davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
Closing Week Of The Campaign

The tumult and the shouting, together with the growing conviction that the vote is to be closer than had been an ticipated, is lending interest to cam paign that was inclined to be dull and apathetic. In the contested states nu district is too far in the backwoods to be neglected. Audiences get plenty of oratory in such states, while the sure" states go unstumped.
 And yet it is not certain that the 11th hour appeals change any consid- erable number of votes. They may induce the indolent to go to the polls. Heretofore large sums have been ex- pended on election day in congested districts in the practical purchase of votes. Whether money will be forth coming this year for that purpose is unknown. Four years ago MT. Harri- man raised in the closing week $260,- - 900, and he afterward boasted that it changed 50,000 votes. A second effort of that nature would be made very secretly, if made at all.
 The decision of the electorate in the contested states depends upon many factors, and one mans. guess is just about as good as that of another man. Nearly every one is a forecaster this week, and some have information of landslides. A landslide this yea should be large-sized and vigorous in order to overcome the landslide in the Parker-Roosevelt campaign. Those who depend upon landslides should there fore call for one of large proportions.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
cRITIcIsEs ROOSEVELT.

From the New York World.
 In an interview at Toledo, Adolph Smith of the London Lancet, who has just come from the tuberculosis con gress at Washington, censured President Roosevelt and was very indignant over the treatment received by the international congress at the hands of the United States government. He says he will re- port the case to his paper, declaring that the fight of science against tuberculosis has been put back three years as a re- suit of shabby treatment accorded the congress.
 In Paris, he says the congress was en- tertained in the Palace of Fine Arts, was opened by the French president in person. and every possible courtesy was extended by the government. In Washington, per- mission to meet in the capitol was re- fused through the opposition of Speaker Cannon and MT. Mann of Illinois. and the congress was compelled to meet in an un- finished museum upon which workmen were still hammering.
 Moreover instead of the usual appro- priation by the government acting as host, funds for the expenses had to be obtained from few eastern capitalists. whose interests, MT. Smith declares it is shrewdly suspected, were consequently consulted in the action taken upon cer- tain matters likely to be detrimental to the business of these financial packers. One of the sorest points was the dis l courtesy of President Roosevelt in with holding his presence from the conven- ton, sending Cortelyou to make the open- ing speech, and then, apparently as an | after thought, at the closing session,
 coming in unexpectedly to say a few nasty words and rushing unceremonious- 1 lv out again.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Mir. Maben Returns.

President J. C. Maben of the Sloss. Sheffield Steel and Iron company has returned from New York, where he had spent week or more When asked about the rapid advance of the price of Sloss- Sheffield stock MT. Maben said he was not able to learn what was carrying 1t up at this time when other stocks were dull or nervous.
 Ut may be-" said MT. Maben that the stock is being bought for some par tcular interest; or it may be that the in- tensive value of the stock is attracting buyers, but it looks as if some strong syndicate might be in the market for It, in which event those in control of the sloss- Sheffield company would not know about it. When a given interest starts out to acquire a majority of the shares of a big concern brokers are commis- stoned to pick up what they can in the open market at price below what the purchas- ing interest intends to offer when it is ready to treat with the men who hold the control. Thus 1t is that those now in con trol of the Sloss-Sheffield would be kept in the dark. They would be the last to find out just who was after the prop erty."
 Cues toned as to the political outlook Mir. Maben said that Taft would be the winner and that Hughes would be elected governor of New York.
 'I talked with several of the experienced campaigners on the republican committee, including Senator Scott of West Virginia and they figure on a plurality in New York state of something like 100000 for Taft I myself see a possibility of much larger plurality than that.
 The republicans will carry Ohio h. diana and all, or nearly all, the doubtful states. l met Treasurer Sheldon of the republican committee and he told me that the appeal mailed to 10000 business men asking for $50 from each of them had met with very prompt response. Last week, when I was talking to him, he had received S620 checks of $50 each, making from that source s4Sl,OO Before election day the total expected from the $50 men will probably run considerably over the S5OO coo mark"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
AT THE GRAVE OF POE.

By William Hervey Woods. Was there no green valley by Auber's
 tarn
 Or slope in the woods of Weir, No sepulchre dim in the cypress glade Where long ago lost Ulalume was laid, Awaiting her lovers bier That they buried a prince of poets land In street-side graveyard drear- Was all that was left him of poets land But shrunken grass plot sere? Iris there In the noon men quivering feel The shattering car wheel sound, And there in the night upon tense-strung
 ears
 The scintillant arc lights. glistering
 spears
 Hiss into the darkness round, And never is peace till the pitying snows Heal over the aching ground Till the sooth and silence of night-long
 snows
 Lie deep on the echoing ground. Do ye we'll O people, to rate him dim Tn the firmaments of home, When over wide oceans he shines on high An unsetting star of the western sky. Far up in the purple dome That glows with the glory that once was
 Greece
 And the grandeur that was Rome9 Nay, your city is old and wide and fair, And many a column tall And figure of bronze with a laurelel name
 Shows the pledges proud ye have given 10 fame, But the proudest of them all Is the square gray stone with its carven harp :, That stands by the old church wall Is the name and face and the carven harp By the old Westminster wall.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29

infinitely more value to mankind, be di- rected toward sensible. healthful regula- tion.
 As to race track betting itself the law, of eourse must not be violated. Every right-minded citizen will uphold the courts no man worthy of citizenship will eondone aw-breaking. As to racing itself, I am inclined to think it would be excel lent for the sport and for the community if several of the tracks were, as threat ened, broken up into building lots. There are now too many tracks around New York The legitimate interest and racing could be served very easily by two. If you cannot enforce regulation either for cearth of sympathy or through need of power, then prohibition is the only re- course; 1t is better to forbid altogether than to weakly permit infringement of regulation. But the acceptance of prohi- bition is a confession of weakness-which is disereditable to young nation, and to a virile people.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
MIR. RRYAN,S FIRST HIT.

William Allen White in Golfers Weekly.
 Twelve years ago at the national dem- ocratic convention at Chicago a young man with a good head of hair and a full, fine, frank, youthful face ran down from the speakers platform and took sand- wich from the hand or a friend behind the speakers stand and the young man. flushed and excited with the roar of the great throng in his ears, bit into the bread and said: Do you think l made a hit?' The cheering of the tumultuous crowd drowned his friends answer which is, of course, immaterial, but from that moment until the present that young man has dominated the democratic party of this nation. It is hardly too strong to say that for twelve years he is and has been the democratic party of America; and it is only just to say that the demo- cratic faith which MT. Bryan has been preaching all these years is as different a creed from that preached by tile democ- racy during the dozen years be- fore MT Bryan's coming and for a gen. eration before that as the republicanism of today differs from that of President Harrison's day
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
Things at the worst will cease.
 Macbeth.
Jan JanOff POuTen, Of Russia

The Pouren case had been before a United States commissioner in New York fully eight months before Secre- tary of State Root sent for the evil denee, and after examining it decided Pouren was wanted in Russia to be punished for political rather than for criminal offenses. He directed that the proceedings be dismissed, and Pouren was for a few minutes a free man.
 The Russian consul general in New York had retained some of the most expensive lawyers in that city and they caused Pouren to be at once re- arrested on charges of arson, burglary, murder and attempt to commit mur- der, and the consul general and his lawyers will first have to convince the United States commissioner in New York that Pouren should be extradited, and then the case will be reviewed by Secretary Root.
 Nations do not surrender men charged with political offenses, and England is very careful in discriminat- ing between the political and the crimi- nal, and so should this country be. England refused to surrender a man who had killed a member of the Swiss Parliament on the ground that the act was part of a political movement.
 If Pouren is surrendered on single charge he must be tried on that charge and no other. This is well-known rule in extradition cases. But Russian courts and methods are not very trust worthy, and no doubt the Russian con sul general and his lawyers will have to make clear the charge of criminality unmixed with politics in order to SC cure the handing over of Pouren tc the Russian authorities. The chances are very good that Pouren will remain in this country, for the acts complained of were committed during the efforts of the masses in Russia to overthrow the aristocracy.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
Odds on Hughes.

Odds on Hughes.
 From the New York Times.
 Chanler money has become scarcer in the financial district in the last few days, although very little money has been placed at any time. For the first time yesterday holders of Hughes money were obliged to give odds, the larger sums being placed at 10 to g, and the small bets at even money. What was said to be the first big election bet made between stock exchange members this season was one made yesterday of $5OO0 on Hughes against $45O0 on Chanler.
 The stock exchange houses which laid the bet admitted that it was not their money which had been put up, and pro- tested against the use of their names be- cause of the doubt as to the standing of such bets under the new state law.
 There was more betting on the curb yesterday than at any time since the cam paign started. One bet of 5000 on Hughes was made to s900 on Chanler, and the holder of the Hughes money announced that he had $20,OOO more to bet on the republican candidate if he could get even
 
 was said by the curb men to have been sent down from the Republican club.
 To make sure of not running foul of the new state betting laws, bettors of big amounts are now resorting to variops pre- texts when the money is posted. Here is a sample;
 Should William Jennings Bryan receive the majority of votes cast in the state of New York at next Tuesdays election agree to present my friend, John Smith, the sum of s55O0, which money, in cash, has been turned over to the cashier of the Waldorf-Astori hotel, together with this agreement and he alone shall decide whether the terms of this agreement have been lived up to. JOHN JONES.
 The above is one of four agreements entered into betwen two Wall street men yesterday afternoon at the Waldorf-As- toria, and, by a strange coincidence, the amount involved, $11 600, and the terms of the "agreement" are identical with those of wager made at the same hotel last week. as told in the Times.
 Again, these two brokers, whose names are carefully guarded by those at the hotel who witnessed the agreement, are speculatng on the chances of Bryan and Taft for the presidential vote Of New York state, the second wager for the re- md1nueT OI tu6 9ll,VOO DciuB liedO Oii tic respective chances of Hughes and Chan Ter.
 The bet was what is known as a coupled wager, the republican betting his democratic opponent 1,0o0 even that both Taft and Hughes would carry New York state.
 The two brokers, who met and put ur their money yesterday, $22,000 in all, re- spect the new anti-betting law and be- lieve that by entering into the agreement as quoted above they are well within the pale of the law
 When the two hotel attaches had at tached their signatures to the four ..agreements,' these, together with $22,' 900 in cash were placed in an envelope and sealed, and the quartet then proceed. ed to the cashiers desk, where the envel- ope was turned over, there to remain un- til the morning of November 4. when the lucky one of the two will come forth tc i claim his present.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
MAN WHO WROTE "AMERlcA.'

From the New York World.
 At a famous reunion of the Harvard class of 1929 pr. Oliver Wendell Holmes read a playful poem in which his gray-haired classmates were treated still as boys. This was one verse:
 And there's nice youngster of excel
 lent pith-
 Fate tried to conceal him by naming
 him Smith;
 But he shouted a song for the brave
 and the free,
 Just read on his medal, My country
 of .thee,'
 Samuel Francis Smith was born in Boston. and in his school days there won honors in Greek and Latin, be- sides developing strongly religious turn of mind. After his Harvard course he studied theology at Andover. In 1892, the year of his graduation from the seminary he fitted the words of "America" to one of the tunes in q collection brought from Germany and turned it over to Dr. Lowell Mason. MT. Smith has written many hymns for the church, including "The Morning Light is Breaking"
 America" was sung first to great public July 4, 1892, at the Park Street church, Bosom. It became immediately popular. being taken up by public schools Sunday schools and patriotic societies all over the land. Doubtless the music had much to do with the sue cess of the hymn. Certainly pr. Smith $ verses are poor literature, but they are hallowed now by 76 years of usage, and critics of their quality are an swered best by the fact that nobody l has been able to provide national l hymn to displace them. The tune of America" which is the l tune also of God Save the King" is founded on a 17th century air, origi- hating perhaps in France, adopted for patriotic use in both Germany and | Switzerland.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
ACTOR WHO SAVED MONEY,

From the New York American.
 "An actor who spends his money while it is coming fast is fool Gus Rogers the German comedian who died suddenly the first of the week. often said: Il real ize the time will come when the puollc will turn up it's nose at the whole world I'm laying something aside.
 He bought real estate and stocks' hNeu quietly with his wife and children when he was not on the stage, and rolled up a very comfortable fortune. Max, their friends say. was no business man. lie merely drew enough money to live upon, and turned every other cent over to Gus for investment. Consequently he IS rlch' too
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
Back From New York.

"In New York l met last week several prominent democrats and a number or prominent republicans" said Ross C' Smith, and 1t is generally believed that Taft will be elected President. l believe that the landslide, instead of being for Bryan, as Bryan democrats had been hoping for, will be for Taft. In well informed republican circles 1t Is con- fidently predicted that Taft will nave even a larger electoral vote than Roose- welt had in 1904 Not only will Taft carry New York state by a great plurality, but Hughes will beat Chanler for governor
 Chairman Mack and his earnest CO., workers at democratic national headquar- ters are looking as cheerful as possible under the circumstances, and 1t may pc that Mack really figures it out that Bryan will be the next President, but dem- ocratic politicians in general whom lmet admit that Taft has got in and gone ~
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
AdherentS Of MT. DebS

The socialist vote of 1904 was 350 per cent larger than that boiled in 1900, and MT. Debs claims that the vote of 1904 will be more than doubled this year--in other words, that it will cross the million line. This is possible. The large cities and northern indus trial centers are still full of unem- ployed men, and the unemployed lend a ready ear to the the appeal of social ism.
 It is a mistake, however, to say that socialists are recruited from the demo. cratic party. The chances are that they
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
"The Merry Widow" "

Henry W. Savage's Merry Widow company now touring the south and which closed it's Birmingham engage ment at the Jefferson last night, IS making a great record in the way or drawing crowds It opened it's engage ment here Monday night when 1t played to A capacity house." There was an- other capacity house Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon; and at the con cl1ding performance there were few empty seats. It is about the same way in every city, From Richmond down the company has played to packed houses; and in Mobile where the "Mer- rv Widow" will be presented tonight, every seat has been sold.
 In speaking of the company last night music-lover and old theatre eoer said: It Is not often that l care to see a light opera repeated, but this week I have gone three times to see and hear the Merry Widow The company is well balanced, Is full or snap and is lavishly costumed, and there is an atmosphere of art about 1t which impresses most favorably all persons of taste, musical and other wise.'
 The Merry Widow" company will ap- pear all of next week in New Orleans
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29

are taken in about equal numbers from both of the large parties. Were the times good and general business In evidence in large and increasing vol ume socialism would lose much of it's opportunity, although it would even in that case show gains, as it did in 1904.
 A million socialist votes will wake up all parties to the fact that a new Richmond is in the field-that the socialist party is to be reckoned with hereafter, Its teachings do not appeal effectively to southern voters, and tn the present stage of this political cult il may be said to be confined to the large cities. Possibly it may some day gain foothold in the agricultural dis tricts, but thus far there are no signs of it.
 The vote for Mr Debs will perhaps go to 1,000,000, but it will not bring him a single electoral vote. It will, however, lead to a campaign in 1912 that may be deeply felt. In many countries notably in England and Ger many. socialism is fast becoming a factor, and true socialist is a man who wants a great deal of government mechanically. He is the antithesis of the anarchist.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
A BURGLARS NEWSPAPER.

From the Chicago News.
 Moscow has a curious newspaper called Bosatska Gazeta, which, interpreted, means "The Barefooted Mans Gazette. . It is a little weekly journal, consisting of one double sheet of printed matter. It is ostensibly run by thieves and vagabonds. The bulk of it's contents consists of con- tributions- from burglars and other folk who prey upon society, in which they de- scribe their successful exploits. It's tone is humorous and racy. The text is en- which are well done. Unless the police suppress it, it bids fair to have pros porous career.
 It is not lacking in advertisements, most of them of a decidedly unique character. In one issue for instance, a young man announces that. being full of energy and temperament, and having a loving heart, he seeks a life partner in the shape of a young lady with small means" The ad- venturer goes on to say that having practieed housebreaking. from his tender youth, he is now, at 20, as expert a burglar as any in Moscow, and can there fore. assure his wife comfort and even luxury"
 The office Is situated in the Nikitinska, shabby enough street, opposite small theatre. It is a private fiat. The ed- itor is always out and contributors are invited to leave their offerings on the table, where lie an empty vodka bottle, tea-staineG pis,e of plotting paper and a few cigarette ends.
 n a ra aart of fIA per is wrapped in mystery Nobody knows where 1t Is printed. least of all the po- lice, who have been on it's track since the first number appeared. It comes out once a week and costs kopecks (about 5 cents).
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
EVEN HONORS.
From Success

From Success.
 Ono of the Tammany delegates at the Denver convention was approached by an old acquaintance who was badly down in his laek. Siding up to the Tammanyite he said:
 Say. Bill, lend me twenty, will you? I'm short
 The New Yorker went down into his pocket. fisned out a big roll and handed a s1O oil to the seedy one.
 Say, Billy" said he of the touch, T said twenty
 T know you did said the politician "bu. think 1hls way is fairer You lose fen and 1 lose ten. See?'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
PROHIBITIONS WEAKNESS.
From Outing.

From Outing.
 For my part I confess am one or those who believe in regulation rather than prohibition. I must always feel that the best service we can give man is to strengthen his moral fiber so as to resist temptation rather than to weaken his character by taking temptation out of his path. I feel always the potent wisdom of those inspiring works of Phillips Brooks-"O do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks
 It seems to me this is the spirit which should underlie all reform movement. Only by such procedure shall we build up a face of men of worth and or strength. I am no believer in prohibi- ton. The same energy which sways pro- hibition movements could easier, and with
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
House Democratic.

Chicago.-The national house will be democratic by a probable majority of 67 and possibly more, in the opinion of James T. Lloyd, chairman of the dem ocratic congressional campaign commit tee. MT. Lloyd says:
 "The present Congress consists of 39l members. There have been elections in Oregon and Maine and six republicans have been chosen from those states. Of the 3S5 to be elected it is reasonable to believe that there will be l99 democrats and 126 republicans. This leaves 50 dis trIcts to be classed as doubtful. If our estimates are correct, all the doubtful districts may be given to the republicans and yet the democrats would have ma jority of seven. but of the doubtful dis tricts our judgment is that the democrats have at least an equal chance, and may
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
FOUND.

He sought the road to happiness
 Through weary, weary years, And all the ways he travelled OCT
 Were sprinkled with his tears And still the storms of life opposed
 And sorrow gripped his heart, The while he saw his hopes take wing And one by one depart. He sought the road to happiness,
 The sunny. golden land, But all in vain until one day
 Love took him by the hand And led him on past drowning heights Into va1ley sweet, Where joy at last repaid him for
 The lessons of defeat.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-29
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 A womans idea of having great charm is for you to tell her so.
 Men wouldn't even want to go fishing if that was good way to earn their liv- ing.
 A great advantage in being a bachelor is all the relatives-in-law you don't have to stand.
 What a woman adores about a stage hero is she couldn't possibly live with him if they were married.
 The thing that tickles a man to death is how people can't help admiring him in spite of his unpopularity.