davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

,,,nes week and dispensing with the
reading OF the minutes OF tho Leglsla-
ture and making motions to adjourn and
'dolngs all sorts OF marvellous things.
one day he would Introduce q bill to
protect B"oid 11a ars" In Hanover and the
ncxt he would oppose resolution nppro-
priating 500 for improvements to tho
CAPITOL elevator. And 1t all came so
natural and easy to him-just like he had
spelled 1t all years before III the old log
school-houso when we thought he want
worth the powder and shot 1t would have
taken to shoot him. My! that man was the
talk Of the nelghborhood, and when the
weekly paper would come and his record
would appear en- blazoned there, each and
every ono would up and say;"Gee Will
HIklns, r knew that fellow when he was
D boy" just as IL that circumstance were
calculated to stamp him with the per-
Epetual brand Of idiocy. It's a peculiar
way we Hanover folks have got-thls
thing or never quite becoming reconciled
10 the fame OF persons whom wo knew
IN their youth. And. by the way. Just, as
soon as we really become convinced that
they are dead-sure celebrities, somehow
we begin to feel kinder shy and offish
towards them.
To tell5t truth. celebrated people, like
Sunday clothes, aint comfortable any
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

way yot, take EN-. They don't ring true;
they don't como to see YOU when you've
got chlls and fever. Somehow we
chucklc- headed ones always feel sdurmy
In their presence. We can't tell, even
when they are cracking jokes whether
they are downright funny or Just pokng
sly fun at us. And at meal times. when
they are about, wo feel n sense OF un-
certainty as to whether We should eat
our pie with q fork and whether we
should pronounce the word either as
IL It Were "eye-thcr." Tor We have OBJ
served that even the most modest cant
get nibbe at fame without hungering
to bite Of great big chaw Of celebrity.
They start out all right, especially IN
conversation and for e. little while It's
Bill and Buck and Sllas and kyaarter
and 1ecrs, but before long tho gren ono
is sure to flush the coveyB by calling the
railroad station q day-no,@ or using the
word "lunch" where VIC say snack. is
| Now even n close observer may fail to
note It, hut as a matter Of indisputable
fact. there's nothing that escapes tho eyes
or ears of a countryman and though lle
mako look horny and freckled all over.
he's as thln-skinned as Il tomato and Its
the easiest thing on earth to punctrlra
his constituencies. Unfortunately, too, We
whose stupidity has grown irremedisbly
chronic, are always looking for trouble
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

see these beautiful women holding cigar
cites between their dainty fingers, puff
fing tho smoke SO that 1t assembled above
their heads In successive curls, It was
so homogeneous with their refined faces
and gentle manners.
Russians. Germans. French. Italians
Turks. Egyptians and spaniards vie with
one another in the use OF tobacco. the
Spaniards probably leading in the con-
sumption OF cigars and cigarettes.
The effect Of the excessive use OF the
deadly tobacco plant is evident the mo-
ment you meet the people OF Spain. and
especially the younger class. The ma
E1ority are nervous, swarthy, dull and un--
tidy, Their teeth and fingers are stained
with nicotine, and altogether they pre-
sent nm unfayorable appearance -&
One contemplates with deep sollcitude
the possibility OF Americans becoming
inst as demoralized, and II these habits
Increase at the same ratio as during the
past ten years the time is not far distant
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

critters YOU see their names In the papers
and they are a.strrrlng up dust and
n-rsising sand and adjoining up before
fthe bubble gaze like an aurora borealis
or a preacher at q protractcd meetin'>
How they do It gets rns. All know Is
that without a moments warning you
hear rumpus, and Investigation proves
that It's being raised by the rneasly 1T
tic chap who used to sit next you ut
school or the secdy rooster who spcwcd
his tobacco Juice all over the stove Of
the cross roads store, and didn't know
A from lizard.
Take my countys representative in the
Legislature, for instance--or rather the
ono who was there Just before we had
hog cholera In Hanover AS a boy. that
yap couldn't S5tell Studebaker wagon
from a chilled-plow. And as for reading
why he couldn't interpret n circus bill on
tho village postofice. But not realizing
what an account he had on the debit
side OF life's intellectual ledger, he kept
iinching along, placldly wiping his nose
on his sleeve and scratching his head
when things puzzles him. until one day.
1t kinder pears like all the weevil left
the upper story Of his barn. and then he
took off his coat and got ready for cello.
brity.
Well. sir. before we knew It he was get
ting his name In the papers two or three
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

make his mark, his previous lack Of sense
forms Al, exquisite settling for his
achievement. N.
Up. IN Hanover we have often
noticed this popularity Of human ma.
8ture-that It ls our chucklc-headed neigh
bors who do things. Indeed, We have
Patrick Henry for a precedent. As a
boy ho didn't have guniptlon enough to
know hog-kllling timc from the season for
planting spring oats but IN the grand
root-plg- or-dle struggle for existence, nc
kept grnbbing until he landed on velvet.
let alone the embalming he got in his
tory and Tho rhetorical 'noial dekg1ls
thrown at him by his Biographies.
h Tho career OF thi, notable-,,otii6 shy
husky--patrlot Is a sacred tradition In
the nelghborhoo1 Of the slashes, and /
do not believe that reveal n secret
when ! say that for decades It has been
Initiated. And SO far the Initiation Of his
earlier years has been almost perfect.
Later on. however. the harvest time OF
seeming mental inactivity Will arrive and
then therc'll be something doing. But
1t will come gradually and achievements
will bust loose In places where no ono
expected them. In fact achievements,
like warts. always do come In the most
mysterious way. and sometimes, too,
their sources apparently are 50 humble
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

woman, whose Partisan sister is not her
superior in this respect In fact as pre-
viously quoted-and quoted again because
know 1t will please the ladies.-''a we'll
dressed American woman is the best
dressed woman in the world.
As to the question of social equality
and what It leads to in .'inferlors," no
says that tradospeople. carmen, servants
and others, whom he Jumps all together,
'.entertain a sincere conviction that they
are every bit as good as you are" and
zone soon gets to feel that there Is some
thing fine about this theory of equality
among men," (Hcnr! Heard Simple
and genuine as this feeling is In America.
instead OF estranglng one 1t really does
seem to bring one nearer 10 ones fell
low creatures-those mean who have
been handicapped In life and haven't had
as much money or been as we'll educated
as oneself which, ] suppose, Is what we
mean when we speak OF "inferiors."
Good for you. Sir Philip! Spoken Ike
a true English gentleman
lie says further in reference to this
doctrine OF equality, 'whichAlends Itself,
as the best things often do. to ridicule
or ludicrous satire"
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

smoke were looked upon as verttable
Meg Merrilies. and were supposed to t', be
in league with evil spirits and given to
lamentations and fortune-telling,
sit was a long tlmo before our travels
era abroad, after having adopted these
habits privately, were courageous enough
to acknowledge their departure from
American ideas Of propriety In women.
They were very secretive about smok-
Ing and drinking. and would not for the
world have had any one whose esteem
they valued know that they INDUCED In
these vices. ! remember we'll the conster-
nation with which some American young
ladies' whom was chaperoning observed
a distinguished party OF foreigners who
were dining In the hotel whero we were
stopping. as the men and women SIN lsed.
drank and talked. the women seemingly
enjoying the cigarettes as much as the
men.
1t was to our minds very shocking to
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

!, that5by giving women the suffrage, you
will create discord in family life. II that
argument was logical one. 1t would
prevent women having the right to 8exer--.
else any religious freedom. ial NJ II
The longer live and tho more I see of
the sorrow and sin and misery or the
world, l feel men cannot be contented
with the present social conditions; they
must see that there is some room for
responsible men and women, then l
think there will be a closer tie between
men and women than has ever existed
before. In ameioration, they must now
and then ask themselves whether$hy ad-
hitting women to their counsels they may;
not he able to benefit by woman's advice
and help. They see the misery in our
great cities, vast masses OF population
herded together: they know that sweat
ing dens are eating the very life out of
our population; they must often ask
themselves, Can woman do nothing?
In the long patient days In the home
she has solved problems which are the.
same as these although on q smaller
scale. Can she not therefore bring that;
practical experience to bear upon these
great and Intricate questions that affect
the vital life Of any nation?
q But although I plead for political Lbs
.erty, r would rather foregoS this best hui
man heritage, II such liberty is to degen-
crate into laxity of moral obligations.
I should be untrue to my best convic-
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

'It Is really fine idea and lies at the
root of nll that America once held most
sacred when she began the new life a
hundred years ago-the theory that every
man born In the country should have a
fair and equal chance-a better chance
than he would have had In the old
world. !"
He found our national Capitol avery
fine building and says that 1t was
interesting to set eyes upon the famous
White House." He writes fairly of tho
negro question. shares British distrust Of
our newspapers. touches lis gently on our.
attitude toward the coored man and
brother. on our awe for foreign counts
and on our unlimited capacity for pies.
But rarely is there anything that speaks
OF tho embittered mind. The author came
to this country prepared to let 1t address
Itself to him. lie saw what was good,
putting aside what was bad as unrepre--'
sentative. Three things he said no misses
now that he is back In England: 81
.'Flrst-My beautiful snow-whte tub.
with It's silver fitting and perennial sup
ply Of hot water and cold, /.
"second--My telephone. with friend
at the other end, for though we all know
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

public resorts and smoking and drinking
In these places with thell husbands or
others, and by allowing their daughters
to so to even tho most respectable OF
public places with other young people.
A fashionable hotel or restaurant is
no place for young woman to DO seen
unaccompanied by her parents or guar
dams. TO say tho least they come to
look upon dissipation too flippanty,
their standards Of high ideals are lower
cd. and they are NOT fitted for the sacred
duties OF wives ana mothers by such en-
posture and experience with tho world,
and think too lightly of the Influence FOR
right living when they lave become ma
irons. !. :
Many modest. lovely young women have
| been completely spoiled by association
| with people who looked upon temperance
and virtue with contempt. \,
Another fruitful source OF denloral-
cation of both sexes Is the subtle trlek
OF dealers In tobacco in Offering prizes
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17
HOUSE Of COMMONS VOTES FOR WOMAN SUFFRAGE.
BYLAD::Y
HENRY SOMERSET

lions II I did not say that too often In
these days. feel that woman Is building
ZIP the greatest barrier to her own prog
ress, when I hear It mooted that the most
sacred ties are to beJentered into for re- y
nluneratlon, orEIthat woman Is to be 4
simply an agent to produce the popula-s
ton Of the State. Such Ideas may by
some be considered retrograde, 4 but L bc-$
1leve that anything which touches the
sacred foundations upon which the whole
social fabric has been built not by man
sbnt by God himself, Is endangering the
best interests OF swoma n. # ~ "a X IA
# There may be much to be desired in the /
mutual obligations Of men and women
but feel most strongly that the greatest
strength by which we can build up their
future Is not by pulling down that which
Is holy, but rather by Strengthening 1t on
still more sacred and solid lines
L believe the principles which surround
the holy mysteries that God himself has
ordained are principles that are eternal.
and that must last for all time for the
good of the community, and although on
individuals such principles as IL the ms
volnbility OF the marriage tie must 8 ONE
times fall hardly, let t hose beware that
dare to touch It, for fear they q estroy.
that which they cannot build again III
q Let lis be sure that we 10 not interpret
Justice to women to mean their enamel
patton from the grea mora ! principles
which they have hitherto been the first
to uphold. and which make or mar the
future Of a nation. s5 i 81
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

~ saluted the body OF an old man whom
he had Just crushed Of to death, saSlng'
"Honor to tho victims Of progress
They have been called ''the sayhges OF
civilizations" and the name could not
suit them better Their minds are un-
hinged; the instincts they develop show
a return to a Degenerate Sataylsm ana
resumption Of the violet propens'tles o.
aaas they are cruel and ruthless, en-
loving the terror they inspire, and are
delichted when they have frightened some
poor villagers to death III,
They have their trensies Ike those OF
the poet. IT Is gathsr q bold comparison.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

driven By tho Demon of Haste and ON the
lack OF attention paid to the traveller by
those who he fancies to be his interiors .
and he very properly levels lance at
our vulgar plutocracy; but he treats us
with none OF that condescension which
Lowell noted In Europeans visiting this
country and to which he SO strongly OBJ
jected. Sir Philip says that our nasal
twang is rare and getting rarer. and that
very pronounced accent Of any kind Is
becoming less noticeable. English" he
continues, lis spoken in America for the
most part as we speak it. though usually
with changes rung on the infection which
is SO familiar to us ALL" He shys at our
smart society. rs most people Of any dis
,cernmcnt on this side naturally do
but he says that we show better taste In
dress than. Europeans. and that American
ladies are "the best dressed women In
the world" He likes our railway ac-
combinations, has a deep note of admira-
ton for our hotels, pays magnificent
tribute to our cooks and bursts forth IN
enthusiasm for our hospitality. which he.
declares to be extraordinary and not to
be matched in Europe.
Is not all this very pleasing to- our ma
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

E Whatever may DO said In behalf OF tho
smart folks, Tie stupid people at least cast
have ono sweet onsolaton-they have
tho majority. Old man Josh Blllings USED l!,
TO say 1t Is tho fools who make tho wise
mon He should hnvo ndded,.it seems 70
mo- that 1t takes about 100 OF us fools
\ 10 make one wise man, and even then tho
product Of us fools Isn't always Quite
satisfactory-le astwlso 1t isn't to dny-
body except the wise man himself.
As ono OF tho multltudlnous chuckle-
headed, tis my proud privilege to say
that stupid folks nre good enough, for
mo- have tried both kinds-thc geri,ises
and tho intellectual Observation-Disclosures
after years OF hard bumps along LIES
Shaggy corduroy roads, am satisfied to
herd OFF with the stupid contingent. Fl
My smart brethren, unfortunately, are
like some OF tho promissory notes my
friends have given nc. Their virtues arc
expected to mature In ninety days, but
somehow they never mako good. In the
. grand wiri-up, they always go TO pro-
test. On the contrary many thick
skulled mortal whose friends do not
credit him with tho abilitysto seek shell.
ter during the equlnoctial season--ln other
words, to come In out OF the wet--pops
up when one least expects IT and does
something great. And when a person uni
VERBALLY credited with stupidity. does
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

, tional vanity? How refreshing. too, a tier
all the thwacklng and drubbing by Dick
ems, Thackeray, kipling, ct al!
The book which is published by Apple
ton. is Illustrated by pen sketches by the
author. little thumb nails, generally hui
morous. but in no sense offensive. The
style Is smooth and we'll fused. generally
quite simple. but betraylng the English
writer's love for the Latin or French
phrase. Sir Philip ambles along, good
humoredly noting everything making a
few mistakes occasionally. but not many,
and on the whole producing one OF the
best books ever written by q European
traveller about this country The title.
Dollars and Democracy. smacks OF
acerbty, but this Is confined chiefly to
the vain people who rely upon the digni-
.ty OF dollars-the plutocrats whom every
body OF sense in our land must revile
even more bitterly than does this gentle
manly artist.
Sir Philip says he was prepared to find
fault with our drinking Of Ice water, but
he soon formed the habit himself. and he
notes that "only Ice water will quench
ones thirst" here. "As for cocktails
he owns II grew to like them extreme
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

given t into the hands OF women. Need
we wonder that the greatest step Of all
is slow coming? Year by4year We have
won something, and although now and
them there may be a retrogade step, yet
little by little we are slowly but surely
gaining: ground. s K. 5
I do not altogether regret that this
greatest measure has been slow ip COM,
Ing. for the time is not wasted. Every
year woman is fitting herself for her
grea ter res possibilities, every year is OF
educativc value to her, and every year
will bring a more balanced responsibility
when the vote is placed in her hands.
Women are allowed to have perfect lib
erty as to the religion they adopt. and
there is no subject on which women feel
SO keenly as their religious views. nor Is
there anything more likely to create Wild.
er division In family life.
It Is not suppression Of opinion that
is going to build up the best interests OF
home life, but the equality of the sexes
in sympathy. in heart. in study and In
aim When women can say to men. II
am part Of the State, 7 share with you
all the difficulties of educational move
ments. OF social progress, y see eye 70 eye
with you, or differ from YOU as the
case may he, we are both thinking. ra-s
tional and do rot care at all for the "'lVo Is
man Question" as a wonlan's cues ton.
+ care for it because 1t Is a part or the
great human question.
But the most potent objection raised IS
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

~" He had been warned about the way
in which American houses were over
heated" with the danger TO health that
must follow. Well" he AYERS, Il GER
tainly never found the houses too hot
They WERE to my mind. extremely conf
Portable and agreeable so far as tempera-
ture WENT He speaks OF our "admir-
able system OF steam and hot water
pipes. almost universally in vogue and
says It Is an improvement on the Eng
l!sh system of house heating. for there
lis no need Of the presence Of a dirty and
cumbrous coal scuttle and the incessant
bother OF making up a fire: and there
isn't any dust The climate is contrastcd
with that of England. to the distinct adj
vantage Of ours. which must be health
ier' because it Is not $50 damp" He
fought against goloshes at the first, but
adopted them when common sense pre-
vailed"
He touches lightly on the clothes worn
by Americans, saying that "a high aver
age OF neatncss is very noticeable at
once" and ripples on about the dressing
Of our women, saying that ito dress well
and make the very best OF her resources,
seems a gift peculiar to the American
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

that women are still 80 insistent on the
para mount Importance OF the details OF
dress that nothing can yield to It's de-
mands
have no pessimistic fears as to the
future. even II woman Is still bound by
the swaddling clothes OF fashion. Men
are equally slaves to tobacco. to sport,
to a hundred other forms OF self-ndul-
gepce or amusement: but no one believes
they are therefore untitled for rsponsl-
blity, and it is the experience OF al
most all who study human nature that
responsibility IS the best method to de-
velop healthy, balanced Judgment and
keen discerning interest
5sItEis too late In the day forAu to con
over the old objections which have been
stated again and again as to why woman
is not AT to vote. and yet 80 deeply rooted
are these prejudces In the minds OF many
that It is as we'll to ask ourselves where
our opponents stand.
i We are told that woman's Interest are
SO safeguarded that she does not need
the vote. but is tina ttreally so? do not
for a moment detract from the merits of
what men have done. tits because be-
lieve that men have opened the great
doors OF opportunity to women that this
cause is eventually certain to be VIC
torious. K, l:a
& For we must not fall to remember that
every privilege we enjoy to-day we en-
Joy just because men have relinquished
little by little the power they held, have
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

chrysanthemums, my dog, my gun my
wife and my sport?'
When you find women classified IN ina
way, you cannot be altogether surprised
that such men think women should have
no voice in the public management OF +
fairs. There are many men who look to
women for help in public questions. anu
yet most dishonesty deny them the pow
or OF voting.
st4 I do not complain OF this, but do COM
plain that women should lend themselves
to Just that sort OF work i have never
been able TO comprehend howit was that
in England women We're willing TO do the
domestic political labor for men. to work
hard TO get men returned for some con-
stltuency, to speak on public Platforms
and TO do all sorts Of things which are
not supposed to be their proper calling
at ALL and then submit to be told that
they are not TT to vote for the candidate
for whose election they have been work.
Ing.
is certainly sometimes not to be Won
dered at that men are slow to- believe
that women are in earnest about great
questions. Tho other day. passing
through the city, noticed the headline
advertising the contents OF an evening
paper which ran as follows: Hats Will
be worn large. Defeat OF the Govern
ment 35
Do men conspire to make It appear
that, no matter what government stands
or falls. the pressing problem Of feminine
headgear must claim attention? Or Is 1t
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-17

character OF a nation" Women are ma
turally expected to BIO always on the side
OF virtue and morality.
Science has proven that tobacco not
only destroys tho mind and body but
the morals OF Its victim. Ono OF the.
most prominent professional men OF this
country has stated that cigarettes are
fatal to tho high moral character OF any
one who uses them, and especially to that
of women.
We cannot help thinking that wives
and mothers arc largely responsible for
the rapid growth of these revolving hab-
It's II. as wives and mothers, they en-
courage the use OF tobacco by their nus
bands and children by Joining them IN
either smoking or drinking; or by giving
then, elaborate tobacco pouches, pipes.
match and cigarette holders. some OF
them enameed with ballet dancers and
all sorts OF devices that suggest dlss ,
patton and easy morals; by giving and
accepting lunches and late suppers al