davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Early English Libraries.
- Ihe Washington HeraId

Editor The Washington Herald
The earliest library worthy Of the name
in England was founded by Sir Thomas
Bodley in 1897. contemporary with the
first printed plays with the name Shake
speare on the title page. But Sir Thomas
had no place in his collection for such
literature. The Bodlean library is now
merged in the British Museum
The Benedictine library at Oxford.
forcibly entered I'm 1853 by John Leland
at the command Of Henry VIII. con-
tained only worthless literature valued
by Leland At less than three half pence %
Reckoning money at ten times its present
value, we would now say the books were
not worth thirty cents. OF course there
was no Bible i'm the oxford monastery.
and probably none in any other like IN
stitution in all England. All the books
gathered from the monasteries by Le-
land. VINO ransacked them from 1889 to
1889. amounted TO not more than a good
carload.
The story Of an English translation Of
the Bible by John Wiclin. who is said to
have died in 1884. is incredible. The print
ing OF books began half a century after
his death, and nearly a whole century
in England. There was no reading class
in Nicliffs time, nor for a hundred years
thereafter. Schools We're first Instituted
by Margaret, mother OF Henry VII who
regned from 14Sj 10 1903 John Leland
tells us that he saw few Of the rumored
many Latin books OF Wiclih. and saws
nothing about any English writings by
him. The fabrication OF Wiclin literature
seems 10 have begun in the reign Of
Henry VIII. 1509-155S. Germany was in
advance Of England in learning. and vet
Luthers translation Of the Bible came
l40 years later than that ascribed TO
Wicliff
The earliest authentic historian Of Eng
land was Polydore Vergil. who wrote
'Anglica Historic" in 1899 He was pre-
bendary Of St Paurs. lie came from
Italy about l505.
The stories about Gildas in the sixth
century and Bede in the eighth, as eccle-
siastical writers. are manifestly fabulous.
Allibone's Dictionary OF Authors ex-
presses doubt OF the existence OF Gildas
and the same may be said OF the Ven
cradle Bede, the only account of whose
life is given at the end of an ecclesiastical
history purporting 10 have been written
by him, but, doubtless. idbrcated by the
monks after the revival Of learning.
WILLIAM HENRY BURR.
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Anent a Third Term.

Editor The Washington Herald;
In the matter Of a third term nomina-
tiOn for President Roosevelt, IL does
seem to me that some OF the suggestions
as TO the mode. manner. and time of his
expected declination are most unreason-
able and untimely. He has not yet been
nominated Even IL one or two States
shall soon-as / think more than likely
declare for the third term. even that
would not seem TO me TO call imperative
ly on him TO write out an unconditional
and peremptory letter of declinatiOn.
What more can he say than he has
said?
What occasion for a repetition of his
unwillingness 10 accept a third term?
Roosevelt is too resOurceful to have TO
repeat the same Nhing over and over.
He always has something new and in
teresting to say. and anything he could
now say in declining the honor Of a
third term would be neither new nor in
teresting-what he has said requires no
further elaboration or repetition.
His place in history IS secure. He will
not jeopardize II in any way, but IN the
"He remaining S'at Vi HiS SFNVhu lSfth
add TO il the 1uster OF high exalted pa
tri0t.sm and regard for the noble pre-
cedent set by Washington, and go even
beyond the great example in declining a
third term, as yet not rendered. but only
spoken OF by many. for he will utter not
one word about il until the nomination
shall have been fully and formally ten
dered 20 him BY the convention and 50
so down in history as the only President
who ever yet refused absolutely a third
term fairly offered. PRIVATE DALZELL.
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Gov. Glenn and Thomas Paine

Editor The Washington Herald
Gov. Robert Glenn OF North Carolina.
is nothing if not theatrical. IN his address
on the Nations need Of strong, Christian
men,. at Convention Hall last Friday
evening. after wandering all over ancient
Rome and Greece and modern Europe. he
came TO Thomas Paine. calling him an
atheist. and saying that "he left moth
ms good behind to mark his progress
through the world"
Thomas Paine was one Of the most
powerful and earnest pamphleteers Of his
day. and at critical moments, when the
decision and the fate Of the American
colonists hung in the balance. no pen
wrought more effectively than his TO turn
the scale on the side Of liberty. His pithy.
convincing pamphlet, Common Sense"
published at the moment when the lead
ers were irresolute and disposed TO COM
promise. determined the waverers at once
and set the colOnists in a flame. After
the struggle had begun and the fortunes
Of war was going against the disheartened
rebels, came that wonderfully inspir-
ing tract 10 the soldiers, called ''The
Crisis" written by Private Paine by the
light of Washington's camp fires. and be-
ginning with the memorable phrase:
These are the times that try mems
souls. His words were a flaming torch
that illumed the way OF the colonists from
bondage and black despair 10 the glorious
sunlight of freedom
Thomas Paine was not an atheist He
believed in God Iie was what is known
as deist-that k to say. an unbelever
In revealed religion or supernatural reye-
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02

Calls School Row a Disgrace.

Editor The Washington Herald:
In The Washington Herald OF the 26th
instant Gen. Gallinger is reported as say
ing that THE controversy between the
superintendent Of schools and the board Of
education is a disgrace to the city" and
again. that he knows Of no other city in
the United States where such a thing
could happen"
Does he know OF any other city. village.
or even country district in the United
States or elsewhere, in which the parents
and the citizens generally have been de-
prived Of any voice in, or control of the
management Of their schools. or the selec-
ton OF those whose duty il is to manage
and control them?
II he does. I should like 10 have him
tell us where. as possibly we might obtain
some information that would prevent the
occurrence of such disgracefUl conduct
Inasmush as this "disgracefuT' affair
is the direct result of the action OF Con-
gress in depriving the citizens generally
and the District officials, OF all voice in
the matter. it would naturally seem that
whatever disgrace there is rests upon
Congress and not upon the citizens who
compose the city.
When We had a board of trustees repre-
senting all sections of the District. and a
resident superintendent We never had
any such disgraceful affairs or trouble,
and our schools were as well. II not bet
ter managed than at present.
W C. DODGE
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Is Against Vaccination.
- The Washington Herald

toitQI Inc washington Herald.
They that are whole need not a ply
sician: but they that are sick" What
man will undertake to contradict that
statement?
Why viii intelligent parents or ply
sicians make child sick by vaccination
in futile effort to protect him from a
disease which there are very slim chances
OF his having any way. and II possibly
gotten. recovery therefrom under proper
treatment. is perfect?
The artihcially produced diseased-vac-
cination-is absolutely unknown as 10 its
results until tried. It kills more people
than smallpox. DR.. Kittredge. in answer
ing Mr.. Watts. says I'm a case of lOckjaw
vaccination was not scientifically" per-
formed,
Is the introduction Of diseased animal
matter into the circulation of a healthy
child Scientific" performance? Is il
not according TO the latest knowledge Of
sanitary science and aseptic surgery to
strive 10 keep all virulent infective prod
ucts out OF a cut or wound instead Of
deliberately introducing them? The peO-
pie OF Niagara Falls, ~ Y, through the
enlightenment Of the press. by DR.. j. ".
Hodge. Of that city. have done away with
this splendidly scientific" CD perform
ance OF blood poisoning.
HARRY b BRADFORD.
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02

financial fabric stands on their shoul-
ders. and they have had 10 take meas
ures accordingly. As il is. they have
sent West in the last six weeks hun
dred million dollars. ana have allowed
many Western institutions 20 build up
their reserves TO absolutely abnormal
and unnecessary figures. Let il be said
on this point. finally. that il lenders Of
money generally had adopted the same
principle that the great banks in New
York. Chicago. Boston. and similar places
did during the troubles that have now
happily passed. these difficulties would BY
no means have been as severe as they
were. The wise. proper. and safe atti-
tude for banking institutions TO maintain
under such circumstances is to lend
money freely 70 those who ought 70 re-
ceive Il. exacting therefor a high rate Of
interest for the accommodation.
10 is Tor just such cases Of emergency
that bank sUTpluseS and reserves exist:
and the business failures and disasters
OF commercial panics are usually caused
by the inability OF perfectly solvent firms
and individuals 20 get money If credit
were extended 10 them on such basis
that as soon as the time OF trial passed
the money lent would be quickly repaid
the panic would be short lived older
financial communities than our own have
already learned this lesson. and the re-
suit Of the present affair has disclosed
that we, TOO. are impressed with It in Il
greater degree than were the people OF
an earlier generation.
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Praise for Y. M. C. A

Editor The Washington Herald:
At the recent =. NJ c. A. convention
the following statements were made indi-
eating the function Of that institution in
the world
The modern young mems crusade has
no organized connection with either
church or state. Its purpose is to help
young men to be better in body. mind. and
soul. Frederic J. Kaskin.
The Y. NJ. c. A. knows no creed. but
Is the great mingling Of men Of all re-
ligiOns Rev. Charles Cuthbert Hall.
The position of the Y. N. c. a. is in
vulnerable Judge Seldom p. Spencer.
The highest and paramount interest of
the Y. NJ. c. A. is in supplementing the
work of the church in the work OF reach
ing the hearts OF men; and. my Friends
there would be no such movement as this
Young Mems Christian Association move
ment IL IL were not for the religious pur-
pose that IS back Of H. Take away from
the association the zeal Of Christians. and
you would have no organization reaching
odt to all parts of the world II is the
religious sentiment back OF II that gives
its strength. William Jennings Bryan.
We see the seed sGwn by John the
Baptist bearing fruit in the parable of
lhe ten virgins. halI OF whom were wise
and half OF whom were foolish. The word
virgin" is used in the Bible in the mascu-
line. as seen in Rev. xiv:4 John the
Baptist. when a young man. left his
father and mother. and went out into the
wilderness, whore he practlced true re-
ligiOn on his own account The \. NJ. c
A Is company OF young men who have
gone out from their homes. John discard
ed the uniform of the church. The Y. NJ.
{. A. officials have put away the uniform
Of the clergy
Jesus said OF John, "a greater hath not
been born OF woman" and he is more
than prophet a greater institution has
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Where Is the Soull

Editor The Washington Herald
In your issue Of November appeared
tive 7eteworthy letters. by Mr.. Elias
Anger and Mr.. J. V. n. Berry. The dull
Get. melHfuous language of the latter
voices in exquisite paragraphs the ques-
tiOn that continues 10 ring throughout
the ages concerning the mystery Of life.
and you have well made its headline
read. Where is the Soul?''
Since The Washington Herald asks.
What do you think about it, my re-
ply is that the difficulty in comprehendins
what a soul is arises from false theories
and preconceiyed ideas. child can read
lily comprehend the problem. while a
mans mind is bewildered in the attempt
because he has 10 carry into the con-
sideratjon OF an answer his theory a.
immortality. spirituality. soul essen e.
and various other mystifying elements.
The original creation Of man is recorded
in simple. intelligiDle terms which agree
with the conclusions Of science and com
mon sense. and which convince alike the
devout believer and the honest and un-
biased Questioner In Genesis liz we read:
The Lord God formed man OF the dust
Of the ground. and breathed Hebrew.
blew into his nostrils the breath CHebrew.
Wind OF life Hebrew. lives-plural-i. e..
such as is common 10 al living animals).
and man became living soul"
The man did not get soul nor did re
exist as q living being till he became
a soul
Again, 10 make matters doubly sure,
We quote the account Of the sentence OF
death pronounced upon this same creature
Genesis If. Is): In the sweat OF thy
face shalt thou eat bread. till thou return
unto the ground: for out of il vast thou
taken: for dust thou art and unto dust
shalt thou return No intimation here
OF going up 10 bliss or down TO torment.
no separation Of the being addressed as
thou into two or more parts Thou
was formed Of natural elements and
thou at the dissolution OF breath and
body Went out Of existence as he came
into existence.
Furthermore. In verse =. We are plainly
told that he tAdaml must be removed
from the perfect environment in which
he was originally placed. lest he put
forth MS hand and eat of the tree OF
life and live forever As ne was driven
out and never permitted to return. il is a
simple conclusion that he died. as further
recorded, and did not live forever.
THIS definition OF the soul makes the
subject OF hell. hades. sheol. or gehe1na
inteligole and harmonious with the low
ing and wise character OF the great Gre
ator, and We are indebted 70 the letter
OF Dir. Auger, already mentioned. for the
difference of meaning and usage OF the
various terms Various questions WILL
however, arise in your mind in relation 10
the foregoing suggestions Of mine. which
your space is too valuable 20 occupy I'm
answering. But 1t viii give the writer
pleasure 10 mail upon request a little
pamphlet entitled What Is the Soul" in
which the questions are fully answered
ELIOT H. THOMSON.
~ MiIIrr1 streaf r,nrti..rnst
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Defense Of Knoxville. Tenn.

Edi'cr The Washington Herald
The Washington HeraId's witty para
grapher sometimes sacrifices facts on the
altar of fun. it seems. Tuesday he made
many yanti-prohibition brethren smile by the
announcement that Sixty citizens Of
Knoxville. Tenn had already. during the
something like sixty days prohibition had
been in operation, been hailed before the
grand jury TO tell where they secured
their liquid refreshments. Evidently
Knoxville's new-fangled prohibition Jaw
doesn't differ from the old article"
Now. to begin with. the town hasn't
been dry sixty. or even thirty DAYS The
saloons went out October q, and not
withstanding the fact that every drunkard
and drinker in tow laid in a good sup
ply (at bargain counter prices) in antici-
patton Of the coming drought, there have
been less than score of local men fined
since November I. as against nearly three
score during the week ending October 81
The very witty writer should use facts
for his witticisms. It might cause him
70 smile on the other side Of his face
some times when iibing the temperance
cause
KnONville's plan is no new-fangled one.
It's just the plain old plan 10 drive whis-
ky and whisky men out of power, to
pat decent men in charge Of affairs. and
20 see that boys and girls are not sur
rounded with temptations and evil in
fiuences A few years ago the papers
there made witty remarks about the tenn
perance cause. always in terms of de-
risiOn, just as The Washington Herald
sometimes seems inclined TO do. Now
they take the lead in the work OF reform.
The Washington Herald, let me predict,
viii before long find it desirable to take
a stand for decency also.
GEORGE r. SHIELDS.
fesr Corcorao street
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Sticks to His Guns.

Editor The Washington Herald:
II TO Dr. Kitredge's chirography can
be attributed the error in setting up his
letter in type. there should be no occa-
sion for censure If a portion of his article
was unintentionaliy misconstrued.
To one who is not given to thermal ex-
halations." no possible excuse can exist
for a modification of opinions As Or.
Kittredge has graciously extended to me
the rare privilege Of another think, q"
1 desire to say in my reply that. unlike
the doctor, 1 shall not In any way modify
my original assertion: Vaccination is a
barbarous. uncalled-fCr practice. and its
evil effects were pathetically typified in
the lockjaw case cited by me-
To the irritation OF about 20 Der cent
Of the medical profession only, some un-
pleasant and statistical truths against the
obnoxious practice of vaccination have
been brought TO the surface. | shall
therefore ask the general public 10 Judge
of the merits Of this controversy from
the evidence that has already been pre-
sented.
n va Ar-T~.
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Urges City Beautiful.

Editor The Washington Herald
The agitation now on for the buying
by the government Of all the land south
of the Avenue and north Of the Mall. and
located between the Capitol and the
Treasury buildings and the agitation
over the selection Of site for the Grant
statue leaves me with desire 10 ex-
press myself on this question. as ii has
"a great bearing on the Washington beau
tiful now being advocated ali over the
couno4y
First OF all, in my opinion. as an archi-
tect, with artistic leanings. l should say
that nothing should be done TO carry out
this movement any farther than has been
done until plan has been evolved in
accordance with which all lines Of work
should be done. Any undue haste may
harm instead Of benefit the movement
FOR the beautIfying Of the Capital City
In carrying out this work a commission
should be appointed, whose authority in
al things beautiful and where taste and
discrimination would be required, would
be unquestioned and yet in accord with
our popular scheme Of government and
with American characteristics as well.
In fact. the scheme should be American
in its conception as well as in execution.
typical of our Country's rank in the polite
arts OF its place in history. and of the
institutions which have become typical
OF our advancement in art. science and
industry.
With the development of the country
have been fostered great institutions of
art architecture. engineering. and his
tory. who. by their example and teach
ing. have helped 10 form our taste in
these matters. so that as a recognition
for services rendered the whole country
they should be consulted before any de-
cision in the plan for Washington beau
tiful have been rendered.
The person who chips piece of marble
from the face Of the monument is a
vanda1, as is also the person who. be-
cause Of temporary authority. sets his
signature 10 an act destroying certain
landmarks OF historical significance, with
out due consideration before the act is
accomplished
So that delegates should be appointed.
after u selection by their contemporaries
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
Prayer.
Editor The Washington Herald

Editor The Washington Herald:
Prayer Is universal It is a natural in
stinct, peculiar to no cline. age. or race.
No matter how limited the understanding
Of, or belief In. Deity man prays. He
may deny the fact. yet when he is forced
TO recognize his limitations. is face 10
face with a dire necessity. his inner
higher self cannot be held back longer.
Man must OF necessity pray-some time
somehow. The how is the important
thing. One prays only when keen anguish
shows his helplessness. and then only out
OF the fear of his coward conscience he
voices petition TO the omnipotent.
Mans prayers cannot change Gods will
but his earnest, sincere prayers serve to
bring him IN harmony with the divine
laws. Unless we pray that We be brought
into harmony with the VIII Of the Deity
and yield ourselves 10 the influences ena-
mating tkerefrOm. we then suppose him a
capricious a mutable being and even
though We pray, believing. and err or sin.
We must pay the penalty for our errors OF
judgment for our sins of transgressfon.
J. y. y. BERRY.
2J0l Pennsylvania avenue northwest
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
LONDON'S RAPID GROWTH.
Population of City Estimated at Six
teen Million by 1860.

London, Dec. lon account Of the rap
IDLY Increasing population Of London the
metropolitan water board is looking far
into the future for its supply OF water.
F1fty-fve per cent Of the water now used
In London comes from the Thames. about
20 per cent from the Lea. and something
under 30 per cent is pumped from wells
In the opinion OF the board Il will not
be practicable to go further I'D the
Thames to secure water for future popu-
lauons- The alternative is TO build an
enormous reservoir where the Thames
enters the city, where the polluted water
may be stored for weeks, and thus. by a
process OF filtration. become innocuous.
This reservoir, 1t is said. must contain
more water than the cubic space Of the
interior Of st. PaUl's Cathedral. In reach
ing this estimate the water board has
calculated that BY 1916 the population of
London viii be 100000. and by 1860.
16,0cG.O00
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02

lation TO a special few. It is strange that
some people cannot or will not differ
entiate deism from atheism, which latter
term defines a relatively inhnitesimal
number of the human race, and which
has not the remotest application 10
Thomas Paine.
The long and short of it was Paine
was a hereto Of the most pronounced
kind. and had he lived in the time of
John Calvin and other pyromaniacs, he
would most assuredly have been burned
at the stake. His religious views were
identical with those Of his illustrious
friends. Franklin and jefferson.
Washington EVERETT SPRING
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02
LockiaW and Vaccination.
ditoF The washington Herald

Editor The Washington Herald
For the sake of truth and contrast 9"
quoting Mr. William o. Watts. lit will
prove interesting to reincorporate in the
columns of The Washington Herald an
extract from a public letter which ap-
peared in the issue of your
paper - for Monday. November -:
Lockaw or tetanus is caused by the tetanus
bacillus. II a yaccinated child died o. tetanus. 1t
had been infected with that germ. II the germ was
contained IN the vaccine the latter was not scien-
tihcaliy prepared" II the germ was on the ehids
Ie-Son. and net removed or destroyed 10y the
Hsccinating physician. II Il was introduced into
the wound by tho physician. the nurse. the child
itself. or by else. either during subse-
duent 10 the operation Of vaccination. then the
cine was not scientifically used.
scientific principle is thing; criminal carelessnes
IN its application Quite another.
So much for 'relncorporating The in
corporating-aIl FOR the sake of truth
and contrast 10 include part of "A
letter from Stamford. Conn. where a
boy recently died of lockjaw following
vaccination-"the consequence accord
ing TO Mr.. Watts. 'of a barbarous act on
the part of some jealous but misguided
medical practitioner:
The boz died Of lockaW caused by infection
through a vaccination wound. He vaccnated
lnfte Ntehs DeloIe not pg pn1slclan pdL by some
friends Of the family. who had seen other children
vaccinated and. consequently knew all about i.. he
took absolutely antiseptic precautions. and sim
ply tied an old rag about the fresh wound and let
the child run out in the dirt 90 play. The ann
also badly infected.
The letter from which the preceding
passage is taken was received by me
three days after writing and mailing the
one which / quote from your issue OF
November %.
Truth" says Ingersoli. is the intel
lectual wealth of the world" Let US all
strive 70 be wealthy.
HERMAN E. KITTREDGE
The Washington herald., 1907-12-02

in session, from the various institutes.
as those named above to meet in general
congress and there serious consider the
plan Of how Washington can be beauti-
fed in a way typically American, and in
accordance with art education and taste.
They could be from all parts of the
country. and be the product Of our en-
vironments and our institutions. so that
the plan for Washington would prove
;ypically American and acceptable to all.
WILLIAM T. DAVIS.