davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
JAPAN'S FINANCES,

From the Baltimore Sun.
 The London Commercial Intelligence presents the fiscal scheme by which Ja- pan will meet the expenses of the fiscal year 19O4-05. stating first the normal bud get and then the extra provisions made for war expenditure. I he normal revenue from all sources for 19O4-05 would be s111,- s5s 423 and the normal expenditure about 8, 250,00O less. For new war expenditure the sum needed is to be got by economies in ordinary expenditure; over $3o, ,00O,00O is to be obtained from new taxes, including a state tobacco monopoly; $14,6oO,0OO will be diverted from funds for special purpos- es, and s13e,262, GOO will be obtained by means of public loans. The required loans have so far been raised chiefly in Japan. To large extent it is to be pay-as-you- go war; if the present plans work we'll
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
INTERESTED IN GALL.

From the Baltimore Herald.
 Birmingham business men are interested in a call which has been issued for a great gathering of railroad men in that city on November 16 and IT, Birmingham will be the mecca during that week for the members of several important rail- road and development associations The Southern Railway Land and Industrial Agents association is to constitute one of the gatherings, and the National Asso- citation of Railroad Commissioners will also assemble there. The interstate com merce commission of the United States has also selected Birmingham for it's an- nual gathering in the same week. Bir- mingham city officials are already busy ing themselves with preparations for the entertainment of the visitors The pro- gramme includes trip for all the dele gates through the entire circle of indus trial enterprises in and about the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
A SHOWER OF SNAKES.
Fire Warmed Them Up and Forty-six
 CraWled Out.

Susquehanna Penn.) Cor. New York
 World.
 "unele Tommy" Westbrook, an aged colored man. had an experience near Sherman one day of last week that he will never forget.
 Tommy" Is a man of all work, who re- gently removed to Sherman from Port Jervis He was given free rent of an old log house on condition that he would re- owner Tommy Nnd his wife and chill dren duly arrived with their few houshold effects and prepared to keep house.
 Tommy went to a grove near by and carried home a load of pine knots and cones. Putting them into the old f1e- place, he soon had roaring. cracking fie to dry out the place. While Tommy" was unpacking a sox he heard hissing sound from the fireplace. and. looking up. he saw big black snake drop down the chimney and into the blaze.
 Mrs. Westbrook and the children ran from the cabin. but Tommy grasped an ax handle and awaited developments. As the old building warmed up snakes of various hues and sizes slowly unwound and came out of crevices and down from the rafters and up from the floor, hissing and squirming. Some of them showed fight, but Tommy" promptly placed them hors de combat.
 Finally the last snake appeared, and the old man gathered up the visible dead. There were 46 by actual count. and more than that number met death in the flames
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Boy, what sign Is It, when man of great spirit grows melancholy?
 -Love's Labor Lost.
Grindinu in Bond.

Our lovely tariff is getting in it's work in the matter of bread Minne- apolis mills are being bonded so that they can import Manitoba wheat free from duty, grind 1t, and sell the prod uct. four bran and all, to foreigners. The entire mill must work under bond. A mill in Richmond, Va, is also to be bonded in order that 1t may grind wheat from the Black sea and hold it's South American customers.
 The duty of twenty-five cents a bushel on wheat is delusion and fraud. It was put in the Dingley tarin bill to deceive the farmers into sup port of the schedules that the tariff barons desired The wheat duty is rarely protective, because in nine sea sons out of every ten this country growc sound, good wheat for export, and in the exceptional year when Can ada wheat is needed mills are bonded, and the farmer gets no benefit from it. Tn such a year it is a nuisance and a bothers and in the other nine years it is, a dead letter.
 : The mills this year are paying no duty on Manitoban wheat, and 1t com- petes in foreign markets with Amerl- can wheat. The farmer was simply deceived by the duty of twenty-five cents a bushel. He gets nothing, while the beneficiaries of the protective sys- tenn rob him right and left
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
 MEM ESIS,
rom the Independent

From the independent. Still surging, surging, surging onward
 wave behind wave before. Human bill 1w- battalions rolling to wars
 insatiate shore, Curving, swerving. breaking, reforming
 ever replenished tide, Vending, they know not whither or why,
 to dies as their kin have died, From wailing matron and weeping maid
 In furnishing homes afar; Rooflless, sleepless, needless. lifeless, do-
 ing the will of the czar. But sloughing the raiment of graceful
 peace and winged with the scales of
 war, And grating on thoughts and things that
 were the things and the thoughts
 that are, An ancient people, impelled by wrath at smart of triple wrong. Than doggedly dauntless yet dauntless
 more, than colossal strength more
 strong, Scale peaks and passes, and clamor up
 cliffs that only the thunders know Till the granite Muscovite ranks are shat
 tered. and scattered like drifting snow. And the strong young scion of yet young
 sire keeps watch, but with war flag
 furled, And British sentinels motionless stand at
 the fortress gates of the world, While Nemesis hears fraud-pilfered port
 with narrowing knots of steel And the prowling sloth skulks snowward
 more, with the feet of fate at it's
 heel And high in heaven reigns Right Divine,
 still wields the scepter and rod, And worshipers throng to Buddhist
 shrine. praising the will of God. Chateau DOCK, Switzerland
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Not Much Interest in Election.

It Is remarkable to see the little in- terest In the Presidential election here in the south said a travelling man from the east .ast night "The people don't seem to realize that the election will be held next Tuesday. Usually when Presidential election is this close at hand you can see drummers, politicians and men of other vacations loungng around the hotels heatedly discussing the out look. When was in Birmingham a week before the election eight years ago every man l would meet wanted to know the situation in the east Now nobody cares to know. The people apparently do not care who $ elected. understand is true all over the country. Of course there Is some interest in the outcome In New York but there Is nothing like the ex- cltement of eight years ago when Bryan ran against Mckinley. I believe present apathy Is largely due to the fact that business men feel safe if either Parker or Roosevelt is elected and consequently there is little to worry theh in the out come. It seems strange. however, to see such little excitement over election. In former years 1t was interesting to sit In hotel 1obbies about this time of year and hear the discussions. Now we poor travelling men have nothing to keep us entertained except the mere selling of cur wares to prosperous merchants"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Castinu the Votes.

On Tuesday next just about fifteen million Americans, some freshly coined, will go to the polls, and all Of them will vote in the fashion of the Australians except in the two Caro- linas, Oregon and parts of Georgia. The Australian system is about thirty years old, and where it Is fully adopted the ballot Is secret. Alabama has adopted the system less it's secrecy, for here all ballots are numbered and preserved, and the inside ring can dis cover how each man votes.
 The Romans first adopted the ballot as a method of expressing the popular will, and they even passed law pro- viding for secret voting. The printed ballot is now in use in all constitu- tional countries.
 The voting machine Is the next step, and in one form or another it will be used next Tuesday in Maine, Connecti- cut, New Jersey, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin, Kansas, Nebraska and Cali fornla. The voter enters a curtained booth and before him are the names of all men who are aspirants, and by working a lever he records his vote. In this way 120 per hour can vote, and the vote is counted as fast as it is cast. The inspectors decide who can gain access to the levers. Repeating is impossible behind the curtains.
 We need in Alabama a secret bal lot, and perhaps the legislature of 1907 will see the wisdom of granting what all the other states have except five If forty states have secret ballot, there certainly can be no harm in extending the provision to this state. A secret ballot is the only ballot that is wholly free and independent.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Election Forecasts.

The Worthlessness of current fore casts, even of home localities, is seen when one glances at those just put out relative to the vote of New York city. The Herald says Parker will carry the metropolis by 133,ooO plurality; the Tribune says his plurality will be but 62,0o0, while the Brooklyn Eagle says it will be 18O,oOO. The Herald Is strict ly independent; the Tribune Is strictly and horribly republican, and the Eagle is democratic.
 When doctors disagree in a crisis, who shall decide? Plainly enough the newspapers cannot, and the campaign managers are even worse. Chairman Odell, republican, says Roosevelt's plurality in New York state will be 100000; Chairman Cord Meyer, demo- crat, says Judge Parker's plurality in New York state will be 5o,O00. You pay your money and you take your choice
 The truth is, no one knows what the result will be in a state like New York, where over 100000 votes are cast where the big city vote nearly bal ances the upstate vote-where the in- dependent voter is numerous and full of conceit. The current forecasts are not worth the paper they are written on, and all must wait for the whole truth until next Tuesday night, when it will be flashed over the wires and flashed again on the bulletins.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Comparative Votes.

From the Nashville Banner.
 Some republican critics are complaining that while New York with 1,54s,000 votes elected on S6 members of the electoral col- lege in 1900, the states which constitute the nucleus of the solid south elected 112 members with only total of 1,SSO.OO0 vo- ters. These critics might go north for more noteworthy example of excess of representation on a small vote. The re- publicans admitted the state of Nevada because it was republican and to add to their electoral vote. In 1900 Nevada elect ed three members of the electoral college with only 10000 voters. Tn other words, Nevada was given one elector to about ev- cry 5000 voters, while those states in the south to which reference was made boiled an average of 167O0 votes for every cleo tor Nevada at the outset had total vote of only about 10000. yet republican congress, to gain an advantage of three electoral votes, gave that rotten borough the privilege and power of statehood.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
k Busy Year in Siaht.

The upward tendency of iron prices, and the placing of .Srge orders to be filled in 1905, sufficiently shows that the coming year is to be one of actiy- ity and prosperity. The depression of 1903-04 has already disappeared under the uplifting inf. Ices of large crops. and all large plans for 1905 are. now based on the outlook for busy year in all branches of manufacturing and trade.
 The change in business affairs has no relation to parties. Whether MT.
 osevelt stays in office or Judge Par ker takes his place the result will be the same. Politics and political af- fairs are rot considered, for business
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
HONOR NOT APPRECIATED.

From the Gadsden Jorunal.
 The Birmingham press with spirit that would do credit to any place in the west and with graceful sweep of the edito- rial wand includes Gadsden in the "Blr- mingham district" Perhaps we ought to be duly grateful that Birmingham is willing to include us in the territory over which she holds sway. but as we have dreams of future greatness of our own, we fail to appreciate the opportunity of baslking in the Magic City's reflected greatness We see no good reason why a great deal of the mineral district which now hovers under Birmingham's protect ing wing should not in the future be- come, by virtue of location and our own importance, a part of the Gadsden dis trict.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
The New Patrol Wagon.

"The new patrol wagon recently put into commission by the city police de- partment $ certainly a very harmless looking vehicle" said a citizen last night. For all the world it has the appearance of w9ll-groomed laundry wagon or a bakery wagon for the distribution of the staff of lfs, 1 don't see how any persons, be he ever so criminal, could object to riding in such dapper little affair and I am sure that the two eolored damses l saw assisted into the patrol wagon to- night felt highly honored.
 Tt is claimed that the wagon will re- duce the expenses of the police depart ment because it will require only one horse in the day and one at night while the old wagon required two horses for each shift. he wisdom of this argument is apparent but it strikes me that the new wagon is a sad travesty on bad Birmingham as the weekly editors call our town. The old patrol wagon had an ominous and buslness-like air that struck terror into the heart of eylldoers but the new vehicle is so innocent and frisky looking that the average rural visitor would hardly credit the statement that 1t is our of cial hurry up wagon"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
SHOWER OF BANNERS ON
 FLAG DAY AT THE FAIR
BY DOLLY PING.

T. LOUIS, October 31.-Special)- @N John says he Is going home to " vote on election day, but he has determined to get back here in time to read the returns as they are displayed in various parts of the grounLs and to par ticipate in the observance of Flag day, which, we are told, will be celebrated in an elaborate manner. Election returns will be thrown upon large screens by means of stereopticon lanterns at four places on the Pike, on the Plaza St. Louis and at the westend of the Palace of Transportation. As November is Flag day, hundreds of flags of every size and description will be displayed. Thousands of small flags are to be dis tributed by means of bombs, which, when filled with hundreds of sml-l flags, are to be thrown into the air and exploded, and as the emblems fall to the ground they are to be picked up and worn by the visitors. As the bombs are to be sent veritable shower of star-spangled banners will result. It is said also that the largest American flag ever made will be fioated from a large captive balloon over the cen ter of the grounds. The flag is SO by 100 feet square and is being made especially for this occasion.
 Another pretty feature of Flag day will be large American flag of real white and blue incandescent lamps which will be suspended over the main lagoon by a cable stretched between the Palace of Electricity and the Palace of Educa- tion and which will be lighted all even- ing.
 Jane finally coaxed us into the dog show that is being held in connection with the great poultry and pet stock show in one of the barns out In the live stock section. I never liked dogs and l can assure you that they were not raised in my esteem by this exhibition. The walls were decorated with ominous signs bear ing the words. "Dangerousi Do not touch the dogs" Now. what are dogs for if not to handle and caress? What kind of a pet Is 1t that has to be la- beled "dangerous?" Have we reached that point where the "childrens pets are to be bred for fighting purposes? Inside the barn a deafening bedlam of barking, growing and snarling greeted out ears. There were dogs of every size, shape and color, every known breed and nearly all countries being represented One of the most interesting specimens of the canine family, over which Jane raved for some time, was one brought from Fl Paso. Tex, which weighed little over pound and a half and is said to be worth it's weight in gold. Among the more valuable dogs pointed out to us was a liver and white pointer" the greatest living show dog in his class. He is from Philadelphia. and has carried off every prize for which he has competed since his first entry in the puppy class. There is also Lady Cole" a famous bird dog from Kansas City, who has won for her owner thou sands of dollars at bench shows. The
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

By Alfred Austin, Poet Laureate of Eng
 land, in The Independent
 Being a great political leader is making other people believe what you don't be- lieve yourself.
 The average girl would rather have her feet frozen off than wear comfortable wooden stockings.
 What a girl loves about a football game is that, not knowing anything about 1t, she can pretend to enjoy 1t wildly.
 It is very easy to get mad with some- body for doing what 1t would be very un- reasonable for anybody to get mad over if you did 1t.
 The cussed thing about the seasons is that there is too much ventilation in win ter when you don't want it and not enough in summer when you do.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
IN HOTEL LOB8IES
elrmlnnham,s Prosperity.

sfnlnqnams fFosPeiiS
 The New Orleans Picayune of Monday "as the following concerning a prominent eiazen and the prosperity of this ois- triet:
 A. R. Dearborn, a business man or birmingham, and interested in New or- ieans arrived last night and is at the st. Charles hotel.
 MT Dearborn stated that Birmingham was enjoying an era of prosperity at present which was most satisfactory 10 her citizens.
 The high price of from he said, has increased the earnings of mines, which, within a radius of 100 miles, produce 4OoO tons daily. An increase in the price Of the raw material of 8 per ton, therefore, means an increase In the daily earnings of the section of $12,OOO, or over sS,OOO,OOO per year. The Alabama Steel works, be- longing to the Tennessee Coal, Iron and ha1lroad company, is producing 1000 tons or the finished product daiiy.
 As an indication of the prosperity oi Birmingham,' said Mir Dearborn, I might cite the fact that the First National bank of that place, of which 1 am stockholder, has at present deposits ag- gregating $6.2S00OO, an increase of $1,5oO,- GOO since the 1st of January. do not know of any other bank In the south with the exception of the Hibernia bank 0f tais city, that has a better record.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Las. Car RowdIes.

''The late cars to East Lake are freely patronized by individuals who desire to be sports and think nothing more con- dueive to such a reputation than an ae- quaintance with a large assortment Of drinks" said surburbanite. "These gentry catea the last car out and then proceed to have high old time to the discomfort of sober passengers who do not appreciate the fun. was going out to East Lake one night recently with friend when there was an unusually noisy crowd on board. They were laugh ing, talking and skipping one another on the heads with newspapers at a great rate. Finally their actions became so noisy and iheir conversation so objection able that we were forced to retreat to tho rear platform.
 of course there were no ladies on the car at the time, and the merry-makers probably thought they were entitled to do as they pleased, but they seemed to for get the fact that a crowd of half tipsy revelers are never so amusing to the rest of humanity as they are to themselves"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
SULLIVAN SELLS PAPERS.
the St. Louis Star.

From the St. Louis Star.
 John L. Sullivan showed Thursday that he has lost none of the big heart which throughout his whole career has made him more friends than lis fists and his fighting. "The big fellow at first volun- teered to do his monologue at the benefit for the families of the murdered detee- tives at Music Hall, but when it was sug- gested to him that the programme was crowded and that he could add to the fund in another way he agreed in a jiffy. Standing in a hack driven to several of the prominent corners of St. Louis, John L. stold copies of the St. Louis Star broadcast, and as result of his work during the day a goodly sum was added to the fund started by the Star.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
INDUSTRIAL EDITION.

Gadsden Journal: The Birmingham Age Herald as a supplement to it's Sum day edition sent out its annual industrial review The review is an admirable sum- mary of the industrial interests of the Magic City and a credit to the publishers.
 Selma Journal: The supplement to yes- terdays Age-Herald, setting out the re- sources and advantages of the Birming- ham district and of the great city of Birmingham. was a splendid advertise ment for that section of the state and shadowed forth clearly a future whose possibilities cannot be estimated. The Age-Herald has done It's section and all parts of the state great service in giv- ing such splendid review to the world.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
November Advance.

The November issue of Advance Bir- mngham's monthly magazine for young folk, is decidedly the handsomest that has yet been published. The cover design Is extremely artistic in three colors and represents a Thanksgiving day girl cheer ing Alabama to victory on the gridiron The literary features of this issue are also worthy of special mention, feature ar ticle being, Success: Some of It's Es- sentials," by John H. Fry, president of the Traders National bank of Birming ham.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

ugliest dogs in the show. in my opinion even uglier than bulldogs-were the long. gaunt, mangy hounds from Russia. The best behaved dogs were the Scotch eol- lies, the big St. Bernards, the great Danes the Irish setters and some of the spaniels The Scotch colFes, indeed, seemed to realize that they were in bad company and looked upon the bowling, yelping CUTS with much shame and dis gust
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
VULCAN IS KING.

From the Selma Journal.
 Cotton may be king down in this part of the state, but up around Birmingham Vulcan is king, and he is made of iron, you know.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

When Grover Cleveland appeared in New York he was given a continuous ovation lasting IT minutes. When Judge Parker appeared at Madison Square garden Monday night he was accorded 24 minutes of continuous cheering.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

A hired man in Kansas sold his em. ployers horse for s5 and plug of to- baeco. He did not have much respect for the horse.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

A Philadelphia paper says that haz- ing, for man, usually begins when he goes to school and ends when he gets married. The writer is evidently not married
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

It is announced that Mr Cortelyou will take the stump He seems to be taking everything else, and it would not be surprising if he did take the stump.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

The republicans no longer call Judge Paker a sphynx. They wish he had held to his early policy of silence. He talks too well to suit 'em.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02
Probably It.

From the Houston Post.
 He says he knows all the best people. but he doesn't seem to associate with them.'
 That's because the best people know him."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

New fall hats for women are marked high, thus indicating new period of prosperity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

Iammany is waking up in these last Jays of the caniaelgn. In tgo days work it can get out its entire vote and carry it's state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

F. Augustus Heinze says that Thomas W. Lawson is either liar or a lunatic. MT. Heinze is guilty of "apt alliteration."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

Russia's Baltic fleet is at Vigo re- covering from that scare it encoun- tered off Dogger bank.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-11-02

David Bennett Hill will soon be out of politics, free to devote all his leisure time to May Irwin.