. After the rev enue bill was passed and the legislature had adjourned, the governor still did not see how the state could give anything like the amount asked for by the commits sion.
 When the committee from the World s fair commission called on him Wednesday to discuss the matter of an appropriation
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Alum Lobby in Missouri.

Tn 1899 a pure food bill was passed in Missouri. It was called a pure food bill, but it was really a bill to pre- vent the use of alum in baking powder, thus giving the cream-of-tartar article a monopoly in the state. A hot fight and much poodle talk arose over an effort this season to repeal the alum section of the act of 1899, and after a long and varying struggle the cream of-tartar trust won the fight, the vote being so close that the lieutenant governor was compelled to break the tie He voted in favor of the trust.
 In this connection we give the story of the Kansas City Times:
 During the session stranger came to the Madison house and registered under the name of Brown. The railroad lobby, headed by w. H. Phelps, recognized him as a MT. Kelly, who was known to them as a representative of the cream of tar tar baking powder manufacturers. This much information about him caused him to be watched and was responsible for the whispers that the lieutenant gov ernor was concerned in the defeat of the alum bill before the vote In the senate in which, by an accident, he was forced to go on record.
 It now transpires that the lieuten- ant governor had been handed a check by Kelly for 5000. This check has been handed over to the attorney general, and Kelly is now under ar rest and indictment, and the entire effort of the cream-of-tartar trust to defeat the repeal of the anti-alum bill is to be investigated. Kelly's acts in Jefferson City will be closely looked into, and it Is believed a startling poodle case will be developed.
 It is to be hoped at any rate that the matter will be probed to the bot tom to the end that monied lobby ists may receive at least a check, and possibly be put of business. The use of money in inducing or preventing legislation is the shame and scandal of this country and of it's institutions, and the attorney general of Missouri has an opportunity that he should i'm prove to the utmost. If it once becomes understood that the penitentiary stares all poodle lobbyists in the face, there will be fewer of them, and their acts will be less bold at any rate. For the general good the Missouri case should be carried to the limit
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
CAUSES OF POLITICAL
 CORRUPTION DISCUSSED

Lueius F. c. Garvin. Governor of Rhode
 Island in the Independent.
 N RHODE ISLAND, and no doubt in
 other states. the soil is prepared for ! bribery by the indifference generally existing as to the exercise of the fran chise, The neglect of this first duty of the citizen appears from the smallness of the total vote cast. The population of Rhode Island In 1900 was 42s,556. The state has a free suffrage for general officers-much freer than either Massachusetts or Con- necticut, both of which have an educa- tional qualihcation-yet the average gu- bernatorial vote in Rhode Island for the five years preceding the present one was only 46,6S4 and in none of those years did the total vote reach so high as dSOOO.
 Moreover. in every state we are living under machinery of elections which in- vites bribery. As rule, legislators are elected by single districts.
 In contested districts a large body of the electors are partisan and will vote for the candidates of their respective po- litical faiths. The balance of power in such districts is held by minority, per haps a small minority, of the total cleo torate, and this minority Is strictly non- partisan. Very often it happens-and 1t is the rule where bribery prevails-that the corrupt voters, by uniting their forces can turn the scale to either side or course, the smaller the district the fewer the votes necessary to decide the result
 Under the Australian system, with It's secret official ballot there are at least three methods of purchase. one way IS 10 nay bv results. Each of the corrupt
 gang" of voters is supplied with pc culiar "ehip" or check" good for so many dollars at the local party head ouarters--that is to say, good if that nartv is successful. otherwise good for nothing.
 Another method, known to have been used in several Rhode Island towns, is tbe so-called "Tasmanian dodge" A b,ank official ballot by some means is got hold of by the party worker. This ballot. having been marked for the right candidates, is given to the corrupt voter to take with him when he enters the vot- ing booth. Depositing that fraudulent ballot as his own. he returns to the worker the blank ballot given him by the supervisor, which thus serves both as a guarantee of good faith and as a ballot to be filled out for the next corrupt voter, who goes through the same routine.
 third method. and one much in vogue in Rhode Island. is by means of that pro- vision of the law which permits super visors to mark the ballots of illiterate voters. oftentimes the moderator who presides at the ballot box construes the provision very liberally and in the in- terest of his party by grandng to any
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
snooessfnI Contractor.

James c. Stewart, the contractor of St. Louis, is a good example of what an American hustler can do abroad said a man interested in large enterprises.
 Something over a year ago he went to Europe to build the Westinghouse works at Manchester and completed the work in one-fifth of the time that English contractors offered to do it in. Since it's completion he has been offered contracts amounting to nearly s400O0oo0.
 T understand that several large bank ing houses of London have offered MT. Stewart all the money he will require for a large construction company to under take all new buildings offered He Will form the company with a capital stock Of $25,0OO,OOO. It is said that during the past fifteen months he has made more than s4O0OO0 experimenting construction work alone without taking any risks whatever himself"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
STATE NEWS ITEMS.

Work will soon begin on the cement plant at Hpnes.
 There Is settlement in Culman coun- ty called Wall Street,
 The farmers along tho Alabama river are gathering truck now,
 A branch of the National Retail Gro- oers association has been organized at Prattville
 A machine shop. a wagon factory and a cigar factory are among the possibilities for Talladega.
 The Right Rev. Bishop Beckwith of Alabama will preach at the Episcopal church of Marion today.
 The Exchange hotel at Gadsden has changed hands. pr. A. F. Bell of Dallas, Tex, having purchased the interest of MT. W. R. Buchanan.
 The steamer J. T. Reeder was badly wrecked by the heavy gale of Friday, her stacks, exhaust pipes, wheelhouse and helm being blown off. The boat is tied up at the Florence wharf for repairs.
 
 Selma Times: J NJ Osborne and Wall ter Huff, two knights of the grip. who handle ammunition went around yesterday and got the names of great many of our sportsmen who will go in and organize a gun club.
 Montgomery Advertiser: Mrs. Battle of 115 Holt street has sent to the Advertiser a sweet potato in the perfect shape of a wings and tail are perfectly developed. The potato was discovered in a bushe of potatoes ordered from a grocer.
 The pastors of Huntsville have organ ized a pastors union with Rev. F. P. Culver of the First Methodist church as president, and Rev. S. P. Pryor of the First Cumberland church as secretary The union will hold weekly meetings at which the different phases of religious work will be discussed.
 Marion Standard: A prominent farm CT who lives in East Perry informs the Standard that the corn acreage Is being largc-y increased in his section We are sowing 1t thick,' he said, and on the highways and hedges" Keep this up and we will have hog and homny to spare even if the seasons are not just as we would have them.
 Mobile Correspondent in Montgomery Advertiser: John B. Foley of Chicago millionaire of medicine fame, arrived in Mobile this morning en route to his winter home at Magnolia Springs, Bald win county. MT. Foley some time ago secured by purchase outright some 320O0 acres of land in Baldwin. his purpose be- ing to divide it into small farms for colo nization purposes.
 The Selma Gun club has been. organized with a good number or members and will hold shoots during the summer with club contests and individual trials. V. B. Atkins was elected president; J. w. Moore, vice president; R. W. Coleman, secretary and treasurer; G, H. Craig Jr, field captain, and McD. Campbell, keeper of birds. Manufacturers of ammunition have already offered several prizes
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
About Persons.


 Dr. R. J. Griffin of Moundville was in the city yesterday.
 Charles M. Jones of Chicago is stop ping at the St Nicholas. A S. Baldwin of lhicago is registered at the Hillman.
 J. M. Chiffon of Montgomery is at the Morris.
 John S. Coxe of Richmond is registered at the Metropolitan. .J T. steinberg of St. Louis is at the St. Nicholas.
 J. A. Taylor of Montgomery is at the Hillman. at the Morris
 c. w. Hammett of sylacauga is stop ping at the Metropolitan. w. N. Dean of Boston is registered at the Hillman.
 D. M. Benson of Talladega is stopping at the Morris.
 E. w. Robertson of Union Springs is at the Metropolitan.
 C. E. Peoples of Kansas City is at the Morris
 D. A. Thompkins of Charlotte, N. C., spent yesterday in Birmingham. Mir. Thompkins is one of the best known men in the south. He is largely identified with the cotton industry and is the proprietor of the Charlotte News and Observer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
LIBEL BILL IS PASSED.
Measure Directed Against Newspapers of Pennsylvania Up to Governor.

Harrisburg, Pa, April 10.-The libel bill which has stirred up the entire newspaper press of Pennsylvania came into the pos session of Governor Pennypacker this af- ternoon for his approval or disapproval. The bill passed the house finally today by a vote of 125 to 57. Three democrats voted with the majority and three republicans joined with the minority. The bill was introduced in the house on Monday by a republican member from Philadelphia and an identical measure was presented by a republican senator from Philadelphia in the senate on Tuesday.
 United States Senator Penrose and other republican leaders have been on the ground several days directing the fight in favor of the bill.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
IN HOTEL LoBBIHs.
Esster


 While only the Catholic, Episcopal and Lutheran churches In the United States observe the church calendar nearly all df the Protestant denominations make some recognition of Easter remarked lay man. There ia hardly church in Biz mingham that will not have musical programme Sunday beftting the day which commemorates the resurrection Of Christ
 While I was brought up in a strict Protestant way, l have always thought 1t would be we'll if the church which at tend were to return to the old custom of celebrating Christmas Easter and and Ascension day. The observance of these days is certainly based on the usage of the early church"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Shaffer Will Be Reelected.

Pittsburg, April 10.-President T. J. Shaffer of the Amalgamated Association of Iron and Steel Workers will probably be reelected without opposition, Lewis Good of this city. the most formidable candidate, having sent letter of with drawal to the convention. MT. Good says 1t appears to be the general feeling that 1t would be injudicious to interrupt MT. Shaffer's policy at this time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
The Unprecedented Prosperity.

"The country has not yet marketed the crops of 1902. So vast has been the movement of merchandise in America during the past twelve months that chan nels of commerce have been obstructed." remarked a prominent iobber.
 There has been traffic congestion at all important points. This of itself has been the chief difficulty in the present financial and industrial situation. It is not the want of business, but it Is q wan of facilities for conducting the busi- ness of the country.
 We are now watching the growth of the harvest for the new year. The win ter wheat has come we'll through a period of uncertainty. The ground is being broken in forty-fve states for the crops of 1903 All the conditions are favorable for great crops. The markets are well maintaining the price of farm products.
 "The south is especially favored In that it's great staple commands a price almost double what it was a few years ago. This is due, no doubt, to prospects for a cur talment of the cotton crop of 19OS due to the floods and other difficulties, but the promise is for a crop that a few years ago would have been considered enormous to be marketed at price that must be considered fair and reasonable.
 "All of the energies of the people are employed. There never was a time in the history of America when there were as few idle men. There never was a time when there was as much money in cir culatlon as now or when credit was as well established, or when there was such a spirit of confidence and courage among all classes of people.
 '"The one cloud on the whole horizon Is Wall street. There has been an over production and imitation of securities"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Heavy Rain Storm in Kansas.

Independence, Kan, April 1O-One of the most severe wind and rain storms in years prevailed in this part of the state last night. East of here the storm was most severe and rain fell as if from a cloudburst. Trees were uprooted by the wind and small buildings were moved from their foundations and unroofed. Heavy damage is reported between La bette and Montgomery counties. The wires are down.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Sensational Preaching.

Now a New York clergyman stands up in his pulpit and denounces society as a gigantic pie whereof the upper crust is steeped in champagne, the bottom layer soggy with beer and the middle soaked in whisky cocktails" observed a lawyer. "The most obvious and fitting comment on that sort of pulpit oratory is that it sacrifices truth and decency for epigrammatic utterance. There are not lacking ministers of the gospel now adays who are very much given to that sort of thing, and the pity of it is that there are newspapers that print such sermons in big type"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
THE MILLENNIUM.
1e London Express.

From the London Express.
 Two years ago a wealthy Greek mer- chant married beautiful young widow at Smyrna. A little while ago the lady fell in love with a young clerk In her husbands employ. She confessed her love to her husband, who, after vainly endeavoring to separate the young couple, determined to be magnanimous. He forth with divorced his wife. gave her a dowry of $100OO and acted as best man at her subsequent marriage.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
To Avoid Naval Accidents.

Washington, April 10.-Because of the succession of accidents which have oc- cured recently in the navy. a board of officers is to be appointed to revise the drill regulations in order that every pre- caution may be taken in the future against casualties.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Robbers Wreck Bank.

Sedalia, Mo, April 10.-Robbers wreck ed the vault of the bank of Smithson, eight miles west of here, with dynamite. early today Citizens were attracted to the scene by the explosion and running pistol fight with the robbers took place. The robbers escaped, but it is believed one of them was wounded They secured no booty.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
Drawbridge Repaired.

Mobile, Ala. April 10-The drawbrdge of the Southern railroad at Jackson, Ala. which was so badly damaged several weeks ago that trains have not been able to pass over it. has been repaired, and through train service to Birmingham will be resumed this afternoon
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
THE HAPPY LONG ISLANDER,

From the Brooklyn Eagle.
 We have people on Lond Island who are impervlous to mosquito bites. Their skins are so pickled in whisky, or someth- ing, that culex and anopheles have no terrors for them. On the contrary, they are a terror to culex and anopheles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.
From the New York Press

From the New York Press.
 Few women have the humor to un- derstand funny story; none to tell it.
 The Garden of Eden was good enough until Eve got a secret, which she had to go out to tell.
 Trust no man whom you have done a favor; trust not yourself if any man has done you one.
 An optimist is man who can be fooled into thinking a 5-cent cigar cost the man who gave 1t to him a quarter.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11
CHANCE OF A RECONCILIATION

From the Kansas City Journal
 On his return trip President Roosevelt is to stop off at Cleveland and attend the wedding of Senator Hanna's daugh- ter. It is not impossible that MT. Hanna may head the Ohio Roosevelt delegation to the national convention
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11

Democratic presidential booms are very mercurial and fleeting. The Fran cis boom is now on tap, having crowded out the Grover Cleveland perennial boom,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-11

The only degree President Roose- welt should seek is that of T. B.--trust buster He should go on training for it at once.