davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Popular Music.

If classic concerts are not well attend ed we hear it said that the music is over the heads of the general public, but how about concerts where the programmes are at once artistic and light?" remarked an old theater-goer last night. q have been attending the music festival, and have noted with regret the small audiences With the exception of the audience at 'Americana,' the attendance has been dis tressngly slim. There was brilliant and popular programme Wednesday night and even a richer programme at the matinee. To hear the latter less than 900 people were present; and yet any one who had any liking for music would have enjoyed every number If one had heard only one piece-the Hungarian Rhapsody or the Lohengrin' bridal music, or the Euter pean Club, one would have been well re- paid. It will be many a day before Bir- mingham has such a treat as Innes has been giving us.
 "The public has an opportunity of re- deemng itself by attending the Friday matinee and the closing performance Fri day night. The programmes for both con certs are full of gems.''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
EIeofora.at.Iarne.


 ''There appears to be some mlsunder- standing on the part of the public of the duties of the two eleetors-at-large who are to-be nominated next Monday said well known politician.
 "In the first place. these offices are purely honorary, with no remuneration whatever, and they are usually given to men who have been loyal in party af- fairs and have done the party unusual service. The duty of the electors is sim ply to cast Alabama's ballot in the elee- toral college.
 "It is for this reason I think John C. Pugh is especially entitled to the place He has served the state democracy on it's executive committee and it's cam paign committed since 1900 and on the campaign committee for the ratification of the constitution of 1901. I hope the voters will remember him. Emmett oNeal of Florence is also a candidate who deserves the place. He has done much for the party and is an able man who will reflect credit upon the state. hope these two men will be nominated"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Commodity Prices Are Going Down.

Bradstreet's index number system shows that breadstuffs, live stock, pro- visions, fruits and textiles were all reduced in the month of April, so that on May 1 the latest level of values in three years was presented. Prices are 12.7 points lower than they were on March 1, 1907. A like movement is reported in England.
 Nine out of 19 groups of staples were reduced in price in April, while three groups-metals, oils and miscel- laneous products-were advanced, and the coal and coke group stood still. In all Al necessaries of life were reduced, while 2S were advanced, and Al re- mained unchanged.
 Reports of this nature are published month after month The one for April is the 14th successive one that has shown that staple prices are moving to lower level, and yet the consumer gains nothing from this trend. The cost of living has not been reduced, and the wonder is, how long will values have to continue to go down before the consumer shares in the benefits
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
PINDALL ISSUES
 4 PROCLAMATION

Little Rock, Ark. May 14-Aeting Gov ernor x. O. Pindall. who returned to Little Rock tonight, issued a proelama- ton revolSing the call for a special ses- sion of the legislature recently issued by Acting Governor Allen H. Hamiter. who seized the governors chair during the absence from the state of Governor Pin dall.
 every member of the legislature announe- ing to them not to come to Little Rock to attend any extra session of the general assembly,
 Governor Pindall refused to give out any statement. The governor and his friends believe that the legislators will heed his proclamation and will not come to Little Rock, and in case they are here Monday will refuse to convene
 At present no forecast can be made as to what will follow should the legislature assemble. It is known, however, that Governor Pindall and his friends will Go all in their power to check an extra ses- sion.
 In his proclamation revoking the call Governor Pindall declares the call Had vised; that the purposes stated therein do not demand any action by the leg islature at this time, and that the people of the state should not be burdened with the enormous expense of an extraordi- nary session, which neither occasion or exigency demands.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
INDIAN CURE FOR CANCER.

From the New York Press.
 The Chinese and Japanese surgeons cure cancer with a common weed A small cone made of the dried leaves is placed on the diseased part, which has been pre- yiously moistened, and is lighted at the top, when it burns down with a temper ate, glowing heat and produces a dark spot. the exulceration of which is promot ed by the application of a small quan- tity of garlic. The ulcer is kept open or healed, as the indications of the case require.
 Apropos of this Oriental cure: The American Indians undoubtedly came from China, crossing Behring sea, sweeping down through Alaska and the valley of the Columbia and scattering over this continent. They must have brought the Chinese heat cures along. medicine man was asked to cure pale-face of cancer. He said "Indian no cure cancer; Indian cure burn'' He was told to go ahead and do his best, as the white man was failing fast. So, with red hot poker he burned out the sore wide and broad and deep; then he applied his remedies of berbs, etc, and quickly healed the wound. The patient recovered.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Frances Race Suicide.

Already sufficiently alarmed, first by an even balancing of it's birth and death rates, and then by slight excess of the latter over the former, France now finds itself confronted by figures that threaten, not, of course, the depopula- tion of the country, since fertile land in crowded Europe will never remain long unoccupied, but the disappearance of its present inhabitants,' says a writer in the New York Times
 This alarming prospect will be ener- getically discussed in France from all points of view, and suggestions innumer- able will be made for meeting what is undoubtedly the most serious situation in which proud, intelligent and particu- lariy self-conscious nation can find itself.
 'Yhat anything effective will, or even can, be done about the matter, however, is more than dubious Our good Presi- dent would not hesitate an instant if asked either to explain the decreased birth rate or to tell how to increase 1t. He holds that good cvitizens have large families and bad citizens small ones, and that therefore an increase of civic virtue would remedy the evil. This simple theory ignores the fact that what is happening in France is what Invariably happens when a people grows old in civil ization and a highly developed individual ism leads to the conduct of life by reas- oning of the same sort used in the con duct of a business"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Mnra Deaths Than Births In France.

A report of the vital statistics Of France in the year 1907 confirms the belief that that country is actually ret rograding in population, and therefore in human energies. In 1907 the num- Der of births was 774,000, while the number of deaths was 79S,O0O-the ex- cess of deaths being 19,0O0. The de- crease in births was accelerated last year. the loss being 32,00O. as against an average loss in the last seven years of 12,0O0.
 This loss is not made good by immi- grafton, because as many leave the country as come to it. The loss each year is an actual loss, and it means that one of the finest countries and thriftiest people in the world is act ually going down-hill. The birth rate in France once stood at 1,007,000 year. It is now but 774,0OO This tells the entire story.
 It is a regrettable instance of race suicide There is widespread pur- pose in France to keep the number of children within the known means of parents, and the result Is not simply a standstill in population, but all actual annual loss-a loss that will in the course of a generation be severely felt.
 The birth rate of Germany which lies across the Rhine is, on the other hand, high, and while the fighting strength of France is waning the fight ing strength of Germany is annually increasing. This widening difference is bitterly lamented in France, but as yet no widespread movement has arisen there to stay the tendency to- ward race suicide.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
The death of Antony Is not a single doom; in the name lay A moiety of the world.
 Antony and Cleopatra.
Taft and the Trusts.

Each succeeding day strengthens the opinion that Taft will become the nominee of the republican party, and each succeeding day also strengthens the opinion that he has secured the support of the trusts and trust mag mates H. B. Martin, national secretary of the American Antitrust league, will close tomorrow his argument against the Hepburn amendment to the Sher- man antitrust law. He will charge that it is a part-the basis, in short of an agreement between the trusts and the republican party whereby in return for the right to form pools and combinations the trusts and the trust magnates are to support Taft for Pres ident.
 It will not be possible to pass the Hepburn bill at this session of Con- gress because the democrats in the Senate would talk it to death, but the republican leaders, including Taft, stand pledged to pass 1t next winter, In the meanwhile the trusts will SUD- port Taft, and already huge slush fund has been subscribed for in aid of his candidacy. MT. Martin says An drew Carnegie contributes $250,000 to tho Taft fund. It thus becomes plainer each succeeding day that William How ard Taft is the candidate of the trusts, and that they stand ready to roll up in his behalf a huge corruption fund.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15

to the rights of the community. The test case in Maine related to the right of the legislature to prohibit the cut ting of timber on private property for purpose of maintaining the natural water supply. The case in Maine in dicates the policy that the President, it is plain, desires the states to pursue. Such action can be taken by states only. The state can make the private owner conform to the general good. Herein we have the keynote of the conference, and the debate over the Presidents programme will certainly be interesting, and the conclusions of the conference thereon may prove far reaching.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
De Saqan-Gould.

Paris. May 14.-Although an early mar riage between Prince Helie de Sagan and Mme. Anna Gould is taken for granted here, no definite information as to the time and place of the wedding has yet reached Paris The Prince and Mime. Gould are expected to reach this city the middle of next week. It is not likely that there will be any marriage settle ment as Mime. Gould's property is still in trust for the benefit of those persons who became creditors of the family dur ing the time she was Countess De Cas- tellane. The count completely dissipated the private fortune which his wife in herited from her mother. It is under stood that debts amounting to almost $2, 100000 are still outstanding.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
President ROOSeVelt'S Address.

The speech of the President before his best efforts. It is full of the loftiest patriotism and the widest practicality. But" he said to the distinguished Americans gathered in the East room, sthe time has come to inquire seri- ously what will happen when our for ests are gone, when the coal, the iron, the oil, and the gas are exhausted, when the soils shall have been still further impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, de- nuding the fields and obstructing navi- gation." This covers the objects of the conference, and no doubt it out lines the more important deliberations of the statesmen gathered at the call of the President.
 The President proceeded to divide our national resources into two classes The one that consists of those that must necessarily be in time exhausted Our coal, oil, gas and iron belong in this class. In tho other class are the soil, the forests and the waterways, rome of which need be exhausted by use, but all of which can be improved and bettered. They can in that way be made to serve increasingly benef- cial uses.
 The President recites for the pur- pose of commenting 1t, recent opin- ion of the supreme court of the state of Maine, which sets forth unequiv- ocally the principle that the property , -ights of the individual are subordinate
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
CANS WINS IN KNOCKOUT
 OVER RUDOLPH UNHOLz

San Francisco, May 14-Joe Cans, the lightweight champion. added another vic- tim to his long string tonight by de- feating Rudolph Unholz, the rugged Boer from South Africa, in the eleventh round. The fight was Cans all the way through. He systematically beat down Unholz and the referee interfered in the eleventh round, as Unholz was then practically knocked out.
 Although Cans held the fight safe at all stages he had no easy time in solving the awkward defense of Unholz, and in overcoming his natural stamina.
 Joe Cans, lightweight champion, and Rudolph Unholz, "the fighting Boer," met tonight in a scheduled 2O-round boxing contest for the worlds lightweight championship and part of the gate re- cepts.
 The men weighed and stripped at the ringside shortly before commencing hos tilities, the scale showing a trihe less than 133, according to the article of agreement.
 It was noticed that Cans looked a bit drawn after he had stripped, while the Boer, who has trained hard with view of wrestling the laurels from the cham pion, fairly scintilated with the glow of health. Betting on the general was light with the odds favoring Cans at 10 to Sh.
 Jack Welch refereed the main event, which was preceded by two six-round bouts, the first between Tommy Herman and w. O. Smith and the second between Charlie Lula of Chicago and Billy Pur- tell of this city.
 At the end of the first round Cans had 8 slight lead, having partially closed the Boer's left eye with a right hook.
 In the second round Unholz had slightly the better of it. His right caught Cans on the jaw as the latter was coming in.
 The third round was a bit in favor of Unholz, who landed some good punches.
 The fourth round was Cans. He fioored Unholz with a left uppercut and the Boer was down for the count of five.
 In the fifth Cans had solved the Boer's style of fighting and easily held his man off, occasionally planting his left to the face. It was Cans round.
 In the sixth the Boer fought back strongly, but did not appear in the least distressed. It was Cans round.
 At the end of the seventh Cans had a big lead and it looked at this stage as if it would be easy sailing, although the Roer seemed not to have weakened great ly. In round eight Cans beat his man hard and the Boer was compelled to stall. He seemed a bit weak as he took his chair.
 The bell rang with Cans having easy honors in the ninth.
 In the tenth Cans ffoored the Boer for the count with right in the pit of tho stomach. T
 In the eleventh Cans foored Unholz and tie latter came up so groggy and dazed that he could not see. The referee then stopped the fight and declared Cans the winner.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
INJUDICIOUSNESS.

Policeman-Judge, the prisoner acted as if he Was insane at the baseball game yesterday.
 Judge-What did he do?
 During the game he threw his watch at one of the players
 Prisoner-It was an Ingersoll, Judge, and I was endeavoring to make the visit ing catcher huff foul fly
 Policenan-A few minutes later he ran through the grandstand shrieSing like a wild person and smashing other mems hats
 Prisoner-One of our men swatted out three-bagger and brought in three runs, making the game tie.
 Policeman-The next second he jumped onto the diamond and assaulted the um- pre.
 Prisoner (excitedly)-The umpire called that three-base hit foul, Judge.
 Judge (an old fan)-The prisoner is dis charged. Officer, I reprimand you for your injudicousness. From the May Bohemian.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
A BALZAC STORY.
From the Westminster Gazette.


 A story, said to be new, of Balzac, is related by a French contemporary. A burglar gained admission to Balzac' s house and was soon at work by the light of the moon, at the lock of the secre- taire in the noyelist's chamber. Balzac was asleep at the time, but the move ments of the intruder aroused him. The burglar, who was working most indus triously, paused. strident laugh ar rested his operations, and he beheld by the moonlight the novelist sitting up In bed, his sides aching with laughter.
 What is 1t that makes you merry?' demanded the burglar.
 q laugh" replied the author of "Pere Goriot" Ito think that you should come in the night without lantern to search my secretaire for money when l can never find any there in broad daylight"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
May Arrest Nlaht Riders.

Lexington, Ky, May 14.A special from MaysviIle states that the Leader corre- spondent has just returned from Bracken county. where he was reliably informed that in day or two the militia will ar rest between 200 and 3G0 night riders on evidence of detectives who have been brought in the county as umbrella mend CTS, tramps and salesmen. The names of the men are in the hands of the militia officials and when arrested they will De distributed to the jails of Lexington. Frankfort and Maysville. It is feared trouble will result when an attempt is made to arrest the night riders.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Brilliant Event.

"The volunteer fremens tournament next week will be a grand evefft and will bring large crowd to Birmingham, ' said former Mayor Hudnall of Pratt City, president of the Firemens association.
 "A feature of the parade will be auto cars and other private conveyances, dec orated with flowers. Nothing makes q more beautiful show than a floral pa rade and I hope the people of Birming- ham and the Birmingham district will vie with each other in making this fea- ture a brilliant success. It is hoped, too, that people along the line of march will decorate their houses-stores or resi- dences"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES
THE ROUND.

THE ROUND. Day after day the same old grind, The same old work and worry; No rest, no sweet repose of mind, But hurry. hurry, hurryl Day after day the same old dawn, The loud alarm clock ringing; The battles waged by brain and brawn And little time for singing. Night after night the same old ache, The same old ftful dreaming, Till Death comes along his toll to take And puts an end to seheming.
 LETTING HIM OFF EASY "Is George Bernard Shaw crazy?" Well I would call that charitable view of his condition"
 A DAY DREAM. The distant isles that dot a summer sea Away from lifes despairs are calling me, To regions where the waves break on
 shore Of golden sand-where trouble comes no
 more; To vistas where the days pass like a
 dream And sweetest languor broods OCT dale
 dliu SNi tdli, And perfumed breezes lull the soul 10
 rest Beneath the glory of the splendid west.
 SCoRCHING. Was the Whipper-Snapper breach Of promise suit interestingly Interesting? Well. I should say sol The plaintiffs lawyer used pair of Iatf LINES TO THE TELEPHONE. Out upon you, thing of evil
 Fashioned surely by the devil! You have made more people mad Than you ever have made glad. Though 'tis more than can see, You're as busy as can be. Up or down, I do not care
 Where I so, so you're not there!
 WALTER WELLMANS s WAY. "Who is this Walter Wellman?" asked the citizen from Awayback. "rll tell you," answered his knowing friend. "Wellman is the chap who made more noise not discovering the north pole than any other man who ever liyed.'
 PURSUED. Through all the world she followed
 hinl''-
 Twas so the poet sang, But should I tell you why she did, It might give you a pang. Her pretty eyes were flashing fire, Her courage did not fail. Through all the world she followed him, Cause she was on his trail.
 THE BRUTE. "I have little piece for the paper All right, lay 1t in the waste-paper basket over there. l am too tired to do it." said the hard-hearted editor. A friend who says he sells goods made in Birmingham to people who
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
Public School Work

In scope or efficiency the public schools of Birmingham are far ahead of those of any other southern city, and few cities in the United States can lay claim to a school system quite so thorough In addition to the usual branches taught here, two special de- partments have been brought up to a high state of deyelopment-th depart mont of manual training and the de- partment of music. Both required time and patience. Sight reading and sing ing have been taught in the public schools for many years, and that music has been intelligently and conscien- tiously taught has been shown in the recent concerts. Last week at the high school auditorium chorus of 200 children was heard with delight Then again this week these boys and girls took part with great credit to them selves in the music festival. And at a festival matinee yesterday afternoon the Euterpean club, composed of young men and young women of the advanced classes, sang with artistic finish a chorus from Wagner's Tannhauser.
 The other special feature of Bir- mingham's public school work, man. ual training, is of comparatively recent origin. But like everything that is worth while it has been evolved sys- tematically until now carpentry and smithy are as much part of our edu- cational work as grammar and mathe- matics. Many people have a mistaken notion about music and manual training in the public schools. Some regard music 1 as an accomplishment to be acquired only by those who have special talent and who intend to become musicians, while there be those who. think that unless a boy has mechanical turn and intends becoming a mechanic or engaging in business that requires a knowledge of manual art, time in a workshop is all but wasted. The fact is that every toy and girl should be taught music as a matter of general culture It relnes and broadens. And every young man who acquires skill in
 workshop, at bench, lathe and forge,
 will be all the better for it, be his flu ture vocation professional or commer- cial. Intelligent application in shop
 work at school, like music, stimulates
 and quickens the mental processes and
 tends to the formation of orderly intel
 lectual habits. It may well be a boast, then, that Birmingham leads in these special branches of public education. All credit to Superintendent J. H. Phil lips and his assistants and to the board that cordially supports their efforts.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
FROM 1.-THE GARDEN OF PROS
 PERINEv

By Algernon Charles Swinburne. We are not sure of sorrow,
 And joy was never sure; Today will die tomorrow;
 Time stoops to mans lure; And love, grown faint and fretful, With lips but half regretful Sighs, and with eyes forgetful
 Weeps that no loves endure. From too much love of living, From hope and fear set free, We thank with brief thanksgiving Whatever gods may be That no life lives forever; That dead men rise up never; That even the weariest river
 Winds somewhere safe to sea. Then star nor sun shall waken, Nor any change of light; Nor sounds of waters shaken,
 Nor any sound or sight; Nor wintry leaves nor vernal Nor days nor things diurnal, Only the sleep eternal
 In an eternal night.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-15
aft DeIeqates.

Butte, Mont, May 14-The Montana state republican convention today in dorsed the policies of President Roose- welt and instructed it's six delegates to the national convention at Chicago for Secretary Taft, despite the objections of the supporters of Governor Hughes and President Roosevelt who constituted no small part in the convention.