davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
INTIMATE SIDE OF Mr.. TILLMAN
Is Tender and Considerate In His
Private Life.

w. A. Lewis in Success Magazine.
Ben Tillman, lolling back in an arm
chair, is one personality. Senator Benja-
min r. Tillman. on the floor of the United
States Senate, is something entirely diff
ferent. The contrast is wonderful, but
unstudied.
There is no individuality in American
public life so ungroomed and earthly as
Tillman. Beneath the tousled hair, be-
hind the solitary brown eye, is an intel
lect colossal and majestic, contemptuous
of the civilizations of position, despising
all platooning of self, inveghing against
whatever savors of sham and humbug
Tillman dearly loves the hardships OF
steadfast principles, and revels in the
lies and liars. He is anything but a
novtiate; still he is extraordinary and a
surprising proposition in the geometry OF
suddenness. He is neither clever nor
ponderous. But he bends with no syco-
phancy, shakes with no vacillation. snaps
with no disloyalty. wobbles with no ir-
resolution. His intellectual weapons are
wit, satire, invective. irony, and scorn
welded with the edge of daring and the
swirl OF strength.
In the Senate chamber he always
clutches a brand-unlt, aflame, OF
charred. He is tirelessly a-buckle and
ARRAY spurred and ungloved, a storm
born blow-giver.
But, reclining in an arm chair at his
ease, his mind undisturbed by the fumes
of the day that has died. unagitated by
the expectations of the day unborn, a mis-
chievous smile playing about his mobile
lips, the responsibilities of craftsmanship
laid aside, the strife. conflicts and strug
giles of public life for the moment aban
doned with Just the sweet sympathy oil
his little family circle to calm him, the
undisguised admiration of the woman sit
ting opposite him. the playful humor Of
his domestic side, and you have another
and distinctly opposite Tillman. A tender
mildness comes into the brown eye; &
musical cadence pervades the worn voice
and a languor that constitutes postiv,
luxury to this glutton of labor. thought
and toll converts into relaxation the ex
hausting tensions of a mammoth organ
ism of nerves
No other senator can arouse his com
peers to greater activities. No othe
man exhibits fonder tenderness to hi
family. or can provide more genuine hos
pitalty 10 his guests.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
Use of Parks.

mo matter what good cause you I'M
dertake, you will always find kickers'
to oppose your plans of progress" said a
citizen. This spirit of fault finding seems
to become chronic with a certain class.
81 understand that there are persons
who oppose the movement to erect mar
BILE statue to Miss. Mary Catalan In East
Park. Whatever may be their opinion
as to the worthiness of the subject for
this form of memorial, they ought at
least to concede that the large number
of citizens who have contributed to the
monument fund. representing apparently
the sentiment of the majority of the peo-
pie, have the right to do so If they choose
to spend their money and to express their
admiration in this way. The parks are
the property of all the people, and out
of consideration of the delicacy of the
question involved, those who have con-
tributed nothing to the fund ought to con-
tribute nothing In the way of Ideas as
to its disposal.
Birmingham parks are few enough and
small enough 1 know but when citizens
desire to beautify the small space that
we have, and at the same time comment
crate a life that was at least worthy
of emulation, there should be no opinions
from those who are not in a proper posi-
ton to express themselves"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
Votinu in Alabama.

The Montgomery Advertiser says
The Age-Herald seemingly favors a
change in our organic law requiring
payment of poll tax by those subject
to it as a prerequisite for voting" The
| Advertiser does not mean to be unjust,
but still 1t wholly misapprehends the
position of The Age-Herald. The ar
ticle that it objects to asks, rs the
cumulative feature of the poll tax wise
| or a bit needful?" This question
! sums up the position of The Age-Her-
aid on this subject.
Registration and the payment of
the poll tax of the year, to be paid on
or before the first day of February, are
needful conditions of voting in this
state, and no one should desire to see
them abolished, but Alabama no more
needs the cumulative poll tax provis-
more than two or three states have
adopted a cumulative poll tax provis-
ion. Georgia, South Carolina and
Alabama are the three. Virginia re-
quires the prepayment of poll taxes
for three preceding years before vot-
ing. AS rule the payment of poll
tax for the current year suffices. This
is the case in Louisiana, Tennessee
and Texas. In threefourths of the
states tax paying has no relation what
ever to voting.
Section 178 of the constitution of
1891 needs amendment Instead of
reading, "all poll taxes due from him
for the year 1901, and for each sub
sequent year." 1t should read, "all poll
taxes due in the year in which he Of
fers to vote" This in addition to reg.
istration under the requirement of be-
ing able to read and write any article
Of the federal constitution would give
LIE state a good electorate, and 1t
would not fill the state with disfran-
chised white voters. There are proba-
bly, 100000 whites in this state who do
not vote, and who cannot vote even
when they become As years of age I'M
less they first pay all poll taxes that
had been assessed against them since
and including that of the year 1901.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
GOOD OLD SUMNER TIME
AS SEEN IN WASHINGTON

calls out little Birdie, with her sailor hat,
her gossamer shirt waist, her dainty skirt,
her tan shoes, and her "openworks We
don't know anything about Cleopatra
Sails" in this old town. Maybe there are
some ivory triremes, left over from the
golden age, now rotting in the Georgetown
BASIN Maybe not. OF course, we know
nothing about glowing kisses blown FROM
rosy lips 1t wouldn't be right. More
over, our acquaintance with things that
flow in ceaseless cycles through the
heart" are limited. We are dead sure,
however, that summer is mighty inter-
esting season here, what with Willie in
his lightweight pants and Ruby in her
dashy little frocks, and soda fountains
splashing everywhere, and the park hum
ming with soulful gulps and whisperings
and every bench overpopulated, and
thoroughly informal lawn parties in the
White Lot and the Mall.
We don't soar to the Atlanta attitudes
of rapture, as they are defined by the
aforementioned troubadour, but make
the most of the material at hand. It's all
right about those "moonlit nights and
mellow noons," Brother Graves. We have
EN- here ourselves. But we are not in
| terested In the Language of fervid hours
that have to be Tanned by breezes sweet
with summer Dreams" We are rude and
strenuous men in these here parts. and
we prefer to work the fan ourselves At
lanta may take her Thisbe and her ham,
adryads, and make the most of them.
Atlanta may content herself with blown
kisses and with ecstatc dreams. Little
sweetheart" though, is good enough for
| us. Well take her simple muslin skirt,
her tender little summer appetite for
deviled crabs, her honest, human hand,
her unassuming and substantial person.
atty Our brother poet, the Hon. John
Temple Graves. may corner the fairies,
the visions, the nimbuses, the metaphors,
and the aureoles for all we care.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
CHILDRENS' DEPARTMENT
PLANNED FOR CABINET

Let children be protected as are fish
in the United States fishery buerau, build
the future citizen with the same care
with which the government now builds
warships, classify their needs and study
way that the Department of Agriculture
adapts the seeds to the SOIL" is the gist
of the plea which the committee made
to the President.
As everybody knows. the President in
corporated this plea, together with that on
child and woman labor, into his message
of a year ago. This is the first time such
trivial thing as the good of its women
and children has ever been mentioned in
the stately document of any President.
Senator Crane of Massachusetts intro
duced the bill which provides that tho
child's bureau shall be under tho control
of the Department of the Interior and I'M
der the charge of a chief to be appointed
by the President and with the advice and
consent of the Senate. "The bureau shall
investigate and report on all matters per-
tanning to the welfare of children and child
life, and shall especially investigate the
question of infant mortality, the birth
rate, physical degeneracy, orphanage
juvenile delinquency and juvenile courts,
desertion and fllegitimacy, dangerous oe-
equations, accidents and diseases of chill
dren of the working classes, employment,
legislation affecting children in the sew
eral states and territories, and such other
facts as have a bearing on the health,
efficiency, character and training of chill
dren."
This is the measure which is pending.
Before it, and, as those hopeful for both
bills believe, strengthening it, is the bill
before Congress for the appropriation of
100000 for commission to investigate
child and woman labor
Little enough would be a department
in the cabinet toward the great question
of child saving" This is the cry of the
men. and particularly of the women who
are being aroused from apathy by the
tremendous interest taken in all the prob
lens voiced in such books as the Cry
of the Children
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04

Baltimore and New York IS talking about
the superior quality of steel rails made
in this district
"A few days ago ! was in brokers
office in New York. I met a fellow
there who was selling Tennessee Coal.
Iron and Railroad stock short. Said to
this man: Do you know that the finest
steel rails turned out in the United
States are manufactured by the Tennes-
see company in the Birmingham dis
trictT
~ do not know it. do not believe
it,, said the man. Then you had bet
ter investigate md learn what every
well-lnformed person knows. The next
day. when 1 met this man he told ME
that he was satisfied that the best rails
rolled in the United States came from
Birmingham.
1.-THE Tennessee company's success In
rail-mal5lng is the talk of the east, and
few there be who are not familiar with
the fact. have no interest in the Ten
nessee company, but I would be willing
to bet that its stock will touch $500 within
a comparatively short period.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
NATloNALIzINc "AMERlcA.r

From the Knoxville Sentinel
Patriotic men are trying to nationalze
the national air. America" by adding
to it stanzas descriptive OF other grand
divisions than New England, to which
refers the line
Thy woods and tempted hills
DR.. Henry Van Dyke wants a line for
the Pacific coast, to read
THY capes and giant trees"
Very good! We want one for Way
down South IN Dixie, to read
''Thy pines and oyster beds"
Mobile Register.
And for East Tennessee we bespeak
the following:
"Thy mountains full of stills"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
From the Washington Post.

~IUNE came in yesterday with a
(OD thunderstorm. We risk little in
- predicting that 1t will go out with
a furnace blast. 1t is dangerous to make
weather forecasts in this town so far as
concerns the months of March, April and
May, for our springs are quite as likely
to furnish shivers as to lend themselves
to perspiration. But June is nearly al
ways safe. You can say what you please
on that subject, provided you make it
hot.
Last June-or was it the June before p
the then edtor-in-chief of the Atlanta
News took up his harp and wandered
forth into the grass and sang TO a rever-
emily listening world as follows: THE
loving kisses blown to her from rosy lips,
long moldered into dust, would fill a thou
sand Cleopatra sails, and yet with all the
sunny largess of her life she comes to us
a matchless miracle, forever new" We
do not see the connection altogether, but
what of 1t? Let us dance along: six
thousand times the tender hopes and
fears. the longing and alarm, which flow
in ceaseless cycles through the heart have
met their mirrored image in her liquid
eyes-those splendid orbs bequeathed by
ox-eyed Juno to the ox-eyed June" That's
what the Hon. John Temple Graves
thought about June when he was run
ming the Atlanta News as a symphony or
chestra, and we freely confess that there s
whole lot of gooseflesh in the music.
For our part, however. while we have
no intention of disparaging a fellow-artist,
we shall have to say that summers ad-
vent doesn't impress Washington quite
that way. June. as 1t reveals itself to
this particular community, is the opening
of the heated term. 1t calls in the stiff
hat. the three-story collar-four for SC
cents-the laced shoe, and the hard un-
compromising shirt. On the other hand, II
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04

January l, 1907. This will enable the
army of deadheads to taper off. 1t
will, too, enable the railroads to work
off their stock of blank passes. But
al,er January l, 1907, as things are
now planned, there are to be no dis
ordinations in transportation, no
brides, no gratuities, in the form of
passes. Il will be big departure in
this country which has long stood
alone in that respect This country
is about to fall into line with the rest
of the world, that's all.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
From the Chicago Tribune.


VA ILL the new year ad de de-
WV partment of children to the
w cabinet? In the face of the
great child movement which is now agi-
tating the country, legislation seems a
slow and inadequate instrument with
which to work out human problems, es-
pecially the problems of the little ones.
the least of whose woes are only begin
ming to be guessed.
In spite of the slowness with which the
idea Is pereolating to the minds of the
people that the child is a public charge.
which the public neglects at its own peril,
and in spite of the fact that the ma
chinery to make children wards of the
nation is one of the slowest to set in
motion. there are groups of thinkers here
and everywhere who believe that the
child question must soon focalize into ma
tfonal legislation. The definite form which
this has taken is the bill soon to come
before the Senate for the establishment
of the national childs bureau.
The history of this movement is at once
the hope and the despair of the worker
The idea started in 1904, when the atten-
ton of the President was called to the
advisaIbility of creating such depart
ment. To study the many phases of the
child problem, including desertion, illit-
eracy, delinquency, orphanage, adoption,
infant mortality and all the other "cys"
and ''es's" by turning a searchllght on
them from Washington. was the idea
presented to the President. In short as
T.. A i
gantly, but with the same idea, you can t
protect children adequately if you pay too
much attention to state lines and she
pointed out that the railroads which were
not held in by state boundaries were UNI
der interstate authority. and that it is the
children upon which the country depends
far more than on railroads.
And yet she said, the nation is quite
unmoved when the laws let the children
of West Virginia be crushed and brutal
lied by night work four years earlier
than the children of Ohio"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
About Persons.

DR.. w. M. Cunningham of Cordova
past through Birmingham last night en-
route to Boston to attend meeting of the
American Medical association, June So
S. d. Logan of Centreville Is among the
guests of the Morris.
H. A. Bishop of Sylacauga is at the st.
Nicholas.
F. G.. Bishop, r. A. Wright and H. A.
Paine of Atlanta are registered at the
Birmingham.
Robert E. Steiner. Jr.. of Montgomery
is stopping at the Hillman.
w. w. Battle of jackson is at the
Metropolitan.
George w. Jones and V. C. Griffin of
Montgomery are guests at the Morris.
j. F. Durroh of Gordo is registered at
the Metropolitan.
L. R. Robinson of Wetumpka is stop
ping at the Hillman
L. P, Hill. editor of the Ensley En-
terprise. spent yesterday at Blount
Springs.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
THE SHELL.

Eugene Field in The Wanderer
Upon a mountain height far from the sea
l found a shell.
And to my listening ear this lonely thing
Ever a song of ocean seem'd to sing
Ever O tale of ocean seem'd to tell
Strange, was it not? Far from its native
deep.
One song 1t sang
Sang of the awful mysteries OF the tide,
Sang of the restless sea, profound and
wide
Ever with echoes of the ocean rang.
And as the shell upon the mountain
height
Sang of the sea,
So do ever, leagues and leagues away
So do I ever, wandering where I may.
Sing. my home sing, o my home. Of
theei
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
ALABAMA PRESS

st. Clair Herald: Own your home is a
plank in our platform.
Gadsden Times-News: And Smoot and
Burton will both be smote.
Cullman Tribune: The festive mosquito
is beginning her summer serenades and
presenting her bill-as unwelcome as bills
usually are.
Jacksonville Record: Investigators are
cautioned to go gently with the ice trust
this summer. If you want 1t hot 1t
may announce a shortage.
Talladega Reporter: Birmingham has
apparently been too busy marking down
it's baseball score of late to pay much
attention to the location of Vulcan
Bullock County Breeze What Alabama
ing. Men Of enough craftsmanship to
get that will get the gratitude of intel
ligent citizens everywhere.
Gadsden Journal: At last there seems to
be a definite move to make Smoot and
Burton get out of the Senate. This is
good so far as 1t goes, but there are
others who should be included in the
forced exodus.
Moulton Advertiser: To date 81 coun-
ties in Alabama have voted for the
special school tax, and we think old Law
renee will declare in favor of it when
she has an opportunity.
Clio Free Press: From the way things
look to "a man up tree" Hon. Horace
Hood will be our next auditor, and If SO
the state will have honored one of her
brainiest journalists, who will make a
popular and efficient officer.
Thomaston POST Henry B. Gray Seems
to be having 1t all his own way in the
race for the lieutenant governorship
Where is Marengo county's candidatei
It's time for him to be up and doing.
Huntsville Mercury: Since the lynchins
fever has spread so rapidly in the states
above the Mason and Dixon line, the sen.
timent against 1t seems to be growing
in the south and the officials are becom-
ing more active than ever to put down tho
mob spirit by arrest and prosecution Of
the participants.
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
A mans riches are his children and they
spend themselves.
Boys would learn a good deal more in
school than the doy If they got punished
for it.
There Is something about reform that
gives those who do 1t mighty mean dis
positions.
The needle in the haystack seems a
good deal easier to find than the public
official who is for the public
Hardly any woman could stand the
nnonotony OF life in small communities II
there wasn't so much scandal there
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
Independence Day.

mo less a person than Thomas Jeffer-
son was authority for story to the eff
feet that had there not been swarm of
flies in independence Hall on the day of
the signing of the Declaration of INDIE
pendence, Americans would have been
compelled to celebrate the completion of
that famous instrument on some other
day than July Fourth" says one of the
magazines.
According to this story, the weather
was warm and from a neighboTing livery
stable came swarms of flies that lighted
on the legs of the Fathers of the Re-
public and biting through the thin silk
stockings then In fashion gave infinite
annoyance.
ut was no uncommon sight, said JEFF
ferson, to see a member making speech
with a large handkerchief In his hand, and
pausing at every moment to thrash the
flies from his thinly protected calves.
1.-The opinion of the body was not I'M
animous in favor of the document. and
under other circumstances discussion
might have been protracted for days. II
not weeks; but the flies were intolerable.
''Effonts were made to find another hall,
free from the pests, but in vain. AS the
weather became warmer the flies grew
worse, and the Tapping of handkerchiefs
was heard all over the hall as an ac-
compartment to the voices of the speak,
ers.
IN despair at last some one suggested
that matters be hurried SO that the body
might adjourn and get away from the
flies.
There were a few mild protests, but no
one needed them; the immortal Declare
ton was hurriedly copied, and. with hand
kerchiefs in hand, fighting flies as they
came, the members FASTENED up to the
table to sign the authentic copy and leave
the flies in the lurch.
HAD it not been for the pests from
the livery stable, there is no telling when
the document would have been completed
but it certainly would not have been
signed on the Fourth of July"
The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-06-04
Railroad Development.

Henry Clews In his Wall street letter
of Saturdays date says:
"Our railroad system Is still behind
the country's requirements, the expendi-
lures of the last four or five years hav-
ing been insufficient to meet national
growth Most of these OUTLAWS have been
devoted to undermining our railroads and
providing better terminal facilities. NOW
with the development of the great west,
comes the imperative call for new mile
age. as we'll as completion of improve
ments Many important new projects
are already under way, and others are
pending. 1t is stated that fully $1,000
miles of new road have been projected
in the south, and IL the same ratio is
observed in western states-which Is
more than likely-it is easy to see that
the next two or three years Will witness
an unusual period of new railroad con-
struction. This will, of course, be bene-
fetal to the country at large and prom
ises continued prosperity for the iron
and steel industry. But what will be its
effect on the stock market? Prices of
/ securities are W hhh'
| The bond market is still congested by a
| lot of unstable issues held by bankers
in the hope of lodging them in investors
| strong boxes.
Ordinarily an increase in the supply
of securities is apt to weaken the mar
| ket, especially when values are high.
This situation leaves the financing of new
railroad issues a somewhat difficult prob
| lem. The needs of the railroads are inn
perative, for the country is growing, and
these great projects once started cannot
be held up without involving serious
| loss Owing to high rates for money and a
| limited demand for new securities the
railroads have once more been forced to
| the unwelcome expedient of short term
| notes in the expectation that when none
| tary conditions become more satisfactory
| they may be changed into fixed obliga-
| tons. With such possibilities, therefore,
| the outlook Is not favorable to very low
| rates for money. and the efforts neces-
| sary to finance these new ventures may
! be an important factor in the market for
| some time to come