davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
How Peck Overdid It.

George w. Peck of Wisconsin, the
humorist of Bad Boy fame, was in
Maine not long ago, coming in the en-
plov of the Milwaukee brewers to
write up the Failure" of prohibition.
In his attempt to earn his money he
overdid the business, and his articles
in the Milwaukee Sentinel are really
funnier than anything he ever penned
about his famous Bad Boy. They are
SO absurdly extravagant that even
the rcsuhmission and saloon papers of
tho State have known better than to
publish them.
Mr.. Peck says that Maine is on the
road to ruin in Industrial matters ana
on the road to perdition in social
things. According to him our people
live on Goldfish and apple sauce and go
to bed at dark. He says he could not
go to sleep in his Portland hotel from
thinking about the terrible way we
have of bringing up our children in
Maine Here is his exact sentence:
81 could not go to sleep that night,
from thinking of the Maine method
of bringing mp children to act as
agents for the sale of liquor in a Pro-
hibition state Isn't it awful. Then
he described the streets of Portland as
''filled with drunken sailors and lit
tered with empty bottles" The streets
of Augusta and Lewiston We're likewise
Uttered. On the streets of Biddeford
he saw thousands and thousands of
tired and disguised laborers seeking an
evenings amusementl"
That Is putting it pretty strong, but
then he puts everything so strong that
the reader is forced to the conclusion
that his breath must have been strong
err than his eycsight when he visited
Maine Perhaps his biggest hit was
scored wher, he declared that Portland
has hundreds of kitchen barrooms
kept by respectable families" No
wonder the enemies of prohibition are
not publishing broadcast the interest
ing articles by Mr.. Peck. He is too
much of good thing. But what
libel on Maine to be appearing in the
western papers!
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

!
! IN American streets, ara one by no means
! Witholt rlctaresqueneSs But no Amer
cdn utdlei IN oid clotncs mas established
d business OF Such extent or Interest as
| aiat OF J2hn 1yhidh or London, whose
Specially III Is 70 purchase Snowy cos
LURES ana discarded mlltafy and official
! uniforms for disposal in the Orient and
Aiiica. T-Vcn the retiring lord mayors Of
Loiiion nave become, almost by official
tradltioil, ms customers; and the cooked
ny, soldliccd coat ana knee bref ches at
WHICH, dEilhS one season, London has
s;tIed WIN awe, IN the famous pageant
81 the infd mayor procession, are likely
ne next season to delight the eyes Of
bdiEcSt AFRICA, upon the proud pei son Of
DARKEST African.
nave VISITED most OF the great orien-
lai paZarS ana watched our goods being
purchased, SAID Mr.. Hytnan. Il have
seen hiaeRS solemniy walking aruund with
Mdlslcoats buttoned behind instead of be-
lore. ana even men wearing ladies' cos
tHieS nave seen enormously big fell
lows IN clothes 50 small / could not
imagine for the life of me how they got
INTO them, nor how they could get ont
again unless the stitching gave way"
ne prince OF JoinVille. when Off the
Gabun coast. once received on his ship
an of'c1tl visit from two chiefs. father.
ana SON who must, one would think have
been Mr. Hyman's customers They w,r.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

mana gers has led them to the same
conclusion that was arrived at by mos
eastern observers.
Mr.. Bryan ana his managers may
later decide to make hard fight fo1
votes on this side of the continent, nut
there is no present sign of such an in
tention except the tone of the Denver
platform and the comparative mild
ness Of the candidates preliminary re-
marks. Certainly nothing that has de-
vcloped in The eastern states since the
nominations were made warrants
hopeful assaults by the Democrats in
what seems still to be the enemy $
country. --
The Republicans have an advantage
in being the first to unmask their at
tack. They may be able to force the
Democrats to meet them on ground
selected by the Taft managers. Here
the Republicans have the prestige of
previous victories, a clean sweep in
1900 save for the nine votes of Idaho,
Montana. and Nevada, with the loss
III 1896 besides these of only Colorado,
Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota.
Utah, Washington and Wyoming,
thirty-six votes more. In the great
middle west Mr.. Taft will no doubt be
hclEcd by the popularity of Theodore
Roosevelt, whose hold on these COM
munitics is aSsuredly as strong as it
was in 1904, when they turned to him
with no single exception. Mr.. Parker
naturally made but a feeble bid for
their votes compared with that which
Mr.. Bryan is capable of. but where
the Peerless One failed twice to make
good against q man of conservative
character like Mr.. Mckinley, it is
not to be expected that he will find
great favor against Mr.. Taft. backed
by the influence of Mr.. Roosevelt.
Selection of the West as the main
fighting ground may affect the char
acter of the campaign. may make it
more breezy" than its opening stages
have proved. But if present harvest
prospects are realized the farmers will
have little time for listening to talk
until their barns are fillcd-and by
that time the campaign will be near
ing q conclusion, when issues have all
been made and joined. From the Re
publican point of view the West is as
good 4 battlefield as could be desired.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
The Situation in Georgia.

Most people up this way will regard
electoral vote of Georgia going to any
body but Bryan, yet it is certain that
Democratic affairs in that state are In
state of tangle which is causing un-
easiness among the loyal adherents OF
the Peerless One. 1t is recalled that
Bryan was not Georgia's choice at
Denver and that the Georgia delegation
stubbornly refused to be stampeded
for him, and the spirit in which Geor-
gia accepts, or refuses to accept Bry-
ans nomination is giving lot of cheer
to Thomas E. Watson of that state.
For it is not to Taft that Georgia is
hardly likely to turn in it's disgust at
Organism Even though in their hearts
the Georgia Democrats know that
Taft's election is the best thing for the
country and even though they secretly
desire it, they are not yet ready to
follow Missouri, Kentucky and Mary
land in voting for a Republican. 1t IS
Watson, the Populist nominee, who IS
more likely to upset Bryan's hopes In
Georgia and cause a shake-up in the
tables of sure Bryan states.
Georgia is the only state in the Union
where majority of all the votes cast is
necessary to elect presidential cleo
toral ticket. To carry Georgia, there
fore, Bryan will have to have a ma
jority over the vote of the Republican,
Populist, Prohibition, Socialist Social
Unless Mr.. Bryan's electoral ticket
gets more votes than all these together
the Georgia Legislature will choose the
presidential electors for that state.
AS the Legislature may be itself ca
PRECIOUS and inclined to Watson, the
situation in Georgia is an embarrassing
one for the Bryanites. They propose,
therefore, in lieu of fusion to have the
Legislature now in session change the
law SO that a pluraliay vote Will elect
an electoral ticket. According to Geor-
gia papers Bryan is not very popular
in that State, while WatsOn's hold on
its people seems to have strengthened.
The situation is at least peculiar. Wat
son is already making vigorous cam
paign in his state and is in position
to make it very warm for Bryan. He
tells the Georgians that Mr.. Bryan is
not well disposed to the South and
when in Congress he was opposed to
the election of Crisp, of Georgia, for
Speaker. Four years ago Watson, who
was then as now the Populist nominee,
received over one-fourth of the votes
cast in Georgia and he is certain of
many more than that this year. Geor-
gia will bear watching.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Taft Compared to Bryan.
PHILADELPHIA Public Ledger

(Phlladelphla Public Ledger
In general training and in adj
ministrative experience Mr. Taft is
better equipped for the presidency
than any candidate within half a
century. All his mature life has be ~
spent in the public service, but never
by his own seeking. He has been in
trusted successfully with many most
difficult tasks-as judge, commits
sioner, governor, Secretary-requirine
wide knowledge, clear Judgment, dis
erection, firmncss, tact, and every one
of them he has fulfilled with a sue
cess that commanded admiration and
inspired confidence He has shown
himself man of essentially judicial
temperament, not merely learned in
the law, but grounded in the broad
principles of justice and equity-an
eminently systematic mind, that con-
siders, weighs, arranges and adjusts
and moves by logical process to clear
conclusions. While he has never
faltered before a public duty. he has
never asserted himself, but has sunk
his own ambitions in the public
service for which he has been sought.
A calm, careful kindly, quietly force
full man. he makes no fuss, but ac-
complishes results. If Taft is Roose-
velt's candidate. so much the more
credit to Roosevelt for choosing a man
in 50 many ways different from him
self
In contrast with Mr.. Taft's record
of successful achievement, Mr. Bryan
has practically no record whatever,
except that of a public speaker, a
politician and a candidate. His
actual public service was confined to
two terms in the house of representa- a
tives. where he acquired some
familiarity with the politics of the
caucus, but manifested no inclination
to serious study He was an unsuc-
cessful candidate for the senate, and
then took to political journalism; was
sent as 4 delegate to the democratic
convention of 1896, made silver
speech that turned the heads of the
crowd, was nominated for president
and defeated This is the sum of
Mr.. Bryan's experience in public life.
apart from his travels as a lyceum
lecturer and newspaper writer and
his incessant activity in cutivating
his political interests. He has never
held a post of pubic responsibility,
even in the Legislative branch; in
administrative duties he is wholly I'M
tried, except as concerns the success
full organization of his own candidacy
He has made this profitable profess
sion, and has developed great skill in
the art which Governor Pennypacker
applauded in Quay-"the manage
ment of men in masses" But that is
a qualification for a BOSS not for a
president.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

peffeetly quiet for hours at time, OBJ
serving~au Ihateis going on, however.
The two snakes are great friends.
Billy receives as much care as child
from Miss Lambert Every morning
the snake gets bath of new milk, the
body afterwards being wiped quite dry.
the box occupied by the snake, which
was made for his especial occupancy,
is constructed of polished woods and IS
lined with soft cloths. There arc
perches in the box and long shelf that
his snakeship may stretch upon. Il
have always had great liking for
snakes" said Miss Lambert. afraid
of snakes? Well l should say not.
For my part l can't see what there is
about snake that girl should be
afraid of. Now, some might say that
Billy is dangerous, but l am not BIZ
afraid of the big fellow. It's true that
he has the power now to kill human
being by crushing. but / know that he
wont's hurt me. for l think that he
loves me. He is so nice and affec-
tomato, running his head up On my
face and in a way almost kissing my
cheek. Why, I'd hate 20 part with
Billy, and don't intend to as long as
can keep him" One day, not long
ago, the snake escaped from his box
and invaded the family pantry. Then
there was great connection, for in
his progress about The place he tipped
over many pieces Of china, and the
resulting wreck was something that
the family may remember for some
time. 1t was on the same day when
the big fellow was making his way
through the parlor of the house in his
course of investigation that he family
cat espied the serpent. There was
frantic ''m-iouw' and the cat made
good her escape through window.
Since that day she has not returned,
and it is thought chat the shock which
the feline experienced was so great
that she has gone to live with others
who have no snakes.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Taft at Oyster Bay.
washington PoSt.)

Mr.. Taft was nominated at Chicago
because he was the strongest man the
Republicans could select. His strength
resides in his own character and
achievements, and also in the fact
that he is best qualified to carry for
ward the work begun and developed
by President Roosevelt. An over
wheming majority of the Republican
party has made it evident that it
wants this work to go ahead.
Whether the country as whole has
the same desire remains to be demon
strated next November: but Mr. Taft.
in accepting the nomination, is deal
ing with party matter. The
struggle with the opposition will come
little later. In going to Oyster Bay
to consult Mr.. Roosevelt and Mr. Root
regarding the speech of acceptance.
Mr.. Taft is seeking the best advice
obtainable on party questions, in
order that he may express to the
country. as nearly as may be. the will
of the majority of the Republican
party This, it seems to us, is good
politics and good sense.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Millions Of Women ToiIers.

There are 100000 women in the
united States who toll for living.
What do they do? Crochet and en-
broider and tat? No: they do the dirt
lest work in the world.
All the skyscrapers in New York are
cleaned by women, who get down on
thelr knees and scrub the floors.
The necessities of elf-support among
them are so pressing that they have
invaded all but nine of the 3O3 occuoa-
IONS listed by the Census Bureau.
They are moving up from servants
to scientists. from janitors to
Journalists
There are 5000 women carpenters
50S women machinists.
One-half of the single women of the
country, one-half of the divorced
women. and one-third of the widows
are supporting themselves.
There are 100000 women working In
New York State. and 100000 working
in the city of New York
There are $4,000 women of sixty-five
years and over in New York State
what a procession these white-h haired
for living.-New York Times.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
One Kind of Support"

Some of those who are supporting
Bryan are doing it in way which
must cause that gentleman lot OF
quiet squirming in the seclusion of his
Nebraskan home where the eyes of tho
orld are shut out by the now famous
stained glass windows presented by
Col. Guffy of Pennsylvania. For in
stance, there are the Louisville
Courier Journal. the Philadelphia Rec
ord and Melville z. ingalls,, the Ohio
railroad magnate.
The Courier Journal teaches that ii
is safe to vote the Democratic ticket
this year because the Republican Sen
ate will see to it that Mr.. Bryan. il
chosen President. shall work no harm
to the republic. The Philadelphia
Record declares that it is perfectly
safe TO vote for Mr.. Bryan because
the Supreme court of the United States
will see to it that all this anti-in-
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
.7 - - n,1K,S Z

the farming Industries even more Sc
layercly .fran -tYie misunderstanding INDUS
tries.
August and September are the
months in which the bulk of the coun-
try's wheat crop is sold by the farmers.
On the Chicago exchange in August,
1899, wheat sold down to 55h cents the
bushel The lowest average price for
August wheat in the same market dur
ing the five years Immediately preceding
was a fraction over 81 cents per bushel.
In 1894 August wheat in Chicago sold
down to 511z and in September of that
year went down to so cents per bushei.
Prices for wheat were not much better
during 1895 and 1896, but in 1887 the Nc
kinley administration began and the
Dirgley tariff schedules went into eff
feet, and during August of 1897 wheat
sold as high as $101 in Chicago and the
lowest price for that month was 15I.
The corn price record during the period
of inflated money agitation is still more
impressive. December is the market
month for corn. In December, 1893,
corn sold On the Chicago Board of
Trade down to 34A. in 1894 down to 44A
in 1885, down to % and in 1896 down to
22;h cents the buShel. The price OF
corn, like the prices of other farm ce-
reals, advanced with the assurance of
a Sound-money system on the inaugur
alton of Mckinley in 1897, and never
since that event have the farmers of
the West burned corn for fuel as in the
winter of 1896. when corn in some of
the Western States was cheaper than
coal.
The history of cotton prices from
1898 to 1897 is pretty much the same as
the record of grain prices. The years
1893, 1891 and 1895 We're disastrous to
the Southern cOttongrowerS. During
1894 and 1895 the price of cotton
dropped below six cents per pound.
During TIE past five years the price OF
cotton has averaged pretty nearly
double that. During the present week
spot cotton has been selling around II
cents per pound in American markets.
Spot wheat has been selling above 80
in Chicago this week and spot corn at
above 76 cents the bushel.
Is there any reason why the farm
vote should be impressed with Bryan
theories this year, or why the farmers
should be willing to risk Bryan adj
miniStratiOn? There is not to be found
the ghost Of such a reason in the his
tory of che fluctuations in mprod-
uct prices during the past fifteen years
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

nal sprnging of hope in the human
breast knew what he was talking
about. Judge Parker says New York
Is doubtful Four years ago he lost the
state by 115,00O. Mr.. Kern says Indi-
ana will go Democratic. He lost out on
in 1904 by $4,000 Hope is also CHEAP
and comforting to the Maine Dcmocra-
cy which is now assuming its usual
ante election ChcrkneSS.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Campaign
Comment.
Mr.. Gompers' Democratic Crusade.


CBrocklyn Standard Union.)
Mr.. Gompers formally started on his
Democratic crusade to elect Mr.. Bryan
yesterday. The opening gun is an edi-
torial in his labor paper in which he
pitches into Taft and the Republican
convention, and lauds Mr.. Bryan and
the Denver convention to the skies.
Written amid the echoes of the
strongest sort of protestations coming
from labor men all over the country
deny ing his right to speak for organ
iZed labor, Mr.. Gompers' plea is not
very strong or confident. 1t busters
enough and threatens enough, but 1t
carries no evidence of power to affect
the vote of the Workngmen of the
United States one way or the other
Mr.. Gompers is forced to defensive
position, and that is ever a weakness
in would-bc crusader just before
the last Congressional elections he
boldly proclaimed that labor, acting
under his guidance, would go into poll
ties on It's own account.
This was logical enough and entirely
detcnsiblc.
In theory it was all right; in practice
it was Il miserable fizZle.
Mr.. Gompers ard his associates
named certain members of Congress
seeking reelection who We're to be
defeated, and in the cases of the more
prominent of them he took the stump
in person. In every such case the vote
of the man attacked was increased
rather than diminished.
The showing made by the Gpmpers
candidates was miserable.
And, to large extent, Gomrers was
the cause of this miserable showing
The people resented the attack of Il
class of men who We're brave and con-
scientious enough to defy the COM
mands of any boss, labor or other
wise. seeking for his organization spe-
cial privileges at the hands of Congress
One brief experiment was enough for
Gompers in the field of separate labor
party politics. That is why he does not
want to stand up and be counted any
more. Like the old Willoughby street
gang in Brooklyn, when beaten to
a standstill locally. they began to
cry out for consolidation and sought
to get under the protective wing of
Tammany. Similarly Mr.. Gompers
seeks shelter under the wing of the
Democratic bosses. From that vantage
point of safety he can make faces at
the Republicans and be in a position
to claim. as due to his strength. any
gains the Democracy may make. It's
losses. and it will have many on ac-
count of Gompers. because the people
will resent his attempt to deliver IL class
vote to any party. just as they resented
his stump assaults on members OF
Congress who refused to obey his
orders, he will attribute to inherent
Democratic weakness. To use a collo-
uuialiSm. the Democrats have in
Gompers Il large sized lemon.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
Bryan and the Farmers.
Baltimore American.l


A mighty interesting chapter of in
dustrial history could be written on the
fluctuations which have taken place in
the prices of farm products since 1890,
with tracing of the apparent causes
of the varying high prices and low
prices for the principal farm staples
during the period since then. or
course, it would be difficult to trace all
of the causes affecting the market for
agricultural stuffs. but some of the
most striking price fluctuations seem so
closely identified with events of the
political history that it is almost inn
possible t" ESCAPE the conviction that
the prosperity of the farming Industries
IS directly affected by governmental
policies. The fluctuations which have
occurred in the prices of wheat. corn,
and cotton during the past fifteen years
seem tremendously suggestive, and
they certainly do not bear out the hope
which Mr.. Bryan is said 70 harbor that
the farmer vote will swing. to him this
time.
The second term of the Cleveland ad-
ministration began on the 4tk.of March
1893 1t is to be recalled thatHot only
the Wilson bill, remodeling theRepub-
lican tariff schedules known>a as the Nc
Kinley tariff, We're passed in .1SA, but
during the whole period of Mr. Cteve-
lands second administration there was
an incessant agitation of the question
of the free coinage of silver TIE
Bland silver coinage measure ana
the prominence generally Of monetary
imitation doctrines in the congressional
debates must undoubtedly be held re-
sponsible for the general industrial de-
preston that spread over the country
from 1893 to 1897. inclusive And this
depression, the statistics show, affected
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

When the Olympic games are next
held ii should be under the manage
ment Of an international committee
which can do things with fairness to all
concerned. The games in London were
managed whouy--and also wholly mis-
maEaged--by English officials. and the
there will long lie remembered in the
athletic world. 1t has given very
black eye to international athletic coz
tests.
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27

At the time of the Denver conVen-
ton there was lot of talk that many
Roosevelt people in the West were 60
ing to support Bryan That rumor is
wholly lacking in confirmation. The
newspapers of the West, and especially
those of the Democratic persuasion
have been serached in vain to show
any such condition. 1t is noteworthy
that Bryan is not now praising
Roosevelt. Taft is the man for the
Republicans in every section of the
land. .aG"gis eue
Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-27
The Battle Ground.
(NeW York Globe.)

1t seems now to be decided that the
West is to be the real battle ground of
the campaign of 1908 The Republican
national committeeman who have been
IN conference at Colorado Springs with
.be chairman, Mr.. Hitchcock, and the
sNte leaders of that part of the coun-
trSs are all of opinion that Chicago is
theTght place for headquarters, rather
th4irNew York, the first choice. Ex-
chanA of views among the Republican