davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
Midway Census Returns.

Not few states take census be- tween two federal censuses. New York Is one of those states, and the returns from it's numerous census dis tricts will soon be tabulated. It is believed the premier state will show a population of eight millions, nearly half of whom live in or near New York city. The population of New York state in the year 1900 was 7,26S.S94. \ The population of Iowa in 1900 was 2,331, ,S53, and this year she has but 2,210,373--a loss in five years of over 1000, or about one per cent. The loss In Iowa does not alarm Iowans, for it is duplicate of the movement that at some time took place in every other neighboring state. The prices of Iowa lands have gone up until the farmer feels he can no longer afford to hold them. He sells his Iowa farm, paying off all the debts he may have accu- muIated, and yet possessing enough money to buy farm farther west, where lands are cheaper The effect of the movement is to increase the size of farms. Some of the large farms are conducted through the free use of mod ern machinery, while some of them are leased to tenants. The tenant farmers are becoming numerous in all states in the middle west.
 In all states the city population is gaining faster than the rural popula- tion, and 1t is doubtful whether the full returns from New York will show that the agricultural counties of that state ha held their own.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
Taxino inc Breakfast Table.

The standpatters-the benefciaries, In other words-of the Dingley tariff a. in the field early carrying propo- sition to be placed before Congress. The deficit must be met in some way, and they are especially desirous that the sacred schedules of the robber tariff shall not be touched. They pro- pose, in short, that tax of cents a pound shall be imposed on coffee Such tax would bring into the treasury aDout enough to meet the estimated deficit, or about twenty-five million dollars.
 The proposition is characteristic of the standpatter, who has become or late wholly shameless. He considers nov. that he has right to exploit home consumers, no matter how cheaply he sells goods to foreigners. His assur- ance Is only equalled by his rapacity. and so he proposes to tax coffee. Not even during the war with Spain was co.iee taxed. Tea was, but coffee was not, and if the standpatter taxes coffee now he should get ready to meet an enraged country.
 Such tax would scarcely be felt by those who buy the fine grades of coffee, bu. the masses, who buy Rio of the average or poorer grades, would feel the tax in all its enormity. The cof- fees they buy would be advanced by the retailer from to cents pound. The retailer in isolated districts would be apt to add cents to the price of D, orer coffees. A party that would put such tax upon the masses would de- serve and would almost certainly reap condemnation at the polls, especially when the money needed could be pro cured through just revision of an unjust tariff.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
Cullman's Potato Crop.

Cullman, already famous for the pro auction of the finest strawberries raised In the south, is destined to become mora famous for the production of sweet po- tatoes," said Mayor George J. Boyer of that thriving city at the Morris hotel last night.
 Il have been astonlshed myself at the large increase this year in this industry in my own community. Last year Gull man shipped something like 8, ,000 barrels of potatoes, but this year the shipment will go to something like double that amount.
 This means that between s100, 900 and S50,OO0 will be distributed in the county from the sale of potatoes alone The strawberry crop is worth to the county about $S00O0 per year.
 'The lands about the city of CuIlman seem to be specially adapted to potatoes and other like products and the farmers are turning their attention more and more to this class of agriculture.
 ''When the farmers of Cullman said last spring that they would reduce their cot ton acreage for this season they meant it. They put their lands in potatoes and other products and are reaping a nice profit"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
THE GOOD, GREAT MAN.

By Samuel Taylor Coleridge. How seldom, friend, a good. great man
 inherits Honor and wealth, with all his worth
 and pains! It seems story from the world of spirits When any man obtains that which he
 merits, Or any merits that which he obtains. For shame. my friend. renounce this idle
 strain What wouldst thou have a good, great
 man obtain? Wealth. title. dignity. a golden chain Or heap of corses which his sword hath
 slain? Goodness and greatness are not means,
 but ends. Hath he not always treasures. always
 friends, And calm thoughts, equable as infants
 breath, The great, good man! The treasures love and light. And three fast friends. more sure than
 day or night Himself. his Maker. and the angel
 Death
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
OLIVER IS skEPTIcAL.
Does Not Believe Uncle Sam Will Ever
 Build the Canal.
From the Washington Post.

From the Washington Post.
 do not believe that the Panama. canal will ever be built except by private contractors" said William J. Oliver. the largest railroad contractor in the coun- try, who is at present building a tunnel through Lookout mountain for the Sou lhern and the New Orleans and Great Northern, from sidel, La, to Jackson, Miss at the Rsleigh last night.
 That Is rather strong statement to make he added, ''but 1t seems to me that the present canal methods form only school for engineers and contractors. It takes more time to teach them how to do the work than it would to build the canal under private contract. Men who nave made success of developing rail- roads and maintaining them have been put at digging a canal
 MT. Wallace took with him A large number of hands used on the Tlinoi. Central and as they were not used to the Kind of work required. he and they sim ply fell down. It was said that he was to get S60O00 year job. Has anybody heard of his getting that job? Time Is constantly wasted in these primary me thods. Shonts was the head of a rail- road. He knows his business and I know mine. Could l tell him how to do his work or he tell me how to do mine? He maintains the railway after 1t is finished. build the railway and turn it over. And so Shonts and the engineers and con tractors all go down to the isthmus to learn the business. By the time they all get through learning the business where will the canal be?''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
1 Iona
Police Commission.

The movement for the abolition of the police commission is in keeping with the recent efforts of the most pro gressive cities It has been ascertained that when the number of responsible men has been reduced to minimum to three or four in some recent cases better government results. At any rate the possibility of showing the blame onto some one else is lessened.
 There is really no good reason why the police commission in this city should be maintained. Mayor Ward does not hesitate to say that 1t is full of politics. It does not seem to have given us more efficient police protec- ton. The system stands a failure In the eyes of many good citizens.
 In this matter the citizens of Bir- mingham will probably act unitedly. They will doubtless aid Mayor Ward to get rid of system that has become an embarrassment to the city govern ment. Should the act creating the com mission be repealed, the people would hold the mayor and aldermen to a strict accountability,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
MT. Conuer and China.

It Is becoming plain that Mir Conger Is going back to Iowa, and Is not going to China at all. No special efforts are being put forth to lessen the friction that has naturally arisen in China over the Geary lava law so drastic that it country to any other nation but help less China, and the execution of which has been even severer than the letter of the law, which is piece of San Francisco sand-lots statesmanship. It was passed to keep California republi- can.
 China does not object in it's boycott of American goods to the exclusion of coolies from this country. It does ob- ject to their exclusion from the Philip pines, where they are greatly needed. China's objections apply to the enact nlSill Ol llc bcdly ldW dhu IO lto poh barrie execution in the case of Chinese students, merchants and high caste travellers. We let the treaty with China lapse for the purpose of passing the Geary law. We have treated China badly, and at length China retaliates. l.
 The compact of the Chinese mer- chants Is beyond law The Pekin gov ernment has no more control over the provinces than our government has over the states. The Chinese mer- chants who are endeavoring to shut out American goods have agreed to have no social relations with those who con tinue to handle such goods. The latter are now considered bad Chinamen. and the boycotters refuse to let their sons an, daughters marry into the families ot the anti-boycotters. The latter are not numerous.
 The boycott does not largely affect goods made in Nelson w. Aldrich's state or in Massachusetts. It relates chiefly to coarse goods made in south ern mills. and the rulers of the coun- try in the Senate cannot reasonably be expected to make special efforts to overcome it. The administration Is apparently doing nothing, and 1t IS certain the big bosses in the Senate will not favor special action in China.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
WatermeIons and Morals.

From my observations during the past few weeks I have come to the eonelu- sion that the watermelon as a moral fac tor is equal to ten policemen" said an official of the Birmingham police de- pertinent yesterday "Our Sundays of late have shown a large decrease in the number of jags and I only happened on the watermelon theory recently, but feel no doubt now that 1t Is the correct theory. Now, to reason the matter out.
 We know that some cause has de- creased the number of drunks, espec- ially the Sunday ones. Beer is as plen- tiful as ever, 1t tastes just as good and is Just as easy to get, but people don't drink as much. Why? Just because they eat watermelons. There's nothing so cool ing as watermelon just off the ice. It stakes the thirst as well as anything else' and' after eating a large juicy slice no man will have any desire left for a large, frothy stein, no matter what his tastes may be. This is fact. Yes. the watermelon is the only fruit I know of which exerts positive moral influence to such an extent that 1t will show on the records of the police department
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
A Neat Office.

q believe that the office of ". F. Leh- man. local weather observer, would car " off all honors when placed in a con test for the cleanest office in Birming ham," said a close observer last night.
 Possibly the fact that only small number of people go in and out of the of flee daily accounts for the reason that 1t Is always clean. I have occasion to go into the office very often, and I have never noticed anything in the room out of It's proper place.
 "rhe room Is on the eighth floor of the Title Guarantee building and is high enough from the street to be free from dust and dirt from below. Everything in the office is kept clean, and when one enters the room he feels like being very cautious in the way he steps for fear he will displace something"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
MEETING OF
 CLEVELAND AND LAMONT

'ime shall come around in the morn,ns
 to begin the work?
 Tn the morningr exclaimed Cleveland.
 looking surprised You're not eoine to
 begin work at all in the morning. you,. going to begin right now
 NOW, Lamont was tired and hunerv ana sleepy. He kept the tired and seepv part to himself. however. but admitted to
 the governor that he was hunp,v ana sald he would go out and get a bjte of
 something before starting in with the
 business In hand
 Entirely unnecessary replied Cleve-
 land. I can feed you right here. And Dan said the governor busted
 around and soon had a good enoupb spread of cold victuals and a nice cup of not conee, the latter made on the stove Tn the room, ready for Dan to pitch in and eat and drink. Cleveland taking a
 snack himself to keep company. The meal finished the governor hastily cleared ! the table.
 Now said he let's get to work, They went to work and from La-
 monts knowledge and experience and
 training in the matters to be attended
 to he was able by 1:30 in the morning to
 get such good showing of order out
 or the mass and had outlined such prac-
 tical plans for facilitating the work that
 the governor said that he guessed they
 could spare the rest of the night for sleeping He had bed for Lamont. and when Lamont turned in he asked what
 time he should get up in the morn- ing.
 Oh, never mind that said Cleye-
 land. I will call you
 As the late secretary used to say, he went to bed so tired that his head had
 hardly touched the pillow before he was
 asleep. He knew nothing further until he was awakened by a noise in the ad- Joining room He rose in bed and Iis- tened.
 "He heard the stove being shaken down vigorously and the rattle of the coal be- ing put on. and recognized the voice of | the governor. who was doing the sbak ing down and coaIing up. humming the ] then new and popular song. When The | Robbins Nest Again
 Lamont looked at his watch It was | just o'clock! The governor was up get
 ting breakfast ready preparatory to the
 beginning of work for the day Lamont didn't wait to be called but got up right then and dressed himself
 and reported to the governor, who was plainly pleased with the staying and re- cuperating qualities of his young lieuten- ant.
 I The system that Lamont put into the work of strengthening out that tst1gled | mass of correspondence and in a remark ably short time getting 1t moving in easy and proper channels favorably impressed Grover Cleveland At any rate. that Is the way, so Lamont used to say, that he
 and Grover Cleveland first met. How | much that meeting meant to the futurs of each is history now
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
Rirminaham CIeanest.

q believe that Birmingham is the cleanest city in the south today said Policeman La Rue last night. T have just returned from a trip to Norfolk, Va. and on this trip visited several southern cities. The specific object of my trip was to convey John Joseph Boyle, a de- navy yard at Norfolk,
 'I left here last Wednesday," contin- ued the policeman, ''and spent nearly all of Thursday in Atlanta. l took occasion to go all over the Georgia capital and must say Atlanta is fine city, but when 1t comes to cleanliness it is not in Bir- minghams class. I saw things scattered about over the streets of Atlanta that would cause many arrests here in Bir- mingham.
 From Atlanta I went to Portsmouth, Va., and if the streets of Atlanta were dirty. those of Portsmouth were simply filthy wish the people of Birmingham could just See Portsmouth today, so they could realize how much cleaner our city is kept than a great majority of others.
 Across the bay in Norfolk, where l found conditions as bad as in Portsmouth ana much worse than In Atlanta-anu AL lanta was bad enough. I saw conditions in the places I have mentioned. but I also passed through several other cities and had casual glance at them. and I want to say that none of them compared with Birmingham In regard to cleanliness. "I realize that I am a Birmingham partisan, but l don't think I am so prejudiced in this city's favor that I can't offer a fair estimate of how it compares with other southern cities"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24

brougt. the fever into this country. It says "a passenger liner Is credited with distributing the fever from Colon to New Orleans" The truth probably is, no one knoss how the fever was brought in. All that is known is that it was found July 12 among the Italian handlers of bananas, and the belief pre- vails that they got it several weeks before in the course of their work in the banana trade. Nor is this belief confined to "the ignorant" as the Reg ister suggests.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
Source of the New Orleans scouree

The Mobile Register says it did not say that the banana trade brought the fever to New Orleans. We give below what it did say, as follows:
 If Mobile must do as New Orleans does, simply because New Orleans does it, we must first know what that city thinks 1t wise to do. New Orleans thought that three days was enough detention, and got the fever in consequence. Mobile hay ing five days detention felt that the three days limit required by New Or leans was too little, and protested. New orleans was persuaded to raise the limit to four days. but the fever had already gotten into that city, although it's pres ence there was unknown to the health authorities When the fever made itself felt, New Orleans in kind of lock-the- stable e-door-after-the- characterization panic slapped on a six day detention; and then the fruit vessels came to Mobile to un- load.
 The fair inference of this paragraph is that fruit vessel-for the discus sion related to them-detained at quar- antine but three days, brought the fe- yer into New Orleans. The Age-Herald accepted that inference without enter taining even thought that it was quoting the Register without due au. thority.
 The Register says. however, there is no reason to believe the banana trade
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
IN HOTEL LoBBIEs
House Numb.rInq In N. Birmingham.

House Numbering In N. Birmingham.
 We are all delighted. said North Birmingham man last night with the prospect of free postal delivery in our town. It is difficult to magnify the con veniences that come to us with the es- tablishment of the free delivery sys- tenn.
 q see that the postal regulations re- quire that in order to have this free de- livery, the people of our town must num- Der their houses In conformity with the postal regulations. The East Lake people have already conformed to this condi- ton, and 1 have no doubt our people in North Birmingham will speedily do like wise. The expense incident to the new numbering is only b cents a house and is really nothing compared with the ad- vantages to be derived from the postal de- livery
 T am quite sure that the people of North Birmingham will promptly see the wisdom of complying with the postal regulations and number their houses as they are required to do by law
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
From the New York Sun.
Mrs. Carrie Nation says that the goVer.


 ff1HE late Col. Daniel S. Lamont
 (V used to relate most amusing
 ly to his intimate friends" said Col J. F. Jones, "how 1t came about that he first met Grover Cleveland after Cleveland had been elected governor of New York.
 Lamont was then a reporter on the Albany Argus, which was controlled by Daniel Manning, and he had little idea of being anything else for long time to come Grover Cleveland had only a limited acquaintance with the leaders of his party throughout the state at that time, and though he had not yet been inaugurated, he was being deluged with letters from all over the state, filled with all sorts of suggestions, making all sorts of demands, and calculated to make the days and nights unpleasant for one with the little experience in politics that Cleve- land then had.
 ''But those letters had to be answered and as they piled up before him day by day, Cleveland saw the necessity of hay ing some one who knew state politics and politicians to help him out of the mud de He wrote to Dan Manning and told him of the dilemma he was in. For heavens sake, he wrote. send some one to help mel
 Dan Lamont entered the Argus office as Manning was reading Clevelands let ter. and when he had finished reading he looked up and saw Lamont He pondered moment and then said:
 Dan, I shouldn't wonder if you might be able to help Cleveland out in this Suppose you run up to Buffalo and try it.
 Manning handed Lamont the letter. Lamont read 1t and said:
 All right. When shall I go?'
 Better go right along said Manning.
 ''So Lamont packed his grip-And it didn't take much of a grip to carry all had in those days Lamont used to say. In telling about it-and took the first train for Buffalo. It was late in the evening when he arrived there, but he thought he had better report to the governor before going to a hotel so he had himself guid- ed to where Cleveland was keeping bach tiOT QudTttIS ONtf d Stoft UT SoihctilluBs Lamont knocked at the door.
 Come in.' said vigorous voicet
 "Colonel Lamont and his handbag went in. The governor-elect was sitting at a table Letters opened and unopened were piled and scattered about the floor and filtered the table, while their recipient was plainly working hard to get them in shape for answering. his coat off and his sleeves rolled up.
 '.He glanced inquiringly up as Lamont entered the room.
 MT. Manning sent me from Albany, in response to your letter to see whether I could be of any service to you said Lamont, by way of introduction.
 Colonel Lamont used to say that Cleve- lands face frightened. and he rose and shook hands heartily with his visitor.
 :" Sit down. said he. I'm mighty glad yen've come
 Lamont sat down. and they chatted awhile. Then Lamont said:
 Well Governor. guess I'll be going now to hunt up place to stay. What
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
MORGAN IS THINKING.
From the Chattanooga News.

From the Chattanooga News.
 Senator Morgan of Alabama is saying nothing but he has doubtless made mem tai observation of the approaching coI- lapse of the Panama canal. The old Ro- man declared that a canal could never be built by that route.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24
ALABAMA PRESS

Ahniston Star: If pr. Leach has his way in New Orleans, the inhabitants of the Crescent City will soon be an army of dope fiends.
 Mobile Item: Japan forgets that Rus sia is civilized nation" says a Russian newspaper. Russia seems to have for gotten it first.
 Huntsville Tribune: The days are rapid ly growing shorter, the nights cooler. It will not be long before the beautiful solemn autumn will be at hand, the pe- riod when men are liable to stop and think how transitory is life. that all must rpen. fall from the tree and crumble to dust
 Montgomery Journal: Some of the northern newspapers know as little about the negro problem in the south as they do about the condition of the peasants in Russia, and yet they discuss both with an affectation of great learning and knowledge of conditions both in the south and in Russia.
 Gadsden Journal: No farmer should sell a bale of cotton this year for less than ten cents. In spite, of the enormous crop or last year price of ten cents was reached before the new crop began to come in and with this years curtailed acreage and poor crop every pound will bring ten cents if only the farmers de- mand it and hold their crop until they get 1t.
 Mobile Register: The cotton growers of the south have no business with the question as to whether the world can pro- duce cotton sufficient to supply tho de- mands. The question uppermost for the consideration of the cotton growers of the south is how to make cotton growing profitable If the yield starts out all right from the hands of the producer the mat ter of supplying the demand will adjust itself.
 Huntsville Mercury: It is a safe esti- mate that the expense of fighting the present yellow fever visitation In New Orleans and sections of Louisiana and Mississippi will cost those states and Alabama and Tennessee fully two million dollars. Under federal quarantine meas- ure this vast sum would be saved to the states and cities. As the Commercjal- Appeal so we'll says, the government, in taking charge of the situation, would also pay the expense and southern munlc- ipalities would not be called on to drain their slender store in this fight which leaves them exhausted.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24

What with Lawson, the bicyclist and Lawson. the trust buster, the name of Lawson Is prominent. One Lawson rides wheels and the other has wheels in his head.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-24

It is reported that former Statistician Hyde will return to the United States October 1. Ills coming will be awaited with some interest by the secret serv- ice officials.