davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
County Convicis.

President Carmichael unfalteringly
condemns the county convict system,
a system confined to few states, and
Alabama is unfortunately one of the
number. The convict inspectors in
their annual report condemn the sys-
tenn in the following brave and Just
words:
Everything pertaining to it ought, in
my opinion, be wiped out of existence by
an act of the legislature. This can only
be brought about by a public sentiment,
which will influence members of the legls-
lature, and induce the repeal Of all laws
having any reference to the present sys-
tenn as il now exists. That this system
is largely kept up by desire for fees is
to my mind too patent to admit of dis
cussion. Hundreds and hundreds of per-
sons are taken before the inferio courts
of the country, tried and sentenced to
hard labor for the county, who would
never be arrested but for the matter Of
fees involved. This is a condition mex
cusabIe, not to say shameful"
In many instances such unjust ar
rests and sentences lead to deaths.
Some one, says the convict board, IS
responsible for those deaths in some
coal mine or lumber camp. The fee
brigade, in other words, adds murder
to it's other numerous offenses.
If the next legislature does not con-
slider this subject it will be because
the fee brigade is strong enough TO
control legislation, ignoring the bet
ter sentiment of the state, and disre-
garding the humanity and intelligence
of the people.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Politics Getting Lively.

Notwithstanding the fact that Ala
oama > overwhelmingly democratic there
seems to have been considerable ginger
injected in the campaign in this district
during the past few days" said young
lawyer last night. A strong democratic
club was organized at Woodlawn a few
days ago and tonight at East Lake the
democrats of that city organized a Par
ker and Davis club with nearly 200 men,
bers.
AT Bessemer there seems to be consid-
cradle activity. The democrats, I am
told. held one OF the largest rallies in
the history of the city last night and
the republicans followed suit tonight
by a largely attended meeting. The re-
publicans of Pratt City are making prep
arations to hold a big rally in that city
next week. In fact the campaign seems
to be warming up all over the country
and in the doubtful states the fight Is
being waged with much enthusiasm. Both
parties are making whirlwind finish, to
say the least of it."
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Hav convlcts Roosevelt.

From the Louisville Courier-Journal.
IT am directed by the President" wrote
Secretary Hay to- Minister Herran of
Columbia, ito say to you that in his opin-
ion the reasonable time allowed him by
statute to conclude negotiations with Co.
lumbia for the construction of an 18TH
milan canal has come TO a close and can
not be extended
That was January q, 1903. And yet the
President subsequently contended, and
even wrote a long message to congress to
insist on his contention, that nearly a
year later this reasonable time" had not
come to a closet
This reasonable time 1t will be re-
membered, was given to the President by
through Panama. If he failed to arrange
for it in a reasonable time he was to ar
range for 1t through Nicaragua.
When Secretary Hay wrote Minister
Herran that the President directed Secre-
tary Hay to inform Minister Herran that
in the Presidents opinion the reasonable
time had come to a close" the Presi-
dent and Secretary Hay were trying to
bring Colombia to terms for canal ces-
sion through Panama. But when the Pres
ident wrote his message to congress, in
sisting that nearly a year after January
-, 1903, the reasonable time had not
passed, he was trying to justify his ac-
ton in refusing to obey the mandate OF
congress and arrange for a canal through
Nicaragua as late as October, 1908.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Knocking the Profession.

Il was amused at a sally made by a
Birmingham hackman the other day as
was leaving the station" said a citizen.
"As l walked out the side entrance l was
greeted by chorus of cries and was be-
sieged by the usual mob of 'cabbies Of
ferlng their services. One fellow APP
preached me. and as he did so another
shouted, Don't pay no tention to that
man, boss. He shifts cocaine! The charge
was greeted with derisive jeers and the
accused skunk away, but 1t seemed to me
that he was the victim of very question
able business methods.
81 imagine that competition among the
local hackmen is quite lively, and 1
am also of the opinion that there are no
plutocrats in their ranks. AT night they
make all kinds of propositions to young
men who are out late, some of them in
Jest and Others serious. For instance, one
fellow offered to ride a party of three
young men down the street three blocks
for 10 cents, but even then he did not get
any business, and the Hackmens union
cannot expell HIM for cutting rates be-
low the SCALE
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Captain BaIdwin's Flying Machine.

Capt Thomas S. Baldwin of San
Francisco is at any rate an aeronaut
who does not thunder in the index;
as Santos Dumont does He went to
st. Louis quietly, carrying his machine
as nearly under his arm as he could,
and when he was ready to fly he flew.
And he kept on flying, even when his
motor had broken down away up in
the sky. He was a mile up in the air
when the motor stopped motoring, but
he was not bit disconnected, and he
continued to control his airship. He
could still direct it, but it is not stated
that he could still sail in the teeth Of
the wind which was blowing at the
rate of ten miles an hour. A very
considerable breeze, by the way.
The Associated press does not de-
scend to details. 1t does, however
tell us that the cigar-shaped balloon
is retained, and that its lifting power
is gas. 1t is f1fty-four feet long and
seventeen feet in diameter. AS long
as oxygen gas is employed to over
come the attraction of gravitation no
great advancement in air sailing is
deemed possible, no matter how dirigi-
BILE the gas bag becomes through the
use of a seven-horse-power gasoline
engine.
Control is, however, the first step in
aerial navigation, and when that is
fully acquired and mastered possibly
some genius will show us how we can
eliminate the gas bag. The entire task
belongs to the twentieth century, and
the whole of 1t is none to much for the
solution of the problem. The nature
of the control in Captain Baldwin's
airship will soon be explained, and
then we will know whether this first
step has been taken. 1t is to be
hoped it has been, for then the aero
nauts can turn their attention to the
finding Of substitute for the gas bag.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
A Matter of Siqns.

Il have been interested in watching the
lettering on the cars of the Birmingham
Railway, Light and Power company"
said d man about town. mot long ago
you will recall that there was discus
sion in this column of the spelling Of
coke in the advertisements of the ccm-
pany. In all their advertisements the
word is spelled coax instead of coke,
the usual way. Both are sanctioned by the
dictionary, but coke is more common.
Now l notice that the fronts of some
of the cars bear the legends No Ensley,'
SO. Ensley' No. Bessemer,' so. Bes-
semer, etc Now it would be much easier
TO understand If N. Bessemer,' IS. Besse-
mer, etc, were used. OF course 1t is SIM
ply a matter of taste, but space is at a
premium on trolley cars. and 1t seems to
me that every little abbreviation would
help -
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
THE COST OF WAR.

From the New York Press.
Russias weekly expenditure on the war
with Japan is S. 4s6, $50. Britain's war in
South Africa, which cost all told the
quite respectable sum of $1,059, 10000.
worked out at $7500,00a a week. France
footed the heaviest war bill on record,
the cost of her terrible conflict with Ger
many being 81 $500 900, or over $35, 900, 000
a week. The total cost of the Crimean
war was $1,565, 100000, of which Russia
paid $700000,000 France $465, 100000 and
England $390000O0O. The weekly expenses
of the three countries were: Russia, ST.
100000; France. $4,5O0, 600; England, $780,
600
Americas successful struggle for indie
pendence cost England s605 900 600 or just
under $S0O0,00o a week. 1 do not know
what 1t cost u.s. Nobdy ever will know.
Congress was unable at its close to pay
either officers or men OF the army. In
1880 it promised half pay for life to all
officers, but changed this in 1883 to full
pay for five years. The total cost of our
civil war is estimated at $4,000, 900, 900,
which makes other wars look small The
Napoleonie wars which ended at Water
loo were cheap affairs, costing France
only s1,275000, 600. Great Britain's bill in
that conflict amounted to s4155,0 00,0 900.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Delaware.

From the Nashville Banner.
Notwithstanding the patched-up peace
between the Addicks and anti-Addieks re-
publican factions in Delaware, there is
no peace. BY the compromise agreement
Of the factions, Conrad, who had been
nominated for governor on the union
republican (Addicks) ticket and Chandler,
the gubernatorial nominee on the anti
Addicks ticket were withdrawn and Pres
ton Lea was named as the compromise
candidate. But Chandler rebelled against
this arrangement and formed an indie
pendent regular republican ticket with
himself at the head The outlook there
fore, Is very favorable to Pennewlll' the
democratic candidate for governor, and 1t
is not unlikely that the democrats will
elect the member of congress over Hous-
ton, the present republican incumbent and
candidate for reelection and also carry
the state for the Parker electoral ticket.
AS an indication of the mixed character
of politics In Delaware 1t is only nee
essary to state that In Newcastle county.
the most populous of the three counties
in the state eight separate tickets have
been filed for places on the official bal
lot as follows: republican. union repub-
lican, regular republican, peoples repub-
lican (colored), democratic, prohibition,
social labor and peoples party tickets.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Admiral Rojestvensky's Explanation

|
The explanation of the firing on the
fishermen off Dogger bank, from the
lips of Admiral Rojestvensky to an
Associated Press agent, shows that
the shots were fired by order of the
admiral himself, who saw ten torpedo
boats at about 1 o'clock in the morn
ing, and without investigation, believ-
ing them to be Japanese craft, he I'M
mediately opened fire.
AS a matter of fact there were no
torpedo boats of any sort off Dogger
bank. What he saw were trawlers--
fishing vessels that no more resemble
torpedo boats than sternwheeler on
western river does.
What shall be said of such seaman
ship? 1t fatigues the mind. Here is a
fleet sailing the seas in charge of a
man who does not know a fishing
smack from a torpedo boat, and who
is SO full of alarm that he did not
stop to investigate. An eccentric of
that sort on the high seas is to be
dreaded almost as much as an open
enemy or a pirate, especially when
he has forty-one ships behind him.
The English government plainly de-
sires the recall and punishment of Adj
miral Rojestvensly, who is confessed
ly incompetent nervous, and ignorant
to a degree. #Io may be as good a
sailor as Russia possesses, but he is
a dangerous man to entrust with so
much power, menace to the peace of
the world.
His efforts to take coal in a port of
Spain, neutral nation, without first
obtaining permission, is but another
blunder of a sailor who does not know
the rules of the sea or of nations.
Such a man should be recalled, and
the Russian government should offer
a reward for man of some sense,
even if 1t has to accept a foreigner.
1t certainly can obtain the services of
man who is not scared out of his
wits
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
From the New York Mail.


N Mr.. Dooley's version of 'L'Aiglon'
French conspirator in the guise of
a mems tailor undertakes a mission
to Vienna to rouse Napoleon's heir, the
young Duke of Reichstadt, with the It'd
ings that Paris is wild about him. The
particular item that determines the i'm
perial eaglet to try his wings in France
is the announcement, "They have named
a cigar for you" To have a cigar named
after you is indeed one token of fame.
SO far as the public knows it is a gra-
tuitous token of the same Men pay out
good money to get their faces introduced
to their fellow men in connection with
proprietary article-a patent medicine or
an article of wearing apparel. But their
personal merits become indistinguishably
associated with a generously good cigar
without price 1t is a pleasant way of
gaining a brief Immortality to have a
name attached to a good cigar. for. after
all "a good cigar is smoke Fame
vindicated through tobacco smoke Is vim
Dictated by a more salutary combustion
than that which came to That's. the
Greek courtesan, in whose honor Alexan-
der the Great is said to have fired the pal
ace of the Persian kings at Persepolis
Which brings us to the several varie-
ties of fame attested by the cigar box
pictures-the fame of beautiful or clever
women, of princes, orators. diplomats,
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
New York's subway.

The subway, which cost thirty-five
millions of dollars, and which will cost
as much more when extensions and
equipments are added, was opened
yesterday and is today in full opera
ton. The line traverses the long, mar
row city from the Battery to Harlem
river, distance of about fifteen miles.
In this long hole four tracks have
been laid, two being for the transit of
express trains, and two for trains that
make stops as the elevated road does.
1t is expected tina, the exprss trains
will carry passengers from one end
of the island to the other in fifteen
minutes, using a speed for that pur-
pose of about sixty miles an hour.
London and Paris both have long
had underground railroads. London's
"tupenny tube" is smoky. dark and
full of foul air, and yet it is largely
used. Boston also has a subway re-
Gently completed. All Of these are
small affairs alongside New York S
great enterprise.
No city in the world more needs a
subway than New York. It's business
houses are located at the south end
of the long island, while its residence
districts stretch along the upper end
of it. The subway will be great sue
cess-will fill long-felt want from
the outset No doubt in the world as
to that. 1t will be so successful that
other subways will be demanded, and
in the course of a few years New
York will have great underground
system, including well lighted arcades,
shops, restaurants ana the like.
The city owns the subway, but for
fifty years it goes to the construction
company at a rental that will wipe
out the bonds sold to build it. At the
end of fifty years it will pass to the
city free from encumbrances of any
sort. New York has thus begun 10
own its public utilities. 1t has long
owned it's water supply.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
INSURANCE COMPANIES
INVEST A MILLION A DAY

interest, and a long term, to suit the
many obligations maturing far in the fu-
ture
Practically a third of the insurance as
sets are in railroad bonds, and the COM
panies own about 10 per cent of all the
six or seven thousand millions of out
standing bonds issued by our railroads. A
few years ago, the proposed reorganiza-
ton of a Georgia railroad with a whole
great plan of consolidation depending up
on it, was absolutely blocked by an liz
surance company, which held a large pro
portion of the bonds until the terms were
modified to meet its ideas.
Next to railroad bonds, the companies
seem to prefer mortgage loans on real
estate, and the total sum invested ir this
way is only hundred millions less than
the other. Most eligible are office build
ngs in large cities, fertile farm lands and
dwellings worth $4,000 or less.
Railroad stocks and bonds, and real es-
tate mortgages and holdings, take I'D
three-fourths of the vast sums the insur-
ance companies invest. They hold also
state and city bonds dhe former some
of "repudiation') few United States
bonds, and a great many of those of for
eign government Zone of our compa MES
often takes an entire issue Of say( ten
millions of such securities), bonds OF cleo
trio light gas and water companies,
stocks Of trust companies and banks, and
few miscellaneous concerns, and a
couple of hundred millions of loans on
premiums to policy-holders and on col
lateral
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
JIU JlTsU IN CHINATOWN.

From a New York Letter.
Down in Chinatown there is a restau-
rant where one can get a demonstration
of ju jitsu without extra charge If one
goes about it in the right way. Four
young men from the Bowery went there
in the small hours of the morning recently
and proceeded to make themselves disa-
greeable to the Cinnamon and to the other
customers. The celestials treated them
with a calm, oriental tolerance that APP
parently deceived the young ruffians.
When the time to pay came the Bowery
boys gathered around the proprietor and
abused him, instead of paying. '"rhe
bills too big declared the leader, and
we won't pay it, sect Pretty soon there'll
be trouble here, and someone will be get
ting hurt Then he added string of
choice epithets. A little japanese, distn-
guished by his cropped head among the
pigtailed fellows, stopped washing dishes,
stepped into the group and moved up to
the speaker He grabbed the man by the
collar with a quick twist of his fingers
cut off the bullys wind and rushed him
out speechless. The others begged like
whipped ours to be allowed to pay and get
out They didn't care for any more jiu
jitsu. Then the little Jap went back to
washing dishes.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
IN HOTEL LoBBTES
shoesThat Dent Fit.


Give that unfortunate pedestrian pen
" Oh room; he is very careful as TO Wheie
ana how he places his feet, E. said a gouhs
man on a Second avenue corner last
evening. mo discomfort is keener thah
new shoes that are too tight ana tnae
man appears to have a severe case. ne
Is In the last stages, and the grand
nnale Is approaching.
Those shoes were purchased ABOUT
yesterday noon. Perhaps he is little
vain and is particular that his feet are
snugly fitted, or maybe he is a stiekler
for numbers, and the salesman gave him
mis- regardless of fit. At any rate, III
wager he mas been seeing seven kinds OF
stars ever since and the chances are
II the shoes are worn through the DAY
the heavens will hold all varieties Of
stellary phenomena for him tonight
Il have observed that shoe troubles
generally come on in stages. The hrst
hour or two the foot is probably cramped'
though the pain Is not SO intense, but In
short period this first stage is passed
and then most every imaginable torture
Is in that bit of leather, and the effects
are generally expressed in the temper
of the wearer. In the late stages, the
AFFLICTED man can be seen carefully pick
Ing his way, steering clear of pedestrians
and going out of the way to avoid a
gravel. Conditions are nearing climax.
The grand finale comes that night, when.
while sulphurlous invectives are show
cred upon The head of the absent sales
man, the shoes are removed and hurled
behind the bed"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28

money comes from trusts and monop-
olies in great chunks, and they are
freely spending it, and fake bets take
up some of it.
The unity of the democratic party
in the present campaign is unmistak-
able. The Bryan democrats of In
diana are working for the election of
Parker and Davis shoulder to shoulder
with the Cleveland democrats, and so
they are in the Rocky mountain states,
and good reports are coming in daily
from all the other states in the great
west.
In the midland country West Vir-
ginia and Maryland are awake aud
ready for the contest, and when we
cross the Alleghanies we come to a
nest of democratic states-New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut. The
observer who does not see that our
prospects are Frightening in the three
states clustered about the metropolis
is prejudiced. The three states are to
a certain extent parts of the metropol-
itan city, and as one goes all three
will naturally go.
Good work will be done in the re-
naming ten days all the way from
the depths of the Rockies to the east
ern edge of Connecticut, with few
speeches tapping over into Governor
Garvin's state. The ten days work
will decide the campaign, and all dem
oerats in all states should remain
alive to the tremendous combat, In
yolying as it does principles that must
be re-established in the government
If the republic of the fathers is to be
restored.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
YOUR NAME ON CIGAR BOX
A CERTAIN MARK OF FAME

bishops, bons-yivants, prominent club
men and men about town." The ia
vor of the multitude is a comprehensive
and tolerant thing. and perhaps the list
which French writer has compiled of
the Zoo men and women whose opinion
constitutes tout Paris would suffice to
cover the American immortals whose
claims are avouehed by a cigar:
influential critics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 6
ohih1uentlal critics ....................-.2S 5
wen VI the world Observation-Disclosures.
Clubmen, sportsmen and gamblers. 200
Members of the bourse ................-.25 4
ooupieIs '.......................... I'd
Dressmakers and milliners .........- 100
D'ncers
NoACleiS eS Il
Ilcket-of-leave men OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 20
oudSSo ..................sss.-- ~
DeiIlSlers. %
African negroes -.............-..........-
South American Adventures .........-. GO
Unclassified Recommendations.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
Last Ten Days OF the Campaign.

What with Judge Parker, Grover
Cleveland and William Jennings
Bryan, and many more men of high
standing and popularity ON the stump
the last ten days of the campaign
promises to be both interesting and
efficient. The situation is lettering
hourly on the democratic side of the
house, and if the movement is well
maintained, as it doubtless will be.
no one will be able to pick the winner.
The boastfulness and fake betting
of the republicans should mislead no
one 1t is a part of their campaign
They can afford to place bets at odds
if thereby they can influence the
voters WHO are sitting on the fence
looking for the winning side. Theil
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-10-28
- NDER the title of Investing a
q Million Dollars Day."
~ Henry Wysham Lanier tells

IituIy w JSldHl l1diilcI ltllS
in the November Worlds Work
how the great insurance COM
panies dispose of vast funds. 1t is the
second of series of articles on modern
insurance, and it's problems Among other
things Mr.. Lanier says: The president Of
one of the great concerns looms large
in the financial world; but, when it comes
to actual investing, he is but one of a
financial committee. whose separate In
terests and connections are so varied that
few projects come before them concern
ing which they do not have some outside
Tor 'inside'D information. AS a rule, no
investment Is made unless this committee
agrees upon it unanimously.
To begin with, the problem is much
smplihed by the fact that invest
ments now come to them. The great COM
panies, far from having to- seek for in
vestments, are continually besieged by a
thousand-and-one people offering bonds
and mortgages and the like. Broadly
speaking, everything comes to them, and
comes before it goes elsewhere.
These applications go to one man, gem
orally the assistant treasurer; and he in
vestigates each one, so that it comes be-
fore the committee accompanied by the
information necessary for them to pass
intelligently upon SAY the estimated
value of the land to be mortgaged or full
facts concerning the enterprise issuing
the stocks or bonds. The three qualities
desired are absolute security, adequate