davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
PUBLIC LIBRARIES AND
 THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Elizabeth C. Baldwin in Boston Herald.
 Step by step. slowly perhaps but cer- tainly the public library is following the path already trodden by the public school. The experience of the one is almost iden tieal with that of the other. The success of the one has been determined. and evil dently will be determined, by the same factors which solved the problems of the other There has been the same indifference on the part of the favored few-the few who seem entirely able 10 create libraries of their own-whether they are able to enjoy them and appre- ciate them or not; the same early and crude endeavor to meet a demand which was itself immature and more or less unintelligent-the free schools and the free library arise under similar educa- tional and social conditions; the same spirit of condescension and the same pat ronizing air, assumed by the so-called better class, as if the free schools and the free libraries were philanthropies and not necessities; the same bunderlng and short -sghtedness of some friends of the public library movement, the failure to ground the library on that sure founda- tion public service; the same complaint on the part of the taxpayers about use less expenditure and "fads and frills"; the same meaEer pay and inadequate recognition given to library workers; the same slow growth of a true professional spirit; and now there Is coming pract cally has come. the same hearty recogni- ton of worthy place and of true value. This recognition of the free library scarcely was discernible even ten years ago
 The place now assigned the public li- hrary, by general consent, is that of an integral part of our system of public and free education. On TO other theory has it sure and lasting foundation; on no other theory may 1t be supported by gen eral taxation: on no other theory can it be administered wisely and consistently. A public tax can be levied for the main tenance of public library only upon the princidle which underies all righteous public taXation not that the taxpayer wants something and will receive 1t in proportion to the amount of his contri- button, but that the public wants some thing of such general interest and value that all property owners may be asked and required to contribute toward it's cost.
 That something is the general rise in | the average line of life. of intelligent and therefore effective citlzenry, an advance beyond that which the public schols are able to accomplish. The demand fois this intelligent and effective citizenship Is n- creasing daily, for two reasons. First. the problems of public life and of public service, of communal existence docal, state and nationaD. are daily becoming more complex, moro difficult of satisfac- tory solution. Second, we arc recosniz- ing more clearly than ever before that our present success and prestige are due,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22

more than to any other cause. to the fact that more than any other people In the worlds history we have succeeded in securing the active participation and practical cooperation of the whole people in all public affairs. In the whole peo- pie are we finding and are we to find Whoesomeness and strength
 But coincident with this discovery, this keen realization of the place and value of all in advancing the common interests of all has come the feeling, first, that the common public schools must be made good enough for all; and, second, that even at their best they are insufficient The five school years of the American child continues a narrow portal through which to enter upon the privileges and duties of life. as VIC desire life to be to every child born under the flag. There is need of far more information, instruc- ton, inspiration, and uplift than possibly can be secured in that limited time.
 Casting about for a satisfactory sup plement and complement for the public schools. we find the public library ready 10 render exactly this service; to make It possible for the adult to continue through life the growth begun In child hood In the public school. Only in thls way end by this means can we hope to continue the common American people as the most uncommon common people which the world has yet known.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
Ineratltude of Human Belnos.

Julius Chambers, in the Brooklyn Eagle.
 Three weeks have passed since tho burning of the Long Beach hotel. and would you believe that cottager who put Up and fed about fifty dereicts from the flames dncluding four families with small children1. has yet to receive a single letter of thanks. or 30 much as a verbal message of gratitude? This sounds Improbable, but the women who vera fitted out with garments. that enabled them to return to town, have neither sent back the clothing nor expressed the slightest regret for neglect to do so?
 Of course, l can not understand the paralysis of such minds. But l can com prehend why q former city official. in- habitlrg a cottage on the beach, posi- lively refused to receive any fugitive from the burning hotel That man had suffered from an experience in one of ths New England resorts. He knew the in- gratitude of men and women.
 l forgot to say that lot of souvenirs" were carried away from my friends cot tage, probably by the servants of the guests received under such extraordinary turquoise scarfpin, set in rubies and diamonds. To say nothing about it's in- trinsc value, it ought to be returned by the guest who thrust himself upon a hos pitalitY that was open, generous, and hearty. although no previous obligation whatever existed, and in whose possess sion the pin has boon since the fire.
 From Puck
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22

the Bible. while the names of the Mo hammedan boys come from the Koran. When the examination papers are turned in the judges are instructed to mark down all those who bear such names as Moses and Jacob, Peter and Paul, and to recom- mend for appointment the Mohammeds, the Ais and the Iiassans.
 Coptc Millonaires and Their Charities
 The Copts are the shrewdest business men of Egypt. Many of them start life poor and grow rich. It is a common saving here that no Jew can compete with them, and they have driven the Jews out of the upper part of the Nile valley. In Assiout there are a number of rich Copts who have changed their religion and become Protestant Chris tians and some of these men are very charitable. One for instance. has built a Protestant native church. He put up the building after a visit to England, where he Nas much impressed with Westminster Abbey Upon his return he said he was going to build church for Assicut on the plan of Westminster. The missionaries here advised him to the contrary and asked that he make his building rectangular instead. But no. it must be Westminster Abbey or nothing: and the result is q great T-shaped structure of wood with long hall in the center and wings at the end. The church cost about $20,000, and it will seat 1900 people. l attended 1t last Sunday and found the main hall filled with dark faced men In gowns and fez caps. The wings were shut off by curtains, but l was well up in front and so near one side that l could look through the cracks. Each wing was filled with women clad in black bal loon-like garments and yelled so as to conceal all but their eyes. A few of the women wore European clothes and French hats, showing how the new civ
 liza ton is coming in
 Another rich Copt has establishe ed two large primary schools here, one for boys and the other for girls. In the boys school there are five hundred and fifty pupils, and in that for the girls more than two hundred. Tn ese schools are taught by native Protestants, and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
Fran Carpenter ] y


ated from the rest of the room by screen, covered by a curtain with cross worked upon it. Before this cur tain stands the priest and the choir and the more influential members of the congregation. Behind them in n lattice work. and on the other side of 1t are the leess important men of the church. with the women in the rear. Every one is expected to take off his shoes when he comes into church, and in many of the halls of worship there are no seats and the people lean upon sticks while the sermon Is preached. The services begins at daybreak. and often lasts four or five hours so that it Is no wonder that some of the members of the con gregation fall to chatting during the preaching and business and social mat ters are discussed.
 Do Not Trust Their Wives.
 I am told that the Copts do not trust their wives. Each has but one, but he does not make her his confdant; he never tells her any of his business se- orets, and does not pay her as much
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22

not one cent of American money is spent upon them.
 Queer Christians There.
 am much interested in the Copts. There are about 600, ,0Oo of them in the country. They look much like the Egyptians and dress about the same. The women veil their faces, both in public and private, and until about a generation ago the unmarried women wore white wells.
 These Copts believe in the ancient form of Christianity. They are about the same Christians as Egypt had in Roman times. They claim St. Mark as their first patri- arch, and say that he practieed the Cos pei at Alexandria and started the sect there. They have a patriarch today, and under him twelve bishops and a large number of priests and deacons. They have their monks and nuns, all of whim lead hard lives; they fast and pray, wear shirts of rough wool and live upon vege- tables
 The Copts believe in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ as His Son. They believe in prayer. and, like the Mohammedans, pray five or six times q day. They begin their prayers at day break and are supposed to make five separate petitions before dark and to close mp with another prayer at midnight.
 
 chapter from the Gospel; and some have rosaries of beads on which they count forty-fve times, saying the words: "Ohl my Lord have mercy"
 After this they close up with a short prayer They wash before praying, and pray with their faces turned toward tn east. They believe in baptism and think that an unbaptised child will be blind in the next life. They have fixed times for baptism: boy baby being baptised at forty days and a girl baby at eighty days after birth.
 In the Coptic Churches.
 There are Coptic churches all over Egypt. and l find several here in As- stout. The average church usually sur rounds court It consists of four or five buildings comprising a chapel, a hall of worship, the residence of the bishop and other rooms. The church proper contains an altar which is separ-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
-<2z1zuT>HzISSS
By Frank C. Carpenter

respect as the native Protestant Chris tians pay their wives. He seldom sees his wife until he Is married, and he is forbidden by his religion to marry any one but Copt. As among the Mohamme- dams, marriages are usually a matter If business. with a dowry bargained upon beforehand. The favorite wedding time F Saturday night. and the maria go fsasts last throughout the following week
 When the marriage contract is made all tne parties to 1t say the Lords prayer three times; and before the ceremonies are completed the bride and bridegroom go separately to church and the Euch- arist is administered to them. Just be- fore her marriage the bride is given a steam bath, and her finger nails and toe nails are stained red with henna. Prior 10 the ceremony the bride sends the bridegroom a suit of clothing, and a woman from her house goes to him to sec that it Is delivered properly and that the bridegroom Is taken to tho bath. Thus 1t is provided that both start the married life comparatively clean
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22

as good and of as great a variety as can be found anywhere. This is for the rich, who can pay as much as $l00 year for room and board. The second ta ble is filled by students who can afford to pay only $50 year, and the third of those who have not more than $35 per year. Of the students of the first class only two or three live in one room, and of the second from four to eight, while those of the third class are lodged in large rooms accommodating twenty or thirty, each of whom has his own bed, which he furnishes himself.
 The students of the second class have simpler food than those of the first, and they eat with their fingers in native style. Those of the third class have still cheaper food, but in all cases it is as good or better than the boys get at home, for they have wheat bread and meat a least once or oftener every week.
 A student must pay at least $1 a ses- sion in money but as far as is possible he may work out the rest of his ex- penses. The ordinary tuition is only Sl0 a year.
 Crops and the Government.
 Many of the students of this college arc Copts. They belong to that class of na- tives who are the direct descendants of the ancient Egyptians They are more in
  they take naturally to education. They are shrewd clerks and, as many of them | are educated, they have a large part of the minor government appointments. The British are now trying to coddle the Mohammedans, as they form the great majority of the population and are givng them offices in preference to the Copts This was recently charged by Coptic committee, which called on Lord Cromer shortly before he left Egypt and objected to his erowding out these native Christians and giving their places to the followers of the prophet. The crowding out of the Copts is done in curious way Take for instance the selection of students for the training school for po- licemen. Before examination all appi- cants have to give their names and the Copts can thus be easily distinguished from the Mohammedens The Copt boys get their names from the characters of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
Managed By Presbyterians.

This college is a missionary institu- ton, but it gives good general edu- cation. It is run upon broad lines and has among it's students Copts, Moham- medans and Christians. It is supoprt- ed by the United Presbyterian church of the United States. This is about the only one of our Protestant denomlna- tions which is doing work here, the other sects having apparently given up
The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22

The students of all classes and eondi- tions Many of them are working their way through school, and there are three different grades of expense, graduated ac- cordng to the tables at which the boys eat There is one class which has special table where all have knives and
 works, and where the food furnished is
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
TRIAL OF SENATOR BORAH
ON LAND FRAUD CHARGES
CAUSES INTENSE INTEREST
Suggestions of Unfair Prosecution Because of
Activity in the Haywood Trial Alarms the
Department of Justice

Because or information that has been
reaching Washington lately and going
to oyster Bay, the coming trial Of SEN
ator william Z. Borah Of Idaho, who,
with other leading men Of the State.
is charged with conspiring to defraud
the Government In land matters. will be
watched with peculiar interest. The fact
that a member OF the Senate IS under
Indictment charged with a serious crime
would in itself surround the Borah trial
With Importance, but there are or =
reasons why the Department Of Justice
is giving the case careful attention.
The question that has been sQuarely
raised IN the Borah case is whether he
IS being unjustly prosecuted on account
OF his connection with the Haywood
trial.
As is well known. Senator Borah was
retained by the State OF Idaho as the
prosecutor Of William D. Haywood. who
was charged with completely in the muir
der OF Governor steunenberg. Senator
Borah Is a lawyer Of conspicuous ability
and he set 20 work with the greatest
vigor to bring about the conviction Of
Haywood.
Before the trial began the news leaked
out that Borah. with Frank Martin. who
was attorney general Of Idaho under
Stenuenberg and several officers Of the
Barber Lumber Company had been ia
dicted. Il was alleged they had con-
spired to defraud the Government by
securing Illegal entry Of timber lands.
knowledge OF the Indictment was sup
pressed as far as possible, but when the
reports concerning the indictment were
conspicuOusly printed. BOrah was called
here for a conference with the Depart
ment Of Justice. District Attorney
Ruick was also called here It IS alleged
the indictments were held back until
Senator Borah got through the Haywood
trial, az any rate that the serving OF
warrants was deferred on orders from
Washington.
Senator BOrah insisted he was In no
way guilty Of the charges against him
The Washington times., 1907-09-08

and that while he was counse. for the
Barber Lumber Company he had moth
ing TO do with alleged land frauds and
knew nothing Of them.
Now parties have come to the Presi-
dent and the Department Of Justice and
q their own volition Il appears, asserted
ECrah was being done an Injustice and
that the Western Federation OF Miners
was instrumental in getti.g the Idaho
Senator indicted. 1t is alleged the fed
eation tried 10 get him indicted in
order 10 discredlt him IN the trial Of the
haywood case. Just what part District
Attorney Ruick played in the matter is
not known. though he is alleged 10 be
IL sympathy with the Western Fedora
ton OF Miners. There are limitations
that this sympathy may have made him
unduly jealous against BOrah.
The Department Of Justice Is looking
into the Borah case with care and 1t
Is understood here that Judge Burch.
Of the department who. as special at
torney. has an intimate acqua. ntance
with Western land matters, Will try the
case. If 1t should develop that the as
sertions Of Borah's friends are true and
that the charges against him are base
less and were made with the idea OF
hampering him in the Haywood case.
there is little doubt the President will
consider II such a reflection on District
Attorney Ruick as 70 warrant his re-
moval.
The trial is set for September %.
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
HELD FOR KILLING
BABY IN FIGHT
Another Infant Thrown From
Window Caught by
Pedestrian.

CHESTER. Pa, Sept. daniel Trial.
eighty-seven years old. was held Tor
further examination today on the charge
0f numbering tile thirteen-month-oid
baby Of Mrs. Mary Mathews. who was
shot IN a family quarrel al his nome
early this morning.
Members OF the family said they
were aroused by the screams Of Hiss
Margaret McKeEna, a guest from Col
OTado, VINO ran through tie house, cry
ing that some one was chasing her
She dashed into d secOnd-5tOry bed
room and plunged out Of window, they
said. About the same time shots we're
fired.
Mrs. Fricl. sister-in-law OF the oC-
cused. was so terrified that she threw
ner ten-month-Old baby out OF The same
window. 1t fell into the arms Of Thomas
Sweeney, a passer-by, and escaped in
Jury.
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
Training Station contracts Lei.

Awards Of two contracts for construc-
ton work on the new s.. 10000 naval
training station on the Great Lakes,
near Chicago. were made yesterday by
the Navy Department The Northern
Construction Company Of Milwaukee
was the successful bidder for the con-
tract Of twelve Of the smaller buildings
Of the station, the contracts being for
$50, 600. The contract for building four
officers quarters was awarded TO James
f. Hale, of North Chicago, whose bid Of
$50. $50 was the lowest
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
CENTRAL BOND HOLDERS
TO MEET JUDGE ADAMS

SAVANNAH. Ca, Sept. THE New
York holders Of the income bonds Of the
Central railroad yesterday summoned
Judge s. b. Adams, OF this city, TO New
York, where a conference with New
York counsel Will be held.
Judge Adams will meet his clients in
New York and thoroughly go into the
question whether the courts can be
called upon 10 take action in the case
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
BUBONIC PLAGUE WANING,
REPORT FROM FRISCO

The Marine Hospital Service has bad
no further adyices OF new cases Of the
bubonic plague at San Francisco since
last Wednesday. although three sus-
picious cases have been reported and
are now under observation Up 70 sep
TENDER 4 there had been a total Of seF-
enteen cases OF plague, and eight deaths
reported, among the cases being Two IN
the city and county nospital-one an
inferno and the other a nurse.
There has also been one case at Point
Richmond, across the bay from San
Francisco.
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
DEMANDS EXPLANATION
FOR M0BBlNG HIND00S

LONDON. Sept. IA demand for
prompt accounting from America for
the mobbing Of Hindoos in Washington
State. is urged upon England BY the
Pail Mall Gazette.
British prestige IN India, says the Ga
zette. will suffer II En-land falls 10
protect its subjects abroad.
The Washington times., 1907-09-08

The Nomination OF Congressman Bur
ton FOR mayor OF Cleveland means more
muddlng OF the Ohio situation. A
NOR IN ago the Republican enemies OF
Burton suggested with sarcastic intent
that he was the only man who could
defeat Tom Johnson, now serving has
third term as Democratic mayor OF
Republican city.
II has long been claimed by the anti
Taft auti-BurtOn Republicans IN Ohio
that Johnson and Burton were working
tO6ether-that Burton was given unani-
nous reelection 10 Congress in return
for a passive position toward JOhnsOn's
election as mayor. This charge seemed
proven when johnson permitted one Of
BurtoH's pest friends TO be elected last
year while all other offices were filled
by Johnson Democrats.
It was the scheme of BurtoH's foes,
II is said. 10 urge him for mayor. think
ing he would decline. This would prove
his alliance with Johnson, but Burton
accepted the prOfered honor and an
nOunced a platform in line with some
Of Johnson's ideas. This was confus-
ing TO the original Burton boomers who
We're sure he would decline
They now fear that Johnson viii not
run and Will aid BurtOn's election,
knowing the confusion IL Will make
among Ohio Republicans.
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
DESTROYER MAKES % II KNOTS.

LONDON, Sept, The ocean-going
torpedo-boat destroyer Cossaek had her
The Washington times., 1907-09-08

trial runs on the Merry today. and at
tanned a speed Of thirty-three and one
half knots. which is the highest speed
yet attained By this class Of vessel
The Washington times., 1907-09-08
JOHNSON
TO QUIT CONTEST
TO SUCCEED SELF
Confusion of Those Who
Charged Alliance With
Burke.

CLEVELAND. Ohio, Sept. Con
gresham Theodore E. Burton, chair
man of the House Committee on Xiv
ers and Harbors. was today nominated
by reclamation for mayor OF Cleveland
at the Republican city convention.
Francis w. Treadway was nominated
for vice mayor.