davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily picayune., 1908-05-28
BRYAN AND TAFT
 ARE FOR PUBLICITY Taft He Also Favors Publi- cation of Campaign Con-
 tributions.

Washington, May 26. When Secretary Taft reached his office today he found number of news paper men charged with inquiry as to what answer he intended to return to the invitation from w. J. Bryan to join him in an effort to secure the enactment of a bill requiring publication of campaign contributions. The secretary re- piled that he had not seen any communication from MT. Bryan on this subject, and in fact it was several hours later before the telegram reached him, as fol- lows:
 T beg to suggest that as lead ing candidates in our respective parties we join in asking Con- gress to pass a bill requiring publication of Campaign contri- buttons prior to election. If you think best, we can ask other can- didates to unite with us in the request. (Signed)
 w. J. Bryan"
 Secretary Taft had meanwhile, and before he had received this telegram, had a talk with the president at the White House, so that he was prepared immediate ly upon his return to the War De- partment to give out for publica- tion his answer as follows:
 Hon. William J. Bryan, Lin coin, Neb. Your telegram re- ceived. On April 30 last, 1 sent the following letter to Senator Burrows. the chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections of the Senate:
 My Dear MT. Burrows. T sincerely believe that it would greatly tend to the absence of corruption in politics if the ex- penditures for nomination and election of all candidates and all contributions received and ex- penditures made by political con- mittees could be made public, both in respect to the state and national politics. For that rea- son am strongly in favor of the passage of the bill which is now pending in the Senate and house bringing about this result, so far as national politics is concerned. l mark this letter personal, be- cause l am anxious to avoid as- suming an attitude in the cam- paign which, it is quite possible, 1 shall never have the right to assume, but so far as my person. al influence is concerned, 1 am anxious to give it for the passage of the bill. Very Sincerely yours, (Signed)
 William H. Taft"
 Since writing the above in answer to inquiry, I have said publicly that 1 hoped such bill would be passed.
 (Signed) William H. Taft. "
Daily picayune., 1908-05-28

The Iron Mountain will put on sale tickets to the Birmingham Confederate reunion, June 6 to 8, inclusive, at a rate of $11.55 for the round trip from Prescott, linn ited for return to leave Birming- ham June 20. See local agent for any other information
Daily picayune., 1908-05-28

-Dr. k. l.. Hinton is still in the Optical business. Has had 30 years experience. Will give satisfaction or your money back. Will repair broken frames. Office at Geo. Terry's store.
Daily picayune., 1908-05-28

Have your harness and sad dies repaired by a man of exper- fence. Buggies painted. and all other repair work. Mention your trouble. Phone 2l9. John Lancaster.
Daily picayune., 1908-05-28

On June 1st 1908, will again take charge of my restaurant O1 West Main Street, and respect fully solicit your patronage.
 MRS. l. $. BLACK.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
"ME And MY PEOPLE. :"

From the New FORK Times.
Why is there such fuss about the
Presidents use of the phrase my peo-
ple"? 1t is not uncommon for persons
holding executive places in the lesser
walks of life to use the phrase. Thus
the hired manager of a department store
will habitually speak of my f1oorwalk-
ers." my saTesladies.'' or my cash
girls" He means no harm. Mr.. Tim
othy Sullivan, the greater. always calls
his constituents my people," and gives
no offense.
From the Providence Bulletin.
Mr. Bryans conception of the chief
magistrate as the nations "'hired man"
is undignified. yet on the whole 1t is no
more offensive and no further from the
truth than one that implies ownership or
autocracy. Mr.. Roosevelt might better
have said: Accept assurances Of warm
regards from the American eople and
me"
From the Utica Press
The big stick has done good service
and now Tits new phrase comes at time
IN add variety to the comment, and there
is no doubt but that the phrase will be
so often repeated that the President will
wish to goodness he had never used it.
From the Baltimore Sun.
Now we belong to the United States of
My People.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01

broad, expansive SMILE will have more
than bare certificate OF regularity to
their credit. They will not only have sup
ported him with enthusiasm in the past,
but be of the stamp to assist him in the
carrying out Of his policies. He has just
said that he wants the support Of no
"bushwhackers" at Denver meaning
thereby men who are not all In all for
him-and it is the easiest of differences
that in Office he would turn the cold
shoulder to them there
But the real distress would come to the
faithful. They would be welcome. and
they would flock there in such numbers
as would swamp Mr.. Bryan. In his
twelve years of leadership he has at
tracted many men to him, and made
them feel that they are very near his
heart. All would want places. and yet
they would outnumber the places a thou
sand to .one. AS result, many would
CALL but few could be chosen. And the
praises of the lucky would soon be
drowned by the lamentations Of the left.
In few months Mr.. Bryan would be
struggling under a mountain Of execra-
lions.
But such is politics. Who that wit
messed it can ever forget the army that
invaded Washington in the early spring
Of 1885 on Office bent, and found man
in the White House with little to give,
and who gave that little grudgingly? Be-
tween May 1 and December of that year
the most unpopular man in the United
States was Grover Cleveland.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
Watterson on BRYAN.

Writing to his newspaper from Florida,
where he has been spending portion of
the winter, Mr.. Watterson says Of the
man who is to lead his party again this
year:
Il want to do full justice to Mr. Bryan
1t must be conceded that, humanity
speaking. the loss of the presidency con-
stitutes a good adeal of a grudge, and
what is called the conservative wing of
the party twice stood between Mr.. Bryan
and the White House. He has therefore a
case OF resentment. if not in equity,
against those democrats whom he may
justly charge with his undoing in 1886,
and again in 1900. AS one of the guilty
in 1896, though not in 1900, l am so
sensible of my lack of desert that. whilst
in the coming campaign l shall labor to
elect him-still greatly distressing him-I
should not expect any other than mega
tive results from his advent to power, nor
dream of crossing his threshold after his
election
And then we come to something that
may be described as strictly personal:
Beneath that broad, expansive smile,
which puts such spell upon the I'M
thinking. Mr.. Bryan seems to .me to carry
very narrow and grudging spirit. This
may be natural. but it is unfortunate.
have watched him closely, and / think
without prejudice. and / can see nothing
of large mndednesS or of manly generos-
ity about hiul-not an iota of self-abnega-
tion--but. on the contrary, the relentless,
unforgiving purpose of an implacable,
who has learned nothing and forgotten
nothing, since 1896 If he ever gets into
the White House bitter will be the disap-
pointment and loud the lamenting of the
very men who are clamoring most noisily
in the marching columns, every mothers
son of whom believes himself already
signed quoted and marked for especial
recognition
Mr. Watterson appraises matters very
accurately. There will be small welcome
for democrats of his school and record
i'm the White House if Mr.. Bryan moves
in Those who will surround the Presi-
dent and bask in the beam of that
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
SUBMARINE SCANDAL.

From the Savannah News.
Congressman L.illey seems to be as
strenuous as If his name was Bill Smith.
From the Hartford Times.
Mr. Lilley is giving excellent limitations
of q person who isn't afraid.
From the Birmingham Age-Herald.
The investigators in the submarine graft
case should look under the surface.
From the st. Louis Republic.
Representative Lilley of Connecticut
should certainly be required to make
good his charges Of crookedness with re-
spect to submarine-boat construction or
be disciplined by the House. And he
should be given every opportunity to
make good.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
If there Is any submarine graftinp
among the congressman it should he
brought to the surface.
From the Detroit Journal.
An anonymous letter started the sub-
marine scandal: the incident ITSELF how.
ever. doesn't seem to have remained
anonymous very long.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01

From the Buffalo Evening News.
If the New-York- to-Paris racers feel
like calling 1t off now, at Chicago, the
public will accept the demonstration of
the fitness of their machines to go any
where.
From the Pittsburg Gazette Times.
When the account of the globe girdling
automobile race is written, some day, the
title will doubtless be: Around the
World in Eighty Years."
From the Columbus Dispatch.
Those New York to-Paris automobiles
may yet wish they had decided to walk.
or take a balloon.
From the st. Louis Globe Democrat
1t would be an easy matter for the Mis-
souri, mule to reach Paris overland by
way Of Siberia. But the automobile is
doing pretty well for a modern introduce
ton.
From the indianapolis News.
Second thoughts naturally suggest that,
longer way round to the south would
have been the shortest way there for
those automobiles.
From the Newark Evening News.
AS the first of the Paris racers has ar
rived at Chicago in fourteen days, you
can easily figure out when Paris will be
reached
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
LITTLE Mr.. LITTLE.

Little Mr. Little is a timid little man,
Whose little life Is ordered Oh a very modest
plan.
He owns a little cottage, he runs a little shop.
He hasn't any hankering to Chamber to the top.
He makes little profit the goods he has to
sell.
And when he seeks his little bed he sleeps ex-
ceeding well.
Little Mr. Little Is q man you'd never note.
His hat is FIVE and something, and he wears q
rusty coat.
The trolley rush upsets him. he never gets 4
seat.
And half the leading men In town have trodden
on his feet
But little children love him. though his clothes
are out of style,
And dogs run out to meet him and wag their
tails and smile.
OF learning he has nothing. Of talent not q
spark,
He doesn't own one quality commanding Of re-
mark.
With mind too small for envy pride or guile
or greed,
This little Mr.. Little is-a funny sort, indeed.
And yet the best Of friends he has! In every
block scores,
For little Mr.. Lttle's heart is big as all out
doors.
Newark Evening News
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
Engagements.

Stimulated, perhaps. by the affinity
talk in which, society INDUCED a short
time ago. sober-minded people are begin
ming to take thought of the question of
marriage as a serious proposition and are
trying to see their way to a solution of
the problem of mismating. 1t is diff
cult undertaking. The question is so
distinctly personal one that no broad
rules can be laid down. The following
dispatch from Omaha explains the terms
of new rule of the Catholic Church. just
promulgated, which is to go into effect
after Easter, not merely in the diocese of
northern Nebraska, but throughout the
world:
Bishop Richard Scannell of the Catho-
lie diocese of northern Nebraska made
formal ruling for his diocese today that
all marriage enga gements must be made
in writing. witnessed by two persons be-
fore priests will be permitted to per-
form marriage ceremony. He declares
that engagements have come to be looked
upon so lightly that this ruling is nee
esSary."
This is return, in a manner, to the
old process of calling the banns. There
are many people today who deplore the
passing of the ancient custom of the
public crying of the names of those who
lHleHu 10 JOIN III 1here was
undoubtedly a certain Journalism about
the proclamation of banns that invested
the engagement with solemnity. Court
ing" was no lightsome process, no merely
frivolous course OF calls. 1t was a serious
business. When a young man walked
out" with a girl he was assuming a GER
tain responsibility. When he "set up
with her his responsibility deepened And
counting was sufficiently protracted to
enable both the man and the woman to
know something about the others char
acter. 1t was not matter of meeting
at a dance, with a few calls, bouquets
and boxes of candy, theater party or
so, and then an engagement ring, followed
quickly by a marriage ceremony, and
possibly in few months or years by a
divorce. There was significance in the
Injunction: What God hath Joined to-
Eether let no man put asunder.''
Possibly if witnesses must sign the
engagement agreement. to be produced
before priest will perform the marriage
ceremony, there Will be fewer hasty
couplings and still fewer divorces. The
experiment is worth trying. The real
divorce problem goes back to the question
of haste in marriage, and that in turn
goes back to the evil OF haste in engage
ments. Perhaps the Omaha bishop has
touched the center of the trouble.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01

vice presidency, then is the promise such
as should crowd the town to it's hotel
and clearinghouse limit,
And yet in point of facing about and
word swallowing, that spectacle, if pre-
sented will not. exceed in entertainment
and suggestiveness the one Mr.. Murphy
gave at Buffalo when he fell in line like
good fellow and supported for governor
man he had been savagely abusing for
years, and who had been as savagely
abusing him. Murphy surrendering to
Hearst, and pledging support at the polls
to make the latter the master Of the po-
litical situation in the state, showed, as
had seldom been done even in New York.
how true it is that politics makes strange
bedfellows.
Between Mr.. Murphy and Mr.. McClel-
as bitter as that which had existed be-
tween Mr.. Murphy and Mr.. Hearst. At
one time there was a Mcclellan boom for
President, and Mr.. Murphy was one Of
those behind it. But then came the nip
ping frost of that second mayoralty cleo
ton, and the boom and the Murphy-Mc-
Clellan friendship disappeared together.
Months full of scowls and scurrility fol-
lowed, and as late as late last year men
shook their heads when it was insisted
that the two leaders should get together
for the party's sake. Some thought the
thing impossible.
But many things, impossible elsewhere,
are possible in New York. 1t is the arena
for ground and lofty tumbling, the
throwing of difficult flip1aps, the putting
of the body into many postures without
breaking a bone. The enemy of today.
reviled to the last bitter word in the die
tiorary, is often the chum Of tomorrow,
praised in terms to make men stare.
But there may be limit even in New
York For an instance. would it be pos
sible to bring Mr.. Hearst to support a
ticket on which Mr.. Mcclellan was the
candidate for Vice President?
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
: Again the Smith Boom.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer in an edi.
torial on The Stars examination of the
New York Worlds Hoke Smith boom
wherein the opinion was expressed tina,
the boom had nothing to support it, says
Probably The Star is right. Probably
the selection of Hoke Smith would be ar
unwise selection-surely it seems nothing
more than the most remotely possible
But none the less was the New York
World in earnest in it's suggestion. Any
and all suggestions are worthy Of consid
Grafton. and deserve a status more lofty
| than that of jokes. Suggestions are good
things; they make people think. Neither
the New York World nor any newspaper
nor private person whatsoever can make
too many suggestions. Perhaps some one
of these may bear the right fruit, and
present to a perplexed party and a per.
picked nation the really right candi-
date"
On the contrary, have there not al.
ready been too many suggestions? Is
not that part of the democracy's trou.
| BILE? Has not the cloud of words dark
ened counsel? For long months, although
Mr.. Bryan's nomination has seemed rea
sonably certain, there mas been what
| Thomas b. Reed used to describe as "a
weary weller of talk on the subject o!
another candidate. Man after man has
| been proposed. and his merits canvassed-
sometimes in terms extravagant enough
| to cause a smile-without benefiting hin
or injuring Mr.. Bryan in the slightest
| If any effect at all has been produced
Mr. Bryan has been strengthened.
John Allen, the Mississippi humorist
| used to tell story about retreat he
participated in as a Confederate soldier
/ ~, nc
| their enemy hard, and the prospects of 6
roundup and capture were bright. The
| Confederates were doing their best to gel
away, but, in spite of all. some of the
rear guard would turn now and then ant
let go a volley at the pursuers. Finally
an officer, discouraged and disguised, ex-
| claimed: Tell those fellows to stop thai
| firing. 1t only makes the Yankees the
| nader"
| What is the use of this rear guard firing
on Mr.. Bryan? 1t simply makes him the
| madden. 1t is not checking his advance
He is still driving his opponents in his
| party before him, and at Denver vii
| either capture them, or make it necessary
| Tor them to change their uniform again
| These men, if they object to Mr.. Bryan
| as strenuously as their deliverances indi
cate. are yet not helpless If they cannot
defeat him within the party, it will still
| be in their power to get outside, anG
| from that point of action help do it
Twice they have opposed him at the polls
| and the third time would be the charm
| Strong and attractive as he is. thirG
| defeat for the presidency would put ar
| end to Mr.. Bryan as a political leader
| His. tongue and his smile would remain
| but only for lyceum purposes.
| After that, blast upon his bugle horr
would not, for political purposes, be worth
thirty cents.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
Chicago and Reaction.

1t seems a safe statement that reaction
cannot win at Chicago. AS respects the
platform, 1t must in the very nature of
things, indorse the administration. Any
other course would be suicide. The
party is committed on the trust question,
the railroad question and other kindred
questions. The platform must be definite,
and a victory obtained on it will have to
be followed by the redemption of all the
promises made Victory obtained by trick
cry would be thousandfold worse than
defeat.
AS respects the candidates, they also
are committed. Mr. Fairbanks as Vice
President and Mr.. Cannon as Speaker
have signed the bills upon which the
campaign in large part will turn. When
ever they have spoken, too, with the Presi-
dent as the topic. they have praised him.
Judge Taft is of course committed as a
member of the administration, and Mr..
Knox was a member for awhile, and as
senator has done the administration some
service. Gov. Hughes has left no OPP
portunity unimproved to testify to his
admiration of Mr.. Roosevelt.
Reaction, then, in the sense of going
back to old methods and restoring old
conditions. is out of the question. But
what shall we have If any of the men
named is nominated at Chicago and
elected?
Not reaction, but maybe a new form Of
procedure. The difference will be between
President with either legal or legisla-
tive training, or both, and President
with neither. Mr.. Fairbanks, Mr.. Can
non, Judge Taft, Gov. Hughes and
Mr.. Knox are lawyers, and Mr.. Cannon
has had thirty years experience a
legislator. Mr.. Roosevelt, on the other
hand. is not a lawyer, and nearly thirty
years have passed since he served briefly
in the New York assembly. He is a
student of politics. writer, and an agi-
tatOr. His processes grow out of his
training, his tastes and his point of view.
If a lawyer follows Mr.. Roosevelt in
the White House, pledged to take no
backward step as respects government
regulation of trusts and railroads, but to
press on until the interests of all the
people are entirely secure from corpor-
ate rapacity and cunning, we may have
a different service in point of form from
that the President has rendered, but not
necessarily an inferior one. One great adj
vantage now is that the antitrust law
has been made to march, and that the
way to the correction of many still to
be reached. What Mr.. Bryan has aptly
and correctly called predatory wealth is
certain not to resume operations in the
old style.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
Hearst, Murphy and Mcclellan.

Read this New York news paragraph:
With William r. Hearst insisting or
the nomination at Denver for Vice Presi.
dent of Attorney General Jackson, and
failing in that the nomination of MIR
Jackson for governor next fall. and fail
ing in that the denomination of Mr.. Jack
son for attorney general the Tammany
people felt last night like mentioning q
tentative program which they had in
mind This included the nomination OF
Mayor Mcclellan for Vice President, ol
falling in that the nomination of Mayor
Mcclellan for governor.
IL was only the other day The Star sug
gested how interesting the spectacle
would be should Mr.. Murphy and Mayor
Mcclellan appear arm-in-arm at Denver
as delegates at large from New York
That alone would be worth going mile:
to see. But if. Mr.. Murphy is to attend
as a boomer OF Mayor Mcclellan for the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-01
WhistlinH.

From the center Of civilization come,
this dispatch:
BOSTON. February 2s.-Because he
whistled The Merry Widow waltz on the
street Henry Schmalzreid today was ar.
rested by Policeman Croffert. Croffert
said in court that Schmalzreid showed nc
technique and little regard for the laws OF
harmony whereupon Magistrate Rau
fined him ST.
Surely. this policeman must be a hui
morist. The fact probably is that he ar.
rested that whistler because he, like mos
other people, was tired Of hearing the
same insistent refrain day after day
from one spuckered mouth after another
Little regard for the laws Of harmony
forsooth! Why should a whistler owe
allegiance to the harmonic laws? He has
only one mouth in fact. although at time,
he might seem to have twenty. He may
murder the melody, and he in truth does
murder 1t ninety-nine times In a hundred
whistles. But he makes no discords. Tha,
much remains to evoke thanks from ar
ear-tortured public.
Instead of establishing a high-art cen
sorship over whistlers. why should not a
time limit be set against certain tunes:
The chief annoyance from the fraternity
of the puckered lips is that Of repetition
Once upon a time-it seems ages-there
was a tune from a musical piece callel
"Florodora." It was q difficult com,
position for the whistler. 1t was tricky
In its meditation and changes, and only
a trained ear could carry 1t through
without mistake. Yet 1t was whistle6
day and night for many months, unit
those who knew its measure were tor.
tured by the crime against 1t as q tune
and all others were maddened by the
shrill recurrence.
There would be general concurrence II
a law forbidding the whistling of tune
after two months from its original sound
ing in any community. This statute woulG
of course involve some bookkeeping. Lee
there be musical recorder at police head
quarters. An officer with fairly cor
rect ear might be delegated to learn
through the police inter-city exchanges
the airs that are In vogue elsewhere anG
set down the date Of the first production
in Washington of each composition. Their
those who catch the tune late must rur
the risk Of getting over the time limit. Il
may be hard on q few Of the slower
coaches. but this should be a case Of the
good of the many calling for the suppress
sion OF the few. Let there be a surcease
of unrestrained whistling. even at the cos
of a little severity. -