davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
As a Political Issue.

from the time when. in the words of
the Old Testament. the Creator con
founded the language" Of the builders
OF me Tower of Babel. $50 that they
might not understand one another's
speech, thereby creating so much dis
cofd among them that they were com
PEELED TO abandon their impious under
taxing, the Question of tongues has al
ways been fertile source of strife
among nations. il remains SO to this,
present day, and not only in the Old
World. but even this side OF the At
lantic disputes are constantly cropping
up on the subject of languages. While
mere the trouble has been largely con-
hned to the Roman Catholic Church.
the hierarchy OF which In the United
states has periodically refused to
countenance proposals of any ecciesi-
astical and educational character cal
cuiated to interfere with the American
lzation OF the immigrants and Of their
children. ia Europe the language ques-
ton has developed nearly everywhere
INTO an important political issue
There are few governments abroad with
which the matter does not weigh heavily
IN the balance. nowhere more so than
IN the Austro- Hungarian empire. The
latter comprises some sixteen or more
distinct races, Zach at daggers drawn
with the others. and with language
OF its own, the preservation of which it
regards as necessary TO protect 1t from
absorption by its neighbors and from
disappearance as national entirety.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Methods in Germany.

In Germany. too. methods that appee-
at first sight to be most arbitrary are
adopted in the province of Posen for
rne purpose OF supplanting the Polish
language by German. But ii must be
borne in mind that Germany has more
10 fear from Russia than from any
other power; that Posen is her frontier
province bordering on the Cars do
miuions, and that il is of the most vital
Importance TO the safety of the German
empire that this outpost province
sh.ssild be inhabited by a population
thoroughly imbued with German SEN
timents and with loyalty to the father
lana. instead OF by people who, enter
tanning nationalist hopes Of restoring
the Kingdom OF Poland, would be like
~ to avail themselves OF any disaster
suffered by Germany at the hands Of
Russia 20 fmther the Object which they
have in view.
That is wy the Kaiser insists that
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
The Stun Tenant.
Experiments Which Have Been Tried in
Other Cities.

Gne of the oldest, and, TO certain
minds, the most effective pleas against
tenement house reform is the asser-
ton that the poor viii not take care
of decent homes and do not want
them. The lady visitor goes into an
alley with basket of Christmas pro-
visions, and seeing the floors and win
dows dirty, and smelling the manifold
odors of the place, says disdainfully,
what Is the use of doing anything
for the poor7 They won't keep
clean" This same lady visitor would
think it impossible to scrub her kitch-
en- floor, with hot and cold water at
hand; yet she blames a poor woman
who has, perhaps, no more strength
than herself for not bringing water
from hydrant and making spotless a
floor over which the feet Of children
and men with heavy boots are con
FINALLY tramping. Perhaps some OF
the rest of us would get discouraged
If We had 10 keep house in those con-
dltions. 1t is true, there are women,
even in the slums, who keep them
selves and their habitations clean, but
some of them work themselves 10
death, and others are possessed Of that
gift which our foremOthers called fac
uliy, and which is somewhat rare il
man or woman.
Again, it is difficult to keep vermin
and bad smells ont Of a room, how
ever averse the occupant may be to
them, when the rooms on each side
are possessed Of these properties.
When fuel is scarce, and all that can
be secured is barely enough to keep
8 person from freezing, there Is a
strong temptation to avoid opening
the window and catching pneumonia.
The poor, forced to choose between
germs and rheumatism, too often
choose the former.
Experiments have been tried III
other cities to prove the ability of the
poor to take care OF decent homes.
and 10 prove that such homes can be
provided for them without loss %
money. In Buffalo, two devoted
women had the pluck to go into one
q the worst tenement buildings IN
the city, inhabited by ignorant for
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Prestige in Danger.

Had Lord CurzOn submitted to This
treatment. British prestige would have
suffered throughout Persia. and esp,s-
claliy al along the gulf where the
good results % the viceregal progress
and the salutary impression created
thereby would have been destroyed.
Lord Curzon is the last man to put
up with insults, especially in the Orient
and he gave the Shah a telling rebuff
by issuing orders 10 the squadron to i'm
mediately raise anchor and 20 sail away
from Bushire. The Persian governor
was thus made TO look rather ridicu-
lous, as he vainly waited for the corn
ing Of his distinguished guest, and all
the elaborate preparations he had made
for d grand reception OF the vicerOy OF
India were utterly wasted
Nor has the matter been allowed 20
rest there For the British government
has directed its envoy al Teheran TO
demand explanations from the Shah Ia
person concerning his conduct, with an
animation that unless the explanations
are Of a more satisfactory nature than
the facts in evidence suggest. Eng
lands attitude toward Persia and her
ruler VIII undergo serious alteration
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Sunday Customs.
The Baleful Influence of the Early
Dinner.

The blue law regulations which for
bad the doing OF any sort of work on
Sunday are things of the past, bur
some of their traces still remain.
Among these is the feeling that even
II the employee does not object, there
would be something dreadfully wrong
IL making some other day than Sun
Gay day of rest. This leads to that
oyspepsia-breedmg institution, the
early Sunday dinner.
1t Is obvious that so long as people
eat and drink and live, there must be
some work done on Sunday. by some
bcdy. The usual number OF meals
must be prepared, and the house kept
clean. 1t Is true that the ancient
PuIltans and the ancient Jews man.
aged TO preserve the custom of doinr
70 cooking on Sunday, but it involves
an amount of labor and forethought
practically impossible except in Z
community. where all the people have
the same habits. The present Amer
lean compromise between giving the
servant a holiday on Sunday and re-
quiring the usual amount of work Is
the Sunday dinner in the middle of
the afternoon, which leaves the ser
Want free after or 5 o'clock to enjoy
the rest of the day. The people who
eat the dinner loaf about in a sleepy
or irritable state for the rest of the
afternoon, and late in the evening
become really hungry and have some
thing more to eat. Then they wake up
blue and cross ON Monday morning.
The habit of inviting friends to din
ner on Sunday makes it difficult to
dispense with service on that day, but
what would be the objection to allow
ing an equal amount of time on some
ether day, and getting rid of the
weekly fit of dyspepsia 1t is true
that a good digestion can stand this
infiietion, as i can aost other things,
but why should people VINO would not
think of putting off dinner until late
AT night, or eating II IN the middle of
the afternoon, on a weekday, upset
their usual routine on Sunday because
Il Is Sunday?
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
EX- Governor Taft's Farewell.
Sound Advice for FiIipinos and Ameri-
cans in Parting Words.

Ex-Governor Taft's farewell to the
Filipinos forms a very satisfactory
termination TO his most creditable Of
fetal career in the islands. The adj
dress which he delivered at a banquet.
attended by several hundred leading
Filipinos, contained much sound adj
vice, and the spirit in which it was
accepted demonstrates the growing
confidence among the more intelligent
classes in the good intentions and wise
purposes of the American Govern
nlent. The heads Of political parties.
the lawyers, and ofliceholders were
warned against specializing on the
hopes Of independence until the
schools were filed with children and
the masses were better educated. The
sincerity of such advice must be ap-
preciated by the people, who see that
every effort is being made to educate
the masses and render them fit TO-
government.
Mr.. Taft takes an optimistic view
of the future Of the islands, which
need, he says, "only few favorable
crops to bring peace and extraordi-
nary prosperity" The production OF
Temp, tobacco, and sugar has greatly
increased over the yield of 1902, but
low prices, combined with high import
duties levied in Japan, China, and
Java, threaten TO destroy these indus
tries This is an unfortunate state Of
affairs, and especially so in so far as
i affects the extension Of the tobacco
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Huns and Austrians.

To such an extent is the question Of
language identified with that of nation
alism In the dominions of Francis Jo-
seph that his subjects are convinced
that they cannot fight for the one with
out combating for the other The con-
troversy which has recently brought
Hungary and Austria almost to blows.
the respective premiers hurting Insults
at one another from their places in the
parliaments at Vienna and at Pest. and
which has created more III feeling be-
tween the two notifies of the dual en-
pire than at any time since the san
culinary Magyar insurrection in 1919. has
been entirely a question OF language.
the HNnsarians. who defray one-haif OF
the expenses of the imperial army. de-
manGing that their language should be
used Ia lieu OF German for the COM
mands given those troops stationed in
tho Magyar kingdom.
To this neither the Emperor nor the
Austrian government would consent,
realizing that any concession in the mat
ter would lead 70 similar pretensions on
the n.lrt OF the Czechs ia Bohemia. of
the Croatians. the Slovaks. the Rou-
munians in the Pennsylvania. the ltal-
fans In the southern provinces. the Poles
IN Galicia, and so along the whole
gamut- Each of those races entertains
the same nationalist aspiration as the
EVngarians; every one of them is as
jealous OF its language, and the quarrels
which have taken place about the latter
during the last two score years have
done more than anything else TO dfscrcd-
il parliamentary institutions in the dual
empire ano 20 render legislative govern
mcnt wen nigh impossible.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Little Japan.
An Erroneous Estimate Of the Size of
That Country.

A critic informs the world at large.
through the New York Press" that
1t is all mistake to call Japan "lit-
tic" or regard her as in any way an
infant among nations. She has q
population of 100000, and an area
greater than that of the British Isles.
and she Is in much the same temper
Just now that Great Britain was at the
dawn OF her career of conquest the
investigating, Independent, patriotic
state Of mind in which nothing seems
too difficult to accomplish. Her PEG,
pie, homogeneous, brave, and intense
~ devoted to their country, would he
no mean antagonists in war, and arc
no incOnsiderable factors in time Of
peace.
1t IS quite true that the average per-
son is likely to underra:e the size and
Importance of Oriental countries.
since the aliases do not devote IS
much space to them as to European
countries really much smaller and less
important. The population of Japan
is greater than the population Of
France, and her people have infinitely
more TO do with the affairs of thai
large fraction of the world called the
Orient than France ever will have.
Net most people, one cannot deny il,
have the idea that Japan is one horse
power, while France belongs in the
first rank
1t Is time to recognize the fact that
the Orient is likely to be the theater
ia which the worlds next great drama
Of international relations will De
worked out. In this drama the Japa-
nese are certain to play an important
part.
No people in the world, perhaps,
can be said TO be as truly homoge-
neOus as the japanese. They all have
the same traditions IN the main, ana
by their lorg seelusion from the world
they have become welded into a com
pact and available weapol for any
ambitious governing body. 1t Is
worth while to watch Japan.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Visit TO India.

The visit of the Prince and Princess
of Wales 70 India. which was to have
taken place in January. has been a6-
jOurned until the autumn. ana viii
probably occur while Lord Curzon IS in
England. This would avoid all the trou~
blesome questions on the score o.
precedence which cropped up on the oc-
casion OF King Edwards tour in India
when still Prince of Wales While Lord
Curzon is in EngIand-and he IS TO have
six or eight months leave Of absence
dating from next May-his place at Cal
cutta VIII be taken by the stalWart
six-foot-two Lord Ampthill, now govern
or Of J. adras. The latter Will not be vice
roy, but merely acting encouragement.
and as such he viii in no wise over
shadow the Prince of Wales. or havs
any conjunction about following in his
wake when he Wits India with the
princess.
Lord AmothilI was one or Joseph
Chamberlain private secretaries. and
the eldest son of that famous English
diplomat who Will be best remembered
by his name Of OdO Russell, OF whom
the late Prince Bismarck used TO say
that he was the only Englishman. per-
feet in French, whom he could absO-
lutely trust. ! MAY add that Sir Cur
zon Wyilie, Of the Indian Office in Lon
don. is at the present mOEent in India
making all the necessary arrangements
for the tour Of the Prince and Princess
of Wales in the fall
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Englsnd's Position.

This is only natural. For England's
position in the Orient is based on pres
uge rather than on force and she can
not therefore. afford TO submit to any
thing calculated 10 affect that prestige
such as the recent affront by the shah
Her relations with the latter have until
now been most friendly.
Indeed, he is the only Oriental ruler
who has received the English order OF
the Garpsr. which has been until now
Withheld from the Sultan OF Turkey.
the Emperor OF China. the King o.
Siam. and even from Great Britain s
ally, the Emperor of japan, much TO
the disgust OF the latter.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
In AIsace-Lorraine.


a similar policy has been pursued
in lsace-Lorraine. where by degrees
the French language. and with it French
sympathies, have been almost entirely
eliminated. There the task has been
more easy than IN Posen. For Ger
man was extensively spoken in the
Reichsland previous TO the war of $780,
when the prevailing sentiment there
vas distinctly anti-French and disloyal-
~ to the Gallic empire was the rule
rather than the exception Indeed.
Il was only after the two provinces
were annexed by Germany that the
population became so violently French
IN their sympathies The Aisatians ana
the Lorrainers are. however. a shrey7d
people, and having obtained all the Id-
vantages that there was to be derived
from the pity which their lot excited in
France. they have quite eheerfuHy re-
signed themselves TO their fate Emo
ing it much more profitable to show
themselves patriotic Germans than
friends Of France.
The role which the question OF laii-
guage plays in Italy may be gathered
from the fact that popular sentiment
demands that the Ttalian-sp speaking pop
ulation Of Emperor Francis Joseph's
southern provinces. and also in the
Turkish province OF Albania. should be
brought under the rule OF King Victor
Emmanuel An immense society, with
branches in every city and town Of the
Peninsula, has been organized under
the name of Italia Irredenta' (unre-
deemed Italy1. for the avowed purpose
OF erlancipating the ItalIan-speaking
provinces OF Austria and Of Turkey, and
or uniting them 10 the Italian kingdom
Statesmen both in and out Of Office. /
generals. admirals. court officials,
judges. in fact. all the most influential
men of the kingdom. belong to this so
ciety, and all are imbued with the same
feeling. namely that no Italian-speak-
ing people should be subject to alien
rule.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Source of Weakness.

Nationalism, in the case or countries
like Austro-Hungary, populated by a
number Of different nationalities. is al
ways a source OF weakness, fostering,
as II is bound To do. discOrd and divis-
ion among the different units comprised
n the state. True. some governments
have favored aspirations of this char
acter. usually for the purpose Of Sc
curing temporary support OF some po-
litical faction in the legislature. But
that Is q dangerous game, as the late
Count Taaffe for so many years prime
minister OF Austria, found 20 his cost;
and nowadays most OF the European
powers are endeavoring TO crush nation
aiism as tending TO impair that union.
which. in the words OF the old proverb
makes force.
1t is. therefore. only natural that the
question OF language. which is one OF
the chief phases of nationaiism. should
occupy the attention OF the authorities
and that the latter should view with
disfavor every attempt TO preserve Ian
guages other than those of the govern
ing classes That is why one finds Hun
gary forcing the Magyar language upon
the Roumanians OF Pennsylvania: why
Russia IS striving to bring about the
adoption of the MuscOvite tongue in lieu
OF German in her western provinces
and instead OF Finnish in the grand
duchy Of Finland
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
THE CURSE OF MANY TONGUES
Since the Days Babes Languages Have Been Source of
Strife Throughout Countries of the World

I ifestations against Austria in Rome
and in the other big cities, demonstra-
tons which have tended TO strain the
bends OF alliance between the two pow
ers well nigh 20 the point of rupture.
Germans. Bohemians, Poles, Ruthen-
lars, Serviaus. Croatians, Roumanians
Magyars. Italians. Slovaks. Slovenes,
etc, though filled with teh utmost jeal-
oUsy and hatred toward onS another.
have. however. one bond Of union name
~. their loyalty and aifecticn 10 the
chiNalrous old monarch who has taken
the trouble TO learn all their languages
and who is able TO speak &c each of his
subjects in his own tongue. and TO COM
pTehend what they have to say to him
without the services OF an interpreter
L. is difficult to realize the extent TO
which this has endeared him 10 his
liegcs. Nothing that he has done has
contributed more to his popularity
popularity which holds together the dis
cordant elements OF his polyglot empire
Unfortunately. his nephew. the heir APP
parent has not followed his example in
this respect He cannot even speak
Hungarian, "A fact which the Magyars
strongly resent, and while TIE fears OF
disiptegration OF the dual empire on
the death of Francis Joseph are cXag-
serated, yet IL cannot be denied that his
demise will impair to a serious degree
the bonds that unite the various races
subject to the rule of the Hapsburgs.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
DEFENDERS OF VICKSBURG

The Vicksburs-National Military Park
commission desires 10 correspond with
veterans Of all the Confederate batter
les that served in the defense of Vicks-
burg. May lS-July g. 1853: and 10 secure
from them exact information as 20 the
number. kind. and caiiber of the guns
of their respective batteries. and also az
to the positions of these guns on the
line Of defense. Letters in response
should be addressed TO Capt William
7. Rigby. chairman. parl, commission
Office. Vicksburg. Miss.-New Orleans
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Yields Great Influence.

The result was that when the British
government resolved upon establishing a
permanent legation in Abyssinia, where
British interests are exceedingly i'm
portant. both Sir RenneH and Lord
Edward warmly recommended Lieuten-
ant Harrington &c the late Lord Sails
bury for the post. He has since ~
ceived military promotion to the rank
of colonel and the influence which he
has been able TO acquire over the dusky
potentate TO whom he is accredited is
SO remarkable that il has completely
RELOCATED into the background that or
Russia and of France. which formerly
predOminatcd
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Affects Foreign Relations.

Nor is this strife on the subject of
languages in Aastria-Hunsary confined
10 the empire. y affects very seriously
the foreign relations of the latter; and
the attitude OF the authorities at Inns
prucS in regard to the attempt mace
there TO provide for instruction in ftal-
ian, which is spoken by at least half the
population of the province, has excited
such indignation throughout Italy as to
LEAD TO the most insulting popular man
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27

the language taught in the public
schools Of the province of Posen should
be German, instead Of Polish. lie
wishes the children 10 grow up 20 be
German rather than Poles. 10 be train
ed TO German instead of to Polish ideals.
and to look TO the unity OF the German
fatherland IN lieu OF 10 the revival II
the former giOries of Poland, under
a Polish king
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
Summer Spoons.
Are They a Legitimate Basis for Breach
Of Promise Suits?


We are interested in noting the re-
mark of the father Of the young lady
who claims to have been the original
beloved of the artist-man who recent
~ married a willful daughter.
Enforcing his claim that the other
mans son-m-law was once engaged to
marry his daughter, this Newport
father declares: "They went together
to entertainments, and during the re-
cent summer nights they sat upon our
piazza and behaved generally a
lovers"
But Is it really true that in New
poIt, Il. l.. little summer eve spoon
ing on papa's piazza is seriously taken
as basis for a breach Of promise
sGit2 If it Is, we know lots OF young
people who Will either have to change
their habits or forego forever joining
the socially elite of this, our great
country.
Newport girls may think a summer
moonlight Irritation is a certain step
toward matrimonv, but girls every
where know that they must catch their
man under the gaslight III the cold,
cold winter before they can feel II Is
safe even TO cherish hopes
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27

A divorce has been denied a Cali
fornia actress because she Is able to
support her husband. Westward Ho!
all ye of slender incomes.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27

The Alexandretta affair has been set
tied. and everything is in readiness for
another breach and the subsequent
apologies Of the Sultan.
The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-27
WEALTH IN AN OLD DESK

The wealth that it was known the
late Dr. Gustave Rosenk. of Oakland.
Cal, died possessed of has been found.
Money, a bank book and deeds repre-
senting altogether $4,000 were discover
ed in the back Of an old desk that had
been made by the doctor. In this inse-
cure receptacle there lay S4.lOO In cash.
bank books showing deposits OF $4,000
and deeds TO realty worth SIG. 800. The
will of the deceased was also found /,
the desk He died without telling any
one where his valuables were secreted
Albert Kayser. who was appointed spe-
cial administrator of the estate pending
the arrival of son of the doctor. now
on his way from Germany. remembering
a remark his old friend had made sew
eral years ago that If l die you will
ma plenty OF monH'' TO- -''aAs-funeral ex-