davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01


turbed the dead, and found but fools reward j"
Perhaps the best known of all of Aprils famous
hoaxes set in train by some merry London
wight in 1860. Toward the end of March some
two thousand worthy citizens of Victoria's capital
received engraved and ensculptured invitation
cards, admitting the bearer and friend" to
view the Annual Ceremony of Washing the White
Lions, on Sunday, April the First Abundance only
at the White Gate" The fatefu Sunday came; but
it lacked its usual peace and quiet in the neighbor-
hood of the Tower. Cabs by the hundred were
everywhere asking where was the white gate?
When the lions to be washed and where?
There white gate. There were no lions.
Consequently, no lions were going to be washed
anywhere-and slowly the crowd dwinded, mad,
and saying so, the victims of perhaps the ceverest
of all the days practical jokings.
Famous Hoaxes
TT may well be that Theodore Hook had suggested
this hoax for in 1882 he had inserted advertise
ment in certain papers, detailing how the Govern
ment wanted to buy lot of cats, and how folks
with good mousers for sale could get profitable
returns by applying at eight in the morning of
the following Tuesday at a certain street and
thought of that till some thousands of
cats of all sizes and co1ors had been lugged
around early in the day to a house that had
stood vacant for more than a year. Over here
in New York Bill" Travers did exactly the
same thing, except that he substituted dogs
for cats e. as more conversational y and gave
his address the street and number then occu-
pied by the late w. J. Florence. The actor
always said that never in his life had he seen
one-tenth many dogs he did the first min
ute he poked his night-capped head from his
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

Philadelphia morning paper took advantage of
April I to announce the formation of a reform
cabinet" under Mayor Weaver. The city was agog
the subject at that moment and its best citizens
had apparently officially joined their chief executive
to clean up" That tale for the breakfast
table only of course; by nine clock it discover
ed that it was only joke.
footing of the Mint
NOV and then too, some foreign journal does
- this thing. The Tageblatt" of Berlin,
of the robbing of the Washington mint of two
hundred and sixty-eight million dollars. The
apparatus of the hooters, including tunnel under
the Potomac and fleet of submarine boats to carry
the treasure out to fleet of steamers in the Chesa-
peake deliberately and ngenously described,
and practically all of Germany and Austria bit
the bait" till the Associated Press dispatches
cleared away their Teutonc mental haze.
Some years ago, when the possession of watches
than it is now, and when, in consequence,
more individuals dependent upon the public
clock, jeweling firm in Philadelphia perpetrated
excellent April Fools Day jest. They had had
in their window for sometime gass-faced chronom-
eter, SO largely and clearly marked that every
other man in the business section of the city
going by it, either through sight or through using
But the day after March had passed. those who
looked usual to its reliable old hands pointing
to the figures of the hours were confronted by
grotesque face, completely covering the dial. To
cap the climax, the figure had its thumb at its nose
with fingers outstretched in the attitude of the
small boy of the street, while below the legend:
No, you don'ti
And perhaps that is the best epitome of the spirit
of the Feast of Fools.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

been custom in the English villages to send the
unsuspecting rustic to a forewarned neighbor to
borrow book called The Life of Ewes Mother"
and from there he would be passed along line of
Others till slow wits at last guessed the joke.
There is the Sleeveless errand in a nutshell the
of Apr-fooling. Noah, they say first worked
it, when he sent the dove forth on a fruitless
mission.
Its Origin
THE origin of the day finds in this same world
old custom of the fools errand a reputed
cause of being rather cleverly supported by the
French phrase for April fool Poisson d. AaYfl"
Literally, the words of course only " An April
Fish; but there no sense in that, there are
authorities" such matters who explain that
poisson is only corruption of passion" and that
the April Passion refers back through the ages
to no less event than the trial of Jesus. The
Hindus have had festival the last day of our
March from time immemorial; feast when practical
jokes acquire almost religious observance Persia
knows such day; Rome had her "Qwirinilia" to
set old Plutarch guessing as to its beginning; and
many and Sweden, with only the necessary change
of local color, and then, having reappeared in
Scotland and England, the Atlantic have
they come to America.
The earliest April hoax record bears the name
of an ancient Queen of Babylon, whose idea of
humor has been immortalized by Herodotus She
had had her tomb constructed the main gate
to her capital and on it, in full sight of all, was
carved the legend Whoever of the Kings of Baby
Ion after me may be in need of money let him open
tins tomb and take much he wants. with
much more to the effect, mingled with good
advice characteristic of the times, and instruc
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

window, reused from a late
nap by such barking and
yelping as would have awak-
ened the seven sleepers of
Ephesus.
The newspaper sensation
intended to fool its readers
with the arrival of April is
no new thing. Many will
remember the story of a few
years ago which seemed to
be a beat for a great metro
politan journal, telling of
Edison's perfected expert
ments for making wine from
water, and a nutritious food
from a certain kind of loan.
No one seems to have doubted
it; anything was believed of
the Wizards" genius; and
when half the papers in the
country had reprinted the
article and discussed it edi-
torially, the perpetrator of it
owned up. Only last wear a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

Is set apart for All Fools Day;
But why the people call it SO,
Nor you, nor |, nor they, may
know.
COit is writ down in Poor
- Robins almanac for
176o-and, when all IS
said and done, it is probable
that present-day searchers
into the dim beginnings of
popular customs will get
no more satisfactory answer.
They must either take this
as final or base their be-
lief on the twenty-siXth verse
of the first chapter of Saint
Matthew's Gospel.
The spirit of fun is as old as
man himself. Father Adam,
to be sure, does not seem to
figure in the traditions of the
initial day of the fourth
month; but Mother Eve does.
For lone and 1onp has If
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-01

tions that the opening should be
done on day practically paralleling
Our April L None needed money
in years, or else dared not tamper with
the last resting place of a queen, till
Darius the Persian came to power. He
demolished the massive casket; and 10!
for his pains he found only this parch-
ment-written message: Had you not
been so greedy. you had not dis
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Cannot COnbict Wealthy
Without Right of Appeal

Another bill which has just passed one
house Of the Congress and which it is
urgently necessary should be enacted
into law IS that cOnferring upon the
Government the right OF appeal IN
criminal cases on questions OF law. This
right exists In many of the States; It
exists in the District Of Columbia by
act of the Congress. 1t is or course
not proposed that in any case verdict
for the defendant on the merits should
be set aside.
Recently in one district where the Gov
ernment had indicted certain persons for
conspiracy in connection with rebates
the court sustained the defendants de-
murrer. while in another Jurisdiction an
indictment for conspiracy 10 obtain re-
bates has been sustained by the court,
convictions obtained under IL. and two
defendants sentenced 10 Imprisonment.
The two cases referred TO may not be IN
real conflict with each other, but II IS
unfortunate that there should even be
an apparent conflict
At present there Is no way by which
the Government can cause such a con-
flct, when IL occurs. 10 be solved by an
appeal TO a higher court. and the wheels
of Justice are blocked without any real
decision of the question. l cannot too
strongly urge the passage or the bill in
question. A failure to pass it viii result
in seriously hampering the Government
in its effort TO obtain Justice. especially
against wealthy individuals or corpora
tions who do wrong; and may also pre-
vent the Government from obtaining
Justice for wageworkers who are not
themselves able effectively TO contest a
case where the judgment of an inferior
court has been against them
/ have specifically in view q recent de-
clsion by a district judge leaving railway
emploves without remedy for violation
OF a certain so-cblled labor statute. Il
seems an absurdity TO permit a single
The Washington times., 1906-12-04

II Is the same rule that must be ap-
IlSG In dealing with rich men and
poor men that Is. 70 treat each man.
whatever his color, his creed or MS
social position, with eyen-handed JUS
tge on hls real worth as a man
W ulte people owe Il quite as much
70 themselves as 70 the cOlored race
70 treat well the colored man who
SHOWS b. 49, life that he deserves such
HtdtHel-, Tor II Is surely the high
gSt MlS2Ol-t 10 encourage ia the coIOred
race al those individuals who are nom
est Industrious, laW-abidlnE. and who
thcfeIorc make god ana safe neighBOrs
ana citizens Reward OF punish the
Individual on his merits as an indiyid-
ual. Evil VIII surely come in the end
70 DOJh races II we substitute for this
just rule the habit or treating all the
members Of the race. good and bad.
alke. There IS uO question OF so
Cial equality OF negro domination
involved, only the question Of reIent-
lessly Furnishing bad men. and Of Sc
fTeI-Af fftI 20 ihe good man the right 10 his
NE MS AbeIly. ana the pursuit OF
his happiness as his own qualities OF
heart, head, and hand enable him 20
achieve H.
Every colored man should realize that
the worst enemy of his race is the negro
criminal 1, and. above all. the negro criTut-
nal WIN commits the dreadful crime OF
Tape; and II should be felt as il the
highest degree an offense against the
whole country, and against the cOlored
race IN particular. Tor a cOlOred man 10
Iail 10 help the officers OF the law IN
hunting down with all possible earnest
ness and zeal every such Infamous Of
fender.
Moreover. IN nv Judgment, the crime
Of rape should always be punished with
death, as IS the case with murder: as
sault with intent 10 commit rape should
be made a capital crime, at least IL the
discretion or the court, and provision
should he made by which the punish
ment may follow Immediately upon the
heels Of the Offense. while the trial
should be so conducted that the victim
need not be WautOnly shamed while Civ
ing testimony. and that the least posi-
BILE publicity shall be given 10 the de-
tails.
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Continued from First Page.)


the debasng effect OF N
Finally a
OF o
Of the have interest independent Of the
of his
relations with
American Republics.
delivered
Secretary years
judiciary proprees
temper
W. H.
purpose with teachings
a
is Mahan."
OF separately Presi
in
similar appropriate a
Republic department
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Whole Nation Suffers
By Crime of Lynchi1g

In connection with the delays OF the
law. I call your attention and the at
tentiOn OF the Nation 70 the prevalence
of crime among us. and above all to
the epidemic of lynChiHg and mob viO-
lence that springs up. now il one part
OF our country, now in another Each
secuOn-North. South. East or West
has its own faults no section can with
wisdom spend its time jeering at the
faults of another section; II should be
busy trying 10 amend its own short
comiugs To deal with the crime Of
corruption IL is necessary TO have an
awakened public conscience. and TO sup
plemeHt this by whatever legislation
viii add speed and certainty IN The exc
CutiOn OF the law. When We deal with
lynchlng even more is necessary
A great many white men are IynChed,
but the crime is peculiarly frequent in
respect to black men. The greatest ex-
isting cause OF Iynching Is the perpe-
tratlon. especially by black men. of the
hideOus crime Of rape-the most abom-
Unable In all the category of crimes. even
worse than murder. MObs frequently
avenge the commission OF this crime
by themselves tortuTing TO death The
man committing II, thus avenging in
beztial fashion a besual deed, and re-
ducing themselves 20 a level with the
criminal.
The Washington times., 1906-12-04

self. the man who can do most TO help
the negro is his white neighbor who
lives near him; and our steady effort
should be 10 better the relations be-
tween the two. Great though the bene-
fit Of these schools has been TO their
cOlored pupils and 70 the colored people,
Il may well be questi oned whether the
benefit has not been At least as great
TO the white people among whom these
colored pupils live after they graduate.
BE il remembered, furthermore, that
the individuals who. whether from fol-
ly, from evil temper. from greed for
Office, or IN a spirit Of mere base dema-
EOgy. indulge in the inhammatOry and
incendiary speeches and writings which
tend 10 arouse mobs and % bring about
lynChing, not only thus excite the mob
but also tend by what criminologists
call suggestion greatly 10 increase
the likelihood Of a repetition OF -he
very crime against which they are
luyeighlug. When the MOB is composed
OF the people Of one race and the
man lynched is Of another race. the
men who in their speeches and writings
either excite or justify the action tend.
OF course. 10 excite "a bitter race feel
ing and 10 cause the people Of the op-
pOsItc race 10 lose sight of the abom-
Unable act Of the Grimm = himself; and
in addition, by the pI -Einence they
give To the hideOus deed Troy undOubIed-
ly tend 70 excite IN other brutal and
deprdVed natures thoughts Of commit
ting 81. Swift relentless, and orderly
punishment under Lhg law is the only
way by which CrIminality of this type
can permanently be suppressed.
The Washington times., 1906-12-04

out education. UnquestionabIy educa-
tion such as IS obtained IN our public
school does not do everything towards
making man good citizen. but IL
does much. The lowest and most bru-
tai criminals, those. for instance. who
commit the crime OF rape, are in The
great majority men who have had eiti-er
no education or very little. just as they
are almost invariably men who own no
property; for the man who puts money
by out OF his earnings. ike the man
who acquires education. is usually lifted
above mere brutal criminallty.
OF course. the best type of education
for the colored man. taken as a whole,
IS such education as is conferred in
schools Ike Hampton and Tuskegee; I;
where the boys and girls, the young men
and young women. are trained indus
trially. as well as in the ordinary public
school branches. The graduates Of these
schools turn out well IN the great ma
jority OF cases, and hardly eny OF them
become criminals. while what little
criminality there is never takes the form
OF that brutal violence which invites
lynch law.
Every graduate Of these schools-and
for the matter Of that, every coIored
man or woman-who leads life so use
fui and honorable as 90 win the good
viii and respect Of those whites whose
neigh Dor he or she is, thereby helps the
whole colored race as Il can be helped in
no other way; for next 10 the negro him
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Good to CrittCiSe Courts,
According to Judge Taft

The judge has a power over which no
review can be exercised: ne himself sits
IN review upon the acts OF both the exc
cutive and legislative branches Of the
Government. save in the most extraor-
dinary cases he Is amenable only at tho
bar OF public opinion; and il is unwise
TO maintain that public opinion in ref
erence TO a man with such power shall
neither be expressed nor led.
The best judges have been foremost
TO disclalm any immunity from criti-
clsm. This has been true since the days
or the great English Lord Chancellor
Parker. who said: Let all the people
he at liberty TO know what / found my
judgment upon; that, so when l have
given II any cause, others may be at
liberty TO judge OF me-" The proprie-
lies or the case We're set forth with sin
guar clearness and good temper by
Judge W. II Taft, when a United States
circuit Judge, eleven years ago, In 1926
Inc opportunity freely and publicly
10 crlIlclse judicial action If of vastly
more Importance 10 the body polite than
tAe immunity or courts and judges from
UNJUST asperslOus and attack Nothing
Isiua more 10 render judges careful in
tASiF decisions and anNiOusly suliCitOus
10 40 exact justice than the conscious
Ness that every act OF theirs is 10 be
subjected TO the intelligent scrutiny and
SSthdld criticism OF their Ie!IOw-men.
such criticism is beneficial in nronor-
Lon Lon as II Is fair, dispassiouate dis
eliminating, and based on a knowledge
OF sound legal principles.
nc comments made by learned text
writers and by the acute editors Of the
various law reviews upon judicial de-
cls!ons are therefore highly useful Such
critics constitute more or less imparfisI
tribunals or professional opinion before
MHlcn edcn Judgment Is made 10 stand
or IAu on It's merits, and thus exert "a
stFong influence 10 secure uniformity OF
decision,
BuI non-protessionol criticism also is
by no means without its uses. even n
accompanied, as II often Is by a direct
attack upon the judicial fairness and
motives OF the occupants Of the bench.
for II the law Is but the essence OF com
mon sense. the protest of many aver
age men may evidence a defect in q iu-
ulclal conclusion. though based on the
incest legal reasoning and pFofouudest
learning The two important elements
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
LynCbing Leads AgUay
From Race UpbufEdno

The members OF the white race. on
the other hand, should understand that
every lynching represents by lust SO
much loosening OF the bands OF civIli-
zation; that the spirit Of lynching in
evitably throws into prominence in the
community all foul and evil creatures
who dwell therein. No man can take
part in re torture OF n human being
without having his own moral nature
permanently lowered. Every lynchine
means just so much moral deterioration
IN all the children who have any knowI-
edge OF Il, and therefore Just so much
additional trouble for the next genera
ton Of Americans.
Let justice be both sure and suift.
but let 1t be justice under the law. and
not the Wild and crooked savagery of
a mob.
There is another matte which has a
direct bearing upon LAls matter OF
lynching. and of the brutal crime which
sometimes calls II forth, and at other
times merely furnishes the excuse for
its existence. II is out Of the oues-
ton for our people as q whole perma-
nentiy to rise by treading down any of
their own number. Even those who
themselves for the moment profit by
such maltreatment of their fellows will
in the long run also suffer. No more
shOrtsighted policy can be imagined
than, in the fancied interest OF one
class, 10 prevent the education of an
other class.
The free public school, the chance for
each boy or girl to get good elementary
education, lies at the Foundation of ony
whole political situation. In every COM
munity the poorest citizens. those who
need the schools most, would be de-
prived of them If they only received
school facilities proportioned 10 fbe
taXes they paid This is as true of one
portion of our country as of another. II
is as true for the negro as for the white
man.
The white man, If he is wise, viii de-
cline 10 allow the negroes in a mass to
grow TO manhood and Womanhod with
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Limit Needed on Hours
Except in Canal Zone

call your attention TO the need OF
passiaf the bill limiting the number OF
hours o. employment OF railroad en-
plJyes- The measure IS a very moderate
one and can conceive OF no serious
objection 70 IL Indeed, so far as IL IS
IN our power. It should be our aim
steadily 10 reduce the number OF hours
OF labor, with as a goal the general in
PRODUCTION Of an eight-hour day. There
are Industries in which Il is not Dos
sible that the hours OF labor should he
reduced. just as there are communities
not tar enough advanced for such a
movement 10 be for their good. or. If IN
the tropics, so situated that there is no
analogy between their needs ana ours
IN this matter.
On the Isthmus of Panama. for in
stance, the conditions are in every wav
SO different from whes they are here
that an eight-hour day would be ab-
surd; just as it is absurd, so far as
the Isthmus is concerned, where white
labor can not be employed, to bother
as to whether the necessary work is
done by alien black men or by alien
yellow men. But the wageworkers of
the United States are Of so high a grade
that alike from the merely industrial
standpoint and from the civic stand
point it should be our object to do what
we can in the direction of securing the
general observance of an eight-hour dav.
Until recently the eight-hour law ON
our Federal statute books has been ve-,,
Scanuly observed. Now. however. Is rgei5-
through the lnstrumentalityo the Bureau
OF LABOR. Y is being riEidly enforced. and
i shall speedily be able to saw whether
The Washington times., 1906-12-04
Election of Agftator
BLoqU at Government

The plain people who think-the me-
chanics, farmers. merchants. workers
with head or hand, the men to whom
American traditions are dear. who love
their country and try to act decentIy
BY their neighbors. owe il to them
selves TO remember that the most
damaging blow that can be given popu-
lar government is 10 elect an unworthy
and sinister agitator on a platform Of
violence and hypocrisy. Whenever such
IN issue is raised in this country moth
ng can be gained by hincEing from it.
ior IA such case democracy is itself on
trial, popular self-gOvernmCnt under
republican forms Is itself on trial The
triumph of the mob is just as evil
thing as the triumph OF the plutocracy,
and to have escaped one danger avaiIs
nothing whatever if we succumb to the
other.
In the end, the honest man, whether
rich or poor, who earns his own living
and tries to deal justly by his fellows.
has as much TO fear from the iusincere
and unworthy demagogue. promising
much and performing nothing, or else
performing nothing but evil, who would
set on the mob 10 plunder the rich. as
from the crafty cOrruptionist, who for
his own ends. would permit the com
mon people TO be exploited by the very
wealthy. II We ever let this Govern