davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
FUTURE OF THE RAILROADS.

ID. +. hoakuHl, Chairman OF lle I'm
ecutive Committee of the Rock Island
Frisco system, does not share the views
of his fellow-financiers as TO the gloomy
future Of the railroads He says:
This country is too big anti too pow
erful Ia be ruined. 1t is bound to grow
bigger and stronger, and the railways
will grow with it. The anti-railway
agitation to-day will retard, but not
stop. the development and improve
ment of the roads"
This is absolutely true. No one has
the slightest idea of destroying the rail-
roads or seriously impairing their de-
velopment. All that anyone wants is
that railroad building and management
shall be subjected to the ordinary busi-
ness rules and secure such fair profits
as characterize other lines of business
1t is the wild kitefying and the inor-
dinate greed of some railway men and
bankers that is exciting the anger OF
the people. Every man expects that
every other man who ventures his
money in business should be allowed
fair return for the use of his capital
and for the risks that he may run in
an enterprise. The railroads are a ne
cessity for the people. and 1t is desir-
able that they shall be extended until
every portion of the country has the
best of transportation facilities. Be
cause a man builds railroad he has
no more right to expect to at once in
crease his property 10-fold than an
other man has who establishes gone
other industry or factory that the com
munity needs. For example, some
community may very badly need a.
blacksmith shop, and they are quite
content that any blacksmith who viii
locate there shall make higher charges
for term of years than blacksmiths
elsewhere are charging. But If that
blacksmith should secure monopoly
of all the smithing done in the neigh
borhood, then capitalize his shop at
four or five times It's yalue. next double
the stock again upon some prctext, and
then insist that the people should pay
him enough to make big annual divi-
dends upon all this water. the people
would nave right to object. They
would not abolish the blacksmith shop
by any means, but would insist upon
squeezing the water out and bringing
the blacksmith back To something like
the same profits that the carpenters,
masons and other mechanics were sat
isfied with.
From a strictly economic point Of
view, the railroads are no different
from the blacksmith shop. They are
public facilities and very much needed
ones, and the men who put their money
into them should receive an ample re-
turn for the use of their capital and
for the risk that they may run in es-
lematical whether it will pay. Tho
railroad managers have not been con-
tent, however, with getting returns up
on three or four times the capital that
they actually invested, but they havel
insisted upon constantly loading the
railroads down with floods of watered
stock, upon which they expect the
community to pay dividends. The leg
islation now urged will stop this un-
healthy and even criminal initiation, and
bring the railroad business down to
something like the same lines that gov
ern all other forms of business, which
is all that is desired.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

We wait with much interest the re-
suits Of the Utah experiment of loaning
convicts to dental students to operate
upon. There is something peculiarly
attractive in thinking about man who
has beaten his wife, or starved his chill
dren, taking the money that should
have bought their food. for rum, or
Some cashier who has speculated with
and lost the savings of the poor, being
bound down in a dentists chair while
some clumsy dental apprentice learns
quarry out great blocks TO put in q
filing
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

40 matter what the result Of the
Brownsville investigation, the negro
soldiers called as witnesses made the
best impression upon everybody in
Washington. They We're dignified, sol
dier-like. respectful of themselves and
everybody else They anwered every
question put to them directly and fully
without wandering beyond the limits OF
the question. They bore up well under
the severe cross-examination, nevel
losing their temper, or their respect for
the Senator'S. and when told that they
had not said something in their pre-
vious examination, replied quietly
That was not asked me- So far a
they are concerned it appears clear that
the battalion was made up Of good ma.
tc4.ial. and under the best discipline.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
TIE PENSION AGENCIES.

There was q long and stubborn
disagreement between the two Houses
over the abolition of all the Pension
Agencies except the one at Washington
This provision had passed the House of
Representa- tives, but the Senate desired
to retain the agencies as they are. and
particularly after the passage of the
McCumber bill, which would throw
such a great increase of work upon the
Pension Agencies as they now stand
were absolutely necessary to help the
Pension Bureau carry out the proyis-
ions CT the new law. After two or
three disagreements the Conference
Committee finally adopted the follow
ing provision, which was at once adop-
ted by both Houses, and consequently
the Pension Agencies Will for the time
being stand as at present:
provided, That the Secretary of the
Interior shall make inquiry and report
to Congress at the beginning of its next
regular session the effect of q reduc-
ton of the present pension agencies to
one such agency upon the economic ex-
ecution of the pension laws, the prompt,
'hisiSht poS ~ pShSicheiS, anu tt'c
inconvenience to pensioners, If any,
which would result from such reduction.
This provision shall not be construed
as interfering with or limiting the right
or power of the President i'll existing
law In respect to reduction Or consoli-
dation Of existing pension agencies"
And the Senate agree to the same.
P. J. McCumber,
n. B. Scott,
Jas P. Taliaferro,
Managers on the part of the Senate.
Washington Gardner,
w. p. Brownlow,
John A. Sullivan (disssnting),
Managers on the part OF the House.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

most important question is raised
by the suit of Alexander Lock. of Rich
Hill. Mo, against the Missouri Pacific
Railroad He claims s423.79 damages
for the failure of the road 10 furnish
him three cars in which TO ship some
cattle. On the face Of it, IL would seem
as if he has right TO damages The
railroad has secured great privileges on
the ground of serving the public. Log
ically If it fails to render that service
: It is liable for damages. Furnishing
cars to shippers is an essential part of
its service. Failure TO do this within
a just and reasonable time is just as
bad as not furnishing them al all.
Prima facie, Mr.. Lock has good case,
and the courts decision Will have far
reaching interest.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

No wonder that the people of the
Northwest are hot against the railways
and the lumber trust. Taking advan-
tage of the troubles over car shortage,
the lumber trust has added 81 Il thou
sand to the already high price charged
for lumber. which greatly increases the
hardships of farmers in providing them
selves with homes and buildings.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

Mrs. Stonewall Jackson will receive
from the Government a pension OF $50
a month on account of her husbands
services in the Mexican War. ii is 4
special act. and was hung up in the
House pGtil little pressure from the
President promoted its passage.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

Prof Charles Augustus Briggs man
ages to keep himself in the light spot.
He is now advocating 'ConstitGtionai
Papacy," and the reorganization of the
Roman Catholic Church on the lines
that have worked so well in political
institutions. He would have the whole
Christian Church rebuilt on the model
OF the United States Government.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

Hon. Hoke Smiths success in being
elected Governor of Georgia brings him
the usual fate of a boom for the Presi-
dency. Georgia has never had a Pres
idcnt, and would dearly like one. We
risk nothing of our reputation as po-
litical prophet when We say that il
nominated he would receive mighty few
votes from the Union veterans.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

1t IS astonishing to learn that more
than 1000 japanese are employed i'll
orr Navy Yards. IL there are any Sc
crets about our shipbuilding and arma-
the world.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

In the struggle which is going on for
ty accumulated under the name Of Mrs.
Eddy from the Christian Scientists, our
view is as impartial as that of the old
woman in the fight between the bear
and her husband. 1t will be remem-
bered that she stood back, waved her
band; go it. bear With Mrs. Eddy as
figure-head a crowd of shrewd fell
lows have gathered in a great harvest
of shekels from the believers in Mrs.
Eddy and Christian Science They have
most cunningly worked their racket to
their own enrichment. Undoubtedly
Mrs Eddy for several years has been
suffering from senility of body and
mind, with complication of diseases
which have untitled her for being any
thing more than the merest figure.
head. In a way, the men who have
been successfully playing the game arc
entitled to the money that has been
On the other hand, Mrs. Ed
dy's son, who has had no part or lot in
the game, and has lived far from her
during all this time, now comes for
ward and asserts his rights as her son
and heir. In law he probably has q
good claim on these grounds, but the
syndicate behind Mrs Eddy are not
going to relinquish the money without
a hard fight. We are rather Indifferent
as to the result.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07

The London Punch has exclusive in
formation that the United States Gov
ernnent is projecting battieships OF
such size that it Will he necessary to
enlarge the Atlantic.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
NEW JERSEY AND THE VETERANS.

A bill Is now before the New Jersey
Legislature to pay $72 per year to every
soldier of New Jersey who served in the
war OF the rebellion; the payment to be
made in equal quarterly payments dur
ing lifetime. The bill was introduced
by Senator Hand, and is under consid-
Grafton by the Committee on Militia.
New Jersey veterans claim that New
Jersey has really done more for her
veterans than any other State. She
paid all those who were in service dur
for married men and 81 for single men.
Camden, n. j., gives to the family Of
every soldier who dies in the city $50
for funeral expenses.
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
LAW BLANK APPLICA-
TIONS

For the convenience of those who
wish blank forms of application under
the act of Feb. 6, 1907 (McCumber
Service Pension law), The National
Tribune has printed such blanks. We
will furnish these blanks at the follow
The National tribune., 1907-03-07
WASHINGTON, d. G, MARCH :, 1907

omc-: SO Thirteenth street n. W.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

chance OF SO clever a superintendent
for the mine at Cloetedorp or elated
"a British nobleman;" which Is not
precisely our English idea Of o colonial
knighthood.
Three days later, accordingly the
We were bound on an expedition up
the lake ourselves, when the pretty
little woman burst in with dash to
,charmIngly got up in the neatest and
completest OF American travelling
dresses. Charles held her hand effec-
tlonately. -,
have done my best to secure your hus-
bandit
You couldn't have tried harder lslea than ! an
did little woman nuita
thetic: "for I Just hate to be buried
right down there In Kentucky! How
ever. Elihu Is the sort Of man wo %.
We've ,!'sV go got to put UP Win him And
appeared forever. Charles was discon-
ISOLATE all that day. Next ,morn1I!ng he
setting out for the8West on his tour
revelinRrin Colorado silver odes.
bs oYr aVen
Simpson with him. and then we pre-
pared to set out by the morning train
Up Til almost the last moment
rs the cha ggnge smashers'$ were TAX
ing down our luggage, and q cham
in aearch6of a tip, he laid 1t down for
a second or two on the centre table
While he collected his other immediate
s''i He copldn,t# find his 81 garetta case
land went back to the bedroom for 1t
i helped him hunt; but II had dlsap.
ipenred mysterl ousl That moment
lost him When we he'd tound th,tst,,Glg g.
lroonl--lo and behold! the d dispatch boz
Twas nlissing! Charles auest ned \ hs
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

The dispatch box. always covered
with leather. case bore on Its inner 81
lid the name Sir Charles. Vandrift. Is
orthodox white letters. This was a
Priceless documents; he had given a
false name, and he had rendered the
or not he recovered his stolen proper,
US Porter. and now claimed" as Van
drift. the manager limited IN pretty ),
whether there had ever been a dispatch
box in the matter at all. or whether,
IT there were one. 1t had ever contain
ed any valuable Documents .Slaishei morn,nr
Charles went round the hotel, question
ing everybody as to whether they had
seen his dispatch box. Most of the
p PERSONA impatation; one fiery Slr.
ginian,, indeed. wanted to settle tho
point then and there with a stx,shooter
Charles telegraphed to New York TIC
being negotlated but his brokers tele:
graphed back that. though they had
stopped the numbers as far as posi-
BILE, they did So with reluetnnce, as
Xandrift being now in the country
Charles declared helwouldn't leave the
hotel 4 till he recovered his property
and, for myself. + was inclined to sup
pose We sWOulQ nave To- .relllHlHl StHeVe
accordlngly. for the term Of A our nat,
That hight again Ne spent at the
IsI4akeside Hotel,'' In the small hours
of the morntng,aas ! lay awake Inc
meditated. thought broke across me
rushed into my brother-in-law' bed
room, 8ss 4 s S 88.
saGharles, Charles exclaimed, 3.'w.
have taken u 30 much for granted once
more. Perhaps gElihuiCeuaekenbosS car
|ried Off your d spatch box.
l,jstYou fool" Charles answered In HI
most unamiable manner Che applies
l.that word to me with increasing fire
lime un fog2's Way the teuackenbosse
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

fhH pus mse Il s W tY on sh9 IN the Dumps
his dignity was offended.
''If you wanted to know" he said,
Assault and battery IS not the r,gh.
way to test whether a citizens hair
is primitive or acquired.
ut was an impulse" Charles plead
ed Sn nstn man ' restrans h,s i'm.
pulses" the doctor answered. you
have lived too long in South Africa,
Mr.. Porter mean Sir Charles Van
spa has s rSn5 sppea to to
imbibed the habits and manners OF the
Kaffirs you lived among"
For the next two days. Will really
than I could have believed 1t possible
for him to be on somebody else's &C
count. He positively groveled. The
fact was. he saw he had hurt Dr. y:
Quackenbosss feelings, andLmuch l. s +,
at It. II the doctor would have ac-
cepted thousand pounds down to
shake hands at once. and forget the In
cident.in my opinion Charles woulo
Indeed. he said as. much In other
words to the pretty American..for he
could not insult her by Offering her
t best 10 make It up. for she was .
rouguishness: but Elihu stood aloof
Charles urged him still to go out &c
South Africa. increasing his bait tc
two thousand year; yet the doctor
no, no." he said IT had half de-
cided to accept your offer-till that
unfortunate Impulse: but that settled
the question. an American clti.
zen. decline to become the represent
tative OF a British nobleman who takes
such means OF Investigating questions
which affect the hair and happiness OF
his fellow creatures.
I don't know whether Charles was
most disappointed at missing the
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29
THE VINES .D1sPAcH RICHMOND VA SUNDAY DECEMBER 29 1907

servants, but none Of them had a., noticed I,
trace OF 1t anywhere.
ala. laid It d syas here ,i Just w yns
not tiff fS9lrt a1;;pn - t,ne. : .o,d
"EverythIng turns up in the end-in-
GLIDING Mrs. Qunckenbosss nose"
Seymour. said my brother in-law,
10 To- say the truth. Charles Was beside
himself with anger. He took the ele-
vntor down to the bureau" as they
call It, and complained to the manag e,
err, smiled as he remarked In non.
chalant way that guests with valuables
were required to leave them In charge
were locked up in the safe and duly
returned to the depositor on leaving.
Charles declared somewhat excitedly
leave the hotel till the dispatch box
was discovered. The manager. quite
cool and obtrusively picking his teeth
possible in hotel OF the European
guests or SO. but that an American
could not undertake such quixotic
quest on behalf OF a single foreign
complainant. .
Charles to the quick. No Englishman
can admit that he Is anywhere for
eigner. DO you know who ! am; slr?"
Vandrift. OF London-a member OF the
English Parliament"
"You may be the Prince OF Wales"
the man answered, "for all I care.
/. You'll get the same treatment as any
one else in America. But II you're Sir
Charles Vandrlft," he went on, exam
ming his books. how does It come
you've registered as Mr.. Peter Porter"
Charles grew red with embarrass-
ment. The difficulty deepened.
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29
which my faculties may not. perhaps
equally adapt me.n

which my, faculties may not. perhaps.
equally adapt me-"
Ii ("How thoroughly American!" MUIR
INJURED, in the background.)
Charles insisted; all In vain, MIS-.
Quackenboss was impressed. but the
doctor smiled sphinx-like smile. and
Of mid stream as an ideal place for
swapping horses. The more he de-
clined, and the better heRtalked. the
more eager Charles became each day
to draw him on. the doctor each day
gave more and more surprising proofs
Of his practical abilities. 7
!, T am not specialist" he sad. ~
kernel, and let the rest Slide"
He could do anything. 1t really Seems
ed. from 'shoeing a mule to conducting
2 camp y 8 s was cap y =
Judge Of horseflesh. firat-class
euchre player and a pleasing baris
tone. When occasion demanded ne
ed q corkscrew which brought him q
small revenue; and he was now en-
gagged in the translation OF a Polish
work on the S"Appli cation Of Hydro
Still we reached New York with
as ss' sx!ns 81 s.; IL cans
bld at the duay Wise
upon his features. Charles. clutched
the dispatch box with one hand, and
Mrs. Quaekenboss's little palm With
| the other. as
'Don't tell us" he said. 4, "tl}is Is
good-by forever! And his voice quite
II guess So, Mr.. Porter" the pretty
American replied, with a4telling glance,
sWhat hotel do you Gpntronize?'.
1.-The Murray Fl Ill !" Charles re-
1p"oh, my. amt that Cd d ?,,'.s irs. Quack-
enbossS cchoed The Murray Hill!'
Why: that's Just where re going
to-. Eli hu!" ss N 81
Charles a persuade ed them, before re-
turning to Kentucky. - q vers SO for
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

wonder. The hair looked too thick
and close for nature. It ended abrupt
~ the a9M Sor ssms0e Gould th this Stop M
wig? It seemed very probable.
Even as thought that thought,
Charles ap2earsd to form SHdden a an
lightning swoop he seized the doctors
hair in his powerful hand. and tried
to lift It off bodily. He had made ! 9
u u : Ia . LOUD q ana It Terrified howl 81
and ali, came out Of his scalp in
Charles's hand. leaving few drops OF
place they were torn from. There was
no doubt at all 1t was not a wig but
the Kentuckian's natural hirsute COW
ering,
less to describe. My pen Is unequal to
1t. The doctor arose, not so much
anger as astonished. white and In
'.What did you do that for. any
way 3" he asked, glaring fiercely at my
brother in-law,
Charles was al ab,eet apology; IL
essan a ~ poffepns exp me MS
able reparation, monetary Or otherwise
Then he revealed his whole , hang y q
\ the endless machinatlons Of a certain
Colonel Clay, q ma hiavelltAn rogue
round rtiu the capitals OF Europe. He de.
scrIbed In graphic detail how the lin,
poster got himselt up with wigs Z, a r
wax 10 as to deceive even those who
Threw himself on DIR, Quackenb b ss't
/ mercy as a man Swho had been cruelty
4 staker, In 40 often that he could MOI hell
lsuspecting lie best OF FsrIn len fal sely
Mrs. a ia ekenho admitted It was nat
|lural to- have suspiclons.
specially, she SAID With candor
{''as. you're IN OF the. first to- observe
y To oriElna ate from his fore lead n" sane
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

though the Qua.kenbosses had left the
Lakeside Hotel on Tuesday, II was
only for the neighboring Washington
day morning, taking the same train
for Saratoga which Charles and I had
intended to go by. Mrs. Quackenboss
carried small brown paper parcel IN
stances, we had little difficulty in
recognizing Charles's dispatch box,
loosely enveloped.
Then knew how 1t was done The
for a tip, was-Mrs. Quackenboss
needed but an apron to transform her
pretty travelling dress into champer-
maids costume; and In any Of 1 those
maid more or less would pass IN the
I'VE will follow them on to sara.
ltoga," Charles cried, Pay the bill at
'"certainiy." answered. ''Will you
4 give me some money.
Charles clapped his hand to his peck
"All, all In the dispatch box" he
That tied us UP another day, til we
agent In il New York; Tor the manager,
|nlready most suspicious at the change
OF name and the accusation OF melt,
peremptorlly refused to accept charles
lIit except "hard money" So we lin-
gered on perforce at Lake George IN
Il ignoble inactlon.
s"Of course" observed to my broth
er-in law that evening", "Elihu Quack-
enhoss was Colonel Clay.
4 5s"I suppose So" Charles murmured
/ reslgnedly. Everybody I meet seems
! to be Colonel Clay NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
i when I believe they are, n which case ,'t'
4 they turn out to be harmless nobodles.
Il hut who would have thought It was
Inc after l pulled his hair out? OF
latter he persisted In his trlck even yer,
Il when suspected hlnl--whtch. he told
II us at Seldon. was gnlnst his first prin-
5Iciples2 ss9 s T.,
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

had lately dismissed one of his chief
superintendents at the Cloetedorp
er 1 or not not he s should offer the post TO
the smart Kentucklan. For my own
part, am inclined to connect this fact
with his expressed determination. TO
am driven to suspect he felt life at
Cloetedorp. would be rendered much
more tolerable by the agreeable socie-
'sds e quaint and amusing American
IF you offer 1t to him" said, "re-
member you must disclose your per-
. Not at all" Charles answered. -, y
interests in South Africa
SO one morning, on deck, as we were
approaching the banks. he. broacned
Ms sshsms sso f hs a9ftaT
he was connected with one OF the big
gest financial concerns In the South
ern Hemisphere. and that he would pay
resent him at the .diggins.
smiling and accentuatlng the tip tilt
ed nose q little more. "oh, Mr.. Por-
Charles Charlie RESPOND pesponded. pounds sterling
you. know. In United States currency.
seven thousand live hundred.
II guess Elthu would Just jump at
IT," Mrs. Quackenboss replied. looking
at him quiZzical1y.
The doctor laughed.
You make good bid. sir" he said
in his slow American way, emphasizing
all the most important words. "but
you overlook one element. I am a
man of science. not SPECTATOR ]
have trained myself for medical. work
at considerable cost, in the best schools
OF Europe. and I do not propose to
fling away the results Of much ardu-
Gus labor by throwing myself out
elastically into a new line OF work for
The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-29

left Lake George on Tuesday morning.
and had the dispatch box in my
own hands on Wednesday.
eve have only their word for IT.
cried. Perhaps they stopped on
and walked off with 1t afterwards"
I'VE Will inquire Tomorrow" Charles
It was worth waking me up for. /
could stake my life on that little wo-
mans integrity"
We did inquire next morning-with