davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

chose the law as a calling mainly be-
cause Il could be better used as a
stepping stone 10 political success
than any other way OF earning a liv-
ing.
II is certain that while he has bee,
successful In the law and greatly -
voted 10 II. his profession has alwavz
been secondary. and that his income
might have been much larger than II
has ever been had he been willing.
even slightly. 70 modify his porr1cal
aspirations His friends believe that
had he cared 10 do so he might easily
have become one Of the modern multi
millionaire corporation lawyers. in
stead OF which they say he IS worth
only a few hundreds of thousands.
No man. successful or otherwise in
politics ever strove harder TO win than
David p. Hill He began at the bot
tom in ElmiTa. where he elected 70
locate as lawyer, and did not hesi-
tate 70 pick up the smallest detail OF
ward politics while serving his ap-
premiership for the larger game in
which he was long to be a notable
player.
His headquarters. one big front room
and two smaller back rooms. on the
second floor Of a business block -
was typical oId-fashioned law Office
II was the rendezvous OF the Hfl divi-
sion for the Elmira Democracy for
many years by day and night. especial
ly the latter. when every member OF
The local Hill following was welcome
The story Of the gatherings there Al
most every evening the whole wear
through, during Hill's entire local
career. would make an admirable
chapter IN anovel describing nineteenth
century American political life from
the bottom 10 the top. Though the Of
ice door was always open TO all his
faithful followers. the majority OF
them never got beyond the front room
The back rooms were reserved for Fffu
himself and his most trusted lieu
te-8nts
those who knew him have often said
That the life Of a woman married -
man so devoted TO politics a. h.
was might have been anything br,t
pleasant. for while few Of his He-1ten-
ants were at the office conferences
more than one or two nights IN the
week. as rule IIiu himself p711 in an
appearance there on practically se-a,
nights Of every week IN the whola Hf,,,-
tWo' generally running more than haly
the night through.
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

many OF the things he actually ac-
complished without Belts help. II IS
fairly well known. though not general
". perhaps. that Belt backed him 10
the limit more than once with his
purse; and helped him. as all the world
knows. I'm manifold other ways.
Il went to hear Rhodes speak IN
London one evening" said this South
Afrikander acquaintance the other
day. Seated at a table near the
speakers stand was Rhodes little
friend Belt. He had a pencil in one
hand and paper pad in the other. He
was listening most intently TO Rhodes
words ..n1 every once in while
would write something on the pad.
tear off a leaf and pass it to the
speaker The latter would read the
message, which generally contained
figures or some significant fact Bert
thought should be mentioned roll II
up IN his fingers and drop It. But,
as I afterward learned, he invariably
used the Information thus painstak-
ingly furnished 20 him by his multi
millionaire follower and wOrsiiper. IN
few Instances he read .3eIc's figures
straight. to illustrate what he had to
say.
Belt was essentially a man Cf ce-
tail. and capable of doing an immense
amount Of tail work till his health
broke something like a year ago.
while Rhodes took only the broad view
In everything and hated detail. Belt
used TO show Ills devotion for Rhodes
during the lCttcr's lifetime by follow.
ing him into the widest parts OF
South Africa. and great stories are
still told there OF Belts fright NJ the
roaring OF some lions at night near
whose den he and Rhodes party once
camped on one OF those trips.
The contrast in personal appear
anCe between Rhodes and Belt was
startling. Rhodes was tan and Of
commanding carriage: Belt the re-
verse Rhodes was deliberate in his
movements. Belt IS electric in his.
Belt was 50 nervous when the inves-
tIgation OF the jameson raid which
preCipitated the BOer war was on that
his friends didn't want TO let him tes-
ufy. They were afraid he would col
lapse. But he testified all the same
and came out Of the ordeal with col
ors flying.
Belt lived most Of his life without
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

affected. but not enough 10 make him
specially eligible as anybody's son-in-
law. Nor had the newspaper reporters
heard much Of him.
Then his uncle. George Smith. IN
English banker like silent Smith
a bachelor. who made much Of his
money IN Chicago before the fire. died
I'm London. leaving him some ten mil
lions sterling-S5o. .o00.0o9. The news OF
this spread slowly and most of those
who heard II were incredulous- Smith
said nothing about IL. but the publi-
cation Of the payment OF $500 900 In
heritance tax TO the British govern
ment was confirmation. and then high
society IN New York aWoze and gave
him special recognition Since then
he Is understood to have been con-
sidered extremely eligible as a pros
pective husband for more than one OF
the Metropolitan heiresses, but like
Belt he prefers TO be single apparent
ly. and the announcement that he IS
to marry would come as a genuine
surprise.
He has gone into society. however.
on a broad and liberal scale; his en-
tertainments are lavish and accepted
by the most exclusive. and. IN short.
he is as much IN the swim as II he
had never been merely a fairly we'll
to-do chap with no socially oh. &c
tionable features His properties IL
clude heavy holdings IN the iron mint s
near Birmingham. Ala, and a wei
The Washington times., 1906-06-24
The Richest Bachelor

At fftv-three Alfred Belt is the rich
-. living bachelor. and he comes
nerilously near being the richest man
alive. whether married or unmarried
His fortunes are so vast that they can
he compared with those OF no other
nan save John D. Rockefeller. and
more than one comparative computa-
tion has been made which makes the
Diamond King wealthier man than
the OIL trust emperor.
There IS no possible way. however.
Of deciding which IS IN the lead: the
most liberal estimate OF Belts wealth
makes him a twO-hundred millionaire.
reckoning in pounds sterling, and bill
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

"palatial." employing "an army OF
clerks" A romance in the shape OF
an infatuation for "a very great lady.
indeed" is said TO be the cause Of
Belts bachelorhood. and nobody thinks
he viii ever marry
The life OF James Henry Smith,
richest bachelor Ia the United States
who is known as silent Smith-has
been much less eventful than Alfred
Bets; in fact. while Belt is the rich
est bachelor in England as the result
of his own push. energy. industry. and
initiative-he has all those qualities
Smith is the most opulent unmarried
man in this country Just because his
father and uncle left their money TO
him So far as any one knows he has
never earned a dollar by his own
efforts; neither has he ever taken any
special interest in anything like art.
science. literature. philanthropy or
even sports. except in so far as neces-
sary in the spending of his wealth IN
the same ways other rich and idle
New Workers spend theirs.
The most important thing he ever did
was to buy the Fifth avenue residence
OF the late William c. Whitney, little
more than two years ago He is said
10 have paid S2,500,0e0 for II. and still
to have got il at a bargain. for if the
stories are true Whitney spent not a
cent less than S3.500.000 upon the
house. its site and its furnishings.
Silent" Smith is about fifty. has al
ways been sufficiently well off TO be
able TO move in society and to belong
to the Union Club. to be a member of
which sets upon a man the classic seal
of social standing in New York. As
he is remembered by some who used
to know him seven or eight years ago.
his greatest achievement down TO that
time was to sit daily in one OF the
club house windows and gaze out upon
the passers-by. and later daily 10 take
a walk upon the avenue.
In those DAYS he was noted for his
imperturba bilIty. wherefore his nick
name of Silent" but lack Of loquacity
can hardly be termed an achievement.
At that time no one of exceptional
social standing took much note Of his
incomings or his outgOiugs; he was all
right and he had enough money 10
obviate the necessity of being a bor-
rover to keep up the modest style he
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

tropolis to exploit their fortunes, get
into society and cure their iivers. They
ride in the park at in the morning
every day. and some Of them, not
having learned to ride when young.
cut very funny figures on horseback
Belt is one OF the funniest OF the lot
His mount is OF so easy a gait that
the park prOmenaders describe It as
Belts rocking horse
"Wernher, Belts present partner
the name IS pronounced Verner-is
German, as big as Belt IS little. and
personally his opposite in many ways.
But they supplement each other ad-
mirably. and while Wernher never
could have done what he has without
Belt, the latter would have been like
n fast but rudderless torpedo boat
without Wernher. Wernher is the
man Of judgment and deliberation:
Belt is the genius. once Belt bought
most recklessly Of certain lines Of
stock. foreseeing an immense and I'm
mediate advance. The stocks fell.
however. and Belt thought the firm
had lost a great deal Of money He
hastened TO the Office OF the firm, and
with much penitence told his big
partner.
We are nearly ruined" he said.
''Wernher heard his partner out.
Then, smiling his characteristic. slow
smile. he said in his booming bass
voice:
TITS all right. Alfred; it's ali right
I knew what you were doing all the
time and I bought the other way
In South Africa. at least, there are
many who think Wernher the stronger
Of the two partners. and who won
der at Belts greater prominence. To
one who asked Wernher why he ap-
parenUy kept himself so much IN the
background, he said he didn't, but Il
Just happened that way.
I know that lots Of people think
the leading member OF this firm IS
Wernher Beit-that am just Alfred's
given name: but that's all right II I'm
satisfied. isn't it,
Belt went into society a good deal
when he first went to London; wern-
her didn't. but within. the past few
years he mas been rather forced into
greater social prominence than for
merly. Belt and Wernher were clerks
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

A "a
W Lord Kitchener. who
avenged Gordon in
1889 who won the
Boer war a dozen years later anu
who as British commander in India
o,,e+ad the once alI-prevailing Curzon
from his post as viceroy, is bachelor
Alfred Belt, greatest diamond iiiei-
chant alive. is a bachelor.
The late Cecil Rhodes. Belts one-tme
mariner and British empire builder III
south Africa. who took a large hand IN
starting the Boer war. which only
Kitchener could win for the British was
Il bachelor.
The Hon William II. Moody, Atto7r ~
General Of the United States. who cane
=, DromptIy 70 the Presidents rescue
when the big rumpus over the rate Dill
was on between him and Chandler TIL
man ct al. is a bachelor
Herbert Spencer. the philosopheri John
G. Whittier. the poet; philips BROOKS
slIver-tongued preacher, who died
bishop of the Episcopal Ci'JIGfi' were
all bachelors.
Grover Cleveland entered the White
House a bachelor, though ne le1t II
benedict; Samuel J. Tlden. VINO Irleu
hard for the Presidency and came near
getting X IN 1870, dleu " oAN''
David Bennett Hill. who succeeueu
Cleveland as governor Of New / ork anu
shaped his entire life with view 10 the
Presidency. is still a bachelor.
Charles 2. Steinmetz. the electrieaI eN-
pert. IS a bachelor.
Sir Thomas Upton. the perennial seeA-
er after Americas Cup. is bacheior-
Fourteen members OF the Oili'eu
states Congress. three. of them senator :,
are bachelors. some OF them cohilrIaed
ones.
And there are others; stiH. It must De
confessed that while the men uamed
,,o,o al scored heavily in the game Of
Ii1a the list is not imposing for It's
length.
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

The Along Without 1epmd
World; Silent Smith Richest in America
Moody Representatives Congress-
He flight Be President
Africa; Herbert Philosopher
Poet Bishop Presidency
But Was Never Seated in Executives Chair.
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

known New York realty concern. be-
sides a variety OF other interests
Silent" Smith is a small man with
brown hair and mustache- He has an
Office IN Wall street which he visits
once in q week or nTo. remaining
from ten minutes 70 half an hour on
each visit. He IS IN good shape physl-
caIly. though not specially athletic IN
his tastes He knows and likes good
pictures.
He hires a big steam yacht nearly
every year. Last year he entertained
the Emperor Of Germany while abroad
and cut a special swath in the society
columns IN consequence He is es-
pecialIy fond OF coaching, and there
are many snapshot photographs ex-
tant Of him sitting on the box Of a
four-in-hand owned and driven by one
or another well known member OF
New York's coaching set
HIS friends say he deserves credit
for spending his cash here and not
going - England 20 cut a London
dash with his uncle's money. as he
easily could. even though his fortune
is OILY about one-twentieth as large
as Alfred Belts
ll1Nl1 IS. NH. SlNLN-LnTte. MS
righes1 political ambitions unfulhlled.
and stiu single, is living quietly on his
interesting estate. Wolferts Roost.
Just outside Of Albany. the city TO
which he was called from Elmira as
Lieutenant governor when Cleveland
was made governor. BY virtue OF the
office to which he had been elected.
Hill succeeded Cleveland as governor
when the latter was elected President:
was elected governor in 1SSS. though
Cleveland failed of reelection to the
Presidency: was chosen United States
Senator in 1891. and was defeated for
governor in 1894
That defeat virtually closed HilTs
public career a dozen years ago.
though had not the free silver
movement complicated the situation IN
1896. brir Eirg Bryan TO the tTont AMI
retiring W. c. Whitney. Grover Cleve-
land and hers-praCtically the en-
tire contingent OF the old line Eastern
hard money Democrats, as we'll as
Hnl-he would probably still be a
figure to reckon with in national and
State politics.
SO far as anyone knows there never
was a romance in HIS life. The sole
cause Of his lOng bachelOrhOOd has
been his overmastering political ambi-
ton
AS a boy in the village os Havana.
y. Y, he was poor and had 10 earn
his own living. For some years he
was a newsbOy. He read closely the
papers he sold. and long before reach
ing mans estate decided to try for
the highest political prizes Even in
his early teens he understood that the
ladder from the level Of the newsboy
TO the Presidency was a long and
steep one and that he would have a
hard job irving 10 climb il. To COM
plieste the task by taking wife and
raising a family might frustrate the
accoT plishment of what he deter
mined should be his one great purpose
in life.
So completely was he absorbed with
the notion OF great political success.
say some Of his best friends. that he
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

taking much exercise. but some years
ago he Joined what is known In Lon
don as the Liver Brigade The liver
brigadiers' are mostly men who have
acquired large livers as well as great
wealth In India or South Africa. and
have settled down in the worlds me-
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

together when young men IN South
Africa"
Wernher, Belt & Co. are not only
the worlds greatest dealers in dia-
monds in the rough, but also the
greatest dealers in those South Afri-
can diamond and gold mine stocks
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

called ''Kaffirs.'' Each has acquired
a tine town house and a country es-
tate. Belts is in Surrey where. in
the summer time. he gives much at
tention to gardening for his health.
Their London offices at 40 Bishops
gate street, Inside. are large and
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

nonaire. reckoning IN dollars. He is
rich enough. at all events, and though
ne did not begin in abject poverty. he
has practically made all his money for
himself
Alfred Belt is short and fat and pale,
with pudgy hands. He is getting bald.
and he shaves his face clean with the
exception of diminutive mustaehe. 1t
and what little hair he still has ere
perfectly white His eyes are pale Llue,
and he Is very short-sighted. He
dresses well. without undue display.
and has the appearance of a very well
bred. well educated man of the world.
which he is. He IS so nervous that he
actually finds II difficult TO remain
quiet in one place for five minutes at
a time.
Though now a British LEGISLATOR. ne
was born in the German city Of Ham,
burE. and the money which backed
him In his early South African days
when he was fighting Cecil Rhodes N
the diamond fields. was German
money.
A South Africander of my acduaint-
nnce. who knew them both in shUse
fighting DAYS. delights - tell how The
attitude of Belt toward Rhodes was
gradually transformed I-Or long
TN. the young diamond inarehal. was
the nascent empire builders liveliest
rival but after the consolidation of
the diamond mining interests in and
and about Kimberley took place. Belt 8
personal devotion TO Rhodes became
almost startling. From that time on
whatever Rhodes wanted OF Belts was
his Undoubtedly. says my informant
Rhodes would have been unable 10 do
The Washington times., 1906-06-24

l1O says DdcneloIs
never amount "
much?
Lord Kitchener, VINO
avenged Gordon IN
1889. who won the
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18

The "big head" is a popular
way of expressing a common and
very frequent ailment. 1t arises
from various sources, but the real
foundation is a lack of sense. A
little money developes it in some
people; few good clothes gives
it to others; little Office, where a
chance is given to exercise a little
authority, is often the cause of it,,
while others get it by having a
little better job than their asso-
ciates. The truth is no sensible
person gets the "big head". The
one who becomes stuck-up and
stiff-necked from sources of any
kind are weak in the intellectual
caliber.
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18

Rev. j. R. M. Beeson, of Savanna,
Mo-, is here this week taking SUBJ
scriptions for the Christian Home e
and the Word and Way, two little
papers gotten out by the Christian
Home Orphanage, of Council
Bluffs, Iowa. This Home receives
orphans and afflicted children from
all parts of the world free of charge
and they are given home and
christian care until fit for adoption.
And in receiving cripples they do
something that no other home
does. A hopelessly crippled child
from Springfield, Mo-. which had
been refused at other homes was
taken in there. 1t is supported
wholly by volunteer offerings, and
the subscriptions for the little pa
pers which Mr.. Beeson is securing.
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18
Republican County Conven

Montgomery City, Mo-, May z, 19(
Pursuant to the direction of th
Republican Central Committee I
Montgomery county a delega(
convention, hereby called to me-,
at the court house In MontgomerI
City, Mo-, at IL o'clock a. m. jun
4th, 1905, for the purpose of selec(
ing candidates for the variou|
county Offices to be voted for at tn
general election in November 1901
Also to select a new Central Conn
mittee. Each precinct IL hereb]
directed to select their choice for
precinct committeeman, subject d
the confirmation of the convent
tion. And to transact such othe|
business as may properly come
before the convention.
Precinct mass meetings are here
by called to meet at the varioul
precincts in the county, at sucl
places as may be selected by tn,
central committeeman of such pre-
cincts, at 2 o'clock p. m, Saturda,
June, 1905, for the purpose O
electing delegates to said count.
convention. Each precinct will b.
entitled to one delegate and on,
alternate to every 20 votes or ma
ior fraction thereof cast at sucl
precinct for Therefore Roose vel
for president in 1904, which an
portionment will entitle the diff
ferent precincts to the follow mum
Der of delegates and alternates t<
the Cnnntu convention
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18

A man in a near by town who

A man in a near by town who
poses as one who is wise above
that which is written, recently
answered the following advertise
ment in an eastern 25-cent paper:
"We will send II cents for 1902
pennies" He scraped around un-
til he got fifty of the 1902 mintage
and forwarded them in a REGISTER
ed letter. He received Immediate
reply saying that when he sent
1852 more pennies, sufficient to
make up the number -1902-he
would receive his ii cents. He
gave himself a kick, borrowed
enough to subscribe for his home
paper and proposes in the future
to keep posted on these little graft
games.
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18

This is just the right sized town
to settle down in and enjoy life.
Everything for the comfort of life
can be bought here and $40 will
60 as far as S25 will in large cities.
When you want to leave the farm,
come to our town and build a nice,
comfortable home and be among
the best people in the world.
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18

close touch with the world, and he
no longer suffers from the mono
tonous isolation which formerly
drove his sons and daughters to
the cities in search of the com.
panionship of society. Today he
enjoys practically all the COM
forts and luxuries of city life,
without it's depressing environ :
ments of humiliating dependence,
sordid selfishness and that keen
est of all loneliness, to be one in
significont atom among multitudes
of strangers. The farmer is vir-
tually monarch of all he surveys,
and all that he sees is pleasing,
soothing, uplifting and conducive
to mans highest enjoyment and
l-being..
But the fly in his ointment is
bad roads. They ke"p him a
prisoner on his farm ia Missouri
for nearly three months in every
year. What a shame and a pity,
and how sensless and unneccs-
sary! Missouri's treasury is over
flowing with money, but the state
has never spent cent on public
highways. What commentary
on it's statesmen! Bourbon rule
has done it. Missouri sadly needs
a Republican governor and q pro =
gressive state administration.-K
G. Journal.
The Montgomery tribune., 1906-05-18
Missouri's Shame.

The state of Missouri has q sur =
plus of over So, 900, 900 in it's treas =
ury. There is practically no state
debt, the assessment is very low,
and the tax levy-17 cents-is the
lowest in the Union. That is a
good financial showing, and it
ought to make an attractive argu-
ment to homeseekers and prospec-
tive settlers from the high priced, /,
highly assessed farm lands of
Iowa, Illinois and the colder regi-
ons of the peninsular states.
But how much better the argu-
ment if it could be said that in
stead of having S3,OOO,OOO lying
idle in the treasury, Missouri had
spent that sum on public high
ways, supplemented by the coun-
ties under the benefit operation of
good road law, with an ample
road fund proportioned equitably
between the state and the coun-
ties. The state is waking up to
the advantage of getting it's share
of the immense volume of sub
stantial, well-to-do homeseekers
who are pouring into the south
west every year, and who for
years have been passing by the
fertile, cheap lands of this state
and settling in the states and ter
ritories farther West. Within the
past year two large immigration
socities have been organized, and
the state officials, notably the
agricultural department have es-
tablished publicity bureau to
exploit the states illimitable re-
sources, Missouri has more diver
siged industries than any state in
the West. Its lands are much
cheaper than those of the adjoin-
ing states north and east, and it's
people are homogeneous, cultured
and hospitable, giving hearty
welcome to strangers and speedily
making them feel at home. The
state could easily support a popu-
lation of ten million outside of the
cities without crowding the pres
ent inhabitants, and indeed to
their great material advantage
and social betterment.
The one thing lacking to make
life in Missouri an ideal existance,
realizing mans highest ideals OF
comfort, independence and hap
pipess, is good roads. Improved
farming implements have so ligh.
tened the toll of the farmer that
the life probably is less arduous
with greater profits in proportion
to his cares and labor than any
other worker, not excepting the
mercantile and professional class
es. The telephone and free rural
delivery have brought him into