davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Our County Cony.ct System.

Dr. Shirley Bragg of the board of convict directors, in his annual report made to President Carmichael, again calls attention to the county jails of this state, full as they are of evils, of wretched sanitation, and of unfor tunates who should be in poorhouses instead But the gravest evil of all is the fee brigade which fills these vile jails with victims We give Dr. Bragggs own official words:
 The fee system, so far as the convict is concerned. is blot upon the fair name of the state. Men, women and children alike are made to feel its whitening blast. It does not spare the old man tottering on the verge of the grave nor does 1t respect the child scarcely old enough to leave its mothers care. Perhaps some day this will be changed and the county convict placed on the same plane with the state convict
 The county convict system is con- demned. Many old decrepit men are sent to the convict camp that should be in the poor houses, but neighborhoods must be rid of beggars, and officials must have their fees if 1t takes the last drop of blood from suffering humanity.
 The county convict system should be reformed, or better still abolished, thus bringing all convlcts under the direct care of the state convict in- spectors. But the fee brigade stands in the wayi Yes, men of Alabama, the cradle and the grave are robbed in order that fees may be increased. The friendless and unfortunate are the vic tins of the fee brigade, and this com pact human power stands in the way of humane legislation-it stands in the way of the protection of the un- fortunate and friendless. The fee brigade never molests the man, woman or child who has either money or friends. They know their victims when they see them. But if Dr. Bragg and the other officers of the state will keep the facts before the people perhaps after while legis- lature will be elected that the fee brigade does not own.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
IN HOTEL LOBBlES
4 Plnokv aovernor.EIeot.

T have been greatly interested ID 'Hs election of Johnson of Minnesota as democratic governor. while the entlre re- publican ticket with that exception was elected" said J. ". White, general in dustrial agent of the seaboard AIT i'iiie T believe that a very pretty story couio be written by some novelist on his me
 Tt will be remembered that pamphlets were sent out condemning him because of his family. and the republicans sought to defeat him by singing mud al ms mother and father They failed complete ly and his election was great Jnsuhea- ton of the right.
 "A fiction writer could find great deal of romance in this mans life, and book about him would prove popular, l be- lieve. He has proven popular man and good man, and people always Ike to read a little romance about man who rises as he has done. I was much im- pressed by two great lessons in his eiee- ton. one a plucky son sticking by his parents and the other mother being faithful to her son."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Reporter Swaps With Mayor.

"A well known newspaper reporter was the cause of Mayor Drennen ut tering wrathful expressions the other day" said another newspaper man last night. "A city hall reporter went into the mayor office and hung up his ss blue coat on the hat rack. After finding out what the mayor knew he started out and picked up the mayors s60 broad cloth top coat by mistake. The mayor soon observing the difference in texture raised Cain Every nook and corner was searched but the fine coat was missing.
 Tn the meantime the reporter had hung the $6O affair up in his office and the porter thinking 1t would be stolen hid it. The reporter and the mayor were both now using language that would not do for print Later in the day the reporter put an advertisement in the pa- per which read, 'Wanted-The man who made away with my overcoat will please return and get the gloves Towards night he found the hidden coat and for the first time discovered that 1t was not his he hurried to the city hall and soon the mayors outraged feelings were re- lieved. Both got back their coats and felt much more at ease. All is now happiness in the city hall.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Repl1b,

Such a term of power is unusual, though not unprecedented. From 1861 to 1S75-fourteen years-the republl- cans controlled congress, but that pc riod was exceptional, including as It did the war period and the years of bitterness that followed it. Tn normal times neither party long controls both houses of congress, and neither by large majorities.
 All friends of good government must see that the country needs two parties, and the opposition party should in nearly every year be but q lap behind the party in power. The ideal representative government is the one that is conducted by two parties of nearly equal strength. The trouble since the war has been that the two great parties have not been a check upon each other. If the opposition party had been strong and effective the Dingley bill would not have been passed in its present form, or if it had been passed, it would have been modl- fled long ago. The trusts and the mo- nopolies now consider themselves for tifed and fully vindicated, but the Chi cago Tribune, ever republican in poll tics, warns it's party that it must be- gin to let off steam. Something, 1t says, must be done about the tariff and something about the trusts. The Watson and the Debs votes are more alarming to the beneficiaries than the vote cast for Judge Parker. Some thing, adds the Tribune, must be done So it must, but in any event the coun- try needs a stronger opposition
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
----------se%-------- EXPLAINING NOAH'S ARK.

From the New York World
 The Danes have been building a vessel upon the lines of Noah's Ark as de- scribed in Genesis. The model is thirty feet long, five feet wide and three feet in height, one-tenth of Noah's measure ments It was fioated on the sound on De- tober s0 with a party of professors. en- gineers and officials on board, and is re- ported to have behaved admirably at sea. The event confirms the theory that the Babylonians had at very early period a sea-borne commerce, that Noah's ship was a ea-going vessel. and that is was driven, by a storm-Yave up the Doab of the Tigris and Euphrates Into the noun tains.
 The remembrance of this calamity, which destroyed whole cities, lasted long, and grew with the Jews into the account of O flood. Herr von Ihering states that the Babylonians kept doves on board their ships. which they occasionally re- leased, and thus, by following the direc- ton of their flight were able to reach land
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
TAKES IT GOOD NATUREDLY.
o inc philadeInhla Enuuirer.

From the Philadelphia Enquirer.
 Southern newspapers are interesting reading these days. For few hours after the election there seemd to be note of despondency in some quarters, but that has passd. The situation is such that there is no sense in being mad, and every reason for taking the result in good part This has been the case very gem orally, and it is reinforced by the official returns, which show that there Is a good deal more republican sentiment in the south openly expressed than was con- sidered possible, while there Is no doubt that very large portion of those who voted for Parker are satisfied with the result.
 Thus, it appears that of those states which we used to consider the solid south, Delaware Maryland, West Vir- ginia and Missouri went republican. All republican electors would have been chosen in Maryland but for the trick bal lots used What Is more surprising is that the democratic majority in Virginia was so small that, taking 1t and West Virginia together, the republicans won. In the Old Dominion the republicans made notable gains. In North Carolina, even after the negro vote had been elimi- mated, one republican congressman was elected; there was gain of one in Ken lucky while Tennessee gives the lowest democratic majority In It's history. Strangely enough, the vote of Arkansas is still in doubt. It has probably gone democratic, but by very meager ma- jority In Georgia the republican and populist vote will almost equal the dem ocratic.
 These are few of the signs that the people of the south are no longer afraid of negro domination, and the effort to re- vive that issue is a confessed failure. Some of the most conservative newspa- pers in the south urge that 1t be dropped forever. Others object to this, because they see no other issue on which to fight. Some of the radicals even propose that the southern democrats keep aloof from the party and take an independent course. This is not likely to be adopted
 The truth is that the south is prosper ous, the old leaders are dying off, and the young men want some better sport than chewing over the prejudices of the past
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
whlter than new snow on a ravens back.
 Romeo and Juliet.
Annexation of Panama.

Secretary Taft and gay party are on the transport Sumner, headed for Panama, where they go to pacify the little republic and to smooth out the endless complications of an inexplic- able situation. The truth is, small republic cut in two by a zone belong ing to foreign power, that zone em- bracing to some extent the two chief cities of the republic cannot get along comfortably, and no one in or out of it expected it to endure long.
 It will undoubtedly be annexed at it's own request, and possibly the Taft Cromwell party now steaming across summer seas to the neck of land, will lay the foundation of an annexation scheme. So far as the republic of Panama is concerned annexation is the solution It Is either that, or the con tinuance of a farce that exceeds the work of comic opera writers and clay CTS.
 The effects of annexation upon the United States remains to be meas ured. It points to the annexation of all that lies between th3 mainland and tiny Panama, holding at present nearly twenty millions of people of mixed blood, speaking another language and possessing customs and methods wholly foreign to our Anglo-Saxon civ Ilization. Once Panama is annexed the rest follows, as night follows day.
 But the fate of all the Americas seems to be that of absorption, and the only doubt relates to the When and the How. The basis of annexa- tion of the isthmus was laid when Panama was forcibly detached from Colombia, and the business will doubt less be rounded up in the course of another year. Fate is fate, especially when an imperialistic Uncle Sam stands ready to promote it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Ills First Peach and Honey.

Speaking of peach and honey" said a well known man yesterday, who through modesty would not allow the use of his name, T want to tell you about the first time I ever partook of that delightful drink in cold weather. It was in 1869 and at that time I was noth- ing more than an overgrown boy We were steamboating on the Chattahoochee river and had tied our boat up at Eu- faula in January. At that time there was no railroad leading from Eufaula and 1t was necessary to go twenty miles through the country to a little place then called Scale station. From there we could take the Mobile and Girard, to Columbus. Ga. The Eufaula and Mont gomery railroad was not in existence.
 "As I said before we had tied up at Eufaula and we started through the country to Scale station, now known as Scale. We took a gun along with the intention of killing some squirrels along the road and having a barbecue at the place we stopped that night. We were very successful and had bagged more than dozen squirrels by night. We camped at a little place called Glenn vile and prepared for the barbecue. To- ward dark we decided to walk up to the little store at the town. It was run by a man named Glenn. We were al- most frozen and asked for something to drink He said that he had nothing but peach brandy and honey and that Is tho first time I ever heard of the drink call ed peach and honev We decided to try it and what we did to it was plen- ty. I thought it tho greatest drink I ever tasted. After taking several we went back to the camp and had our squirrel barbecue. Since that time I have often tasted peach and honey but none of 1t has ever tasted so good''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19

means a great deal in this district. It foreshadows in the first place long and apparently sound period of prosperity, one probably covering a period of four CT five years if promoters and specu- lators can be held within reasonable limits. The more moderate the pros psrity the longer it will last. It's com ing is l ow assured, and all should nnw strive to render it of long contnl. snce.
 Our own pig iron producers are en- deavoring to bring every available stack of the forty-eight in this district into operation. Forty-two of the num- Der are coke stacks, and nearly all of them will be blown in, even Little Williamson. Whenever the Williamson is in blast the good people of this town know that iron is in demand at high prices.
 Population will again flow this way, and much additional building will be needed next year in order to accom- modate the newcomers. We had con- veniently housed all previous additions to the population of the district, but preparations must now be begun for the comfortable accommodation of additional thousands attracted to us by the new period of prosperity which has been fully inaugurated, and which is evidenced in thirteen and half dol lar iron. NO. 2 Foundry is the coun- try's barometer, and 1t is largely our product. It is aided, too, in this dis trict by large cotton crop which will bring an average price of ten cents. Ten-cent cotton and thirteen and a half dollar iron is glory enough, for one period of prosperity. especially when we can see ahead a Panama canal and an Open Warrior.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
sIoss-sheffleId Officials.

President J. c. Maben of the Sloss-Shef- field Steel end Iron company returned from New York yesterday. accompanied by Mrs. Maben and Miss Maben. The lat ter landed from Europe early in the week.
 First Vice President Joseph Bryan of Richmond, who arrived here Wednesday will remain for several days.
 w. H. Goadby and W. E. Strong of New York, sloss-sheffield directors came yesterday and 1T. A. Murray of New York accompanied them. MT Bryan. MT. Goad- by and Mir. Strong, will make thorough inspection of the sloss-sheffield prop critics.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
WEDDINGS PERFORMED IN
 THE OLD SLAVERY DAYS

jo were the only instruments the negro loved and such dancing as followed would put to shame the round dances of the present.
 The Irish jig was a favorite with the boys, and was indulged in to show the &C., tivity of the dancer When the small hours of the night were come the party would disband. The morrow being Sun day, and a great day for the show out at church. negroes from a considerable distance would attend to gratify their curiosity.
 It was seldom that a man was per mitted to take a wife more than five miles from his home, when he was given a permit-a pass-to visit her every Sat- urday night till Monday morning, and. if from sickness or any other reason, he was given special permit to visit her frequently. The children were trained by their parents and their owners.
 The master had too much at stake not to take oversight that they were kept in a healthy condition. The value of --v born, healthy child was considered to be S100 Negro babies were seldom sick, and but few died. Where the mother worked out in the crop, the cradle was placed under the supervision of some one who remained at the house. or, as l have often seen them, left in the care of the mistress. While slavery continued I never heard of the legality of the marriage question. I have known them married by eminent ministers of the various denomi- nations, but most generally by respee- able man of their own color, who was a member of the church. They had no au- thority by law to celebrate a marriage, but common consent gave it legality. All the churches recognized the validity of such marriages, and I am sure that it was never thought of in any other light
 It was almost an unheard-of thing for negro to ask for a divorce. In settling up estates sometimes-though rarely-ne- groes had to be sold, but then an effort would be made to buy the husband and wife, so as not to separate the couple. The parties were always consulted when one of them was sold whether the other party wished to be sold and go off to- gether The master tried to accommodate them. In rare instances they appeared to be perfectly indifferent. I am speaking os the great body of slaves and shareholders in Mecklenburg county, and l take it this Is a fair average, and am sure that 90 per cent of them were closely at tached to each other on account of the relationship existing between master and slave. They were laid to rest as decently as the white people. with not much dis 1 play, but with as much feeling.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
CIRCUS MANS WEAK POINT,

From the New York Sun.
 The circus manager was talking over the experiences of his less prosperous days when attachments of the show were frequent.
 The man who wants to get damages against or collect a bill from circus should pass by the animals, which seem of such value to the show. and get his eye on the tent poles," he said If he attaches a mighty lion or big elephant the manager will not make big allow ance in order to regain possession
 But just attach the tent poles and the manager will helplessly throw up his hands. They are the most indispensable part of a circus outfit, fitted up as they are with trapeze attachments, gearing and other things.
 ''The circus simply cannot get along without it's poles, and circus manager will settle at once rather than have an attachment put on them.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19

From the Charlotte Observer.
 FIT was unusual for a negro to take
 wife at home. He would select one on ! a plantation adjoining; often going from one to six miles to suit his fancy He would marry in a family where the owners were regarded as equal with his master. He was very particular about the good name of the white people with whose servant he would form matrimo- niaI alliance. It was common Tor the negro to take pattern after his white masters and mistresses in matrimonial at- fairs as well as in other things that per- tained to his life.
 Courtship was conducted with great eallantry. Some would terminate In month, while others would continue for a whole year or more. The engagement, after permission was granted for the marriage by the owners of both the man and the woman, was generally not longer than A few weeks. Generally slack time for working the crop was selected, that they might have larger holiday hut other wise their nuptials were cele- brated almost any Saturday evening, and have Sunday for the regular reception day, attend church and show out The first Sunday after marriage the white people, as well as the black, would inva- riably "show out" Many persons who were not In the habit of going to church would attend on show out day.
 It was customary to give all the ne- groes on the plantation where the girl lived a holiday. They spent it In clean ing up and preparing for supper anu having everything in readiness TOT 'he momentous occasion. Late in the after noon the bride was dressed in her nnsst anparel. and sat waiting the coming or bar exnected husband When he arrived -alreadv dressed-he was ushered into the presence of his intended, and there awaited the coming of the priest It was not quite dark; blocks sawed ofr about three feet long, stood on their ends, held the pine torches that gave bright light over the yard. The wedding sup per was already arranged on the table and here let me say that 1t would ranl. with what was often seen in the houses of the white folk.
 Presently a commotion was noticed by the crowd; the officiating priest had come, and immediately the waiting couple marched out of the humble cabin into the hallway of the "big house. Here the marriage ceremony would be per formed with all the dignity and solemnty | the occasion called for. The vanity of the officiating parson always induced him to prolong the ceremony. and it was be- decked with some rare flowers of rhetoric that never failed to provoke smile among the sable audience.
 After congratulations, the next move was supper. The supper was given by the master; pig. or mutton, with few fat hens. constituted the meal, with bread and pies and cakes in profuson, and coffee. No wine or liquors of any kind would be tolerated. When the feast wal over they would repair to room pre- pared for dancing. The fiddle and the ban
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
KIND OF MUSIC.
rnm Harner's Weekly.

From Harpers WeekIy
 A certain congressman who takes an interest in musical matters lately pre- sented a bill advocating larger ap- propriation for the care of music in the congressional library. He spoke briefly on the subject, and after the session a fellow congressman approached him con- fidentially.
 II say, he said in a low voice, T like that bill of yours; but tell me-what sort of music does the government have over there in the library--is it band or just a hand organ?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Shelby County.

H. E. Whitaker, editor of the colum- biana Sentinel, was in Birmingham yes terday. Shelby county" he said lis still pursuuing the even tenor of its way.
 Election Is over and the farmers are now turning their attention to prepara- tions for large crops next year. The democrats only lacked few votes of carrying the county this year. In fact with the exception of a few county off cers the democrats won out. The far mers are getting good price for their cotton this fall and the merchants and business men are enjoying a splendid trade"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Lono Rule of the Republicans.

Since 1894 the republicans have con trolled both houses of congress. The senate has been steadily growing more and more republican, and in the next two years it will contain about two republicans to one democrat The house has been continuously republi- can, as follows:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Reasonable Enough.

From the Gadsden Journal
 Taggart explains the landslide in the way that makes it easy of comprehension to all. There were more of them than there were of us" After moments reflection the average man will agree with him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
About Persons.

J. B. Gramham of Bennettsville, S. G., is at the St. Nicholas
 w. P Cooper of Gadsden is at the Hillman.
 w. T. Brown of Gadsden is at the Hill man.
 c. W. Williams of Montgomery, is at the Metropolitan.
 Percie Hughes of Mayline is at the Metropolitan.
 Jack Wright of New Decatur is at the Metropolitan.
 J. T. Poe of Mobile is at the Morris. J. B. Pairley of Selma is at the Morris.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
GOES WELL PREPARED.

From the Pensacola Journal.
 It will surprise some people to know that Fairbanks Is capable of going to football game.--Age-Herald.
 Not on your life After the strenuous campaign the lanky Indiana senator has passed through the slaughter on the grid iron is not even a little bit exciting
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
Watson Took His Time.

From the Marion Standard
 Mir. Parker wired Roosevelt congratu- lations before o'clock on the day of the election. watson. the populist candidate, has not wired him as yet. Watson Is entitled to at least credit for waiting un- til after the funeral services to discard the funeral robe.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-19
HlrmInoham Real Estate.

Birmingham real estate is surely ad- and there is every reason why 1t should advance" said certain man q do not believe in booms, but the level of prices for local real estate has been much below that in other growing cities of the south. It Is worth more than cur rent quotations and investors and home seekers are beginning to realize this fact.