davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Dementia Americana

Lawyer Delmas' new ailment is not confined to the Thaws of this country. It extends to all circles where mor- bidity is prevalent to all cases that present elements of a sensational na- ture. These elements are ordinarily based on wealth or prominence of one sort or another, and when to wealth or prominence is added a dash of the dramatic or mock heroic, the disease becomes epidemic. Thaw had it no more than did the American public, and the result is a practical acquittal of the man who confessedly took the life of another.
 The practical effects of dementia Americana are deplorable, for the disease makes one law for the wealthy and prominent, and another law for the poor and lowly. It makes hero of the one, while it sends straight to execution the other. This is not only caste and class distinction, but it is a dangerous attack upon American justice and American law and order. The entire fabric of so- ciety is endangered.
 The English papers say the Thaw case Is signal proof of the utter ineffi- ciency of American statesmanship to evolve a practical legal system. All very true. Dementia Americana or morbidity institutes system admit ting of endless technicalities and ap- peals, and the rest naturally follows. When public sentiment comes to a full appreciation of the dangers of such a system it will be swept aside, and directness and certainty and eel erity between crime and it's punish ment will be substituted. Nothing can at present be accomplished in that direction because public sentiment is awry. We have dementia Americana all of us, although some of us are not aware of the presence in us of the malady.
 Twelve weeks of an object lesson in one case will, however, open some eyes, and after a while perhaps Ameri- can law will be made as definite and impartial as English law, or German law, or even French law.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Cruelty to Animals

In a land filled with brave men and sympathetic women 1t seems strange there should be more cruelty to poor dumb creatures than in inhospitable Alaska. "In the three months I have been in Texas, Louisiana and Ala bana,' said q lady recently who is in- terested in humanitarian work q have seen more cruelty to animals than I saw during a five years residence in Alaska"
 This is passing strange, and this should not be. This city is full of men and women whose hearts are warm and kindly, and if these men and wo- men had an efficient organization, one that could speak out plainly and act straight from the shoulder, the sum of cruelty to animals in this city would soon be lessened
 MT Bonnie is the humane officer VI ei'io NiANs hilN eill GAttllGlll OIIlceT He Is. He is conscientious and devoted to the work assigned to him. He needs however strong organization to back him up and to give him the full courage of his convictions. It is not easy single-handed to keep down the brutish impulses that arise among 100000 people, and Mr. Bennie can ret prevent all cruelty to animals
 Rut put behind him strong organi- zation, and he would conduct a grati- flying campaign. Nothing is so inn portant in any community as public sentiment, and the public sentiment of this city should he marshaled, and organized and led up against those who are guilty of cruelty to the poor animals that cannot speak or resist.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Street Liahts

Birmingham business district is well lighted and many of the residence streets are well lighted, also; but there are some highways in residence sec tions that are very dark at night, while a few are not lighted at all Fifty addi- tional arc lamps would perhaps furnish ample illumination in the unlighted streets, but even if more were required the Mayor and Aldermen should not delay in supplying tnem
 That Birmingham police force is too small to give protection to resi- dences in outlying sections is all the more reason why there should be no lack of lights. The price which the city pays for it's street lights is $70 a year for each arc burner. Fifty addi- tional lights would cost, therefore, only s3500 a year--a comparatively small sum for the protection afforded. Next to good water, good sewerage and good streets an abundance of light is of the greatest importance. Let the City Council take up this question of more lights and act promptly.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14

| AM glad that the Commercial club, in-
 cluding the bankers and business men
 and representatives of the public in Birmingham are beginning to publicly discuss the acts of the last Alabama leg islature. Some believe the legislature ran riot, so to speak. Others simply think obligations to the people who elected them Whatever be the case, it is well that the people generally, and the busi- ness men in particular. should discuss be- fore the public, in the columns of the newspapers and in public meetings. each and every act of the past legislature Some of these acts may be of immense benefit to Alabama and to Birmingham. Others may prove very damaging.
 For instance, this tax upon foreign cor porations and individuals lending money in Alabama has put stop to some great contemplated Improvements in Birming- ham. Capital is naturally timid. The life insurance companies, for instance. fear to lend money in a state where leglsla- tion imposes upon them one-half of one per cent taxation upon loans for the con struction of buildings. It looks to the life insurance company like an effort to fears for the safety of the loan. Of course, in dollars and cents 1t don't amount to anything to the company lend ing the money, because the company sim ply increases the interest rate one-half of one per cent. It hurts Birmingham, however, because Birmingham must pay the additional rate. And 1t hurts Br- mingham more than the merely increas sed interest rate damage, because 1t frightens off financial concerns which have here tofore had confidence in the district and in the safety of their loans here.
 I hope the July session of the legisla- ture will repeal this law and will modify several other laws passed at the last ses- sion.
 . . :
 As a matter of fact, the local banks of Birmingham have not sufficient money to make long time loans on real estate in Birmingham. The money to improve thls town must come from the outsider; and outsiders with money will not lend it un- less they know it is safely and soundly invested.
 Birmingham at the present time could safely use from twenty to thirty million dollars in the construction of new build
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
0, the blood more stirs, To rouse lion than to start hare.
 King Henry W.
Fruit and Early Vegetables

The peach crop comes forward each year from beautiful blossoms evident ly for the sake of being killed. It is destiny. and a killing in April serves to shorten the agony. The crop is born to die in an untimely manner, and two cold snaps in April seem to have done 1t up pretty effectualiy. Commissioner of Agriculture Hudson of Georgia says the peach crop has been seriously damaged, and telegrams from various sections of the peach belt put the damage at from one-third to total. "The young fruit" says Commissioner Hudson, "has been chilled and in some instances frozen, and the peaches are falling off the trees in great numbers"
 However incredulous we may be when we are asked to believe that the peach crop has again been killed, yet the proof seems sufficient. The fruit that has not been killed has been damaged, and the peaches that will be marketed will largely be imperfect peaches. Garden truck, apples, cher ries, grapes and strawberries have also been impaired by the continued cold winds and low temperature, and we will have to get along this year with lessened crops from gardens and orchards.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Rendered Great Service.

"The service that the late Samuel Thom- as and the late Robert H. sayre, the Pennsylvania capitalists, familiar with mining and iron making, rendered to the Birmingham district, was of incaleulable benefit, for it's effect was far reaching and enduring" said Be ton Gilreath. Those gentlemen began prospecting here- abouts before Birmingham was founded and they were among the pioneer in- vestors in this district. They were in deed great developers and the very fact that they were conservative, substantial, earnest men, as well as farsghted in vestors, inspired confidence from the start Their memory will long be cher ished.
 MT. Cleaver of Pennsylvania, president of the Sayre Mining and Manufacturing company of Jefferson county, closely as- sociated with MT. Thomas and MT. Sayre, Is prophet of the district and will give much attention to the work of develop ment.
 'I am glad to know that the younger sayre and the younger Thomas, are like their honored elders taking lively, prae- tlcal interest in the district. hearty welcome to all such.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Panama's Eavorite Baverane

Panama dispenses at every turn a liquor called bolivar" It is con- coeted by Panamans from mysterious herbs, aided, no doubt, by equally mys- terious chemicals, and every drop is an incentive to battle. q have seen young men," says Panama core spondent of the New York Herald, ''new to the wiles of bolivar, who in their normal state were meek follow. CTS of the Christian faith, go forth after their second drink and brush aside human beings with fists or knife or gun in their wild desire to hunt up full-grown earthquake to argue with. Nothing less belligerent than vol canic upheaval can cope with their bel Iicose aspirations when under the in- fuence of bolivar"
 It fills the hospitals and jails with its victims, and the chief battle at Panama relates more to bolivar than 1t does to excavation. No one can drink bolivar and do much digging, and bolivar is offered in every nook and corner in the canal zone.
 But the army engineers will con puer bolivar as they will conquer other problems. and no doubt they
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT SOME THINGS
 WHICH AFFECT THE BIRMINGHAM DISTRICT

ings, which would prove profitable invest ments. But this money cannot be gotten unless the people who have 1t to loan know that it is safely invested.
 And by the way, in this connection. the recent semi-panics in the New York stock market have played havoc with many of the contemplated improvements and developments in the Birmingham district. The Tennessee and other iron companies of course will complete the work of improvement and extension already under way; but many of the contemplated inn the present Instead of spending the vast sums of money in enlarging old plants anu building new ones, which Mir. Gates and others announced several months ago were to be built, the improvements have been cut down to a minimum for the pres ent The ten million dollars which the Ten nessee company was to expend here inn mediately, has been cut down to some thing like three million dollars, and the other corporations and railroads have cut down in like proportion. Of course, we could not say with truth, that these cuts have been the result of legislation in Alabama. It is true that Alabama has led in legislation antagonistic to corporations and corporate wealth; but all over the country there has been such legislation, and the President and Con- gross have acted upon similar lines, Frightening capital and causing everybody to hoard rather than to invest. It has been blow, particularly to the Birming- ham district.
 At the same time the actual operating enterprises of the Birmingham district were never in a more prosperous condi- tion than at the present time. Every ton of pig iron or steel that Is being turned out here is in immediate demand Prices have never been higher and there has never been time in the history of this district when there was such a demand for It's product. Iron companies are selling from six to twelve months ahead at tremendous profits. Indeed everything in the Birmingham district operating today, Is doing so at a great profit and I hope that the sensible bus fness men of this district, as well as of the entire State of Alabama, will thor oughly consider the acts of the last ses- sion of the legislature, and wherein they find one that has tendency to retard
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Wandering Alabamians

While 397,S45 Alabama-born citi- zens have left this state to live else where, 236,735 citizens born elsewhere have come to Alabama to live. This makes our net loss 161,110 citizens These figures are census figures, and what was true in the census year is approximately true today. We have lost above all gains 100000 citizens. Nor is the fact that Georgia and Ten. nessee are even better states to emil grate offer any consolation. Our loss Is 16O ,OoO citizens, or enough to peo- pie five average counties in this state, and that fact is not bit creditable to us.
 We have suffered a net loss of 160,- 900 citizens because we have not kept abreast of other states industrially or agriculturally. What has been our loss has been the gain of northern cities or of states like Texas and Arkansas, and if we desire to stop the tide we must bring Alabama up by in- troducing new crops and by extending industries.
 The tide is perhaps turning in our favor. Our greatest losses in citizens occurred in the years following the civil war, and if the figures of the last ten years were at hand it would doubtless be seen that Alabamians are staying at home better than they
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14

the investment of capital in this district or in any section of the state that they will point the same out through the columns of the newspapers and other wise, and induce the legislature at the July session to repeal or amend each act than to retard.
 The Birmingham district. particularly. is now in a creative state. It needs to accord every possible encouragement to capital Capital will not come unless 1t is protected and unless 1t sees a profit. Let. us give it every encouragement. It is better to make a mistake in effort of development than to throw unnecessary obstacles in the way of those who would aid us to build up this district.
 Speaking about matters affecting Bir- mingham, there seems to have been a let-up, so to speak, on the part of the police department in enforcing the con ceaed weapon law. There Is no town in the south nor west in which there is so much reckless shooting as in Birmingham. The newspapers teem daily with shooting scrapes Murders are committed almost arsenals. Merchants display great show windows full of pistols and brass knucks, and the young man. as well as the bad character, Is taught by this advertise ment that he should be possessed of a deadly weapon. Pistols in show win dow appeal to a certain class of men as thoroughly as do show window bargains in llngeries. faces and lilacs to the aver age woman. Women want the latter when they see them. Young men when they see pistols in show window want one As a consequence the trade in dead ly weapons Is great in Birmingham. There should be a stop put to 1t. The law which prevails in Washington should ob- tain here. In that city no dealer in pistols can sell one unless he gets the name and address of the party to whom it is sold and furnishes the same to the police department within twelve hours after the sale Is made.
 l hope that Mayor Ward and the police department will take up this matter of pistol toting'' in Birmingham. Now that gambling has been done away with let us obliterate the concealed weapon.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
BUSY BIRMINGHAM.
he washinqton Herald.

From the Washington Herald.
 Birmingham is one of the busiest spots on the globe, and our people are making money so fast that they have to pinch themselves at times to be assured they are not dreaming said Mir. w. B. Doug lass, a prosperous young commission mer- chant of that town, at the New Willard.
 Every inhabitant of our lOO.o0o popula- ton that wants remunerative employment can get it. In fact, the shops, mines, mills and railroads are securing the coun- try trying to get laborers. The negroes cant stand prosperity. At present prices of labor they can make enough in three days to carry them the rest of the week. and so they loaf fully one-half their time"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Learned EnqIish Readily.

"I have heard 1t said time and time again that the English language is the most complex and most difficult in the world to learn, said a prominent busi- ness man yesterday
 "Tlhis may be true but the aptness of the Greeks who come to America in pick ing it up has almost convinced me to the contrary. l have occasion every day at the noon hour to go to one of the Greek restaurants for lunch see young Greek boys waiting on the hungry and the majority of these boys can speak very little English, and some of them none at all About all they know how to Say Is what you hear them call to the cook when you give them your order, such as chicken and straight up. small well,' over and such other expressions com mon only in the Greek establishments.
 "I was talking to the proprietor of enc Of the Greek restaurants recently, and he told me that when these boys come from the old country to America they are im- mediately put by their older friends into just such places as restaurants, where they are continually hearing people speak and where they are soon obliged to speak to others.
 "They learn enough of the language to make their way through in about two months, I understand, and it seems to me that either the language is easy or else the Greeks are exceptionally apt people to learn. Very few of them have any books from which to read, and they have no schools. Their English is by no means polished at the early stage, but you take a Greek who has been here for say d year, and he will talk fairly intelligenny to you.
 And yet we say the English language is hard. Why, I studied Greek when 1 went to schol for four solid, long years, and had an excellent teacher at that, and no one has ever yet caught me spring ing any Greek on them. I suppose the secret lies entirely in the fact that the youngster who comes from Greece finds it necessity to learn his English; and the American, while he may pay, some times highly, does not have to learn his Greek lesson while at college or in the High school"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Popular Music.

"A great many people imagine that popular music is what Is generally called trashy music" said a music lover but there is no reason why all light music that pleases the masses should not be ar tistc music. There is popular music and popular music; some is good and some is maudlin I have been struck recently with the difference in what people call popular music. All the moving picture shows have music, and music that Is properly of a light character. In some of these shows the music is worse than mediocre, while in others 1t is excellent pieces, with drum and tanborine or cas- pieces with drum and tamorine or cas- tanets and this good dance music pleases the average person as much as trashy music or ragtime. Why not demand that all light music be good of its kind?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Residence Sections of EnsIey.

''It may not be generally known" said gentleman from Ensley yesterday ''but Ensley City has one of the most beau tiful suburbs in the Birmingham district at 'Shadyside,' adjoining the property of the Semet-Solvay company, in which is located the handsome residence of the former superintendent of that company, MT. Mason H. Sherman, now of Chicago.
 ''The increase of building operations in Ensley within the last year or two has been wonderful. The city proper is now practically filled with homes and land is so valuable that to own home in the city Is out of the question for the man of ordinary means The building of the new steel mill No. with the immense machine shops, in process of construc- ton by the Tennessee company, is mainly responsible for this condition.
 ''rour elegant, modern homes, costing from S3000 to $60O0 each, have recently been built at Shadysde by Ensley peo- pie. The view from any of these homes is superb, and in fact, unsurpassed any where in the district Built along the hillsides they command magnificent NleW oL lHe valley, m Wnlcn are located all of the immense plants of the Ensley district, the panorama taking in easily all the industrial works from the Re- public company's Thomas furnaces to the Wylam end of the new steel works. Pratt City and the coke oven plants of that vicinity occupying the foreground. All of these works are distant from one to two miles and the smoke from the plants never reaches this fortunate sec- tion. With background of wooded hills, macadamzed streets, sidewalks, city water and electric lights, the residents of this Ensley suburb are peculiarly for tunate. The magnificent view from the homes in thls property, especially at night, when the lights from the vast plants in the vicinity light up the heavens, enhance it's desirability very much. With the connecting up of the Tuxedo and Owenton car lines which is practically assured for an early date, this part of Ensley will certainly become it's most desired residence section"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press.
 It might be worth while to be good if anybody would believe it,
 A woman never seems to think her hus- band is sick until he cusses lot about it.
 Cussing is a mighty useful thing to keep a man from being so mad he would do something worse.
 If man that a girl is in love with asks a policeman where street is she calls him strong and brave.
 You can't make woman believe there is any real trouble in the world on the first afternoon she wears her naw hat
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
SU M MUM BONUM.

By Robert Browning. All the breath and the bloom of the year
 in the bag of one bee; All the wonder and wealth of the mine in the heart on one gem; In the core of one pearl all the shade and the shine of the sea; Breath and bloom shade and shine wonder, wealth and-how far above them
 Truth, that's brighter than gem, Truth, that's purer than pearl Brightest truth, purest trust in the uni-
 verse-all were for me 4 In the kiss of one girl.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
AGE-HERALD ECHOES

Richmond News-Leader: When, oh. when, will the tariff be revised?' asks the Birmingham Age-Herald. That's easy. When the democrats get into power.
 Columbus Ledger: From the cherry tree to the Ananias club is 8 long step, says the Birmingham Age-Herald. So it is, but the cherry trees are few and the Ananiases are many.
 Washington Herald! "A comets tail is but a harmless piece of illumination-a skypiece without weight or ginger" says the Birmingham Age-Herald. In other words, sort of mollycoddle star.
 Washington Herald: The Birmingham Age-Herald thinks it will be taft of Ohio because his figure resembles an "O.' If you are a believer in such signs, what's the matter with it being Fairbanks oI Indiana, because his figure resembles an "I?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
ONE ON ATLANTA.

From the Ozark Southern Star.
 Birmingham is to the fore in the great cotton warehouse system for the south. Information comes from there that the scheme is going to be a success, that city claiming the honor of parent to the scheme.
 Where is Atlanta?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-04-14
Pathological School.

within the next two or three years every college in Alabama of any pre- tentions will have a school of mining, said an engineer. "The demand for tech nically educated men in the Birmingham district is so pressing that technological schools or teclinological departments of existing colleges will come as matter of course.
 "In the meantime the committee in charge of a technologieal school pro- iect for Birmingham should not relax interest No matter how many colleges may have engineering departments, a large, well equipped technological insti- tntian hare will be in order"