davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

General Sumter chapter, D. A. R., will meet Wednesday afternoon at o'clock with Mrs. w. H. Nevins. 1116 Hickory street. It is hoped that the members will all attend. The year books and lineage books will be distributed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

A bazar will be given in the parish house, Church of the Advent, the sec ond week in December. Dolls, fancy work and luncheon service will be spe- cial features.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Mrs. Charles Harwood has returned from an extended stay in Cleveland, Columbus and other points in Ohio.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01
MUST WEAR 4 MOS.

No strings this guarantee It actually guarantees what ii says.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01
Boys and Girls

Here 25c stockings much better than other 25c stockings they guaranteed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Mrs. John B. Monahan has returned from a months visit to her parents in Colorado.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

The second annual exhibition of the Bir- mingham Art club will take place at 1909 Third avenue from November "A to 27, inclusive. A prize will be awarded as last year for the best poster the size 19x25 inches. The exhibition last year did so much to encourage art here, and the an- nua1 events are looked forward to with great interest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

The ladies of the Eleventh Avenue Meth odist church will conduct a rum mage sale throughout the week, begin
 ming Wednesday morning, in a build ing on Avenue G and Twentieth street.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

The ladies' auxiliary of St. Vincent's s hospital will give their second card party on Tuesday afternoon, November 3, at the residence of Mrs. Charles Roy and Mrs. W. B. Leedy, Jr., 1908. South 18th street, the game beginning promptly at 2:90 p. m.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

The many friends of MT. A. L. Hixson will regret to hear of his accident which occurred at Decatur He was driving and was thrown from the buggy, sustaining a compound fracture of the ankle. He is at the St. Vincents hospital
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

MT. II. Quay McElwee has taken one of the apartments at Terrace Court
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

MT. Stephen left yesterday for visit in Tennessee.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Miss Margaret o'Nem returned this week from Denver.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Miss Sara Mallam will sing Like as Hart Desireth' at the morning service of the Southsde Baptist church today.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Misses Sarah and Anne Wheeler will arrive this week from Greenville. 5. C..
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

The Little Workers society of the Catholic church has a cunning doll
 house in window of Hood & Wheeler's store offered for sale. The little house is complete, it's six rooms prettily ar
 ranged so that any little girl would be charmed with it. The Little Workers is a society composed of Il little girls about 12 years of age. The house was a donation from the presi- dent, Charlotte Thornton.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Miss Sara Mallam will sing Like as Hart Desreth' at the morning service of the Southside Baptist church today.
 Mrs. James J. Cowan leaves Monday for OpeilSa, where she will be matron of honor at the marriage of her cousin. Miss Katie Belle Hopson. to MT. William Earle Hudmon Thursday evening, No vember g. at the First Baptist church. Miss Hopson was sponsor for the Alabama division at the reunion held in Birming- ham last June.
 The Birmingham Conservatory of Music has recently organized an orchestra which will be heard for the first time on Thurs day, November 5, p. m., at Cable hall, 1916 Second avenue. The orchestra is under the direction of William Gussen. The piano and violin pupils of the con- servatory will also give a recital on the same night.
 The orchestra will play a movement from Hadyn symphony arranged for two pianos eight hands and the violins, cello, flute, etc.
 Mir Gussen is preparing other compost tions which the orchestra will play at future recitals.
 The public is cordially invited without admission tickets.
 Miss Monetta Stribling, a pianist of note, will sail from Berlin en route to Birmingham next week. A letter to friends states that her courses in music are over, her studies on piano under the wonderful Gabriowitsch and also her course in composition under one of the leading composers of Berlin. Miss Strib ling will receive cordial welcome from music lovers in the city Already a re- ception is being planned for her at the Fletcher studio, and so soon as the fa-
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Mrs. William Langley Sibley is visiting Mrs. Elias Davis at the Davis home on Avenue G.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

Mrs Samuel weakley has returned from Louisville.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-01

, Miss Nellie Gregg has returned from Dayton, Ohio. where she spent several months. She was the recipient of many charming social courtesies, among them being several motor parties in which she was the honored guest.
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30

ment, and that demand for it had no
place in a party platform.
Mr. Nelson pointed out that the
feeling on this question was as intense
among Republicans as it was among
Democrats aud that while the DEM
ocrats had sought to make it an issue
between the parties by emboGying
demand for a reform Of the house
rules in their platform, the problem
could not be solved in partisan way
IF real reform in the procedure OF
the house is desirable" said Mr.. Mel
son, 1T will be brought about only
when a sufficient number Of Republt-
cans, having the courage of their con-
victions, unite with a sufficient num-
Der of minority Democrats, who like
wise dare stand for what is patriotic,
and what is right, and what is for the
best interests of both parties"
Mr.. Nelson further indicated the
non-partisan nature of the question
by showing that the rules as they now
exist were adopted by all the parties
alike and have been used under both
Democratic and Republican speakers.
He disproved the popular notion
that Speaker Reed was responsible for
the arbitrary rules of the house, and
pointed out the Speaker Crisp not
only adopted Reeds now generally APP
proved interpretations on the ques-
tons of quorums and dilatory mo-
tons, but greatly increased the power
of the committee on rules.
The reforms which the courageous
of both parties must consider are
these as suggested by Mr.. Nelson:
Decentralization of power; the speak
er's political power must be removed;
the committee on rules should be en-
larged; the right of recognition
should be given members, and finally
the appointment of committees should
be made on some other basis, say
geographical, or by lot.
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30
State journal Editorial.

The address given by Congressman
John NJ. Nelson of this district before
the City Club of Chicago this after
noon on the Necessity for Parlia-
mentary Reform in the House of Rep
resentatives" is an informing expo
sition of the gradual development Of
the power of the speaker of the house
of representatives. 1t was nOn-par-
tisan and impersonal speech, Mr.. Mel
son viewing the question from the
stand point of a statesman and hold
ing that the movement for a change
in the rules is Of a patriotic and non
partisan inspiration. No attack was
made on Speaker Cannon whom he
refrained from mentioning by name,
nor did he reflect on either political
party in particular since the rules
and rulings now in vogue have been
used and strengthened by both par,
ties in turn when in power.
Mr. Nelson declares it was the
thought of the fathers that the Speak
er should be simply a sort of mOdera-
IOT, the servant Ol the uOuSe, WHlle III
the process OF evolution the members
have been gradually reduced to non
entities and the speaker has become
a more potent factor in changing the
policies of the nation than is the pres
ident, and holds greater power for
good or evil of the country. Such
power, he declares, can be safely
trusted to but few men.
His declaration that the house
founders helplessly in the meshes of
it's red tape procedure and that the
senate by its more liberal rules has
taken advantage of this fact and now
practically controls the purse of the
nation and whips all bills into final
and practical form will come as a
surprise to many. In the parliaments
of the world the upper house has
been gradually subordinated to the
lower, or peoples body, and this can
only be brought about in this country
now, he declares, by decentralization;
by taking some of the enormous
power and responsibility now held by
the speaker out of his hands and out
of the "house organization" and re-
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30
Racine Times Editorial.

Wisconsin was distinguished Thurs
day by the admirable address of Con
gresham John NJ Nelson of the sec
ond district to the City Club of Chi
cago This club is nonpartisan. 1t Is
formed for the purpose OF discussing
public questions and its membership
is composed Of alert, thoughtful bust
ness men, An invitation to speak
before it is an honor to any man and
Mr.. Nelson is to be congratulated, not
only because he was so invited but
also because his address was really
notable effort and reflected great
credit upon himself and his state.
Congressman Nelson spoke on the
subject "The Necessity for Parlia-
mentary Reform in the House of Rep
resentatiyes.
The Times would gladly publish the
address in full had it the time and
space but is prevented and will have
to content itself and its readers with
few extracts. There are few ques-
tions before the American people to-
udg Vi SICdICI lliO1lOhC VI SAc%S AZ
yolve more closely the liberties of the
people and the perpetuation of true
representative government than that
of the arbitrary almost absolute pow
er of the speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives. Mr.. Nelson has taken
leading part in the battle against
the speakers despotism and has be-
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30

power of dictation could be easily and
quickly taken from him at any time
oy majority OF the house members.
10 criticise Speaker Cannon person
ally, therefore, is a good deal like
whipping the devil around the stump,
Ior ii there is anything radically
wrong in the system followed, the real
as a WhOIe. The speaker merely car
ries out a pan prepared for him, and
to 40 less Would be to ignore the very
power responsible for his selection as
presiding officer.
AT the same time there seems to be
good basis for the charge that under
the present system too much power
and authority are vested in the speak
er OF the house, and that by the opera
ton OF this system there is a tendency
20 thwart the real object of the house
as deliperative and legislative body,
representing the will and wishes OF
the people. A suggestive exposition
OF how this is accomplished has been
furnished by Congressman Nelson Of
this state, who delivered an address
this week before the City club Of Chi
, cagO on The Necessity for Parlia-
mentary Reform in the house of Rep
resentatives. In the course Of his
remarks the speaker reviewed at con-
siderable length the process by which
the power of arbitrary dictation in
the house has gradually been central
lied in the hands of the speaker, and
he emphatically declared it is time
Tor change in methods which will
restore to individual members the
right to introduce new bills and Sc
cure for them fair and impartial
nearing, together with their right to
OBTAIN recognition on the floor, with
out leaving it to the caprice OF the
speaker Among other things, the
Wisconsin congressman made the as
sertion that today the senate, or So
called upper branch of congress, is
more literally governed than the
mouse of representatives.
Unquestionably there is some basis
Ior such a charge, and it is also I'M
doubtedly true that many other mem
oers OF congress will agree with Rep
resentative Nelson that it is high time
to institute reforms IN the rules Of
procedure in the house The power
of the speaker is at present too great,
and even if he is honest in his motives
and judgment, there is still too much
room for mistakes, which destroy the
initiative of individual members and
prevent free and untrammeIed action
on the part of the peoples represent
atives This at least is the way a
large portion of the people them
selves are inclined to view this ques-
ton, and is to be hoped that when
congress again assemblies the mem
bers of the house will Immediately
take up this problem and solve it in
a manner to forestall further criti-
cism
Milwaukee Free Press Editorial.
artisan democrats who had expect
ed to derive satisfaction from Con-
gresham Nelson's address on the
| Necessity for Parliamentary Reform
in the House of Representatives"
were doomed to disappointment.
At the very outset Mr.. Nelson stated
| that the movement to reform the
house rule was not partisan move
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30

| in national legislation and to make
the lower house of congress repre-
sentative of the people. Virtually
alone and unaided, they made brave
fight which they knew they would
! lose-and that is the bravest kind OF
fight. 1t calls for heroism and shows
high sense of public duty. They
were defeated, but their defeat can
not be permanent unless the rule or
the people is thing OF the past. The
signs point to the overthrow of Can
non The public mind is aroused to
the abuses of Cannonism and to the
fearful danger to American principles
and institutions that it involves. AL
ready the battle is half won.
| There is no doubt that if every citf-
zen could read the full text Of the adj
dress which Congressman Nelson de-
| livered yesterday before the City club
of Chicago every prestige of Cannon
ism would be swept out of existence
and during the present generation
there would not be any danger of it's
return to power in any form. Mr..
| Nelson's address was as timely as it
was admirable 1t showed study and
! thought and judgment. In view of
Mr. Nelson's short service in the
house, the knowledge of parliament
airy history and practices that it
shows is remarkable. By diligence he
has won a mastery of the subject
greater than that of almost any Of
the veterans in congress. His paper
evidences the lawyers acumen and
the scholars methods. 1t does more
than that, far more, in treating the
subject as broadly as it does and
from the standpoint of the peoples
interest 1t correctly describes the
evils that have been engrafted upon
representative government, through
additions to and abuses of the speak
er's power, and it points out remedies
that appeal to intelligence as not only
sound but absolutely essential
Oshkosh Northwestern Editorial.
There is a well-defined sentiment
all over this country favoring reform
in the house of representatives, with
especial reference to curtailing some
of the arbitrary power now reposed
in the speaker of that body. In some
quarters this sentiment has taken the
form Of personal criticism for Speaker
Cannon, and it is curious fact that
in some congressional districts the
nominees for election this fall are
being opposed or supported, as the
case may be, according to their rec
ords of being Cannon men" in the
past, or their pledge or lack of pledge
to favor radical changes in the house
rules which will subordinate the
power of the speaker.
Of course it is true that in order
to do business and make progress in
a deliberative body comprising such
a large membership as the house of
representatives, it is necessary to for
mulate rules of procedure and a gen.
eral plan of action which will be
binding on all members, and Of course
| the authority of enforcing these rules
must be delegated to some one. Here
| tofore this authority has beer vested
| in the speaker of the house, and al
| though it is possible the latter has
sometimes been arbitrary in his rul-
ings, he has merely performed duty
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30
5. = isa.4..sas ~ 1872 Sz
Madison Democrat Editorial

clear, candid, comprehensive and
convincing argument was that made
before the City club of Chicago few
days since by Congressman John M.
Nelson who, not far for the first time,
sought to expose the tyrannous condi-
ton under which the lower house Of
congress labors. 1t is long story
by one, who like many another indie
pendent American representative, has
gone to Washington only to discover
that parliamentary law as practiced
in congress is nothing less than CO.
lossal farce.
That a crying need of reform ex-
lists no one can doubt Now the
speaker is an autocrat In theory he
is an impartial presiding officer. In
practice he is a despot recognizing
only such members as his whim or
interest dictates, and by the exercise
of that arbitrary privilege maintaining
complete domination over all house
procedure. The majority should rule
of course in congress as we'll as out,
but parliamentary regulation must be
confessed a failure if in the presiding
officer alone be conferred all the ulti-
mate authority essential to the con
sideration of legislative business. A
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30
RECEIVES FLATTERINC EDITORIAL MENTION
Strong Presentation -StatesmanIke Treatment


filibustering minority often becomes
most vexatious factor, yet in the
British house of common it is no
more permitted to harass and hamper
the regular order than is the presid-
ing officer to arrogate to himself the
right of debating legislative pro-
cesses. The abuse which affronts
and exasperates and American rep
resentative is one based on subtle
accretions to the speakers preroga-
tives, and it's most mischievOus eli
max has been attained during the
supremacy over the house of the pres
ent speaker, Mr.. Cannon. This pa
triarchal legislator has shown no dis
position to suggest, inaugurate, ad-
vance or encourage any notifications
of the rules which would tend to
render house proceedings more truly
impartial and fair His has been a
spirit of repression, oppression, CEN
tralization and partisan or factional
favoritism. No member has been
permitted to stand before him and
the country upon his own merits,
and no measure can have any earthly
show of advancement, displacement
or rejection without his personal &C
quiescence 1t is an fntolerable stu
ation-an insult to American citizen
ship, a grievous reflection upon our
republican method of government
Mr.. Nelson does not generalize in
his attack upon the system. Vivid are
his citations of the ways in which the
wrong is practiced, and for remedies
he confidently proposes:
Reduction of speakers power.
2-Impartiality in the chair.
3-Enlargement of rules committee
fright to recognition by every
member.
Specification of privileged
business.
6-Selection of committees by the
house.
Milwaukee journal Editorial.
Wisconsin was the first ReDub1ican
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30

storing it to the members. With the
great and increasing problems press
ing upon the nation for solution ne
sees some change in procedure newt
tDe. At the last session Mr.. Nelson
introduced a resolution for the ap-
pointment OF a committee to revise
the procedure, which resolution is
still pending and which he will push
at the next session. He suggests GER
tain lines of reform, but declares that
he has no pride of authorship and
will gladly welcome any suggestions
that seem better than his own. Be
cause of his deep study and eXhaus-
tive presentation of this somewhat
Unfamiliar question, Mr.. Nelson's ad-
dress will attract national notice and
discussion The choice by the City
Club of this Wisconsin member to
present it is distinction to this con-
OCCASIONAL district.
Weekly Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1908-1909, 1908-10-30
Milwaukee journal Editorial.

Wisconsin was the first Republican
Cannonism. Congressman Cooper and
Nelson of this state were pioneers in
the movement to end one-man power
Los Angeles herald., 1908-01-26
The ublic Letter Box
SUGGESTS REFORM METHOD IN
TREATMENT OF PRISONERS

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24.-LEditor
Heraldl In your most excellent arti-
Gle today entitled "Disgraceful City
Jail" you ask how it is that 1.-The most
beautiful and aesthetic of all the larger
cities should cherish and perpetuate
conditions which would cause the So
ciety for the Prevention of Cruelty to
interfere with a dog show at which
similar conditions existed"
l notice that one of your contem-
poraries-the Evening News-also takes
the question up today in leading
article that deals mainly with the re-
forms in the treatment of prisoners in
troduced In Cleveland under Tom L.
Johnson's administration, and dWells
largely on the humanitarian expert
ments for the benefit of the downfallen
that have been conducted there on the
1000-acre tract known as the Cleveland
Farm colony. Connecting the two arti-
cles, it seems to me easy to understand
how 1t is that so much has been done
in Cleveland, while we here have con-
ditions that would disgrace Mexico
The solution to the enigma is to be
found in the fact that Tom Johnson
has been for years a profound believer
in the teachings of Henry George, that
the land and the land values belong
of right to the people, since they nave
created them, and that the first step
toward the p6IL6TIlleUl pl all AluiNANNetA,
or a community of individuals, is to
give him access to the land. Los An
geles, on the other hand, has been
hitherto the most eloquent exponent or
the insane philosophy that the land is
the most convenient commodity in the
world to gamble in and dispose OF to
the gentleman that has the longest
purse. 1t naturally follows that in a
community in which the thought OF
Tom Johnsons carries weight, the first
thing that suggests itself to the mind,
when the Improvement of the condi-
lions of any class is proposed, is put
them in natural surroundings; place
them on a farm; give them access to
the soil and the industries that are
only possible when there is such ac-
cess" 1 am positive that it is the last
thought that will occur to Los An
geles, for the simple reason that those
who; unfortunately, have the ear of the
public one and all think that the best
citizens are those who manage to grab
the largest portion of the site of this
City of the Angels. 1 am positive that
the serious advocacy of measure to
set aside 1900 acres for the benefit of
the poor and criminal is one that would
throw our representative men into hys-
| terics.
The Evening News writer quotes Mr..
Howe's article in the outlook, in which
he SAYS that cleveland is a living ex-
ample OF the philosophy of Tolstoyi
that society suffers more than the or
fender by its punishments, for society