davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Fneouraeing Reports from Panama

President Roosevelt must be greatly
pleased with the highly favorable reports
of Panama Canal affairs brought back by
Congressional and other self-coHstituted
investigators. for these agree in every
way with the Presidents optimistic ac-
count of Isthmian conditions which was
sent to Congress as a special message
last December. Representative Charles
F. Scott. OF Kansas, has written for the
New York Herald an enthusiastic de-
scription Of the canal work, in which
he tells of the confidence felt among those
actually engaged in the great engineering
task that they will be able to complete
it within eight years and at a cost far
less than is generally anticipated
Mr.. Scott notes the atmosphere )f de
preston which prevailed about the Capt
tol during the last session of Congress
respecting the canal project, and the prev
alence of the feeling that the govern
ment had embarked on an enterprise gl-
failing untold expenditures. which might
after all, end in failure. The visit to the
isthmus of the Congressional party has
completely dispeIed all apprehensions
and quieted all misgivings. Mr.. Scott ana
his colleagues were agreeably disappoint-
ed in all they saw They found a we'll
organized force of 5000 men at work.
amid sanitary conditions unsurpassed
even in the most heaIthfu portions OF
the United States, and they discovered
that the Americans on the job were ami
mated with pride in their accomplish
ments and hopeful Of the future. and
that under the leadership Of Chief Engi-
neer Stevens and others very substantial
progress had been made in canal con-
struction. Mr.. Scott agrees with the
President that the sanitation of the 18TH
mus. which under the direction of Col
Gorgas has made it it place to live
in. lay al the foundation OF the whole
enterprise, and has made possible the
building Of the canal
Mr. Scott throws no light upon the rea-
sons for the resignation of Chief Engineer
Stevens. of whose work he speaks in high
praise. but he notes the respect and con-
hdence inspired among the canal en-
ployes by the presence and manner Of
Col. Goethals, who is now on the isthmus
Mr.. Scott thinks there are some reasons
why the detail of Col. Goethals is timely.
Up TO the present. he says the canal
work has been n railroad proposition -
which Mr.. Stevens was peculiarly fitted
to handle. But the time has come for
work on dams and locks. IN which Mr..
Stevens has had no experience. while hts
successor has for years been engaged on
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
DANGER IN STOCK GAMBLE.
Reckless Operations in Wall street
Demoraiizing Worlds Finances.

From tbe NeH York Journal 0f Commerce
The situation to-day renders temperance
in speech and action an imperative duty,
and the sooner the opulent stock market
manipulat0rs Whl, intoxicated with sue
cess, realize that they will not be held
blamelesS if their Vaccinations succeed
the better Will il be for themselves and
for this country. In seheming 10 ruin
each other. our professional stock gam
biers have come perilously near plUnging
thu country into serious trouble. Months
ago il began to be feared by the keenest
intellects that we were approaching an
economic crisis, but the warnings then
given were scoffed at 1t would have been
quite difficult enough to evade disaster
even had every one begun TO set his house
In order yet. instead Of cooperating in
an effort 70 adjust finances and securities
10 Industrial conditions. certain men of
vast power bethought themselves how
they might turn changing natural condi-
tiOns 10 their own prOht by utilizing them
in the Viiihcation Of political enemies in
an endeaycr to wreck the fortunes of
rivals. There was present all the ma
terials necessary for the creation of
panic-a worldwide scarcity Of capital.
travagance, enormous destruction by
earthquake. war, fire. and food. inherent
rOttenuess in corporate management. and,
lastly. social distrust and unrest With
ont a thought as 10 the consequences to
aught but their purpose and their competi-
tors, certain milliOnaires conceived the
idea Of precipitating disaster. They have
succeeded probably beyond their widest
dreams. Yet even now they are not satis-
fed. The millions already won and the
injury already wreaked upon their enc
mics have bat spurred them on TO boider
action.
Il is time 20 eaii a halt The money
markets OF the world have been demoral-
lied. American securities and American
credit have been brought into disrepute.
British consOls have been injured In
vest0rs everywhere have been thrown into
a state OF alarm. Two billions have been
written of the market value of American
stocks (nct altogether a regrettable fact,
II must be confessed. and unless the un-
scrupulOus bear operators cease their on
slaught ruin must overtake many people
both here and abroad. The assassination
OF credit has gone quite far enough A
little prelongation OF this months finan-
eiai war and 1t is conceivable that distrust
may spread to bank depositors Eastern
peoples bury their treasures when trouble
threatens Shattered faith is not easily
restored. The powerful banking institu-
tions who have facilitated the attack upon
securities would do well 10 ponder possible
developments.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Our stay in Cuba.

From the Louisville Courier-J Journal
The prospect of our getting out of Cuba
speedily is not good by any means. We
have incurred two sorts OF obligations to
this island. We interviewed to put an end
to Spanish rule with declaration that
We were not aetuated by an purposes OF
lf-aggrandizement. We forced the Plat
amendment into the Cuban constitution.
and thereby acquired the right 10 inter
vene for certain purposes Those pur-
poses led to our Intervention. and they
have not been accomplished nor is their
accomplishment in sight. When there is
an assurance Of an orderly government
such as we are pledged to maintain We
may withdraw, but when are we likely To
get such an assurance Shall we ever
get il? The probability of it seems re-
mote.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
ponulation and Farm Tennntrr.

According to the latest estimate of the
Bureau of Statistics. the population Of the
United States is approximately eighty
four millions, an increase Of about mill
lion and a half over the estimate for
1905. The twelfth census. taken in 1900
showed the country's total population TO
be a little more than 76,O00,0)0. Thus, in
SIX years We have added more than tWice
as many TO our total citizenship as COM
posed the population of the thirteen orig
inai States. At the beginning of the
civil war the country's population was a
little more than 100000, and, strange 10
relate. the census figures at the close of
that protracted and bloody struggle
showed a marked increase OF population
In his first annual message to Congress,
in 1861, Abraham Lincoln solemnly pre-
dicted that there were then living among
us" persons who would see 80 600 900
free and happy people residing in the
United States. Toward the close of his
administration Mr.. Lincoln submitted es-
Inmates to prove that by 1900 our popu-
lation would be 103.000 900. At the present
ratio of increase there are certainly not
even now living among US persons who
will see 250000,O00 free and happy peo-
pie" domiciled in the United States, nor
win there be the major portion of the
present generation alive when Mr. Lin
coins estimate for 1900 shall be realized.
We are nearly eo,0O0OO0 short of the figure
he set in 1864 or 1865 for 1890.
II is an interesting fact that the ratio
of increase to population has been main
tanned at a pretty steady figure for
nearly a century of our growth. In other
words. the percentage Of gain is about
the same to-day that it was when the
cOunTys population was less than % %
eoo.0o0. Probably the only significant
change in population growth is that the
urban population is growing faster than
the rural. The total estimated population
OF municipalities of $500 or more inhabl-
tants for 1896 is in the neighborhood of
s9,000.00o, an increase over that of 1900
OF nearly A000.000 or something over Is per
cent. while the increase in the rural
population in the same time was only
q little more than s per cent. More sig
nificaHt stili is the revelation that there
reside at present in eighty-eight cities
having population of 5000 or more
nearly 2000o,0o0 people. or approximately
. per cent of the country's total popula-
ton. while in New York City alone about
3 per cent of the countrys whole citizen
ship Is massed.
Whether or not this marked trend of
population toward the cities is healthy
sign may be a mere matter of pessinlls-
tic conjecture. But when statistics upon
another important topic show that farm
teHantry in ali parts Of the United States
is increasing az rapid rate. 1t seems
about time for somebody to look into
these two conditions with the view OF
discovering If they are logically related.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
The RAKE.

You may talk about your muck rakes ana
such implements as that,
But they really can't be IN it with the
sort of rake they use
When they loot public treasury. and
with the loot stand pat,
And when told 20 answer questions on
the method just refuse,
Oh, give man a treasury, and a chance
10 rake the same,
He'll sit up nights a-working to the
limit OF his bent
And when he's done the ralSing he Will
feel a flush OF shame
II he's let slip through his raking tool
"a single copper cent
II is pretty scandal. but the rakers have
the stuff;
There seems no way at present to get
any OF il back
The people they are sorry aud inclined TO
cut up rough,
They are full Of indignation, but they
hold an empty sack.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Control Of Public utIlities.

In answer to d request for MS views on
Gov Hughes public-utilities bin, Attor-
ncy General Jackson. Of New York, in a
letter TO Assemblyman Glynn. Of Roches-
Ter insists chat it is unconstitutional.
The measure seems obnoxious 10 him be
cause. among other things, 1t violates the
principle of municipal home rule and
would divest the office of the attorney
general of duties and powers conferred
by the State constitution.
He thinks such bill should provide for
"a single State commits sion, which should
be elected by the people rather than be ap-
pointed by the governor. and the appoint
ment of "a separate commission for New
York City he considers especially oblec-
tionable. He asserts that the continuance
of the present appointive system is
fraught with 'magnified possibilities of
the misuse of power and the perversion
and suppression Of the popular will,
placing in the hands of appoiutive officers
administrative, legislative, and judicial
powers and functions that should only be
exercised by officers elected by and di-
iectly responsible to the people" As re-
ported in the New York sun, he con-
tinues:
Experience Is complete Justification Tor the tesl
that il this BIN IN its present form becomes law
the appointye commissions which 1t creates and
endovs with unprecedented powers may some das
bcoome an asset Of political organization and
all the vast machinery which it sets up may fall
into te hands ot the very corporations now sought
to he controlled"
Aside from its application TO the situa-
ton in New York. this view is interesting
in connection with the regulation Of rail-
road or other corporations by Federal
commissions. II may be that vivid an
ticipation OF a contingency such as that
suggested by Attorney General Jackson
was ia the mind of Mr.. Bryan when he
spoke of government ownership as "ulti-
mately' probable The step from Tegula-
Jion through Federal franchises to abso-
lutte government ownership, for instance.
would not be so very radical or difficult
And If the contingency should develop and
the vast machinery Of Federal regulation
fall into the hands of the very corpora
tions now sought TO be controlled" is ii
not question whether the people would
conservatively bark back 10 discarded
principles, rather than press still further
into the outskirts of state socialism,
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26

Just that sort of engineering. Mr.. Scott
sees no reason for hitting the work to
private contractors. and regards ii as
probable that the government will md
it necessary to carry forward the entire
enterprise. with the possible exception Of
some dredging and lock construction
OF like tenor is the report made by the
eighty-six members Of the commercial
clubs Of Boston, Chicago, St Louis, and
Cincinnati, who made an independent in
vestigatlon prior to the arrival OF the
Congressional party. This report covers
every phase of the canal enterprise. from
the plan OF management TO the provisions
for social, moral and religious welfare
of the canal workers. It's tcne is one Of
comrendation throughout. 1t expresses
the opinion that the completion of the
canal within eight years is assured. that
the organization Is admirable and the
officials of q high order OF character and
ability devoted TO their duties and loyal
to their chief; that the plan of sanitation
before construction was well conceived; /;
that the housing of employees Is OF strik-
ing excellence; that the labor supply is
ample. and the workers increasing in
efficiency by reason Of better feeding. The
report calls attention to the zeal and in
Itelligenee of the American employees. and
their faith in the practicabiltty of the
work on which they are engaged.
These unprejudlced reports cannot faA
to be gratifying to the American people,
as we'll as to the President. whose OBJ
servations in Panama were thought by
the skepticai to be somewhat roseate.
The truth about Panama is highly credit
/ sble to the canal administration and TO
those responsible for it. We have moth
| ing to be ashamed of in the important
work now going forward in the Canal
Zone, aud nothing TO conceal.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Eeonomr in Trnst 80.

From the Philadelphia Press.
Some enc has produced an engine which
may do a great deal toward cheapening
the price of steel. The United States Steel
Corporation is installing twelve monster
engines at various plants. the unique fea-
ture about them being that they do not
require oil. coke, coal wood, or ordinary
gas for fuel. They are TO be operated
solely with the gas which is generated IN
the company's blast furnaces during the
process of steel manufacture This gas
has heretofore gone to waste, but here
after it viii be made to turn all the
wheels. For steel plant to be able TO
save the cost Of its fuel is taking a very
big stride toward economy. To be able 10
abolish smoke at the same time viii add
to its popularity In communities where
the smOke-belching stacks have smothered
the air with blackness.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
GROWTH OF PRESIDENCY.
Political Initiative More and More
centering Ia White Hoase.
From the c6ieag0 Ners.

From the Chicago SeFs.
Upon the Office OF the President Of the
United States center in a continually
increasing degree the vital forces Of
opinion and political initiative. This
is the conclusion of President Wood
row Wilson. Of Princeton University.
As a student, publiS man. and his
torian. President Wilson is well quail
fed To review the evolution Of the ma
tion-s highest Office. from Wasbingtons
days TO those Of Roosevelt. He says:
''The tendencies of the days of stress aud
change more and more thrust upon the
President the role OF originator Of poll
eies."
The historian might also have pointed
out that this focal position for the Presi-
dent has come in part from the develop
mcnt Of newspapers and Of agencies for
the dissemination Of news in America
Washington, Adams, Jefferson and other
Presidents, down 10 Fillmore. IN 1913. had
no medium through which 10 communicate
quickly with all the people Even Lincoln.
IN the period when the civil war knitted
together IN great cause the loyal people
of the North, had no such facilities for
communicating with them AS those which
have been developed in recent years.
The President. on account Of the mere
news value of anything he says. IS the
one public man who has a daily hearing
before the entire people.
The consequences are important. The
Presidents duty to send messages to
Congress becomes equal TO that of admin
istering the law. The more diverse and
complicated the interests OF the nation
the greater IS the need for a centralized
mouthpieee Of public opinion. The man
best fitted 10 be RoOsevelts successor is
the man who. being a wise and courage.
Gus Executive, will keep in such close
touch with the people that the mutual
understanding Of people and President
will be complete and permanent.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
old piet Good Enough.

From The New York E5enng Post.
Prof Irving Fisher. of Yale. has demen-
strated by tests that vegetarians have far
greater endurance than meat eaters in
respect to holding out the arms as long
as possible deep knee bending and leg
raising with subject lying on his back.
Persons who desire 10 excel in these
things. therefore. had better abstain from
flesh foods Others. who earn their liveii-
hood az different emDloyments, viii prob
ably stick more or less closely to their old
dict
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
PROBLEMS.

Hero Is the latest novel written with FIRE and force
Ererl Qaee devoted to the Problem OF Divorce.
Stories must have pnrposc, $40 one should write
loT tRu
This is ,ae Ase Of Problems. he WHO won't read
ms lrn.
At the play in the evening longing to be amused,
] see the LabCr rroblcm, tangled and much cen
fuscd
PLAYS are 10 solve the rrohcms Of an inquiIing age
Take horrible examples. pIt them upon the stage.
J go 70 church on sandas. loagne for peace and
rest.
The sermons all deal with problems. the preachers
are distressed.
Why arr The churches empty. Nhl docs the hone
decays
Was don't cur ycpns uen marry. Should the rich
weTk Or play!
Al Of this makes ne usass. ana ss,s me wishing.
toC,
That rsoblcns eoa net SC iaaay ana answers not
on, for a peaceful country Oh fer Tranquil
shore,
Where robbie. esass iram troubling and Prob
lelnz aIs nc nltis.
-.sw York fines.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Social Reform.

Let US refuse TO work, said the sgita-
tor, but remain idle in our tenoments-
Let US neither sell nor deliver goods.
Let the wheels OF traffic be stayed, and
see how quickly the Pale Lady. which is
the poeticsl name for starvation. VIII in
wade the mansions OF the rich and bring
;hem TO terms.
But while we are doing this. sug-
gested a voice. after the cheers had died
away, what's 70 keep the paihd female
from monkeying around our tenement? ?''
There being, obviously, no reply TO this.
they compromised by throwing the
dOubter out
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
A LITTLE NONSENSE.
APPAR1TIoys.

Spring bonnets now do wifey greet
The windows with them teem.
She strikes one every forty feet
That IS perfect dream.
Or else. whene'er abroad she goes
lis quite apparent that
Kind fate across her pathway throws
A vision Of a hat.
She sees these visions every day.
And every night, I swear,
She dreams about the bright array
OF pretty things to wear.
Oh, wifey's visions greatly please
She has Of dreams her fli.
But hardworked hubby merely sees
A nightmare OF a bill.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
"ARGUED BY THE wORKIN' MAN,

Scz Paddy Flynn Z me lasht noight. sez e:
Begobs, me bye. It's gittir' pn7ty bad
Whin wimin folks, L satisfy fad,
Air gakin isbs frim ye an me- me lad
Sez 0i e ye. seq Oi il shouldn't be
At that Oi ups an answers Widout fear:
Indade wid yez. me frind Oi don't agree
Fer anny mon would not eentenfed be
Widout gel nm tn famaiee:
4 maid. s-z Oi, is born e injinser.
-LiIpincetts Mseazine
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Conscience i'm RniIroadiur

ETuM me UhlO oIlIe JUuTnAI
The idea of Hartman. that a man may.
by little three-card monte game of
finance. build uo a fortune of millions
without adding an engine or rail TO the
enterprise of which he is trustee. is trea-
son to honorable railroading and ought to
be embodied in the criminal code What
is wanted is a conscience In rauroading.
as well as in shoeing a horse or selling a
pound Of sugar
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Not slow in Justice.

Frem the Chicago Record -Iierald.
over in London receatly man slew a
prominent citizen, and there was sup
posed to be "A tremendous social sensation
back of the affair. The murderer has just
been sentenced 10 death. after "a trial
which lasted one dag ard at which he en-
tered q plea Of insanity. In certain ways
the English ure not 50 slow.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
4 Bitter Dur.
From PnA

ION IUlA-
PhHanthropic Old Gentieman-No won
der you cry, poor Iittlc man. This bitter
Geld day and no ovcrcoat! Deer. dear I
must see il / can't
The Little Man-Ooo-woO--wo0-
Katie's goin' down t de dago's & git "a
strawberry fce-cream soda. an sh-siie
says she won't give me none-ooo-co-0.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Danger and Expense of High Speed

From the Railway Age
High-speed trains may properly be call
ed vast testing machines and though
they do not measure maximum stresses
in track equipment, they are relentless in
showing weak points and are the most
ments which tend to the betterment OF
the service. and to develop all those de-
tails which make railway travel safer
and more comfortable, High speed is ex-
pensive from every point of view The
consumption of fuel is enormously in
creased, more expensive equipment is re-
quired. the cost Of maintaining track
largely augmented, and train or tonnage
capacity materially reduced.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
DIsnronortIonate.

Fr,sm tie Cathe,ic Standard
See here creid the eat. ARE you
really determined 10 drown me-"
Il am. replied the man. You killed
our canary. and believe in "A life for
life.
But youre bent upon taking nine lives
fer life"
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26

The New York Press says that the nom
ination of any man for the Presidency
other than Hughes or La Toilette by the
Republicans means deeeat for the party.
This ought 10 encourage Mr.. Bryan to
ioin the Taft rooters.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26

We took our place among the family
OF nations at the start as an agri-
cultural country, We held this down 20
about the close OF the civil war Since
then The growth OF eur manufacturing
industries has been the most marvellous
thing in all the economic history of the
world, and since then, also, farm ten
antry has Increased at an enormous and.
mayhap, ominous rate.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
An Adare VIndtcntaa.

''Where there's so much smoke there
must be some fire.
The boss was speaking. He had just
detected the Office boy consuming a Gig
arctic on the premises.
The adsge was verified Immediately
The boy got the fire.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Ann1her serionn ProI,lem-

From tne AuantA LonstlIuuOn
The announcement that Carrie Nation
is to locate permanently in Washington
City probably means the administration
will have another problem of tortuous
proportions on It's hands.
The Washington herald., 1907-03-26
Lax JustIce.

1T is better that one hundred guilty
men escape declared the eloquent cogn-
sci for the defense. rather than one in
nocent man be imprisoned"
Make il three hundred guilty men"
suggested the hardheaded judge. That's
about the proportion at present escaping
IN this jurisdiction"