davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
CLEAR, CRISP AND CLEAN
HERALD A WINNER

TNDISPUTABLE and incOntrOvertible
facts still continue to show from day
to day The Heralds leading position
among the morning newspapers of this
city. On yesterday, Tuesday, May D, Los
Angeles Herald in tweve-page issue
printed 1888 items of news. In sixteen pages
the Times published only 1S9 In eighteen
pages the Examiner printed III. Into
relatively small space The Herald packeu
ACTUALLY more news than one of its bulky
contemporaries, and comparatively more
than the other.
Not only does The Herald receive the
complete Associated Press news service, nut
it has its own special correspondents sta
toned at principal news centers. Nheh
reader sees the line special TO the Her
aid" he may depend upon 1t that the dis
patch was sent especially to The Herald py
a correspondent. When an Associated PRESS
dispatch is used it is prefaced by the words
by Associated Press" A highly efficient
local staff covers local news; correspondents
and Associated Press service cover tine news
of the state, the nation and the world IN
addition to its thoroughly complete local
and general news service The Herald pub
fishes special features of unusual interest.
One special feature which has attracted
much attention and has been of inestimable
benefit in producing a correct way of think
ing about a yexed question is the special
correspondence of Frederic j. Haskin, whose
letters from Japan throw flood of light on
Japan and the Japanese. MIR. Haskin
treats his subject in plain, matter of fact
able reporter like way, and everyone VINO
reads the letters is convinced he is getting
nerhaps for the first time the advantage OF
a plain, unbiased truthful tale to aid his
Judgment. The brown bogey must go. MIR.
Haskin says 1t is poor, broken down.
oyerworked bogey, and has given the read
ers of The Herald the reasons why, most OF
them concerned with the poverty and in
debtedness of Japan.
The Herald gives the truth, the whole
truth and nothing but the truth about every
news matter. 1t does not disguise or
weaken genuinely sensational stories by
taking the sensational element out of them
IL tells the truth. 1t does not sensation
aIize n story in order that it may read at
tractiyeIy 1t tells the truth. And The
Herald is winner.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
OF WORLDWIDE INTEREST
WILL JAPAN 90 BROKE?
BY FREDERIC J. HAskIN

count the prefectural and municipal
expenditures in Japan nor the state
and city expenses in the United States.
The money spent by the United
States for army and navy expenses
and improvements amounted to $780,
100000. japan spent in the same year
sos, ,000,0 900 for It's army and navy, or
Just about one-half of that spent by
America. These figures show that Ja-
pan Is spending money at about half
the rate the United States Is spending
it, which is in proportion to the fact
that Japan has half the population, but
is not at all in proportion to the far
more important fact that the United
States has twenty times the wealth.
Japans national debt is also In the
same proportion, being almost as much
per capita as that of the United States,
notwithstanding Its greatly inferior re-
sources and ability to pay.
While the Japanese government has
been prodigal with subsidies and has
spent q great deal of money for edu-
cation and for internal improvements,
| by far the greater part of the taxes
| gathered and money expended has
| been along military lines. The war
with Russia increased the national
debt from a quarter of billion TO
nearly a billion, and at the same time
| the taxes were increased almost four
made for war purposes, and 1t was
promised that when the war was over
| the taxes would be reduced, But this
promise was not fulfilled. on the con-
trary, the diet decided to continue the
war taxes in full force until 1911, and
the present program OF the ruling
oligarchy contemplates even greater
| increases.
The men who control the government
of Japan are few in number, but their
ability has been proved by the fact
that Japan has emerged from a state
of civilization comparable with that
of Europe in the middle ages and has
taken rank as a rival of the great
world powers. All this has been ac-
complished under the leadership Of the
same men who still rule the country.
Men OF their ability and experience
cannot fail to appreciate the fact that
their policy is draining the country of
| it's very life blood. This brings up the
question, Why continue this erroneous
use of money in preparation for war?
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
DOGS

WE SYMPATHIZE with corre-
w spondents who complain of the
" present uncivilized method Of
dealing with the dog question in Los
Angeles. Let US state, we believe dogs
are a necessity here. There is a great
floating population, and from time to
time Objectionable characters come in
from wicked eastern cities. They some
times try to do what they euphemistic-
ally call "job." In practice it is i'm
possible to police the city thoroughly
at all hours. Some neighborhoods are
policed thoroughly at some hours. per-
haps all at some hours and on special
occasions, but not all at all hours.
With our present force, it cannot be
done. A family, store or Office guarded
| by dog is reasonably safe. Thieves
and burglars detest dogs. The only
professional burglar with whom we
ever had a heart to heart talk said he
and his fellow craftsmen feared barking
dogs and shrieking women far more than
they feared men with guns. The moral
of this seems to be that if a man will
keep a wife to Shrek and a dog to
bark he will never need to keep gun.
But sometimes, they tell us, wifie's
voice cannot be depended on. When a
woman Is scared she won't yell ESQ
they tell us) but will only gasp. But
the more a dog is scared the more he
will bark. Shrieking is often a sign of
bravery and presence of mind in a
woman, but barking is sure sign of
cowardice in a dog. Most dogs give
| tongue not because they are brave and
wish to, scare anything or anybody, but
because they are afraid and become
hysterical.
Good dogs should be encouraged in
Los Angeles. If a person is too poor
to pay a tax, he or she should be al
lowed to keep a dog free upon making
affidavit that said dog is required FOR
protection of said him or her, whose
homes, persons or goods and chattels
might be subjected to risk or peril II
dogless. In Scotland, where dogs
abound, working dogs are exempt from
taxation. All kinds of parasitical dogs
such as poodles and what not, are
taxed, but the collie dog. who herds
sheep on the hills, the watchdog, whose
honest bark bays the moon and battles
the burglar, and all other useful dogs,
who earn their living, are not taxed
There is some common sense in this ar
rangement.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
VAST PREPoNDERANcE OF
JAPANESE EXPENDITURE
ALONG MILITARY LINES

To that inquiry there are two re-
plies vouohsafed. The Japanese in au-
thority declare that 1t is merely to
place the military and naval establish
ment of the government OH sound
basis in order that war may be insured
against. They declare that a great
army and navy Is a necessity to an
isolated nation. especially to one that
is just beginning to compete with
other great countries and which, there
fore, must be prepared to contend with
envy and jealousy. The other reply is
that of those students of the far east
who see In China the theater of the
next great world contest. They say
that Japan, a country without raw re-
sources and without rich territory,
must find an outlet for its energy. II
Japan can gain political and CONNER
cial control of China 1t will retain it's
place among the first class powers.
supplementing in a commercial war
its victory of arms. Therefore Japan
is bleeding its own people In order to
prepare the army and navy that VIII
back up Japanese domination of China
and assure the ultimate prosperity of
the mikado's subjects.
Whatever may be the ultimate pur-
pose of the present policy in Japan.
its present effects are apparent and
appalling. All over the country banks
are falling, the little factories are clos
ing down, the people are feeling more
and more the burden of the great tax
alton. Business men who have up
held the hands of the governing party
are beginning to sound warnings to
which the government turns a deaf
ear. Foreign capital is frightened by
the history of the corporations which
have been taken over by the govern
ment without warning. Even the larg-
est subsidized concerns are leaning
heavily on the few great banks of
the nation. Looking to the future the
Japanese business man can see moth
ing but bankruptcy.
The Japanese statesman, however
look ahead only to the glory of their
nation and counsel the people to bear
all ills patiently for a while and then
Japan will be the England of the Ori-
ent, the mistress of the Pacific and
the queen of Asia They will not ad-
NIT even the possible danger OF finan-
cial disaster. With clever bookkeeping
they show the people how the debt
will be paid in a very few years with
out additional taxation. For the pur-
pose of playing to the foreign world
they arrange great exposition at a
cost of many millions, all to be borne
by the government. They plan great
railways, great factories, great hotels
all to be paid for from the public
funds. And they believe that the vir-
ture of the ancestors of the emperor.
and the matchless patriotism of the
Japanese people will bring them safely
through. But even in Japan there are
business men, equally as patriotic. who
cannot see any other result of the
present policy but national bank
ruptcy.
Copyright, 1908. by Frederic J. Haslxin.)
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
IDEALS AND CONDUCT

[ITN the chaos Of an absolutely un-
restricted commercial individ-
Il ualism under modern condi-
tions this is a type that becomes
prominent as inevitably as the ma
rauder baron became prominent in
the physical chaos in the dark ages.
We are striving for legislation to
minimize the abuses which give this
type its f1ourishing prominence, part
ly for the sake of what can be ac-
complished by the legislation itself
and partly because the legislation
marks our participation in great and
stern moral development to bring our
ideals and conduct into measurable
accord.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
by "our ideals" the president means
Americanisn,. After a long national
independent existe nee a country which
from its beginning was the heir of
all The ages ,is sti!l talking ab,r.
locals instead of living them. Presi-
dent Roosevelt believes in American
ideals, and breaches them. In his own
life he practices them. There are
some phases of American life he
knows nothing about, excepting by
hearsay, which is not always a good
substitute for experience. He has a
big family. If he had been afflicted
by poverty and had not been allowed
to earn enough money with which to
educate that family, what would he
have had to say about it? There are
no lords and ladies and hereditary
purple wearers in the United States,
and it is no contempt of dignity to
suggest that if the Roosevelt boys
had had to work at the breakers and
the Roosevelt girls 10 waste their
youth in factories they would have
had an experience which has befallen
boys and girls who are every whit "as
good as the Roosevelts" If you re-
sent this statement or deny 1t, you are
not an American. People who are
Mortified and scandalized at the
thought Of the Roosevelt family at
work should be no less Mortified and
scandalized at the knowledge that
two million young American boys and
girls are at work. some of them in the
mines and coal pits.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

income per capita Is only SIT a year,
while in the United States it is $275
IL the American people were to pay
taxes for one year at the rate imposed
now upon the Japanese, the result
would be surplus In the treasury of
over six billion dollars, enough to pay
off the national debt, the state, city
and municipal debts, and have bal
ance sufficient to pay the running ex-
penses of the national government for
four more years without calling on
congress for another cent.
The details of this taxation would
drive the ordinary American citizen to
distraction. Everything is taxed, and
in a dozen ways. The land tax, which
is the largest single item of revenue, is
based on an assessment system which
appraises the value of the land at the
amount for which it would rent for
one year. On city property the ma
tional land tax is 20 per cent and the
city tax 10 per cent per annum. Sup
pose in an American city a man had a
house which would rent for 500 a
month. Under the Japanese system
of taxation he would be required to
pay $3.50 of his $1,000 income for land
tax, in addition to the tax imposed
upon him as a business man, upon his
tenant as a tenant, and upon the in
come which remains after the first set
of taxes is taken out.
The graduated income tax is imposed
upon all incomes OF more than $3.50 a
year. If the same rule applied In
America a bookkeeper who gets $100 a
month would be required to pay SIS a
year income tax. Any person so for
tunate as to enjoy an income of $4,000
year must pay s7425 tax each year,
or nearl.' Is per cent annually. A street
railway is required to pay 20 per cent
of its gross receipts into the treasury,
Is limited to 1 cent and cent fares,
and yet manages to pay IL per cent
dividend. If .ny member Of any city
council in the United States would dare
suggest that the street railway in his
city cut fares to cents and in addi-
| ton thereto pay tax of 20 per cent of
it's gross receipts, the whole town
would say he was crazy. But that is
what they do in Japan, and nobody
| complains. o : street railway, having
some sixty miles of line, suffered all
this and then made SO much money in
dividends that the city government de-
cided to take 1t over at the city's price
and pay for it in city bonds at par, re-
gardless of their market value. This
Is the system business man in Japan
| has to contenL with.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
TRUST FAMILY

~ ECRETARY TAFT is not advertis-
ing his profundity as student of
~ economic questions when he says
TO eXterminate trusts would be to eX-
terminate industry. Industry was an
established institution when Adam
delved and Eve span, and who was
then the gentleman" and who the trust
magnate? Mr.. Bryan has uttered a
witticism which is genuinely funny.
He says the trust family is big enough
to satisfy the presidents ideas of the
size of a family, and its birth rate is
greater than it's death rate. This is
the only real joke which has ever been
made on the subject of the trusts.
When the American nation begins to
jest about anything or anybody, look
out, for there is the beginning of the
end. 1t is when we take ourselves and
our creations too seriously that there
is continuance of trouble. AS it is hope
less to expect race suicide on the part
of the prolific trust family it is desir-
able that it's supply of nutriment
should be lessened, Independent fac
tories must be encouraged. With the
establishment of Independents, prices
will be reduced. The people will buy
more of the article produced-this has
been invariably the rule when prices
have been reduced, as every keen
witted competent manager of dry
goods store knows full well. A greater
popular market would increase the de-
mand for labor. New factories would
be built. Existing factories would be
enlarged. With q large number of fac
tories competing for raw material the
price of raw material would be in
creased. A condition of prosperity
would be induced; real prosperity. not
the kind which enriches a few indus
trial capitalists and impoverishes the
majority of industrial workers.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Gus in all its material interests The
general health has been excellent, our
harvests have been abundant and
plenty smiles throughout the land. Our
commerce and manufactures have been
prosecuted with energy and industry
and have yielded fair and ample re-
turns. In short, no nation In the tide
of time has ever presented a spectacle
of greater material prosperity than we
have done until within a very recent
period-intemperate interference of the
northern people with the question of
slavery in the south has at last pro-
duced it's natural effects" The election
of Mr.. Lincoln in November caused q
Generalization of trade. Senator Nor
rill the father of protection. said that
1850 was a year of as large produc-
ton and general prosperity as any
perhaps in our history" When one
looks at the prosperity under the low
est tariff this country ever had and at
the unemployment and poverty under
the present tariff-the highest the
country ever had-surely If he wishes
to be sensible and honest with himself
and countrymen he should stand up
Aoi A'ss PONDER.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

formidable power on earth. AS we
have before pointed out, the plain Brit
ish citizen, who works for a living,
would not be affected by the govern
mental loss of India. Indeed, the cur
tailment of the British empire to its
English speaking states would be
great boon to him, and ultimately to
all mankind, as it would bring within
range of practical politics the question
of the federation of all the countries
which use the Anglo-American Ian
guage.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Japan go broke +?
Many of tho ablest
and wisest of Japan
ese statesmen and
business men have
counseled caution,
but the military
clique is in the sad
die and, drunk with
sight of power"
seems determined to
spend and spend un-
til the last cash is
gone.
The burden of tax
alton in Japan per
capital is $4.05, con-
siderably less than
the per capita bur-
den of $685. in the
United States, which
includes national.
state and city taxa
tion. But 1t must be
remembered that in
Japan the average
nations is: Will
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Salt Lake railroad has filed with
Capt. Amos A. Fries an application for
permission to dredge a channel to con-
meet the inner harbor, as Captain
Fries has planned 1t, with the
turning basin of the Long Beach
harbor near the Craig shipbuild-
ing yards. Application is made jointly
with the Los Angeles Dock and Ter
minal company, which owns the land
Immediately surrounding the Long
Beach harbor. This action indicates
that the railroad acquiesces in the har-
Dor lines for Wilmington harbor as
laid out by the United States engineer.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Rev. T. P. Haley Of Kansas City says
Los Angeles churches are far in ad-
vance of anything he ever expected to
see. 1t is evident Kansas City papers
have not been giving the Angel City a
square deal or DIR. Haley would not
have been surprised to find it leading
the United States in religion as well as
everything else excepting wickedness,
which, in the bright lexicon of Los An
geles, is unknown.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
TURNED HATE TO PROFIT

nERHAPS some of the Hindu In
surrectionists are inspired by the
= spirit of Tipoo Sahib, the Tiger
of Mysore, who hated the conquerors
and kept an emblem of his hate in
his reception hall. 1t was fe-sized
mechanical statuary group showing
the tiger of India at the throat of a
figure representing a British army Of
ficer. When Tipoo wished to amuse
his court or visitors, an attendant
turned a handle, the tiger roared and
the man raised and lowered his arm
and shrieked. The indignation of
English-speaking guests was generally
turned to hardly controllable mirth
when, upon investigating the mech
anism of the clever group, they found
on a brass label the legend, ''Made in
Birmingham"
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

More than 200 patromen and police
officials will take part in an inspection
which will be held at Eighth and Olive
streets today. Los Angeles has splen-
did police department. People who
complain of burglaries should remem-
ber that no policeman is efficient
enough to be in two places at once,
The rapid expansion of Los Angeles de-
mands a correspondingly rapid expan-
sion of the police force.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Chicago is to have workingman's
hospital, managed comparatively by the
labor unions. Bright idea. May we
also suggest that more labor unions
might establish homes for the superan-
nuated to which members in good
standing could retire when no longer
able to work.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
ANOTHER LOVER OF DOGS
PROTESTS AGAINST METHODS

LOS ANGELES. May 9.-[Editor
Herald: Good for "a Lover of Dogsl"
/ have noticed that poor brute of
decoy being dragged around town at
the tail of the dog catcher's wagon
weary to death 1T looks as rule-and
/ also have wondered what the humane
officers were about to permit such, cru
city. "A Lover of Dogs" is quite right.
1t Is a scandal and shame.
ANOTHER DOG LOVER.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

HOKIO-Poverty-s Japan Is
spending money as If there was
Il never a day of reckoning. lts
people groan under heavy taxes, and its
industries are suffering the reaction
which follows artificial stimulation.
The question one is forced to ask of
this nrodlgal young spendthrift of the
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Sir Robert Hart says China is only
in it's youth instead of its old age, and
will yet be great nation. Since the
Chinese can reckon back several thou
sand years and have made no visible
progress for at least thousand it must
be said Sir Robert is of a sanguine and
cheerful disposition.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Prof. Benjamin Ide Wheeler of the
University of California will be Theo-
dore Roosevelt professor in Berlin for
19o9-1910. An international lecturer is a
thoroughly modern individual, for whom
friends of the highest civilization have
nothing but applause. He is practi-
cally an educational ambassador.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

AS insurance papers are pointing out,
f1reproof buildings are not impossible.
A more advanced civilization will look
back on the frequency of fires and the
necessity for maintaining an expensive
fire department with wonder at our in
ability to construct and maintain. not
fireproof buildings, but fireproof cities.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Illinois has under consideration a
measure making public advocacy of the
slaughter of any human being, whether
a resident of the United States, Russia
or any other country, an offense pun
ishable by Imprisonment in the. peni-
tentiary.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Race track gambling has been de-
nounced from many Los Angeles pull
pits. Now If the good citizens who lis
tened to the sermons and said Amen
will also DO something, race track gam
bling will soon be in the limbo of for
gotten evils.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Former United States Senator Bard
says the American people do not realize
to what extent they are in the grasp of
corrupt business interests which have
secured control of the political ma
chinery of the country. We believe
they are beginning to realize 1t. High
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

If the machine intends to come up
smiling after that jolt let it remember
the cohorts of good government have
not yet begun to fight.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

They are telling it around Washing
ton that Senator Crane is SO popular
with President Roosevelt that the
strenuous one frequently inadvertently
calls him Senator Stork."
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06
The ublic Letter Box

Letters Intended for publication must be
accompanied by the name and address of
the writer. The Herald gives the widest
latitude to correspondents. but assumes no
responsibility for their views. Letters
should not exceed 400 words.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

The young Democratic league did It,
self proud. It's greatest victory came
when good men were put on tickets
which might have been less acceptable
under the old regime.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

The New York Journal of Commerce
has an article on How the Beef Trust
Works" The words "the American ma
ton" should have been added to ths
title in order to make it complete.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Gladstone Dowie. son of the prophet,
vowed he would go through lie un-
kissed. But woman broke his VOW.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-05-06

Tomorrow-Japan's Diplomatic Game.