davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

We would gain substantially every
thing If we could get the men who are
attacking the pension system to give
even casual study to the report of the
Commissioner OF Pensions which sets
forth the full and very pertinent facts
in most indisputable way. If, for
example, the man whose mind is much
disturbed by thoughts OF the excessive
liberality' of the pension system should
be properly impressed with the fact that
1883 get but s6 a month or less;
that is, they get at the most but $50
q week. The great number of 34S,7
get from Sc a month to IS month;
that is. from $50 to 50 q week; and
S7,S5S more get from So month to
less than $40 a month, with 302.973
getting from $40 to S12 month. Sub
stantially eight out of every nine pen
sioners get no more than SO a week,
and OF these one-half get less than 50
a week.
Certainly it does not look like "lavish
generosity for the Nation to be pay
ing men and women who are now three
the closest scrutiny, adjudged worthy
So week. If these men and women
deserve anything in their old age they
certainly deserve more than that. We
would put this question to any man,
no matter how coldly he might look
upon pensions, with confidence as to
his answer. There are, we are sure,
few men in the United States who would
not say that these aged men and women
deserve more than they are getting.
In this connection is another table in
the Commissioner of Pensions report
shows the results of an examination of
some 475,000 pension cases with refer
ence to the length of service represent
ed. This table shows that out Of the
total approximating a half million, only
1000, or much less than one In 10,
had service of less than six months
This disposes very effectually Of the
common clamor that only three-months
men and 100-days men get pensions. Of
the total, lie, 949, exactly one-fourth
had three years service or more and
1853 had from 80 to SO months. and
83,761. or II per cent Of the whole.
had services of from Is months to 80
months.
Again we say that the men who gave
in the prime Of their youth such long
service under such arduous conditions
now deserve in their old age and de-
crepitude more from the Government
than an average of SO a week for them
selves and like amount for their Wild
OwS
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Editor National Tribune: Please an
swer through the columns of your
paper the following: 1. Why were
the slaves in West Virginia. the 13
T arishes in Louisiana and eight Coun-
ties in Virginia excepted in Lincoln's
proclamation?
2. Did the Government afterward
pay their owners? If so, when, in what
manner, and how much?-H. c. WASH
burn, Soldiers Home, Hot Springs,
S. d.
President Lincoln's first proclama-
ton, issued Sept. %, 1862, warned the
people of the South that were then in
rebellion, that unless they returned to
their loyal allegiance, he would de-
clare their slaves free. On Jan. 1, 1868,
he fulfilled this threat by declaring the
slaves free in all parts Of the South In
which the people still persisted in re-
bellion. 1t was regarded that the peo-
pie Of Missouri, Kentucky, Delaware,
Maryland and West Virginia, the Dis
trict of Columbia and certain Counties
in Virginia and Louisiana were not in
rebellion, and consequently the proc
lamation did not apply to them. This
laid ii open to the objection by the
Democrats that the proclamation abol-
ished slavery where 1t could not. and
continued 1t where 1t had the power to
free the negroes. .. The slave own
ers in the excepted sections, who could
prove their loyalty, were afterwards
paid for their slaves at the rate Of $500
a head.-Editor National Tribune.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07
THE PANAMA CANAL.

The President, much disappointed at
the decision arrived at by the Board OF
Consulting Engineers. has decided in
spite of it to recommend to Congress a
continuance of the present plan for the
construction Of a lock canal. He has
ample professional support for this de-
cision, since 10 of the most eminent of
American engineers have from the first
supported that form Of canal. Among
these are Stearns. who built the great
water system for Boston: Randolph, the
Chief Engineer Of the Chicago Drainage
Canal; Ripley, the Chief Engineer of
the chief man in the Pennsylvania Rail-
roads improvements, and Abbott, who
Is generally regarded as the ablest en-.
gineer in the United States Army In
addition, Chief Engineer Stevens him.
self is understood to strongly favor the
lock plan. OF those who voted for the
sea-level canal, one French engineer ad-
a lock canal on lower level than had
been discussed, but that the question
was put in such a shape that he had
to vote either for 90-foot level or a
sca-level canal. The three Americans
who favored the sea-level canal were
Parsons and Burr and Gen. Davis, who
Is not an engineer. The remaining four
foreign engineers who voted for the
sea-level now say that they were only
considering an ideal canal, irrespective
Of any consideration OF time or money.
1t is therefore entirely probable that
Congress will accept the Presidents
recommendations. and continue the
canal on the lock plan at some one Of
the levels which have been urged by
different engineers. In expectation Of
this Chief Engineer Stevens has sub
mitted data as to the amount of ex-
cavation needed at the different levels
He shows that it will be necessary
for a canal on the 90-foot level to ex-
cavate 62.000.000 cubic yards of mate
rial; for a 60-foot level. to excavate
103.0o0.o00 yards; for a 30-foot level,
1876. 100000 yards. and for a sea-level
nearly double the last figure. or 244,-
100000 yards. 1t is further known that
the sea-level project would require the
removal Of approximately 100000
cubic yards Of rock from below the
water level, a mass between eight and
nine miles long and nearly 40 feet deep.
1t is calculated that this would cost to
e&cavate not less than IS a cubic yard.
or total of s9o.o00.000. which would
be saved, even with a canal constructed
on a 30-foot level
BY the time Congress is ready to act
it will undoubtedly have before it suf-
ficiency Of data as to cost and the time
required to enable 1t to act intelligent
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

China has an acute form of the hi
metallic trouble. The money of the
people there Is copper cash. That is.
bits Of stamped copper with hole in
the center by which they are strung a
thousand in bunch. 1t occurred to
some smart Mandarins and merchants
that there was money in manufacturing
this cash by wholesale. and lot OF new
mints were started with. the old ones
given an increased capacity The re-
suit Is that the provinces are being
deiuged with cheap money 10 the great
generalization Of trade.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

The complete occupation of Manchu-
ria by Japan is wholly likely, no matter
what the terms of peace. Whatever
might have been said in the treaty
about China's controlling the great
Province was put in merely for effect
China in her present disorganized state
can do nothing toward governing the
country. She did little at any time, and
Russia took advantage Of her neglect
and Indifference to occupy Manchuria
and bring it as completely as possible
under Russian influence. Unless Japan
exerts her own domination over the
country the same thing will happen
again. She Is likely to take no such
chances, especially as she regards Man.
churia as hers by right of conquest
Manchuria will be a great outlet for
Japan's overcroWded population, and
the industries developed there will make
greatly for the improvement Of Man.
churia as well as the wealth and pro-
perity Of Japan.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Editor National Tribune: have
perused with much interest the COM
munication OF Comrade Edward 8.
Jameson. Co. NJ. 1st Conn. Cav. on the
Sept 2. and could not refrain from
q public Endorsement Of his sentiments
1 think IL II Q little too early at pres
emit Tor the survivors OF the rebellion.
North and South. to meet together IN
Washington. as has been proposed. IN
opponents on the many fields Of war
fare do not seem disposed to bear bet
ter loyalty and homage to our glorious
lag--the Stars and Stripes-than they
now do. according to all reports We
as many OF the Southern participants OF
that long and terrible conflict remain
this side OF deaths river they will cease
to believe that their cause was Just, and
that they will cease to reverence the
tattered rags which they marched un-
der on many an ensanguined field. But
the great pity il that when they depart
from earth the disloyal sentiments
which they now entertain will not also
perish with them. A member Of my
GAR. Post, who has resided in Nor
who paid a visit to our Post several,
months ago. related his experiences
while he had been o resident Of THE
city at one OF our meetings. He sized
That on public occasions rs obserW4 In
that city. the flag OF our commc1 coun-
try was more conspicuous by its ABB
sence than its presence. the stars and
bars being displayed freely In prefer
ence. Far from 1t for me to be disposed
to say anything to provoke anything
but fraternal feelings between the two
sections OF the country, but 1t Is well
that the truth be spoken. although that
| truth may have the effect to "jar" the
sensibilities Of q loyalist I have no
doubt that there are many true loyal
people among our late antagonists on
the field Of warfare. but I sincerely wish
| that we might not hear so many reports
OF disloyal character. We old veter-
ans Of that unhoiy conflict are fast fall
ing out Of the ranks-over $4,000 Union
men during the past year. according to
the report Of the late Commander-in-
Chief Blackmar-and 1t In time for US
all, North and South. to entertain the
fullest feelings OF fraternity, as well as
| to respect and glorify but one flag
the flag Of an undivided country
Hiram T. Peck, Co. A, 10th G. w.. New
Haven, Conn.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

One great trouble in extending trade
in China is the language. The Manda-
rim. or official. language 10 only spoken
by q very few men In each town or
Province. The people speak all manner
Of local dialects, which are absolutely
incomprehensible by those Of q neigh
boring Province. The people Of Can
ton. for example, cannot make them
selves understood by the people OF any
Of the Provinces to the northward. For
this reason trade with China will al
ways have to be conducted through
Chinese middlemen, who charge heavy
tolls upon all which they handle.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07
The Rebel Fla9a.

Editor National Tribune: Those rebel
flags have given us great deal Of trou-
BILE all through the war and ever since.
didn't capture any myself. II had
would have kept it or have burned IL.
A rebel flag is badge of disloyalty GER
tainly, and what does a loyal Confed-
crate want with one? He certainly
does not want to teach his children
disloyalty and hatred Of his country,
does he? The flags that were returned
should have been gathered in a pile
and burned, but they were sent down
South to be gloated over and keep alive
a certain amount Of hatred Of the North.
Why, I talked with Southern lady q
short time since. She Is a good friend
of my family. but she 10 just as bitter
against the Yankee soldiers as ever.
She lost her slaves, and hopes to get
pay for them some time. / think that
she will die first, however. and we might
az well drop the subject.-H. III. Hatch,
Captain. Co. D. 74th Ill. Middletown,
Ohio
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

The development Of the American
flour market in China is watched with
great interest because Of its import
ance to the farmers of this country.
The Chinese live mostly upon milIet,
but they are taking very kindly to our
-four. which is mostly used for cakes
and CONNECTIONS and sold by the bakers
and restaurant keepers. The Chinese
people know nothing about baking. and
consequently do not habituaify make
bread Of either millet or -four. Our
-four is shipped in 50-pound cotton
sacks, which, II intended for transporta-
ton to the interior. are packed two to-
gether In q gunnysack. The 50-pound
sacks sell at from $2.1s (Mexican) to
$3.50 (Mexican) each. The Australians
are trying to get into the market. but
so far have not made much Roadway
against the American -four. China raises
some wheat, but 1t is Of inferior quality
and comes to market in a very bad con-
dition owing to the irrepressible habit
Of the Chinese Of squeezing" every
thing. That is. they mix stones, clay
and other impurities with the wheat to
increase its weight and make a profit
The impurities average fully 10 per cent
OF the whole.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07
who Was This Mani

Editor National Tribune: In. the
Summer of 1868 the Union troops in
and about Winchester, Va. were sup
piled by wagon trains from the b. &
o. r. r. station near Martfnsburg. A
man in charge Of a train returning to
Winchester rode ahead for the ex-
pressed purpose Of getting dinner ut
some farmhouse. He was never seen
again by anyone who knew his name.
This man was about so years Of age,
Eve feet. eight inches high. sandy hair
and beard; Of somewhat uncouth adj
dress, and probably Of New England
birth. As all the persons connected
with the mans disappearance are now
dead. / will inform any relatives or
friends who may recognize the man
from circumstances and description
given. how and why he died. Letters
evidently prompted by curiosity will
not be answered.-R. p. Chance, Cory,
Pa
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

The whaling business n rapidly 70
viving. especially IN the Pacific. This
year q company was organized In Vic
toria, Canada, with q capital Of $780,
600, which is sending out steam-whai-
ers with all the latest appliances. The
first Of these captured In the first week
two large sulphur bottom whales. each
weighing over 100 tons. These whales
were worth 500 apiece. while the cost
Of handling was only $500 each, so that
rich profits are In near prospect.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

The Annual Reunion and 44th ami
versary Of the departure OF the 47th N.
7. 8. v. from the camping grounds at
East New York. opposite the old How
ard House, on Monday morning. Sept.
10. 1861. was celebrated at Heiser's
assembly Rooms. 1ss Broadway.
Brooklyn. N. Y.
The first on the field was the Secre-
tary and Treasurer, Comrade c. w.
Wage. alias Charles Walker. q Cor
poral OF Co. A, who made 1t his duty to
receive the comrades and bid them well
come. The first one he shook hands
with was Comrade George L. Trout,
Co. c, IS years of age, from Stapleton,
Staten Island then came Serg't Henry
G. Draper, of Co. /; John Littell, Co. G;
Serg't Henry A. Phillips Co. D; Nathan
Arrow. Co. c. with wife and daughter
and her intended; George Armstrong.
Co. /. the President Of the Association,
Garland. Corporal. Co. G; Thomas ".
Mountain, Sergeant, Co. K; Walter
Scott, Co. D: William Dixon, Co. C, with
wife and daughter; James Brush, Co.
s, and son; Richard Boerum, Co. F,
and wife. without the banjo; James p
Hall. Co; K; Thomas Reynold cod
lronsides), Co. B; Serg't Theodore E.
Wooden. Co. D, from Chapinville,
Conn.,; Second Lieut.. Niles j. Engelke,
Co. d, and wife, from Waterbury,
Conn.,; Mrs. Oh. w. Wage, and Miss
Nadine Grothe. Letters were read
from Comrades Thomas ID. Wood, Co.
D; James Graves Co. c.; Frank J. Mona
The Secretary read the minutes Of the
last Reunion, which was held In Bos-
ton, Mass, Aug. Is, 1904. The election
Of officers for the ensuing year resulted
as follows: President, Nathan Arrow:
Vice President, r. J. Garland; Secre-
tary and Treasurer. Charles W. Wage.
18th term; Chaplain, George L. Trout;
Sergeant-at-Arms. Henry A. Phillips.
The motion that the newly-elected off,
GERS constitute the Committee on Re-
union In 1906 was unanimously carried.
The comrades now arose, and with un-
covered heads listened to the Secretary
reading OF the names Of the following
union. Delos Post, Co. r: Seymour
Abrams, Co. G.; Dagobert Salfred, Co.
B; Surgeon Marvin w. Townsend; Col.
Henry Moore; Serg't-Mat. John J.
Fitzgibbon; James Meagher, Co. 1:
Thomas Muldoon. Co. B; Beekman NJ.
Edward johnson. Co. I: Charles Mount.
Co. G.; George Mag. Corporal, Co. B.;
John s. Blossom. Co. A: and Capt. Os-
car o. Bowen, Co. G.. The Treasures
report having been read and adopted,
the meeting was adjourned and the
comrades. with their friends and rela-
tives. sat down to sumptuous repast,
during which speeches were made by
several. and Comrade Phillips told of
the changes in the South. he having
made a tour through all the places and
battlefelds the regiment had passed
through. Miss Madeline Grothe, with
her patriotic productions on the piano,
kept the comrades in good spirits until
the wee small hours Of morning-Vet-
eran.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07
Return OF the Rebel FLAGS.

Editor National Tribune: Personally
1 have no ill-feeling toward the ex-
Confederate soldier. Many Of them
were school-mates and acquaintance.
At the same time / have opinions on
the return Of the rebel flags. They
were ours, trophies Of many a hard
fought field AS our property, no one
had q right to dispose of them with
out consulting us. More, they were
the emblems of treason and slavery,
and as such should never have been
replaced in the hands that defended
them. Right is eternally right. and
when others seek to make wrong right
they make lamentable failure. Why
seek at this late date to curry favor
with the return Of these flags? I have
the close Of the war. and with an ex-
ception here and there they are the
same they were In '61'65. They say
to me: "You were too many for us;
we were not conquered, we were over
powered" have no gush in my COM
position, and X makes me tired when
some one who styles himself q Union
ex-soldier gushes over the bravery and
patriotism Of the ex-Confederate. Here
is little story: / visited the battlefield
of Chickamauga in '95 at the time OF
the dedication of the park. While gath
to bring home from Snodgrass Hill /
was slapped on the back by a typical
Tar Heel, and greeted with the inquiry:
"Yank, will you shaker" Eyes, John
ny; I came down to do that" "Come
down here in the woods; want to show
you something" We walked together
to the foot Of the ridge and back into
the Brotherton woods. where Longstreet
had formed his troops to charge the
ridge. He rested his hand on a bronze
tablet, which saw represented q regi-
ment that had sustained the next to the
largest loss in the line. I had been
studying the tablets in the morning.
and found the loss on the ridge ranged
from 16 to 46 per cent; the loss in the
charging force was from 80 to 20 per
cent. He said: II was in five charges
on that - ridge, and after the first
1 climbed over the bodies Of my dead
comrades. and want to tell you. Yank.
don't you think it took sand to stand up
there and take those five charges?
Why, IL there had not been as good men
on top as there were coming up, you
would have had 1t the first time"
Fright you are. We are all Americans,
amt WEI" Eyes" "And the next time
we fight we'll fight under the Old Flag.
Here's my hand on that" Now, real
ICED that Johnny thought he had done
a brave thing. and he had; but when /
called his attention to the fact that
there were others he was glad we
were all Americans. and he had In his
heart the feeling that the proper emblem
TO represent all was "Old Glory" That's
just where / stand. One country and
one Flag. The others were rags, and
should have been consigned to the
dump-heap. or, better. burned and the
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Trusts are In ehe air all over the
world and have little relation to tariffs,
politics or conditions Of Government
Syndicates or trusts have been formed
In Malaga. Spain, to control the PALM
leaf hat business and the almond mar
kets. The palmleaf hats are all made
for the American market. which takes
about 100000 a year. The American
demand for them Is always greater than
the Malaga markets can supply, and
therefore the trust is favored. The al
mond trust has not yet gotten fairly
into operation.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Romance writer's need never go far
Their than the telegraph columns OF the
daily papers for material. The story
OF the North Carolina doctor who kneIt
in prayer by his dying wifes bedside,
with one hand between the sheets with
hypodermic syringe. injecting strych-
nine into her veins. is more Iurid than
anything Conan Doyle or Kiping ever
portrayed
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Secretary Roots letter pu, a very
sudden auietus upon the movement to
annex the Isle of Pines to this country.
The Secretary merely expressed what
was good faith on our part toward
Cuba. We had conceded that the Isle
OF Pines belonged to Cuba and included
1t in all our arrangements with her. so
that IL would have been actual dishon-
esty on our part to encourage the Sc
ceSsion from her.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

Editor National Tribune: How can I
remove old paint from iron and steel
without scraping and scratching, and
make a slightly job?-Ellis Beaver. Po-
hick, Va.
Dissolve two pounds Of concentrated
I've in bucket OF water: add about one
and half pounds of slaked lime. and
stir well. With mop apply this mix
ture to the paint. and after q few min
utes it may be easily removed by scrap
ing. AS rapidly as the old paint 10
scraped Oft, rinse the iron with the
fresh water and drv u This will leave
the iron clean and bright
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

New Workers are giving considera-
ton to the ugly fact that every candi-
date for Judgeship, from the Supreme
Court to the lowest tribunals. is vir-
tually compelled to make a very sub
etantial contribution to the campaign
fund. to get the nomination. They say
very rightfully. that this cannot be
stopped too SOON
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

The papers ard making much of the
case Of William H. Elliott. Of Rich
mond, Ind, whoihas refused to accept
an accumulated pension OF $4,000
which was granted him on his hospital
record. He says that it is a matter Of
conscience with him not to accept the
money, because he was never in a
skirmish or battle. The singular fea-
ture is that a man who had so little
conscience during the war an to go to
the hospital and keep out Of the duties
in which his company was engaged
should seem to have so much conscience
now.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

They say that the Dominican Con-
gress does not like the treaty giving the
United States the right to collect the
revenues OF the country. pay it's debts.
and maintain order, and II will not be
ratified. This is the first that one has
ever heard Of the Dominican Congress.
or that anybody In the country had
any say. except the little gang of graft
ers that happened to be temporarily on
top.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

There Is always war to the knife
among the Virginia Republicans. Now
the Republican Central Committee, un-
der the lead OF Representative Slemp
is hot after the scalp of Capt Jeb
Stuart, son of the Confederate cavalry
man. whom the President appointed
Collector of Customs at Norfolk.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

ashes scattered % the four winds q
heaven. In the words OF Hosea Bige-
low
Want there two sides, and don't 70
stand to reason,
That this weeks 'Nited States Amt last
weeks treason 2"
John A. Harmed. Co. II. eth KY
Cav, Xenia, Ohio.
The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1905-12-07

A st. Louis physician protests
strongly against the modern fad of doc
tors against the cradle in the nursery.
In place of its being harmful, he claims
that the soothing rocking movements
are positively beneficial. especially when
infants are peevish. He urges the re-
turn to general use Of the cradle.