davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
AMERICA AMONG THE NATIONS.
A Situation Only Weathered BY Con-
quest and Colonization.

BY Josiah Strong in Success.
Uncle Sam has better business stand
than any of his competitors. BY far
the greater part of the worlds population
Is to live around the Pacific ocean. 1t is
to be the ELECTROMAGNETIC midland sea
of the future. At present England has
a commercial advantage In the Pacific,
but the cutting of the isthmian canal will
transfer that advantage to the United
States. If British ship should sail from
Liverpool to Cape Horn and an American
ship should sail from New York for the
same point, the latter would have to sail
$50 miles farther than the former to reach
the cape; and that means that every
port on the western coast of South Amer
fca, Mexico and North America is, by
water, nearer to Liverpool than to New
York. BY sea, San Fransico is today $50
miles farther from New York than from
Liverpool.
Suppose that the two ships sail from
New York and Liverpool for the Suez
canal. The latter ship would have an adj
vantage of 1000 miles over the former,
which means that all Asiatic and Indian
ports are, by the Suez canal, 1000 miles
nearer to Liverpool than to New York.
But when the isthmian canal shall be cut.
New York will have an advantage Of
about 1000 miles on the average to the
ports of North China, from 800 to 200
miles to the principal ports of the central
and western Pacific, and from 200 to $500
miles to the ports of the eastern Pacific.
That is, commercially speaking. the Paci-
fic is now a British ocean. BY reason,
therefore, of the location of the United
States, We shall always have better ac-
cess to the markets of the world than any
other people. Not only does our location
give us a great commercial advantage,
but 1t also saves us hundreds Of millions
of dollars every year by freeing us from
the burden of a great standing army.
such as well-nigh brushes the life out
of every great continental power of Eu-
rope. AS the London Spectator says, ours
is IA situation on this planet unpar-
alleled."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
MEALS A LA sLOTTE.
The DiaholicaI Plot of an American
Syndicate.

From the Boston Evening Transcript.
This German syndicate which will un-
dertake to complete the ruin Of American
digestion by introducing everywhere, as
It has done In New York already, a
patent slot machine containing lunches,
high balls. B and SIS, and in fact almost
everything that either the habitue OF the
savarin or the humble bean-eater at
Dement'S is wiser than his physician in
fancying Is the most unkindest German
onslaught yet Against such a proposition
a strong enough case could easily be
made out to justify interference by the
United states congress or the Gerry So
ciety. This type of slot machine VIII
stand a perpetual temptation to invest
in another piece of pie, more crullers, an
other cold bottle and another one. The
push bars exert a banefui fascination
upon their victim; anyone who has gam
bled all the fall for the eight red letters
that spell a box of somebody's surprising
chocolates must realize that. And the
effect will be most disastrous upon just
the people who cannot afford to speno
upon lunches the nicke1s that should go
toward meeting the next visitation OF the
furniture installment man.
The machines activities will be practi-
cally confined to the rooms of rejection
in which the SIS young man now contents
himself with q 15-cent lunch, the while
he sits on a high stool with his hat
tipped back on his head and his fork held
in the natural but questionable right
hand. Spread out before him stand the
solid delicacies of the lunch counter the
thick quadrants of cocoanut pie and the
deep hemispheres of cup custard; the
sturdy crullers and the creamy choco-
late eclairs. The appeal Of these is strons
and persistent, but 1t is never meretricio"s
for the young man who buys knows just
what he is going to get. But the s,o'
machine VIII change all that. the victim
NAV no longer look before he eats. II De-
comes a mere .c.s up whether he eats
or buys something else. He rusnes IN from
the gamble of the curb to gamble Tor MS
lunch. Will the fried eggs come out Two
op the sunny side or Will the ieather
casing cover all the yoik? VIII the apple
pie be fresh or stale. hot or cold? us this
oofsae or is 1t tea, and whichever 1t Is,
will you let me try for cup OF the
otber?,' So the coin chinks merrily Into
the machine until the victim departs
heavier and a sadder man. Truly this Is
q, internal machine, worthy Of "the Goth
and the shameless Hum" the one miti-
eating circumstances appears to be that
It will not be loaded with sauerkraut and
wiener wurst. but with American ham
sandwiches, oyster stew. pickles and pie.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
THE ORCHARD LANDS OF LONG
AGO,

BY James Whitcomb Riley.
The orchard lands of Long Ago!
o, drowsy winds. awake and blow
The snowy blossoms back to me,
And all the buds that used to be!
Blow back along the grassy ways
OF truant feet, and lift the haze
OF happy summer from the trees
That trail their tresses In the seas
OF grain that float and overflow
The orchard lands of Long Ago!
Blow back the melody that slips d
In lazy laughter from the lips
That marvel much If any kiss \
Is sweeter than the apples is. u
Blow back the twitter of the BIRD
The lisp, the litter and the wordsti
OF merriment that found the shinej
OF summer time a glorious wine
That drenched the leaves that loved
In orchard lands of Long Ago!
O. memory! alight and sing
Where rosy-bellied pippins cling,
And golden russets CLINT and CLEAN
As in the old Arabian dream
The fruits Of that enchanted tree
The glad Aladdin robbed for me!
And. drowsy winds. awake and fan
My blood as when It oyerran
A heart ripe as the apples grow
In orchard lands OF Long Ago!
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
MARcoNPs TRIUMPH.

From the Chicago News.
So gradually has the possibility of wire
less telegraphy been made known to the
world that the public generally will miss
the tremendous significance of the an
nouncement now made at Halifax. To ap-
preciate 1t better one has only to con-
slider that but very few years ago telog-
raphy without wires was looked upon as
something well out of the range of posi-
BILE attainment Even after its prac-
ticability for short distances had been
demonstrated the idea or sending mes
sages across the Atlantic without wires
was regarded as the dream of visionary
enthusiast. Marconi, it appears, has suc-
ceeded not only In sending messages
across the ocean, but In demonstrating
beyond all reasonable doubt that this
may be made regular method of COM
munication for practical purposes.
The achievement appeals to the imagin-
alton not alone as another instance Of
mans conquest of material forces. but
as bringing a new factor into play In the
social and political life of the world. Like
the telegraph. the telephone, and the
cable, the wireless system must have
it's effect In bringing the nations nearer
together and making them more closely
interdependent. In some ways 1t may be
curiously effective In shaping the worlds
history. To mention but one Instance. 1t
has always been possible heretofore to
cut off government from its colonies or
It's ships or It's troops by the simple
expedient of cutting wire or a cable.
In the future time that means of secur-
Ing secrecy In military operations may be
of no avail.
1t may not be doubted that the young
Italians work will give his name a per-
manent place in history. along with the
names of the founders of the cable and
telegraph systems While the principles
which he has applied may not be of his
discovery and while essential parts Of
the apparatus he uses may have been iil-
vented by others, he 1t Is who has maze
them of practical effect.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
THE FOUR HUNDRED AND
OFFICE OF DAILY PAPER
By Henry watterson. in Louisville cour-

BY Henry Watterson, in Louisville Cour-
ier-Journal.
Remarking that the Courier-Journal
has taken number of subjects into
consideration of late" our esteemed con-
temporary, the Eveng Star, of Washing
ton city. goes on to say that it may be
expected to get round to the Four Hun
dred again In the regular course of
events" Naturally 1t Is the office of
the daily newspaper, among other func-
tons, ito shoot Dame Folly as she flies, !"
and, the Courier-Journal being like the
Evening Star. a daily newspaper, how
could It, In the long run. escape the oc-
casional recurrence of the Four Hundred?
But why should we be so exceptional in
this as to provoke remarks?
We observe that several of our con-
temporaries besides the Star make a
similar suggestion. To what shall We
ascribe attentions SO unusual? 1t must
be, 1t can only be, recognition of the
Courier Journal as a 1e1der of the moral
no less than the political thought of the
time. else how could SO many join IN d.
recting our attention to the scandalous
disclosures which have overtalSen the
Smart Set of Vienna and the unsavory
Incidents attending the elopement of the
Crown Princess of Saxony? They are
indeed held before us as proof of the
claim sometimes set up In defense of the
-Four Hundred of New York and other
American cities that these latter are no
worse than their betters. that is to say.
that High Life is much the same the
world over which is tr'- enough.
Truth to say, these recent examples Of
titled depravity are not worse than many
not nearly so tragical. But yesterday 1t
was the liaison of crown prince, end
ing in mystery and death. Today it 10 the
liaison of a crown princess, resulting thus
far In nothing more serious than a run
away and a fsticuff. The suicide of Ru-
dolph threw a momentary glare upon the
Righteousness of the Austrian capital,
which these later revelations merely am
plify and heighten. The escapade Of
Louise is simply comic opera of the kind
that Oflenbach delighted to reve in.
And, speaking of comic opera, What
is the matter with King Leopold Of Bel
gium?" asks one of our appellants, and
considering that Colonel Watterson al
most succumbed to horror and Indignation
at the festive proceedings of Duke Boris,
1t is narrowing to think OF the colonels
condition when that frisky old person
lands on our shores and proceeds to do
some decorative work with the boys"
Alas, 1t is our staid friend. the Chicago
Chronicle. which would thus make game
of a long lost brother! That we should
live to see the day, and survive til
Why. look you. gentlemen! We shall
have on our hands next summer not only
his Belgian nastiness. but, mayhap. the
crown princess and her Frenchman, and
Brother Leo and his inamorata. whoever
she may be! Boris was not circum-
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03

stance to these. Newport will have to
give two monkey dinners and nave two
monkeys at each dinner We mourn Tor
Oscar, not the king of Sweden and Nor
way. He of the Waldorf-Astoria Be sure,
the brunt will ultimately fall upon him.
There come the yacht races In August
After the yacht races the horse show.
With the king of the Belgians giving a
state diner in the Aston dining room up
stairs, the crown princess and her suite
In the south palm garden down stairs,
what Will poor Oscar Tschirky do? FL
caro-, CT! Figaro, la And in the outer cor
ridors all the Divorces sitting round, and
whilst shrieking Oscar murmuring to
one another wouldn't it be just too love-
ly to be her?'
Why, bless you We don't object to
that sort of thing in the least Not in
the least We rather like 1t. 1t is all
right, kept within the bounds. We just
don't want to see 1t spread. That Is all.
The Smart Set of the east is like a fire
in a certain district; the house, or houses
a-fire, are doomed; there is no saving
them; so. the energies of the Force are
bent to the rescuing of the adjacent tene-
ments. New York, the city, we mean,
Is able to take care of it's own licentiates.
Newport, being wholly lost doesn't mind.
Is the Courier-Journal far out of its duty
when 1t raises its voice now and then to
"holler fire. and thus perchance to re-
duce the area of the confagration; to
keep 1t where 1t is; to warn the vulgar
and brutal men of its own bailiwick that
money cannot always immunity from
misdoing, nor silence scandal; to inti-
mate to light-headed and vain women,
newly used to riches and untutored In
prevail of the Smart Set is their first
step downward?
Each and every community has its
would-be -Four Hundred. Must we be
condemned If, in general way. we hold
up the aegis of the republican idea-of
the home-of the fireside-the aegis of
any old idea, SO it be American--to re-
mind them of our common birthright, our
title-deed to the simple homespun origin
of the whole ships crew of us-better
than the crowns of kings and the diadems
of dukes and princes, even when spotless
thrice honorable and blessed, though
scourged and sanctified b. poverty and
rags, by comparison with the crowns and
diadems worn as those modern titled
Writings wear them--shall we, must we
be made the subject of railery, in short,
because we seek, with humility, to recall
society to a sense of Its obligations to
morality and God, to remind men of
their manhood, particularly to brighten
and drive women from the awful precipice
of the knowledge of evil, to which, first,
the vanity and curiosity Of sex invites
Them and, last, over which the vicious
ness of wealth and luxury would fling
them? Must we? Shall we?
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
From the Selma journal.

From the Selma Journal.
The onlooker in politics In Alabama
no doubt in conjunction with The Journal
Is peering beneath the surface to find the
animus that actuated the assault of the
Montgomery Advertiser on Hon. A. N.
TunstalI few days ago. anent the lat
ter's candidacy for speaker of the next
house. The immediate cause of the over
turning of the Walls of wrath of The Ad-
vertiser was an editorial in the Age
Herald advocating Mr.. Tunstall's election,
but this alone was hardly sufficient cause
for the somewhat acrimonious article In
The Advertiser.
Mr.. Tunstall is we'll enough equipped
for the position. particularly so on ac-
count of his experience In legislative mat
tiers, and his past services to the party
should at least have gained him immunity
from attack by any paper unless some
public act warranted It, which has not
been pointed out or even accused.
The Advertiser Is not alone In its oppo-
sition to Mr.. Tunstall as speaker the
Birmingham News having ''me-tooed'
the IOTIHei wall, anu tliis oio"oNS e"o-
picion in the breasts of the purely on
lockers in politics that the cause Is yet
to rise to the surface. Now If the Mo-
bile Register joins in the assault, the
atmosphere will be cleared considerably
and the whole matter put where he who
runs may read. Until then, however, the
whole matter will remain wrapped In
mystery ard the state will peer In vain
for the reason of the outburst
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
NE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER IN ALABAMA
! am arm'd so strong In honesty that
they pass by me as the idle wind.
Julius Caesar.
Census Bureau Bulletin.

The guessing" over the cotton crop
will soon be ended, for on Monday
next the census bureau will issue a
bulletin showing the number OF bales
actually ginned at the 10000 ginneries
In the south up to December 10. AS
the crop, the room for estimating and
guessing will be small indeed. The
census office employs $40 agents, or
one in each county in the cotton belt,
and these county agents gather In re-
ports from every gin in their respect
i've counties. This effectually knocks
out the wild estimates of the depart
ment of agriculture, and the equally
wild figures of the experts and fore
casters in the trade.
The new system will never be USE
ful until weekly reports from the gin
neries are furnished. Congress should
see that this is done. When this Is
done the price of the feecy staple
cannot be moved up and down by
, gamblers, and producers will know
when to sell and consumers when to
buy.
The present crop has been no ex-
ception in the matter of guessing"
and even today estimates range from
1O,25o,OO0 to 1l,5O0,00 bales Nothing
but actual counts of bales as they fall
from the gin can put an end to such
wide differences. The world consumed
last year 10000 900 bales of American
cotton. and it is generally believed it
will take this year 100000 bales
There is nothing in the situation
that justifles any producer who is still
holding cotton to sell below cents.
The Age-Herald has throughout the
present season advised holders of cot
ton to insist on that price, and that
advice stands as gooo today as it did
when it was first made last Septem-
Der.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs.
Birmingham Man Wins.

THE Birmingham insurance fraterni-
ty," said a casualty agent yesterday
should feel very much gratified over the
excellent record recently made by How
ard Kolb, as a personal accident solicit
tor. Last summer his company Offered
several handsome prizes for the agents
writing the largest number of policies
during the eight weeks ending November
IS. and the announcement has just been
made that Kolb won the first prize. The
gratifying part of IL Is that the contest
was open TO all of the company's solicit
tors In the United States, even In the
largest cities. and Kolb beat them all
He Is an uncommoniy GOOD hustler
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
DON'T MULTIPLY OFFICIALS.
\ the ITniontown Herald.

From the Uniontown Herald.
We do sincerity hope that the next leg
islature will not multiply officers. The
state has so many officers now that are
doing nothing that It IL unwise to put
any more burdens upon the people In the
way or salaries A fee, levied by law,
is no less tax than the levy on proper
ty. 1t adds to expense account and that
addition In a measure at least minifies
the power Of the party who has 1t to pay.
The body polite can never make any
thing by increasing the expense account
OF the thrifty. The support Of the UNI
thrifty and unfortunate must lie upon
the voluntary or enforced contributions
Of the thrifty and fortunate. And so 1t
is useless for the former to try to Strip
pie the latter. 1t is best to decrease the
burdens of all. 1t is burden TO put
either fees or salary upon the back Of the
tax payer.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
Blind Masseurs.

"A brand new occupation for the blind
and one in which they will excel the
seeing is beginning to be taught In the
asylums.'' said a physician in the Phila-
delphia Record. This is the occupation
of the masseur The blind, with their
delicate sense of touch and with their
soft, supple hands, take to massage as
duck does to water. Massage, you see,
doesn't require eyesisht, for the mas
seur's busy hands hide from him what he
is doing. 1t requires just those qualities
that in the blind are developed to an ex-
cess, an ability to see, as 1t were. with
the fingers. know blind masseur who
practices in New York. His work Is a
revelation. No seeing man or woman
have ever met could come anywhere near
him. The massage, as you know, Is be-
coming more and more popular daily.
We are getting more and more masseurs.
and soon, am glad to see. good pro-
portion OF tfivse men and women will be
blind"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03

From the New York Evening Sun.

From the New York Evening Sum-.
Several youngsters of this town showed
that they had the stun of heroes in them
yesterday. A newsboy, Carl vanderpooi.
calamity stopped at runaway on Fifth
avenue and was cheered and re Wal ded by
the holiday crowd, Walter Jones. the ele-
vator boy in an apartment house on
Morningside avenue while the building
was ablaze made fifteen trips through
dense smoke and got all the tenants out
The youth who dares to do greatly is not
confined to the stories of the dime novel;
lists.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
The Grand Army Of Titles.
From the st. Louis dispatch.

From the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
The American people live and move
and have their being in an atmosphere
of harmless shams, many OF which take
form as titles and dignities. They are
pure wind and mean nothing at all.
There are judges who know nothing Of
law. There are doctors of law. medi-
cine. theology. and philosophy. who never
even passed through the primary school
to say nothing of accommodating uni
versity degrees. There are colonies ga
lore. generals not few. and a captain
here and there, who doesn't know the
difference between repeating rifle and
an Australian boomerang and never
smelt gunpowder. except on the Fourth
of July.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
Tides.
From Life.

FIoIH l1lIc
''Have you seen the last Century,"
NO"
Then you have not read the 'Confound-
Ing of Agatha or the Cussedness of AL
phonso' ?''
mo; but I have seen McClure's and
read the Inwardness of Jemfma' and the
TRANSPORTING of Josephus.'
Yes: but you must see Scribner's and
read the Upheaving of Jane. by the au-
thor of the Disgruntling Of Benjamin.
However, by the same authors, the .Meali-
ness Of John and "Transatlantcations OF
Aunt Mary were more powerful stories''
Yes, / think they were. Even more
powerful than tho Flabbincss of Peggy
in Harper's."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
Sacred SONG.

The services at the Chruch of the Ad-
vent tomorrow night will be somewhat
In the nature Of New Years celebration
and will be of special interest.
The music will be exceptionally beau
tiful Few choirs in the south are equal
to that at the Church of the Advent and
visitors to the city who happen to at
tend services there never fail to remark
on the fine music.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
REFLECTIONS OF a BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
Fat women show no mercy to thin
women, and vice versa.
Once there was woman who couldn't
be flattered, but she wasn't alive any
longer.
A girl never gets tired of having a man
chase after her who gets tired Of 1t now
and then himself.
You never find q woman who knows
how to make handsome dolly w;e,ung
her time on iecturing before womens
rights societies.
The things that q woman eats because
they are good for the complexion are as
numerous as the things man does NOT
eat because they don't 80 well with drink
ing.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1903-01-03
HelIoo, give us Honolulu.
THE BOOK TRUST.
m the Jasper Mountain Eagle.

From the Jasper Mountain Eagle.
The book trust should receive early
attention from our law makers who as
semble in Montgomery on the 18th of
January. Many poor child in Alabama
is declared from attending school by this
trust, and the parents of those In school
are being robbed by 1t.