davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1905-04-13
WASHINGTON LETTER
From our Reg ular C6rrespo ndent.


OF the United States since the
question Of secession was dis
posed of will be uppcrmost
in the deliberations and de-
bates OF the Fifty ninth Con
gress which, the President
has recently announced, he
will assemble in pxtraur,lina
~, session on Oct. 16, next
Ii the corning Congress does
its duty it will largely deter
mine for many future deca dps
the extent to which the fpder
al government shall 90 in its
inter expectation of that clause
in the constitution which
reads, THE congress s I, Il !
have power to regn'ate COM
merre among the vera
States" Simple az this state
ment may appear it has hepn
construed with increasing lat
itude until the Anti-ReSatr
Law and the Interstate Com
lnprce act have been declared
to come within its scope and
the most importantq question
which the next Congress will
have to decide is whether or
not this clause contains sufh
rient warrant TO enable Con-
grees to uprlare what shall
and what shall not he cOnsid
cred a just ratetO be charged
by railroads for transporta-
ton. The proposition advun
ced by Commissioner of Cor
portions Gar field, that b e
federal government has the
power to compel all corpora
tions transarting an inter>
state business to take out Il
federal license is also based
on this clause as is the same
officials proposition that the
federal government has t h e
power to regulate the trans
action of insurance business
To those legislat ors who,
with strict regard for their
oath to support the constitu
tion, adopt a conservative
view regarding its interpreta
ton, the radicallsm of h e
present administration, the
general disposition to main
tain that the provisions Of
the Constitution must be
broad-ned in proportion to
the growth and increasing
comp,exity of the nation and
the insistpnre in some quar-
ters that Il strict interpreta-
ZION of the constitution is
old fashioned and out of dAtp
seems dangerous and abbOr
rent. In Il policy which would
stretch the constitution be-
yOnd the evident meaning Of
it's trainers. they can detect
nothing but pOrtents OF dis
aster, the small beginning OF
what, onre adopted will mean
IN time of radical departure
from the constitution itself
and ultimately the adoption
Of every form of radicalism
demanded by popular clam
or. In support OF this view
they contend that it is mani.
fest that the trainers of the
constitution. by clause quo-
ted, intended only to empow
er the federal government SO
toregulate commerce between
the States as to insure b e
absence of all discrimination
and the abolition of t h o s e
customs, duties and o t h e r
fol ms of embargo which. Huo
ring the days of Federation,
contributed SO seriously to
Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1905-04-13

ing conditions, they urge.
then let 1t be amended, but
under no circumstances ppr>
NIT the slightest deviation
from the true intent Of t h Z
trainers of the instrument.
Those who oppose t b | y
view declare, however, that
such a narrow view of t h e
constitution itself, 40 close
an adherence to the doctrine
that the rights Of the Sovpr-
|elgn States must not he viO-
lated. will necessarily place
the people at the mercy of
I hos e corporate interests
which by the layish use of
money can always corrupt a
sufficient number of State
legislatures to prevent t h p
su"cpSs OF any proposed a.
lnrndment to the cOnstitu-
ton, however merit tOriOns,
" hirh would even tend to eur
tail the liabilities of the IL
rpnse of corporate wealth.
The problem is too deep for
extensive discussion in a news
letter, but the foregoing as
sertiOns may serve in n meas
ure to indicate to the think
ers of the nation the gravity
and complexity of the prob
lem with which the next Con
gress will he called upon to
deal.
President Roosevelt, after
consulting with Senators Cor
man, Spooner, and Lodge
Eand the members Ol. his ca biz
net, has notified SantO Do
mipgo of his assent on be
half of the United States to
the arrangement proposed
by President Morales as the
only practicable means OF so
preserving existing condi-
tions in that distraught Re
public as to make possible
the execution of the prOvis-
ions Oi the pending treaty in
the event that the treaty is
ratified by the Senate next
autumn. The proposition Of
Snnto )lningO was t h a t
President Roosevelt assent
to the appointment OF Ameri
ran citizens to take charge
uf the Dominican customs
house, cOllert the, revenues
and pay to h e Dominican
government 45 per cent of
the gross receipts, he remain
ing So per cent, less the cost
of collection. he deposited in
s o IN e New York b ank to
await the action of the Sen
ate.
In submitting the forego
ing proposition Pr sident
Morales pointed out t b a t
foreign powers were unwil-
ling to await the action of
the United States Senate in
the abspnre Of some arrange.
ment which insure the cOntin
hance of existing conditions
and the Dominica n President
u assertion has been prompt
Iy verified by the Italian Am
bassador who yesterday call
ed at the State Department
tn learn officially if the repot
ed assent of President Roose
velt was correct and who
then stated that IN | he alb
senre of such assent his coun.
try would lave felt compell-
ed TO use force in SantO Do
mingo to protect the rights
Of it's citizens. While IN U C b
hap appeared in b e Public
Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1905-04-13
W. II. BOWER,
ATTORNEY AT LAW
Lenoir, N. G.

Practices in the courts OF
Caldwell, Watanga, Mitchell,
Ashe and other surrounding
counties.
Prompt attention given to
all legal matters entrusted to
his care.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

goats and ponies they keep looking at me as
though they wanted my approval
There is one little monkey that sleeps near
y all the time, and played trick on pa with
it that like to got me arrested and licked by a
man who was mad. A man and woman with
baby in little wagon were going through
the menagerie, and it was crowded, and they
left the baby and wagon in pas charge, near
the monkey cage, while they went to see the
hitpopotamus. Pa is the most accommodate
ing man about holding babies that ever was.
The baby was asleep when its folks left it in the
wagon with pa, but it woke up while they were
gone, and pa took it out of the baby wagon
and carried it around just as he would at home
and showed it to the animals and held it up on
his shoulder, and / took the little monkey and
put it in the baby wagon, and it went to sleep,
and i put a veil Lover it and was standing by
the wagon talking with peanut butcher when
the parents of the baby came back, and the
woman raised tip the veil to see if the child
was asleep, when the monkey woke up and
put its hairy hands up to rub its eyes. The
monkey looked UP at the woman with beady
eyes and began to chatter, and she yelled and
her husband took look at the monk, and he
was mad. They could both see it was
monkey instead of baby and they asked
where the old man with the chin whiskers
was that they left the baby with, and the pea
nut butcher said What, that old guy with the
checkered vest? Why, he has gone with the
baby over to the lion cage, where they are feed
ing the lions. Don't you see him holding the
baby on his shoulder?' ?' By ginger, never saw
two people sprint the way they did, cause |
guess they thought pa was sure crazy and
would give the baby to the lions. But l told
them the old man was all right, and would
bring the baby back, and if he didn't they
could have the monkey, cause [ didn't want
them to think they were going to be losers
while attending our show. Then | chucked
the monkey Under the chin and said Maybe
this is your baby, cause they change wonder
fully when they get into show"
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

Well, | just had time to put the monkey
back in the cage when | saw that couple sur
round pa and the woman grabbed the baby
out of his arms, and the man tackled pa around
the legs below the knee, and threw pa down
under the ostrich cage and said: "You kid
naper am good mind to choke the life
out of you," and he squeezed pas windppe
until pas tongue run out, when a canvasman
came along and hit the man in the ear, and
he laid down near zebra, and the zebra kicked
at the man and hit pa, cause a zebra is cross
eyed and kicks like a woman throws stone,
ana no man knows where it listeth.
Pa got up to murder tha man that choked
him, when the ostrich reached its head out be-
tween the bars of the cage and picked pas
big diamond stud off his shirt, big as piece of
rock candy and swallowed it, and pa said
that's the limit, and he called the manager and
asked him how he was going to get his dia-
mond stud out of the ostrich. The manager
told pa to go to the dressing room and ask the
woman who has charge of the wardrobe for
tle ostrich stomach pump, and when he got the
stomach pump the manager said the ostrich
would cough up the diamond stud Pa went
c.. to the dressing room to get the ostrich
stomach pump and | knew there was going to
be trouble, cause I thought the manager was
just stringing pa.
Well, he went up to the woman in the
dressing room and said he came after her
stomach pump, ostrich size and you'd died
to see the ruction. The woman looked at pa
as though he has escaped from sanitarum,
and then she seemed to think he was trying
to make game of her, and said: "You old skate
do you know who you have the honor Of ad-
dressing? | am the queen of this realm and
they all kow-tow to me; now you come and
take your medicine" and before ga could saw
boo she had pulled a big clothes bag over his
head and tied it around his feet, and said
Come on, girls. we are going to have roasted
missionary" and they were lighting gasoline
torch to roast pa when the owner of the show
came along and d,asked what was up. When the
wardrobe woman told him pa had insulted her,
the owner gave her $40 to buy champagne for
the performers and she released pa, and he
went back to choke his diamond out of the
ostrich.
Pa says this life is more exciting, if any
thing, than staying at home, and it will either
kill hinlor cure him of a desire to be a Barnum
in about month more.
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

Gee, but the giant is coward. When the
bob cat began to run up the giants leg anc
then up his back and then jumped from hi:
shoulder onto the fat lady, the giant turned
pale and cried and the midget said to him
"Oh, you big stiff, why didn't you have sand
enough to hold the kitty until the keeper
came I've a good mind to get on stcpladder
and kick you," and the cowardly giant cried
again, and said if the midget ever struck him
he would report him to the management. Just
then pa came along and asked what the row
was about, and when pa found that the midget
was trying to pick quarrel with the giant he
took the midget across his knee and gave him
few spanks and told him to quit bullying the
freaks. The midget got up on a barrel and
called his son, who is bigger than pa, when /
stepped in between them, and told the midgets
son if he struck my father | would have his
hearts blood, and he quaed, and then |
bullied the giant, who is coward, and now
they are all afraid of me-
don't see how big fellow like a giant can
be afraid of things smaller than he is, and shy
when dog barks, and be afraid some one is
going to smash him in the Jaw, but pa saws
the size of man don't make any difference,
cause it is the heart that does the business.
A man may be big enough and strong enough
to tip over box car loaded with pig iron but
if his heart is one of these little ones intended
for mser, with no pepper sauce running from
the heart to the arteries and things, and liver
that is white, and nerves that are trembly, and
no gall to speak of, why big man is liable to
be walked over by nervy little man who is
spunky and gets mad and froths at the mouth.
| have been having great times with the
monkeys, and | guess the manager will make
me superintendent of monkeys, cause they all
seem to be stuck on me and will do ANYTHING
tell them to. Pa says they think | am some
new kind of a monkey and they look up to me-
lead out the big monkeys that ride the goats
and dogs and have horse race in the ring,
and fasten them on the little animals, and when
they ride around the ring on the dogs and
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

which is matter for serious reflection,
but other allegations have failed to dis
criminate between the use and abuse
OF the weed. 1t is easy to find similar
fault with most things we eat and
drink, for more harm has resulted from
lack of self-control in these matters
than could possibly follow the excessive
use of tobacco.
Indeed, there is nothing which,
though lawful and right in itself, is not
open to the same kind of abuse, and if
1--WE deprive ourselves of everything cap
able of being wrongly used away go
money, food and life.
1.-The two common conditions which
result from excessive smoking are a
characteristic alteration of the rhythm
in the beating of the heart and an affec-
ton of the eyes which impairs the
vision and reduces the power of dis
tinguishing 6olors. The furred tongue,
the chronic irritation of the throat and
the accompanying dyspepsia though
less important, are nevertheless incon-
venient and ought never to be present
in healthy person.
"rhat such harm does result when
use passes into abuse is sufficient warn
ing to put every smoker on his guard,
and if an occasion arises should prompt
him to reduce his consumption of to-
bacco or lay aside for ever habit
which threatens to impair his health.
THE late Prof Huxley said: There
is no more harm in a pipe than there is
In cup of tea. You may poison your
self by drinking too much tea or kill
yourself by eating too many beef
steaks
"Dr. Richardson says: Tn an adult
man who is tolerant of tobacco mode
rate smoking does no great harm 1t
somewhat stops waste and soothes.
The ground on which tobacco holds so
firm a footing is that of nearly every
luxury-it is the least Injurious
"Dr. Lancaster said; I dare not as
physiologist or statist, tell you
there exists any proof of its injur-
ious influence when used in moderation.
The first symptoms of giddiness, Of pal
pitation, of Incidence or uneasiness
while smoking should induce you to lay
1t aside. These are physiological indl-
cations of it's disagreement, which. II
you neglect, you may find increase upon
you and seriously embarrass your
health
"Those who are rational smokers will
never indulge on an empty stomach;
many seem able to do so with impunity.
but the practice is bad. They win keep
the pipe well eleansed and use only a
pure tobacco, Whether smoking a
cigar, pipe or cigarette they will abstain
from using Il to the last extremity, be-
cause it is the accumulated products OF
combustion which form the Injurious
elements. The rational smoker viii
never expectorate unless on occasion
when absolutely compelled, or, If he
finds himself falling into this bad habit.
being rational he win cease to be a
smoker"
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

MAY 14-This has been week that
would kill anybody, and pa and talk Of re-
signing, though pa feels as though he didn't
want to break up the show by going away
right in the middle of the harvesting of shekels
from the countrymen and don't know what
would happen if pa and should both be taken
sick at the same time.
The boss of the menagerie got new ani-
NAL by express from Colorado when we were
leaving Akron, o., and we got it in one end
of cage occupied by happy family of rab-
bits, coons a spotted leopard, hound
dog and house cat The new animal was
bob cat, such as Roosevelt shoots when the
man has the camera ready to catch him in the
act. Say, but that bob cat is terror and
crosser than any animal we got except the
hyenas. The bob cat just walked around and
snarled and spit at the happy family through
the bars, and kept them awake all night on
the road and the happy family held sort of
convention, and ] could see by the way they
all looked at me that they were passing reso-
lutions inviting me to break up the bob cat
business. The manager of the menagerie told
pa he wished the confounded bob cat would
escape, cause he was blooming nuisance,
so I thought would help get rid of the beast
and save the show from disgrace. SO when we
got to Oberlin / thought that was pious COM
munity that could stand wild bob cat, so
put several sheets of sticky tanglefoot fly paper
in the bob cats cage and opened the door of
the cage after the crowd had gone into the
main tent to the big show and the menagerie
tent was empty except the keepers. They were
all asleep under the wagons, and the animals
had all curled down for nap and the freaks
were on their platform lolling around, waiting
for the main show to be out so they could do
their stunts over again.
The bob cat got all his four feet in the tan
glefoot fly paper, then he grabbed sheet in
his mouth and rolled over on a few more
sheets, and when he was entirely harmless and
YOU couldn't tell what he was | opened the
door of the cage and he went out like rocket
and rolled over a few times in the sawdust,
and then jumped on the platform with the
freaks run over the fat woman, who was lay
ing back in a Morris chair, and left one of the
sheets of fly paper on her low neck, and it
stuck like porous plaster. She yelled that
she had been stabbed, and pa came along just
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

reproduction of the birthplace of Long
fellow, and was the guest of honor
at an Informal reception rendered by
Arthur c. Jackson, the executive COM
missioner from Maine.
Thus the western poet, who grew up
in Oregon and whose first books were
published at Portland. Ore, honored
the poet from away down east. who
was born in Portland. Me. When Mil
Ter beheld the big three-story house,
over the door of which is a sign set
ting forth that It is the birthplace Of
Longfellow, Americas greatest poet, >
he paused a moment and remarked:
swell, now, poets had a start in the
world in those days"
Doubtless he recalled the rude cabin
on the frontier Of civilization, down
the willamette valley, which he and
his brothers. as little boys. helped Che
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

want to remember it as the real thing
mo counterfeit"
The Poet of the sierras could not
keep away from the great Forestry
building, made of mighty logs from the
Oregon and Washington forests-his
early haunts and home.
''rhe next thing l write" he re-
marked on taking leave Of the exposi-
tion few days ago, twill be something
about this Forestry building; 1t is
magnlhcent-so much finer than a mere
toy like the Eiffel tower"
The sham battles did not particularly
interest the veteran poet, who has seen
also the real thing In that line. He par
ticipated In several indian wars dur
ing his boyhood and early youth, and
still bears the marks OF Indian arrows.
Joaquin Miller went by invitation to
the state building Of Maine. which is u
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

as the bob cat jumped off the platform anc
struck pa on the back, and the cat spit at pa
and pa fell over among the sacred cattle anc
rolled under a cow and got on his knees, whef
the animals all began to roar, and pa crawlec
behind bale Of hay, and zebra stepped or
pas face, and pa yelled "Hey, Rube," which
is a grand hailing sign of distress when circus
men want a fight, and about hundred of the
canvasmen came running with tent stakes tc
hit people with
Pa crawled out from the bale of hay which
he had pulled over him, and the hay stuck
to the fly paper on pa, and camel began to eat
the hay, and he chewed pas shirt until the
hands pulled pa away.
The bob cat escaped into the main tent
just as the Japanese jugglers we're Juggling
in No. ring, and the elephants were standing
on their heads in No. ring and the flying
trapeze artists were jumping from one trapeze
to another, and the bob cat rushed through
the Japanese and amongst the elephants with
the fly paper all over him, and the audience
fairly yelled, cause they thought it was
clown dressed up to do some stunt, but the
japanese left the ring in panic, while the
elephants got down off their heads and stood
on their hind feet and cried like children
The audience saw that something had hap
pened that was serious and they all rose to
their feet and were going off into panic when
Pa and few brave men came and drove the
bob cat up centerpole, away up above the
torches and made speeches to the audience
and quieted them down, and the performance
went on. But pa was sight, and the head cir
Gus man told pa he would have to dress better
or forever after hold his peace, and pa said
If any man could be more patient than he was
with bob cat on his neck, a sacred cow walk
ing on him and a camel trying to eat his
whiskers and shirt they better hire that man.
But it was all fixed up and everybody apol-
ogized to everybody, and the bob cat went on
up the centerpoe and out on top of the canvas
and escaped into Ohio, where it will probably
be holding office before next fall
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

PORTLAND. Aug. 5.--Joaquin Mil
Ter. the poet of the sierras, who will
soon be in Los Angeles for the Venice
assembly, has been conspicuous
figure at the Lewis and Clark exposi-
ton.
Joaquin Miller spent two weeks in
Portland, visiting the exposition every
day. He ''eamped out" near the grounds
with some old friends who are tent
ing. The poet said that he greatly pre-
ferred tent life TO hotel. He was
induced to pose for his photograph.
standing on the little front stoop of
the Longfellow house, but he refused TO
visit the Burns cottage His best loved
place was the California building in
It's old mission style, and here he was
pictured many times.
Il saw the birthplace of Burns when
was in Scotland he said. and l
Los Angeles herald., 1905-08-06

| A LTHOUGH it is universally admit
| N ted that smoking is not a neces
| sity, but only a habit, and a bat
habit at that, a great many learned
and distinguished physicians ant
scientists maintain that it is not al
evil, but a positive good.
1T is certainly remarkab BILE fact il
/ the history of mankind" said wei
known physician, that since the fif'
teenth century a vegetable growth
known to botanists as nicotiana to-
bacum has come into such general ust
for smoking as almost to revolutionizt
the social customs of civilized people
1t would be difficult today to find a
quarter of sthe globe where the use OF
the plant is not known.
Nevertheless smoking has met with
vigorous opposition at times. 1t has
been denounced by papers. from pulpits
and on platforms; even reigning SOW
ereigns have set themselves to stamp
out the practice. Russia at one time in
sisted on cutting off the nose of every
smoker, and Persia once made it an
offense punishable by death. 1t has
been proclaimed against on the con-
tinent In almost every part, and in
England King James rs 'Counterblast
Against Tobacco is lasting memorial
of his determination that no puffer of
tobacco should receive any crown ap-
pointment
ut has been contended on the one
hand that tobacco is poison and every
smoker a suicide, while on the other it
has been claimed as an aid to longevi-
ty, so minimizing the wear and tear
of life that in old age naturally ensues.
In spite of all opposition and OF every
argument raised against it the use of
the soothing weed Is well nigh uni
versal custom.
THAT tobacco is not a necessity Is
readily conceded on all sides, for no
sane person could possibly claim that
its use is essential to life. It's most de-
voted friends plead nothing beyond the
fact that smoking is luxury, one
which sustains a cheerful brightness
and affords an enjoyment out of all pro-
portion to the smallness of its cost
Complaints against the extravaganza
of the habit are unreasonable and only
to be at ttributed to willful ignorance or
want of reflection. Many things in
daily use are by no means necessary,
yet they largely contribute to the en-
Joyment and pleasures of life.
"Thackeray once said: L vow and be-
lieve that the cigar has been one Of the
greatest creature comforts of my life
a kind companion, a gentle stimulant,
an amiable anodyne, a cementer Of
friendship. May / die If l abuse that
kindly weed which has given me so
much pleasure
The only objection really worth con-
elderation is that tobacco acts as a
poison in the healthy system. On this
score a great deal has been put forth