davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Still Another Lynchinq.

The third lynching of the year took about twenty miles west of Tusca- loosa. Great care has been taken to suppress detailed accounts of it, but there seems to be no doubt that a lynching occurred at Gordo last week.
 If the tendency toward mob law is nos soon checked even the records of lynching during Governor Johnston's administration will be eclipsed. The only remedy consists in bringing per sons engaged in lynching bees to trial at once. Convictions may not be pos sible at present-probably are not; but the fact that the expense and risks of trial before the circuit court must be faced, will be quite enough to put an end to lynching frolics.
 On account of the law this is not possible throughout the state. Some circuit judges will, however, aid to the utmost in maintaining the supremacy of the law. Some will not. As the Legislature did not lodge in the gov ernor the power to call special term, and it is possible to act speedily and effectively in counties only that have judges who are willing to discommode themselves in order to put down mob rule.
 Let us nope the Gordo lynching will not go unnotice by Governor Cunning ham. whose record on the subject is without a blemish. He stands com mitted to the cause of law and order, and the Detterment of the state. Let us hope he vii. investigate the Gordo outbreak, and exhaust his power in the premises.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Congressman Williams Speech.

Many excellent speeches were deliv- cred at the St. Louis convention. It was a convention in which freedom Of speech was encouraged. It was not conducted by programme or by dicta- tion of any bort. It was one of the old sort of national gatherings In which the party indulged in plenty of warm talk, and found a way out of it that was satisfactory,
 Many speeches were delivered, as we have said, at St. Louis, but the comprehensive one of the series was that of the temporary chairman, John Sharp Williams of Mississippi. Who ever wants a meaty and ample refuta- ton of Elihu Roots sophistries and downright misstatements, should se- cure llr. Williams admirable speech. Not line of it was addressed to gall lery rods. It was clear summing-uD of the differences existing between the two great parties O. the country, and not a statement made in the speech can be refuted It is clear, calm pre- sentation of the claims of the demo- cratic party upon popular approval, and it should be widely circulated.
 MT. Williams was formerly warm supporter of Mir. Bryan, and frankly states his former position, but he as frankly accepts the changed situation, and his speech throughout is conserva- tive and convincing Hef1eayes very little foundation for MT. Roots speech. Perhaps the man who desires to be well-informed in the pending cam paign should first read MT. Roots speech, and then read MT. Williams review of it. He would in that way get both sizes, and the actual truth. As a rule campaign speeches do not present in straightforward way the truth of a situation, but MT. Williams speech is exceptional.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Building Country Homes.

q am glad to see that there is a grow ing tendency among our farmers to beau tify their country homes." said a planter. "Of course Alabama is far behind in this respect and much yet remains to be accomplished, but there is no reason why this state should not be adorned by a number of handsome country estates like those which distinguish Virginia and Ken lucky. To my mind there is nothing more pleasing to the eye than a beautiful coun- try home. It does not require a great outlay of money to bring about the trans formation, even though a modest cottage is the subject of improvement and I hope some day to see all our farmers and plan ters occupying homes that are not only comfortable but handsome. There are some splendid old mansions in the state, but what we need Is an increase in the number of modern, well kept homes on the farms''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
planks in the Platform.

On its negative side the new St. Louis platform is very distinct and definite It paints the trusts in un- mistakable colors, and also the tariff to which they are to great extent joined. Opposition to ship subsidies, to militarism, to polygamy, and to i'm perialism is expressed on heartfelt democratic lines.
 There are declarations of positive nature in favor (. the maintenance of the Monroe doctrine, the open-door policy, low taxes sad equally low ex- penditures, enforcement of the civil service rules, freedom of the Filipinos, election of Unted States senators by direct vote, the roofing out of corrup- tion in the government service, the admission of Oklahoma, Indian Terri tory, Arizona and Mexico as states, the enforcement of the antitrust laws, and the election of President who has no imperial ambition.
 The platform is all that any demo- crat can desire, so far as it goes. It is missing plank that created the historic session of Saturday night which lasted until after midnight. A money plank was not inserted in the platform, ostensibly because there is no currency issue before the people, ] but really because money plank could not be agreed upon that was acceptable to all democrats. As there was no need of one at all, in the minds of the committee, it was deemed best . to go to the people on a platform, as Senator Tillman expressed it, with no poison in it."
 All would have gone on smoothly and harmoniously if Judge Parker had ! not sent his famous telegram declar- ing himsels a gold-standard man. The convention replied that the platform they had adopted, and would stand by, Yss broad enough to accommodate all
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Judge Parker's Attitude.

From the New York Tribune Rep)
 Judge Alton B. Parkers refusal to stand for the presidency on platform which ignores the money question and leaves in binding force as democratic doctrine the free silver coinage blanks of 1896 and 1900 does signal credit to the firmness and courage of his public char acter. Judge Parker is widely respected in this state for the conspicuous ability he has shown in politics and on the bench, and for the purity and integrity of his private life. Every man who knows him esteems him. The republi- cans of New York have nothing but good words to say about him in his private capacity and in his judicial activities. His message. therefore. to the convention. which, misled by the unfounded assur- ances of his representatives at St. Louis, offered him nomination on terms of fensive to his self respect, will surprise no one familiar with Judge Parker's hon. orable achievements and honorable rec ord
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
 6H HE undeniable aptitude of south \1 ern democrats for an actual lead
 ership in political work was again illustrated at the St. Louis conven- tions Although the southern states con- tribute so largely to the column of dem- ocratic electoral votes that without their solid support the battle would be with out chance of success, the democratic vote of the south is, numerically, less than that of the states either of the west or the east. Thus. at the last pres- idential election. the whole democratic vote of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi. Florida, South Carolina anu Louisiana, six states was les than the democratic vote in the republican state of Pennsy- vania. Virginia, Tennessee and North Carolina cast together fewer democratic votes than did Ohio, and the whole south cast collectively less than 100000 of the 6,3O0000 votes cast for the democratic electoral ticket.
 Notwithstanding this numerical dispar- ity, such is the aptitude for politics of southern men that at the recent conven- ton they took a front rank and practi- cally dominated the work of the conven- tion It was called to order by Jones of Arkansas. Williams Of Mississippi was it's temporary chairman. The important committee on resolutions had as its chairman Daniel of Virginia. Dinsmore of Arkansas was chairman of the com mittee on permanent organization, and Head of Tennessee of the committee on credentials.
 When, on Friday, the work of the con vention was delayed by the failure of the committee on resolutions to report this was the committee sent by the con- vention to secure a report: James or Kentucky, Bell of Texas and Clayton Of Alabama The nominating speech for Judge Parker was made by MT. Littleton, now of this city, but a native and former resident of Tennessee; and one Of the strongest of democrats in the convention in consistent advocacy of sound money plank in the platform was Ryan of Vir- ginia, now also resident of New York.
 By many students of politics the prom thence of southern democrats in former times was ascribec to the peculiar condi- tions of slave holding and of legislative emergencies in the matter of it's continu- ance It was said that the southern wing of the party had not only the votes but the wealth. They had, too, the leisure and the training requisite for activity in political life. and in every democratic na- tional convention they took dominating part The close of the civil war, however. and the enormously increased influence of the west. incident to growth in popula- ton and resources, appear to have made no difference, among democrats at least. Casting considerably less than a third of the democratic vote and without electoral votes enough to determine the result un- less supported by the votes of several northern states, the representatives of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Ball Team Not Missed.

"I am surprised to see that the Besse- mer baseball team Is not greatly missed in Bessemer since 1t disbanded save by a few devoted fans" said a citizen of that town. "rhe team disbanded for lack of support and it really seems that we did not deserve such a luxury in the first place. Perhaps if we had had a winning team there would have been more enthu- siasm but the disastrous record made by our players from the beginning of the sea- son until their last game effectua1ly killed the baseball spirit in Bessemer.
 T am inclined to believe that another team for Bessemer would be risky prop osition for some years to come. The peo- pursuits and the fact that the team was constantly oversbadowed by the Coal Barons at Birmingham may have been partly responsible for the lack of interest taken.
 q hear tonight that the Anniston team has also disbanded. If this is so the fut- ure of the Tri-State, or rather the Two State league, is rather dscouraging am sorry to see the organization fall into SuCl StiditS' Nilh Adi Suppoil thtiS io no reason why the league should not con- tinue and prosper but the patronage Is very ragged. l am told. While one town may be doing finely another is losing money. The people of some towns take a lively interest in their teams and teams of other towns are ignored. Under such conditions the existence of the league Is threatened I hope that the organization will be able to pull itself out of the hole. It can be done by prompt and de- cisive action"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs
usaer Nonplussed.

q saw an interesting little tilt in the summer theatre at the lake last night" said a man about town. Several young ladies were seated in a loge when an elderly man and a younger companion came in and sat down in the loge next behind them. The young ladies were not wearing opera hats but their headgear was sufficiently generous in It's dimen- sions to obstruct the view of the stage for those in the rear So when the cur tain rose the elderly man called an usher. pointed out the offending hats and asked that they be removed.
 The usher summoned up courage and asked the young ladies to take off their hats, but there was nothing doing. To the surprise of the usher and the disgust of the elderly man none of the party obey ed. One girl raised her hands to her hat but decided that she would not take 1t off.
 ''The usher finally compromised matters by moving the elderly man and his com panion to a loge further up where hats could trouble them no longer.
 Tn view of the fact that loges are not boxes and there are people in the rear of those occupying the front seats, 1 do not see why women are not requested to remove their hats. Most of them do so in the parquet, although I do not believe that this is required
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
The trust cat is belled at last.
BUSINESS END OF LAW.

From the New York Commercial.
 There are fully two million civil suits of law brought in this country every year If the plaintiffs were different in every case, one in eight of the voting population could be said to be litigant As it Is, the actual number of different litigants is not in. excess of S00000- 100000 plaintiffs and 100000 defendants which is 1 per cent. of the total popula- ton of the country. now about SO,0oOOoO. The number of law suits brought in a year in France Is SO0,0o0.
 In Italy-Italians are much inclined to litigation--it is 1,40oOoO and in Germany it is 100000, a very much larger num- Der. both actually and relatively, than the number in the United States. Civil actions of all kinds begun last year in Great Britain and Ireland numbered about 1,500O00. or one for nearly every tenth male or female adult in the United Kingdom. In 1892 there was an increase of nearly 62000 over the previous year, and 472,041 actions were heard out of 1,410, ASA that were begun. Of the number of appeal cases heard. one in every three was successful. against one in four or five years ago. The total cost of British litigation in 1908 was placed at $7,SO9,S75. The best measure of litigation is usually the number of laws or statutes, and not, contrary to general belief the number of lawyers. In this country 1t is found gen. orally to be the case that the largest amount of litigation does not originate among Americans, but among newcomers here, who appeal to the courts for the adjudication of matters of trifiing ac- count. In no other country In the world are there so many damage suits brought as there are in the United States.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Fortune for the Inventor.

"A fortune awaits the man who can devise an overhead trolley pole that will not slip off the wire,' said an electrician. '.As you know, the trolley pole now in use is equipped with wheel at the top which runs along the wire and trans uits the current to the car. The groove in this wheel is deep enough to keep it on the wire most of the time, with the as- sistance of a large spring at the base of the pole, but it has a trick of slipping off at unexpected times, especially when A high rate of sped is attained.
 "The, chief danger when a car slips it's trolley is that the pole. pumping the eros wires, may knock down the live feed wires on the heads of pedestrians or messengers and do untold damage. The trolley pole now in use is a very awk- ward contrivance but is about the best thing that has yet been devised The trouble about an improvement is the dif- ficulty of making a pole that cannot slip off the feed wire and will not interfere with the supporting wires
 "It Is a ticklish problem at best. and am inclined to think that the under ground trolleys are after all the best"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
A Plain American.

The nomination of Alton Brooks Par ker puts before the people man who, ec.n in rural neighborhood, has never lost his love for the farm and agricultural pursuits. Although he has been.cn tho bench twenty years, he is but fif1y-two years old, and through out his long judicial service which has been acceptable to men of all parties, he has been a farmer.
 And he is not an amateur farmer. His farm at Esopus on the west side of HenGricl1 Hudson's famous river is not like the Rockefeller farm at Tarry, town on the other side of the river, or similar farm along that stream. Judge Parker is man of modest means, and he conducts a farm as farmer should-for profits. He is said to be worth only about $40,000, and a man of such comparatively slender means cannot afford to indulge in fancy farming, which is an extrava- gance only outranked by sailing in a steam yacht The judge is not a fancy farmer. His farming operation, which he closely superintends, are conducted with an eye to profit, and he not in- frequently takes hand in the farm work.
 Esopus Is not a suburb of any town. It is far from either New York or Albany, in strictly rural neighgh- borhood, with no summer-hotel attach ment, and there the judge and farmer spends his days so far as his duties will permit This is a return to the days of Jefferson and Washington and the fathers of the republic. Never until MT. Roosevelt's appearance on the scene had the republic had a President lred and born in a great city, and it will not soon want another. The people have an opportunity to re- turn to the earlier and better methods of the republic, and the chances are that they will avail themselves of the opportunity. Alton B. Parker, without a flaw in his career, Is a man who sub' ordinates ambition to duty, who does not pose as an example of strenuous ness-who in short is plain Ameri. can citizen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
TOBACCO BEFORE ART.

From the London Express.
 George Dance, having run the Richmond theatre for a year and half, has de- cided to turn it into a high-ciass music hall. Tt is not so much" said MT. Dance in an interview, with the idea of running a music hall, but rather with view of having a place of entertainment where men can smoke, that I have decided on a change.
 This, it must be understood. does not imply drinking.
 ''If we could have a theatre where smoking was permitted, I should have no wish to change mine into music hall But feel that this prohibition of smok- ing is at the bottom of the reason for the present bad time most theatres are pass ing through"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
nemooracx,o standard.Rearer.

From the Florida Times Union.
 It goes without saying that a president should be a good man. No word has ever yet been spoken against Judge Par ker's public or private character. The President should be an able man. Judge Parker's enemies do not deny his mental powers.
 But something more than character and brains was required by the demo- crats in selecting their candidate. They looked for a man they could erect. They wished to find one prominent enough to fit the position, and yet free from the handicap that a participation in the fac tional fights of the party would impose. They found the man they were looking for. We do not know where they could have found another.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press
 It's awful warm work sitting two in a hammock with fat girl.
 A woman can get terribly mad with you for losing her temper.
 Occasionally you find man who knows better than to let everybody else know how much he knows.
 A woman has an idea that if she can teach her daughter to make good tomato catsup everybody will think she is good housekeeper.
 When you kiss a girl and it comes off on your lips 1t is sign she didn't think you were going to get the chance or she wouldn't have done it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Nomination of Judge Parker.
,,,a r-,ncjnnati Enquirer.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer
 It was hardly expected by those most hopeful of democratic harmony and sue cess that so satisfactory and inspiring result would be reached with so little de- lay and with such cheering evidence of unanimity and renewal of the old party spirit as has come with the nomination of Judge Parker There is every reason why all shades of differing sentiment should be acquiescent satisfied, and little later on. when the full wisdom of the choice made becomes apparent en- thusiastic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
The Nominee for President.

From the Savannah Morning News.
 The nomination of Judge Parker for President by the democratic party ex- cites no surprise. It has been admit ted. practically for weeks, by the most of the democratic leaders that he would be chosen to lead the party in the presidential contest. The wisdom of the choice will become even more apparent than it is now as the campaign pro- gresses.
 Judge Parker is candidate upon whom the two factions can unite While there is some objection to MT. Hill and MT. Belmont, the men who had the most to do with bringing him to the front as candidate, there Is no objection to him.
 It is fortunate that he was not an active candidate for the nomination, and 1t is still more fortunate that he had the good sense not to talk politics before the St. Louis convention acted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
Proof of Woman's AmiabiIity.
,m thn philadnlnhia Rnllnlin

From the Philadelphia Bulletin.
 One thing stands as a sure proof that woman is an amiable creature, easily pleased and satisfied with her lot. And that is, that when she buys a dress ready made she rejoices because it is much better and cheaper than fussing to have. it made. And when she has it made herself she wonders why peo- pie ever get things ready made when one can have clothes made just as one wants them and cheaper."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
NATIONAL POLITICS.
Men of Promlse Enterina Politics..

Men of Promise Entering Pollties. From the Chattanooga Times.
 Capt. Richmond P. Hobson is going to stump Alabama in the interest of the democratic ticket, as an elector, in quest of political spurs, and there is not the slightest doubt of his winning them in superb form. Capt. Hobson is force ful speaker, has a fine presence, and, more than all, he will not talk dema- gogy, but will go to the roots of matters and tell the public of issues as they may effect the peace and happiness of the people. We need more Hobsons in pub lie life in the south-men of earnest, honest convictions of right and courage and manliness to proclaim them, not in the interest of a mere party machine, but for the greatness and glory of the whole organization, and for the upbulld- ing of the country and the perpetuity of democratic principles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
About Persons.

c. A. Mountjoy, formerly prominent attorney of Birmingham but now of New York, is in the city. MT. Mountjoy is prominently connected with the New York city bar, and is bold in an express sion of the opinion that the state of New york will cast its electoral vote for Par ker and Davis.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

Judge Parker is another farmers boy who has attained to greatness. The city youth has rather hard time amounting to anything in the presi- dental line.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

Judge Parker plunges Into the Hud- son at the same hour that MT. Roose- velt filings himself into the brine at Oyster Bay. This is the only respect in which they agree.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

When MT Roosevelt received the news of Judge Parkers nomination he is reported ,o havo remarked, An" So far the interviewer has not been able to discover the full significance of the Presioont's ejaculation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

The two ends Of the republican ticket hobnobbed together yesterday at Oyster Bay, where the news from St Looey was fully discussed but not digested.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

A New York man has the right idea about building airships. He is con structing his machine on top of a skyscraper and if 1t does not fly as far as the ground it will be surprising.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

It is now proposed to build trans Atlantic liner that will dwarf the huge Baltic. If the present rate of progress is continued it will soon be necessary to deepen the channel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

Historian Thomas Watson has hair as red as Thomas Jefferson, whom he greatly admires.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12
SOUTHERN MEN STRONG
 IN ST. LOUIS CONVENTION

southern constituencies, by superiority of political aptitude 1t would appear, took the practical direction of the work of the St. Louis convention
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-07-12

Arthur Pue German retains his firm hold upon the democrats of the sen ate and of the intelligent men through out the country.