davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
Port Arthur.

Port Arthur is in the hands of the Japanese, and there it will stay, un- less indeed the Japanese are willing to make it a free port. and the railroad thence to Harbin a corporation as much Japanese as Russian, and more Chinese than either. Such a settle ment of a difficult problem is possible
 If a settlement of that nature pe' however, impossible then indeed Port Arthur must remain Japanese to the end of time, and if France or Germany or both. attempt to reproduce the diff ficulty of nine years ago Japan Will fight and England, treaty-bound, VIII be compelled to fight with and for her
 The fraud of nine years ago has In fact been rendered impossible by Jap anese valor and Japanese diplomatic skill. England is her ally. She stands too for the open door, and thus Amer ica becomes her friend. The better part of the civilized world is in open sympathy. All despise the duplicity of 1896, and all admire the skill and valor displayed in these days by the little yellow men of Japan.
 It seems almost incredible that Rus sia does not sue for peace. Full or distraction at home, and absolutely without hope on the sea in the far east, and therefore without a chance to re- gain Port Arthur or the warm water outlet she needs, there seems to be nothing for her to do but to make peace and await better opportunity Many believe she must either do this, or encounter civil strife at home. The bureaucrats are considered, rightly con sidered, the source and creators or Russia's distressing condition, and it will be strange indeed if the great mass of Russians do not bring them to justice. A treaty of peace or rev olution seems inevitable and if it be a treaty of peace Port Arthur and it's railroad must either be left in Japan csc hands, or else they must be handed over to the uses of the entire world. Korea in any event will be- come part of Japan.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT THE SITUATION
 AT PORT ARTHUR, AND LOCAL MATTERS

TT is said that since the fall of Port Arthur the Czar of Russia has be-
 come very weary of this war with Japan. Indeed, it Is said that the Czar has for many months past realized fully the fact that Russia was totally unpre- pared for a war in the far east, and that he is anxious at the proper time to end 1t. But for the internal complications the Czar would undoubtedly now open negotiations for peace. As It is. how ever, the opening up of peace negotia- tons before Russia has won single vic- tory on land or sea would discredit the governments strength with its own peo- pie and might lead to very serious inter- nal political consequences Thus, for a time at least. the war must continue. un- less Japan makes peace overtures. or un- less some outside nation interferes and first gets Japan's consent to act as arbi- trator.
 As matter of fact, the only sensible thing for Russia to do Is to end the war. Japan's policy is an open door one. Why shouldn't Russia consent to this? Russia is neither a creative nor manufacturing nation.
 Japan was closed to the outside world when Perry went there in the fifties and taught the Japanese the benefits to be derived from an open door policy. The Japs grasped the idea and have since be- come one of the great nations of the world in manufacturing, education and art. The great nations of the world are those which have thrown their doors open. The influx of machinery and man. ufactured products has been an advan- tage, in that 1t has taught the people to make the same within the confines of their own shores. Until few years ago, Japan had no agricultural implements. Today almost everything manufactured in America is likewise manufactured in Japan.
 The Japs are making everything from a watch to a locomotive engine and even battleship They learned from the English and the Americans how to build naval vessel and they are now build ing many of their own. They sent en- gineers to this country and to England to study and to work in practical ma chine shops and then recalled them to Japan to teach their own people. Thus has Japan studied and learned and been successful.
 In Russia it is different. Russians live to themselves, have closed door, and,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

use of water powers. The ideal rail road of the future will be the one that does not burn a pound of coal for power purposes. There are many railroads that can put in dams about twenty miles apart, and have on tap all the power they can use. After a while perhaps electricity will be car ried without material loss two hun dred miles instead of twenty. Be this as it may, however, the locomotive IS preparing to join the stage coach in the museums of national interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
APROPOS.

The pessimist is the man who carries an umbrella to keep off the sunshine of life.
 The friendship of a man and his pipe is equaled only by the friendship of a man and his dog.
 The person who believes in an all-per- vading, ever-present God is at least a more cheerful individual than he who believes in an absantee God,
 It Is surprising how absurd scented stationery appears to man twenty years after.
 The youth who spends a lot of money on a girl before they are married will have to keep it up after they are mar ried and it won't be so easy.
 Optimism helps in politics as we'll as in real life
 It is easy to step from romance to a farce.
 While travelling along the highway of life 1t is well to stop now and then for a word with the passer by. One loses nothing by it and often gains a friend.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
AN ALASKA MARRIAGE,
From the. Baltimore Herald.

From the Baltimore Herald.
 Governor Brady of Alaska says that one of the marriages contracted by "Swiftwater Bill'' Gates, the noted Klon- dike character, was brought about in curios fashion. He was smitten by the charms of variety performer and she favored his suit at first But later some rivals with more money came into the field. "Swiftwater Bill' became alarmed. He saw his prize slipping from his grasp. He learned that the woman he desired to wed detested the canned goods and pork and beans that formed the principal diet of the community and lived principally on eggs, of which there were a few cases in Dawson. Thereupon he went ont and bought every egg in Dawson. Now, then my honey" he said that night, you must marry me or go without eggs" She married him.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
Clouds of Dust Ruin Clothes.

While these aldermen are jumping on Mayor Drennen and others about the weights and measures, l wish some of them would take some measures to pre- vent immense clouds of dust being stir led up every night on the main streets lust about the time people are going to the theatre" said a business man last night.
 Just look out there. This is the corner of Nineteenth street and Second avenue, and there are two street sweepers stir ring up more dust than they sweep into pile. The streets have not been sprink- led at all and the wind is carrying the dust in everybody's face.
 T have heard that the Mayor has re- peatedly issued an order that the streets must be sprinkled before they are swept, but no one seems to pay any attention to this order. It is a shame that the people of the city cannot go to the the- atre and wear their best clothing with out getting 1t ruined by these clouds of dust.
 Some one should be arrested for ere ating this nuisance if 1t is a violation of the law"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

going on between l--e Birmingham city officials and the aldermen over the weights and measures law supposed to be In effect in Birmingham Such discussions are always healthy and eventually do good. If there coal dealers In Bir- mingham who are selling less than ton of coal for ton, they should be pt nished. If merchants are giving short weights in four and butter and cheese. they should likewise be punished. The Eousekeeper, however, has an advantage in dealing with | grocer which she has not in her business with the coal man. She has no way to tell whether or not the coal dealer has delivered her Q ton of coal. She can't weigh that. But nearly every housekeeper has scales on which she can weigh her flour or her sugar or her butter and tell whether her grocer has given her full measure.
 It Is we'll however. for the city to reg uiate all these affairs and protect the citizens ia every way possible. Let the discussion go on. end if there be short weight fellows. force them to give full weights
 Evidently the aldermen of Birmingham don't want to ride free on the street cars, They voted the other night to pros hibit themselves and all city employees from accepting street car passes. It will be amusing if the average citizen will keep his eye on every alderman he meets on a street car and watch to see whether he presents the conductor with real coin or a little printed slip of paper. The slips are very much less expensive than the real coin. Aldermen who officially say they don't want street car passes may not say so privately. It really tskas good deal of moral courage to turn down street car pass when 1t is rendered you, and I doubt very much whether the av- craze alderman will exercise his moral courage in this line more than the other citizen.
 I don't suppose there are in all of Bir- nlingham ten men who wouldn't Seel pleased to have little book of street car passes nesting snugly in his vest pocket. We will all watch for those aldermen with real true courage. There Is no pen- alty against their taking street car passes. They have only said officially to the public. we won't have them."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
COMMENTS ON MEN AND
 MATTERS OF THE WORLD
A,aJ-53,raze,-

was robbed of his toys by his grandchil- dren, and in a fit of anger hanged him self. It is a pitiful spectacle presented by a man who has lived too long! Nothing could be more horrible than the contem- plation of such an estate, when reason totters from it's throne, a once vigorous mind turns back to the semblance of childhood and feeble frame mocks ones efforts at diversion. They who thirst for long life and the pleasures of the world no doubt recognize the futilty of such desires when confronted by the horrors of | senility.
 The riot of musical comedy continues, ; and, most distressing condition of all, there is an endless succession of those dilapidated productions that have done service for one, two, even three years. It is bad enough to be submerged by mus ioal shows that are presumably new, but to have the visitations of past seasons again inflicted upon us is more than the most devout theatregoer can endure. Af- ter witnessing a dozen or more musical comedies one is constrained to believe that they are all very much alike. Good American plays are needed, but few are forthcoming
 The practical value of subway rail- road is more apparent than ever since snow and blizzards have begun to tie up surface traffic in the east So far as utility is concerned, the subway is a pro- nounced success, but the scenery along subway route is trifle monotonous. The car window devotee has no business riding in a tunnel.
 Accounts of young girls running away to begin a career on the stage are not infrequent these days although some very sensible remarks from women already well known in the theatrical world have done much to correct false impression. It is safe to assume that girls who now turn to the stage entrance of theatre as the door to a glorious land of light, music and pleasure. where fame and for tune wait ever at hand. are ignorant of the worlds ways. They are those ir- responsible young things who need some one to direct their footsteps. If aspirants for honors the stage could get one glimpse of that cold and cheeress region when the lights are out and the orchestra has ceased to play they would learn of what flirnsy fabric their fairyland is really created.
 President Roosevelt will be welcomed to Birmingham if he finds it convenient to pay the town a visit. He is man who believes in "hustle,'' and that same quality has made Birmingham great. Although the President has been criti- csed for his attitude on some questions, even the rankest advocate of southern prejudices cannot but admire his vigor- ous, thoroughly American characteris- tics and the entire district will unite to do him honor. PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 There Is considerable pain in having other people very happy.
 A girl has an idea everybody would rave over her beauty if her hair had more curl to it.
 In irritation woman is never in earnest till the man thinks 1t Is time for 1t to be over.
 When woman takes somebody into her confidence about her love affairs it Is a sign she hasn't any.
 A man always has a lot more income ahead when he is trying to borrow than the man he wants to lend to him,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
INTAGLioS.

By Thomas Bailey Aldrich. By the chance turning of a spade In Roman earth, to view are laid Bits oe carnelian bronze and gold, Laboriously carved of old
 Sleek Baccl.us with his leaves and grapes Bow bending Centaurs. Gorgon shapes, Pailas Athene helmeted,
 Some grim forgotten emperors head; This one, most precious for It's make, That other. for the metars sake A touca-and 10. are brought to light Fancies long buried out of sight In hearts of pots-bits of rhyme Fashioned in some forgotten time And thrown aside, but. found today, Nave each a value in it's way; ,rhis for the skill with which 'tis wrought. That, for the pathos of its thouG6tt
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

since their requirement. of Manchuriai have practically closed that to all trade except from Western Russia. The Rus sians have spent hundreds of millions of collars to fortify Port Arthur and Dalny and yet neither of these cities grew to become of any great commercial impor- tance. because of the fact that they were practically closed to the trading ships of other nations.
 As 1t is now Russia, in her present con- dition, can well afford to make a peace treaty with Japan by which all of Man. churia shall be thrown open to foreign trade with the Japs on an equal footing with the Russians, and the other great nations on an equal footing with both Of them. Under such a system Manchuria, which is rich both minerally and agri- culturally, will become a great section or industry and activity. It Is wonder fully productive agriculturally and is capable of very great development.
 Russia has been taught the usual les
  attempted to grasp the whole territory In the far East which 1t had no more right to than the highwayman has to the poeketbook of the stage coach pas senger It got it by force. Japan, to recover, was compelled to use a greater force. Japan has exercised 1t, recovered the territory which it acquired nine years ago. and will now hold it unless her officials become too graspng and antagonize the other nations which are equally interested with her in the far Eastern trade situation.
 Russia is in position where she must depend upon the liberality of the Jap anese when the peace treaty is nego- tiated. Russia can fight no more to ad- vantage. Yet instead of losing by this war Russia should eventually gain com mercially. It will result in the making of Eastern Russia into a great agricultural and manufacturing section. inhabited by prosperous and contented people, instead of a section of soldiers and sailors; bar racks and fortresses.
 Under Japan, Port Arthur will no longer be a closed port, but it will be open to the trading ships and the commerce of all other nations, and should become in time one of the great cities of the world.
 I am glad to see the discussion now
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
Passina of the Locomotives.

Not long ago engineers got together Land decided ,nat it was not practicable to substitute electricity for steam | mower on railroads transacting large business, moving many freight cars as well as numerous passengers, but 8 i. year or two brings in numerous changes and inventions, and today fully two hundred miles of steam roads about New York city are to be equipped with electric power. All of the Long Island railroad, and about twenty-five miles of the terminals of the New York Central and the Penn sylvania are to use electric motive power only.
 The change will spread. and it will spread rapidly, and in the course of ten years locomotives will be driven the small railroads, to branches of small traffic, and to lumber tramways and the like, if the present movement be maintained, as it promises to be- The chances are it will be accelerated.
 The locomotive has held its own Enntil it is beyond improvement, prac- tlcaly speaking. It is at its best today, and 1t will not give way to electrical mower because it lacks efficiency, but simply because the time has come to get more out of coal, or else to obtain aheap electrical power through the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
i. Rural Carriers Appointed.

Washington. January 7.-(Special.)- Rural carriers appointed: Anniston, OK ford station, route 6, Oscar B. Ramsey. carrier; George Brickhouse, substitute; Pittsview, route 1. John P. Anderson. carrier; William H. Pitts, Jr, substitute: searight, route 1, Aubrey Sturgis, carrier. Robert M Sturgis, substitute; Tennille. route 2, William H. Ritchards, carrier. Joseph Reynolds. substitute; route 3. Thomas J. Adams, carrier. James Dough try. substikute
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
An Old Pen.

A. B. Freeman of the Queen and Cres- cent route, uses pen which has been in service longer perhaps than any other in the city. Mir Freeman states that his father used the pen in Dalton, Ga, years before the present user was born.
 While he will not give the exact num- Der of years the pen has been in ser vice, still a pretty good estimate can be secured by guessing at his age. Ru- nor has it that he Is something over % years of age. and also that the pen was in use ten years before he was born, sc 1t must be about thirty-five years old. It Is solid gold of an old style, but Is excellent for writing purposes. It was made by Lambert & Co.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
LYNCHING.

From the New York Herald
 Better for the southern planters to burn their surplus cotton than their surplus negroes. Boston Daily Advertiser.
 In view of recent and numerous lively incidents north of Mason and Dixon s line, in which the police have had diff ficulty in forcing their way through a crowd and landing their prisoners in jail, isn't it just as well for the north to drop these continual filings at the south and lynchings that unhappily occur?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
RefundIna the State Debt.

Acting Governor Russell M. Cunningham was at the St. Nicholas yesterday, chat ting with friends and renewing old ac- quaintances. It was thought that he was here in regard to the refunding of the state debt On this point Governor Gun ningham said:
 Tt would not be wise to discuss this subject at thls time. I will, however, au- thorfze the statement that plans are be- Ing devised and considered for the re- funding of the state debt. As soon as the plans are definitely formulated, which will be in the near future. they Will be formally announced
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
DEADLY ABSENTEE.
From the London Glob,

From the London Globe.
 Statistics show steadily continuing increase in the consumption of absinthe in France. Between 1885 and 1892 there was an increase of S5,00O hectoliters. From 1892 only four years more were needed to add another S5.0O0 liters to the consump- tion. A recent experiment demonstrated that six drops of essence of absinthe in three gills of water were as deadly to fish life as six drops of prussic acid in the same quantity of water.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Simon Sam, once President of Hayti, has been convicted of floating worth. less securities. He mistook his field. Wall street is the true home of such folks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The republicans in Missouri are pre- pairing, it is said, to select a corpora tion successor to General Cockrell. Revolutions sometimes go backward in balxing-powder Missouri.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The land-organ trust Is furnishing the public at present with classic tunes only, sucn as "Bedella," MT. Dooley," and "The Good Old Summer Time"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

It was not J. J. Hill that dropped out of sight on New Years day. James J. is a Hill that you cannot lose when stocks and bonds are handed around.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Dr Dowie still talks about branch ing out and founding more Zion Cities. Evidently he has the syndicate bee in his prophetical bonnet.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Another theatrical star has passed into the fold of the syndicate. Henri etta Crossman is no longer under con- tract to Davld Belasco.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Up to last night New York city had been blessed with thirty-seven inches of snow. The subway was opened In the nick O time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The groundhog is rustling around in his nest preparatory to his appearance on February to decide what the na- ture of the rest of the winter is to be.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

H. Rider Haggard has relighted his pipe and has turned out another story on the order of "She." Let him smoke.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Lawson and the lambs are getting the upper hand of the carniverous an imals of the Wall Street menagerie.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Captain Hobson is still talking about a large navy. He would be very popular man in Russia just now.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The gold-bricl industry is now mo- nopolized by Wall street, where it takes the form of watered stocks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The bureaucrats of St. Petersburg who propose to retake Port Arthur should be assigned to the task them selves.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

General Stoessel's men were fully prepared for the surrender, even if the bureaucrats were not.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Neither John D. Rockefeller nor Pierpont Morgan are much for looks, but they have the wherewith that talks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

No combine will rob the Japanese of their conquest, not if England knows herself, and she thinks she do.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Nogi knows how to capture "impreg- nable" fortresses that the bureaucrats fit out and send supplies to.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The Japanese have no intention of resting content with the capture of Port Arthur. They propose to make Manchuria too hot to hold Kuropatkin.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

theatre-goers will have hard time trying to decide how they will spend their money.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Republican politics in Alabama just now is largely a game of office, office, who's got the office.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

uary 1 is now contriving good excuses for breaking them.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

MT. Powderly says the day of the strike is over. He has not, it is plain, heard from this district.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

At least the Portland exposition will start out of debt. If the Trail is popu. lar it may close in the same fix.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The Dodge-Morse divorce case is thoroughly modern
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The Mikado's New Years present was very expensive.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

Already voices of spring and base ball are heard.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08
New Manager of the Colonial.

Robert McEwen, who was one of the first clerks of the Hotel IIillman, but who has recently been with the Maxwell house at Nashville, has accepted the po- siton as manager of the Colonial hotel. MT. McEwen has many friends in Bir- mingham and Alabama who are congrat- ulating him on his return to this state.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The Japanese began the new year alright. It promises to be to them a year of victories.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-01-08

The New Years resolutions have not as yet affected the tobacco or whisky trades.