davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
SAN PEDRO HARBOR

O AN PEDRO will hold a bond cleo
ton to provide money for the COM
~ pletion and furnishing of the city
hall and the installation of a modern
fire alarm system. With harbor inn
provement assured, the progress of
San Pedro will be rapid and sure. The
harbor city is bound to grow in size
and Importance, and ere long will be
distinguished by the warehouse style of
architecture, which is not graceful and
does not represent a classic school, but
something much more practical and of
much more Importance, the CONNER
cial vitality on which the life of Cali
fornia and of the nation depends. There
is no reason why San Pedro should not
become a great mercantile and manu-
featuring center. as we'll as headquar-
ters for the import and export trade of
Southern California. For the business
development of Southern California
suitable and ample provision must be
made; first a safe and commodious
harbor, to which the shipping of the
world may be attracted; then the va
rious adjuncts to a harbor which COM
bine to build up commercial maritime
metropolis 1t ought to be encourag-
ing to all who are associated with the
movement to improve the harbor of
San Pedro to know that one of the
busiest ports of the old world started
its remarkable career under conditions
far more discouraging than any which
have been encountered at San Pedro.
In the earlier days of the nineteenth
century Glasgow, in Scotland. was a
port of minor Importance, and the
Clyde, the ship yards of which build
war vessels and trading vessels for
many nations, was a shallow estuary.
The efforts to make the Clyde a sea-
port were heroic, and 1t is therefore
perhaps natural that the results which
have marked the modern history of the
harbor should also be heroic. The
world renowned harbor of the Clyde is
a triumph of grit 1t was all "made, T"
won from shallow water and deep mud
but engineering skill triumphed over
every obstacle. and not only created a
bustling, maritime metropolis out of
once sleepy old Glasgow, but estab-
lished a huge ship building industry,
which provides a living for many
thousands of families. San Pedro can
outdo all that Glasgow did, nd win
not only commercial maritime control
of the Pacific coast, but become ship
building center. With the opening up
of the Orient and the development Of
Pacific commerce. the future his
tory of San Pedro will rs as remarka-
BILE as that of any of the other great
seaDorts OF the world
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
LEST WE FORGET

n UR Republican friends are asking
~ us to forget the past" No doubt
that would be a course which
would be gratifying to all good Re
publicans. How delightful IL the coun-
try were to forget the exploitation of
the Philippines, the exploitation of
working men, the exploitation of work.
ing women. the exploitation of chilt
dren and the seizure and "organiza-
ton" of almost every money-making
industry in the United States. This
unparalleled record of grab and graft
may be called national prosperity, if
you will, but predatory prosperity is
worse than none, because 1t uses and
misuses the population of the country,
the products of the country and the
products of the population of the coun-
try for the purpose of creating a rich
"infiuentiar class, which has an un-
due amount of wealth and of power,
such as was NOT contemplated by the
founders OF the republic. In fact, it
was thought that undue power and
concentration of power had been
guarded against In the United States,
and when a privileged institution
threatened to disturb the economic
balance of the country, and give undue
power and an unearned increment to
a section, placing the other sections
at a disadvantage. the Republican
party espoused the cause of American
ism, freed the slave and incidentally
freed the country from form OF op-
presslve privilege" But. since one
kind Of privilege has been substituted
for another. since that very party
which abolished negro slavery is re-
placing it by a social slavery which
enthralls white women and binds chill
dren in bondage. we may well ask
whether the last state of the country
is not worse than the first. To substi-
tute one kind Of slavery for another
and to make the substitute less endur-
able and more harmful than the orig
inal. is to play scurvy trick on the
nation.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
OUR CONSTITUTION

T OS ANGELES is now presented to
IL the world in the ungracious role
AA of an imprisoner of delicately
nurtured. scholarly, refined women,
who, because of political belief which
is as dear to them as religion, have in
sisted on speaking in public and have
not obtained official permits because
their construction of the constitution
of the United States leads them to
believe that official permits are no
more necessary for making street
speeches than for publishing news
papers and selling them on the streets.
The article prohibiting congress"
from making a law interfering with
freedom of speech was most undoubt-
edly meant to include in its scope all
lesser law-making bodies. None is ex-
empt from the operation Of the consti-
tuition OF the United States, and 1t is
sheer absurdity to believe that any
local legislation can be maintained
in defiance of national constitutional
provisions. If the women who are
charged with speaking publicly are de-
tained in jail until the dates in late
October set for their trial we have no
hesitation in saying that their restraint
will be commented on throughout the
country as an outrage and a disgrace
to the United States. 1t puts the great
political parties in an especially awk-
ward fix, as 1t brings up the question
of the legality of all open air meetings
unless held under special local red tape
conditions. But of course they are
legal. With the constitution before us
we cannot question it for a moment
and yet remain good Americans" We
hope the city of Los Angeles may not
yet have to pay dearly in damages for
the Tory provincialism of the enforcers
of a "city ordinance" which contra
Ivenes and defies an explicit provision of
the supreme constitution of the land
we live in. Whether or not our city
may have to pay in damages it is only
too certain she is already paying in
reputation. The municipality will win
no honor by bullying women who acted
not on impulse. but on their honest be-
lief that they were doing their duty
and serving the best interests of their
country. When citizens of Los Angeles
realize exactly what has happened and
what is happening deep will be their
modification and great their shame.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
FORMER CHAIN GANG MAN
REPLIES TO cUMMINGWAY

LOS ANGELES. July 5.-[Editor
Heraldl Some fellow terming himself
"Cummingway" writes that "all would
be reformers ought to be quieted." Can
he tell how to quiet them? Will gag
law. and jail sentences do it? He also
says "people who are out Of work in
this country are either crippled,
crooked, lazy or incompetent" Things
must be coming his way from the
name he signs. There are others less
fortunate-thousands of them. am
one of them. / have worked on the
Moffatt road. Colorado, and on the
Missouri Pacific south for nearly five
years as a civil engineer. and hold the
best of recommendations. I had to
leave the south after two long sieges
in the hospital from nialarial fever. /
went north to Portland, reaching that
city about the time the panic struck.
There was nothing doing in my line or
any other. ] drifted to Frisco but
men were being laid Off and none taken
on. My finances fell below the safety
limit for California, and l thought
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

statement contained in one sentence
of cur friends article. He says: "Peo-
Pile who are out of work in this coun-
try are either crippled. crooked. lazy
or incompetent" One ounce of fact
is worth vastly more than a whole
pound OF "exasperated" feeling. The
Standard on company reports that the
sales of lubricating oil for the months
of March, April and May of this year
are so per cent less than they were
for the same months in 1907. This is
an age of machinery. One-half as
much lubricating oil sold; probably
about half as much machinery rum
ming.
Another fact: The same men who
are now complaining that there is no
work for them were all busy at work
last year. If they are such worthless
trash as our "exasperated" friend
thinks how did they happen to tumble
in a single year from honest industry
to idleness and shiftlessness? And
since half a million foreigners have
leftsthis county within year 1t would
seem that our friends theory of for
eigners making the trouble is not we'll
supported, otherwise there would be
less complaint this year than last; but
the reverse is the case.
America might not be worse than
other countries and still there might
be possibility of Improvement. even in
America. d. BOND.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
The Problem of Good Roads
Is Complicated by the Auto

short. and the population dense; but in
America the need for long stretches of
new roads, and for more solid and sub
stantial roads, is so great that IL those
made are to be destroyed about as fast
as made the cost must soon grow pro-
hibitive.
The highway problem, then, is this:
First, to make good roads; and sec
ond. to keep them in good order at a
low cost.
Road builders in this country and in
Europe have been discussing and ex-
perimenting for two years in respect to
the best methods for preventing injury.
for keeping the dust on the surface of
the road when it is needed, and for
making a road durable under the new
conditions.
1t will, however, beyond doubt, be
found absolutely necessary to begin at
the roots of the evils by stringent pro-
hibition of rapid automobile travel on
all roads except those especially desig-
mated for that purpose, as well as other
regulations applicable to horses and
wagons, which need not here be dis
cussed.
This should be the first and vitality
important preliminary step; next to
that comes the means for really avoid
able wear. And II will be only after
thoroughly good system for both of
these has been adopted and enforced
that the states and counties can hope
to possess good roads at a practicable
price.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
[NVERY day seems to unfold a new
II problern Among the unIoolxad for

LIVERY day seems TO un1old new
III problem. Among the unlooked-for
IL results of the advent and wide
spread use of the automobile is that of
its destructive effects on roads.
1t would naturally be supposed that
soft rubber tires would be absolutely
harmless to all roads; and they would
be nearly so II the surface were DUST
less.
The best and most durable and satis-
factory highways hitherto have been
those macadamized-that Is, covered
with broken stone rolled to a smooth
surface. Such roads need a certain
amount of fine material to bind to-
gether the broken rock to prevent their
movement under the weight of passing
wagons. The iron tires grind away the
surface slowly and supply usually the
quantity of binding dust needed, but
automobiles running swiftly and with
broad, soft tires, throw up this dust in
clouds which the winds carry away.
The results to the roads have been so
serious, and are increasing so fast, as
to occasion very serious alarm in all
countries says the San Jose Mercury.
The deterioration cannot be ascribed
to any increase in heavy freight traffic,
for in France and England the roads
have been injured more in the past four
or five years than in a quarter century
previously.
The problem is bad enough in Europe,
where the roads are comparatively
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
INVITES MAYOR TO GO ON
STREET AND EXPLODE THEORIES

LOS ANGELES, July 7.-[Editor
Herald: l am a Democrat of twenty
five years standing. 1t is my hope to
be able to take the stump for our peer
less leader, William Jennings Bryan.
do not want to be restricted in my
right of free speech and 1 do not want
to see representatives of other political
parties restricted. for one am willing
to meet any of these Socialist speakers
in open debate at any place or any
time, provided it be open to the public.
prefer some place downtown on the
streets or in the park. Let them talk,
Mr.. Mayor, don't be afraid of them.
Their theories are easily exploded, and
/ am certain you yourself could do much
good if you would issue yourself a per-
NIT and go on the soap box on the
street at night and refute their false
arguments.
THOMAS J. HARRINGTON.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Declare Reports of Hunger
Are Not Ex1gger1ted

with the hands is true-all else is false.
Even the press of New York city has
substantially called Hunter a sensation
monger. But now the district superin-
tendent of schools says that in two
districts alone five hundred children
are in need of food. A single principal
reported the names of twenty-one chill
dren who went to school hungry. 9th
ers told of wee tots fainting from weak
ness, and similar tales of suffering.
Yes, we say, but that is in New York,
with its congested population. Suffer-
ing In such places is Inevitable. Why
always look at the dark side? Think
of the hundreds of smaller cities and
the vast country wher~ unsatisfied hun
ger is impossible.
Yes, that is true, too But here comes
a principal of a Detroit school, who
says that he has seen pupils there cry
ing with hunger; that they not only
come to school without breakfast, but
have often eaten little the day before.
Now Detroit is not a 'congested CEN
ter" 1t is one of the rich, prosperous,
roomy American cities.-Fresno Herald.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

call themselves pre-eminently conserv-
ative, prominently cultured"
1t is a shameful and humiliating
condition that made 1t pertinent for
Roosevelt to write such a letter. But
he recognizes, as do unprejudiced,
thinking and honest people all over the
world, that such antagonism on the
part of 'men and papers representing
{ .magogy," follows as day follows
night and is wholly to be expected.
But those others, those men repre-
senting interests that call themselves
conservative and cultured"--it Is their
opposition and antagonism that are
so amazing and deplorable. That
there should exist so large a coterie OF
primarily immoral toadies, excusing
sordid crime because of the social po-
sition OF the criminal, is a sad COM
mentary on decency and civilization
Sacramento Bee.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

ing and the attorney general has been
preparing for his argument.
Less than three months win have
to elapse from this date before every
one of probably several thousand vio-
lations of the law by the Southern Pa
cific company will have been cured, so
far as the possibility of prosecution
goes, by the effect of the statute Of
limitations, and the creator of Mr..
Webb and the state board Of railroad
commissioners. the Southern Pacific
company, viii be safe from every pun
ishment for these crimes, and these
estimable public servants Will have
paid another installment on the in
famous price of the offices which they
hold.
In the interview with the attorney
general he was also quoted as having
said: "At the proper time shall speak
with force and effect"
1t will probably do no good to call
the honorable attorney generals atten-
ton to the fact that after October 8
next shall have come and past the pos
sibility of his speaking with any force
and effect, so far as enforcing the laws
which he swore to enforce are con-
cerned. will have passed.
What shameful shameful record
this is that is being made for the pc
rusal of the people of California by their
public servants! How proud they must
be of condition which permits men
who were elected to enforce the law
and who swore when they took their
official oaths to enforce it, to delib-
erately pay to the corporation which
made them such price for the offices
which they hold!
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
AGREES WITH cUMMlNGWAY
ABOUT IDLE AGlTATORS

PASADENA, July 7.-[Editor Herald:
1 am glad to see Mr.. Cummingway
voice his sentiments regarding that
idle and worthless class which is doing
so much to spread the doctrine of dis
content among the workers. This idle
ness is not necessary. There is plenty
of employment for those who really
want to work If conditions were as
bad as some of those who have at
tackled this fearless writer would
have us believe there would still
be no excuse for the idleness and
shiftlessness of many. The Associated
Charities can readily secure employ
ment for them. Why do they not make
an appeal there in the regular way?
Those who do not, fear to have their
records investigated and are afraid to
take the chances of being put to work.
A GENTLEMAN.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
HE'S A DIPLOMAT

His wife can seldom get dress
A new one--but she doesn't mind.
He raves about her loveliness
And therefore she 10 quite resigned.
He still admires and praises much
The lady's old last seasons hat.
And thus avoids a frequent touch.
That fellow is diplomat.
You 70 to him most any day
And strike him for a five or so.
He'll smile on you in such a way
You'll really feel your bosom glow,
You will not get a blessed cent.
But then. you will not care for that.
His sorrow IL SO evident.
That fellow is diplomat.
But anything that he requires,
He'll get it-and without a row.
The articles he so admires
You've got to give him, anyhow.
He's worked our 1anitor-don't Rmilel
It's truei-for steaSn to heat his fat,
He's working some one all the while.
That fellow is a diplomat.
Chicago News.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
SPEAKS KIND WORDS IN
DEFENSE OF CITY DOGS

LOS ANGELES, July 7.-[Editor
Herald: Some people howl more
about their neighbor's dog in one day
than the dog would in year.
I have read letters in your Public
Letter Box stating that all dogs in
cities should be exterminated; that
they were a nuisance and kept mostly
by poor families.
The bark of a dog has saved many
families from death at the hands OF
the Indians and from being suffocated
and burned in our cities of today.
In today's paper 1 read that many
valuable dogs have been poisoned In
the past week in this city. These and
one in the east that the owner paid
$4,000 for did not belong to poor fami-
lies.
Many dogs have better care than
children. w. 5. y.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
VETERAN SOLDIER DOES NOT
AGREE WITH cuMMINGWAY

sor.DrERs' HOME, Cal. July g.
TEditor Herald: am sorry our friend
Cummingway is "exasperated' Tor ex-
s.,ise thines. AS for the Socialists,
thew a are likely to be able to take care
If themselves, since they are the only
Da,tv in the whole world which pub
fishes great scientific. historical and
economic libraries, which the colleges
and universities OF the nation are now
more and more introducing as text
books.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
ObSt1ucfiOniSfS Hinder
Prosecution of GrafterS

NHE attitude of obstruction, ill-na-
tured criticism and covert hatred
on the part Of the San Francisco
Chronicle and Examiner and the Oak
land Tribune, and of such journals as
the Argonaut, toward the San Fran
cisco graft prosecution is simply and
directly characterized as abhorrent by
President Roosevelt.
In letter to Rudolph Spreckels on
the subject of the opposition to the
sincere efforts of the prosecution the
president writes:
There is no form of slander and
wicked falsehood which will not as a
all men engaged in such a struggle,
and this not only on the part of men
and papers representing the lowest
type of demagogy, but, am sorry to
say, also on the part of men and pa
pers representing the interests that
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Scandal of y. S. Senate
Is the Shame of the Nation

asleep? Have they any care for the
good name of the state and for their
own dignity? To what lengths must
this old man go? How often and how
many times must the community ring
and the air reek with his escapades
before they will come to the pitch of
action? His term will not expire until
March 4, 1909. VIII they tolerate his
presence in the senate chamber another
week without making their protesting
voices heard by him?"
The Times forgets apparently the
drift Of society sentiment in this coun-
try. The blacker a mans moral record
the more respect seems to be given him
by otherwise respectable people. If he
has transgressed all the moral laws of
the decalogue and is still at 1t. the
chances are that he is still handshaken
by professedly good people and often
defended by pious pulpiteers.-San Jose
Herald.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
PVIIUJ UI odyIIIB 90 UuI-
selves that a thing is not true be-

HIHG ratuous policy of saying to our
selves that thing is not true be-
cause we do not see 1t, or because
we do not see how 1t could be true, is
excellently illustrated in the disclosures
that have recently been made concern
ing the truthfulness of statements made
in a book by Robert Hunter, the socio-
logist, about poverty in the great cities.
This author asserted that there must
be thousands-very likely sixty or sew
enty thousand children--in New York
city alone, who often arrive at school
hungry and untitled to do well the work
required" Well, how did we, well-fed
and self-centered, receiveS that state
ment? Most of us-those who took the
time to receive 1t at all-received 1t
with ridicule. We had never seen sixty
or seventy thousand hungry school
children, and If we had not seen them
how could they exist? That is a fair
sample Of the unconscious logic that
humanity applies to the multifarious
affairs of existence. What we see with
the eyes, hear with the ears, and feel
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Frenzied Finance

A deficit approaching $150,000,000 in
a period of profound peace should
drive the party in power out of office
in any self-respecting country. There
isn't another nation in the world, hav-
ing parliamentary government, that
would submit to such incapacity Of
financial management. The Republican
party can escape the responsibility
only by drawing on the proceeds of
superfiuous taxation in the past
Record.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Builders of Canada

Into this region are pouring annually
nearly 100000 American farmers, most
ly from Nebraska, Minnesota, the Da-
kotas and others of the colder wheat
states. These men appreciate the
value of the rich lands, and know how
to live and enjoy life in a country of
cold winters. They are helping to
build up new nation, as their fathers
and grandfathers did in the United
States.-San Jose Mercury.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

Ruef is out of Jail. but he has been
sent to coventry. which is worse. A
man who is a boodler is bad enough.
A man who is a squealer is bad enough.
But man who is both boodler and
a squealer-alas, poor Ruef!
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

A call has been issued for an inter-
state negro press convention, which
will be held in Pittsburg. The negro
editors have discovered. such a great
change of political sentiment among
the Americans of their stock that they
will take counsel before entering on
the campaign.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Taft MuzzIed

According to this information the
nominee has been warned of the dam
ger Of "loose talk,,' and from now on
every formal utterance"-it should
also have included purely informal,
casual and breakfast table utterances-
of his will be carefully weighed and
considered before being made public
Louisville Courier Journal.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09
Hitchcock Robbed

But whereas all men of note have
had years enjoyment out of their fame
before it was taken from them, Frank
II. Eitchcock's laurels have scarcely
begun to shape to his head when they
are snatched from him by enemies,
crying, "Vorys did It; Charles p. Taft
did 1t; any one did it; but not you'll
New York Post.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

A Chicago minister prayed that a
public amusement resort where Sunday
liquor was served might be burned to
the ground, and his prayer was
granted. The good man, however, is
bashful about accepting responsibility
for the fire.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

BY fasting forty days a veteran at
the soldiers home cured himself of
rheumatism and of an impediment in
his speech. By fasting a few days
more he would probably have cured
himself of the habit of living.
Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-09

Any communications or protests with
regard to San Pedro harbor lines will
be forwarded to Washington by the
engineers along with the report Of the
board