davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
TIE MoNIroRoAND THE MERRIMAC.

There is appearing in the papers
thruout tlte country an interview with
Capt Walffng, Of Bloomington, ILL.,. who
is one of the survivors of the crew OF
the Merriiiiac. and his account of the
fight makes it out that the MerrimaC
badly defeated the Monitor. which only
escaped destruction by retiring into
shoal water, and that the Merrimac
afterward came out and challenged the
Monitor 70 fight. but the latter de-
clined. liz So
This is absolutely incorrect. So far
as the injuries of the two vessels were
concerned. each seemed to suffer about
as much or as little as the other, with
the presumption that the Merrimac was
the worst injured, since she seemed to
limp away from the battlefield, and re-
quired two weeks work in repairs be-
fore she was able to reappear in the
Roads. On the other hand, the Moni-
tor was as fit for fight the next day as
she had been from the first. Probably
she was more so. The crowning fact
is that the Merrimac was whipped be-
cause she came out to do a certain
thing, and was forced to retire without
accomplishing her object. She was de-
feated precisely as an army is defeated
which makes an assault and is re-
pulsed. AS to the subsequent challenge
to fight. that bears explanation. After
the battle between the ironclads had
demonstrated the worthlessness of
wooden vessels both sides became ex-
tremely nervous as to their respective
ironclads, which We're now their sole
dependence. Strict orders were issued
that neither should venture into a con-
fict with the other outside of the range
of the supporting artillery on the shore.
Some of our transports had ventured up
into the roads beyond the danger line
which had been marked by orders, and
the Merrimac, coming out under the
protection OF the guns on Sewell's Point,
captured an iceboat and some. other
craft. The Monitor was not allowed,
much to the chagrin of her commander
and crew, to go beyond the support of
the guns at Fortress Monroe to attack
her antagonist. 1t will be remembered
that this irritated the crew of the Moni-
tor so that they addressed most touch
ing letter to Capt. Worden, begging him
to come back and take command of
them, and put the Monitor into battle
against the Merrimac, when they were
confident of winning the victory. These
are the facts from history which cannot
be successfully denied.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The arrival of the fleet in the grand
naval pageant and attended with fit
ting ceremonies. In addition to our
own unsurpassed fleet there were wait
ing for them IL Brazilian warships and
one German cruiser. A delegation con-
sisting of a Brazilian cruiser and two
torpedo boats had been sent out by the
Minister of Marine to escort the fleet
up the bay. where it was received with
all honor, with the American flag float
ing everywhere and the guns OF The
forts and the vessels laundering forth
the National salute. The ceremonies of
crossing the line are said to have been
hilarious and spirited in the highest de-
gree. There were 1880 men on the
fleet who were numbered among the
land lubbers," as they had never cross
ed the line, and these, as a rule, wisely
submitted to their fate with smiling
grace. The few who attempted to eIude
the mighty police of the King of the
Ocean Jared much worse On board
the Louisiana, which claimed to be the
Presidents own ship. the President and
Mrs. Roosevelt were voted honorary
members, since they had visited Pan
anna, which is in the heart of Neptune's
royal domain. Tho the President was
bodily absent, it vas held that he was
constructively present. and had crossed
the line
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
SUPERVISION OF CORPORATIONS.

We are beginning to hear from the
other side-from the men who want to
conduct safe and sane business. Mr.
B. +. Yoakum, a railroad magnate, and
who is Chairman of the Executive Com
mittee of the Rock Island system, says
that the policies for which the Admin
istration stands are "healthy and will
excesses of corporate trusts" he says,
sis not a detriment, but protection to
their stockholders" This is what The
National Tribune has always contended
for. The men who put their money in
the railroads should not have their in
vestments exposed to destruction by
wildcat financiering of any kind, and il
Government supervision is necessary to
protect them, and it seems to be, they
should have it. Railroads are exceed
ingly necessary to our civilization. We
want more of them. We want men en-
'couraged to build them, and we want
other men encouraged to invest their
money in them. They should be given
the protection of the laws in their in
vestments in railroads precisely as they
are given that protection in other in
vestments. Mr.. Yoakum sees clearly that
a proper supervision by the Government
gives a guaranty for an equal and fair
administration in the future, and if such
a policy is carried out properly it will
be great benefit to all, and as much
to the constructors and operators of the
roads as to the public. He strongly ad-
vises the railroad managers to cease
their insane opposition and substitute
for it a sane cooperation. He con-
tinues:
1--WE shall emerge from our present
disturbances with clearer understand
ing with the Government; closer
knowledge of our responsibilities to our
stockholders, with our railroads and
corporate properties worth the money,
and based on their actual earning ca
pacity under a system of accounting that
has the stamp of approval of an officer
of the Federal Government. Therefore
when our home bankers send their an
nuai statements to their foreign CORE
spondents they can say, in offering our
securities to their customers, with alb
solute confidence, that these statements
are correct and have been carefully
scrutiniZed, investigated and approved
by the Government.
This Federal approval is as near as
we can possibly get to obtaining the
Governments actual guaranty upon our
securities, and it will be safe and sane
substitute for Government ownership, a
condition for which we are not ready"
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

Federal Judge Newman. of the North =
ern District of Georgia, has refused the
prayer of the Cincinnati and Chatta-
nooga brewers to restrain the execution
of the Georgia prohibition law, but the
attorneys say that this Will have no
effect upon the case, and they will try
it regularly before the court. OF the
issue there, there can be little doubt,
since the absolute prohibition of the
manufacture and sale of intoxicating
liquors has for many years been recog-
nized as clearly within States powers.
Maine tested this more than a half
century ago, in the passage of her
famous Maine law.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
ANARCHIsTIC FOLLY.

A Socialistic speaker is never sup
posed to allow himself to be embar-
rassed by facts nor to have any re-
straint upon his adjectives. When that
Socialistic speaker is a woman the case
is still worse, and We are not supposed
to be astonished at anything she may
say. But the harangUe of Mrs. Flor
ence Stokes at recent Socialistic meet
ing, in which she declared that the
workingmen of this country are as bad
ly off as those of Russia is startling
beyond all reason and known facts. 1t
is an extravaganza SO absolutely false
upon its face that in any other meeting
ceived with boots of derision by the
poorest informed. The American work.
ingmen represent the very best that has
been secured for him by centuries of
effort, in which the churches, the
schools, the laws have all done tn cir
part toward ameliorating his condition
and raising him to the highest level of
any workingmen in the world The
same influences have been at work for
the benefit of the workingmen of Eng
land. France. Germany. Italy and Aus
tria, and they probably stand in their
advancement in the order named; that
is. probably the English and French
workingmen are in the best condition
next to our own, with the Germans
close at hand and the others working
up to that condition On the other
hand, few of these beneficent influences.
and those weak and Ineffective, have
been helping the Russian workingmen
along. Russia is behind the rest of the
world at least 100 years in everything,
and in the condition of her peasantry
and workingmen she is much more
than 100 years behind the times In
this regard she Is still in the midst of
the Dark Ages. Every reader of his
tory knows this. Such an extravagant
utterance as this of Mrs. Stokes is the
worst possible indictment that could
be made against the efficiency of our
schools, our churches, our social life
and our laws and political institutions
IL all the efforts that have been con-
stantly made for centuries to elevate
the mass of the people have not result
ed in bringing them up beyond the
standard of the Russians, then the fail
ure is sad indeed.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
THE CHRISTIAN ERA.


The beginning of another year makes
it rather interesting TO consider a little
how our present era was established.
Most people have vague idea that the
world began counting the years as We
do at present some time about the
Savior's appearance on earth. This is
erroneous, as there was little thought
of such thing for more than 500 years
after Christ's crucifixion. Prior to that
time there We're number of calendars
in use in different civilized countries.
The people who were following the old
Roman method counted from the as
sumed year of the building of Rome, A.
U. C.-Anno urbis conditae. This date
waSA April "a, 753 B. C. The people of
the Eastern Empire generally followed
the era of Constantinople, which placed
the creation of the world at Sept. l.,
550S B. C. The Spanish and Portuguese
and their dependencies used as their
date the conquest of Spain by Augustus
Cesar, 80 B. c. The Jews used cal
mixed up, since it was based on the
assumed date Of the creation of the
world, and there was a wide difference
of views as to this. Des Tognoles. a
writer of high repute on the chronology
of sacred history, estimates that there
nr 4;
signed, all of which are worthy of seri-
Gus consideration. The shortest is 3,4S3
years between the creation and the
birth of Christ and the longest 6,9S4
years. Archbishop USHER fixed the date
for himself and for most of the Chris
tian world at 4,e04. Furthermore, the
Jewish computation was by lunar years,
which complicated the reckoning
The Roman Catholic priests took up
the work of keeping the calendar, which
had always been the work of the priests
in all countries, and they arranged the
feast days SO as to mark the time for
their focks. They had much trouble in
making the eras coincide, and in 525
the Roman Abbot, Dionysius, began the
present method of computation from
the birth of Christ, basing his first year
on the 754th year A. u. c.. This method,
which presented itself acceptably to the
Christian world, came slowly into use
to the displacement of all the other
calendars, tho there was confusion for
centuries afterwards as to the begin
ming of the year. New Year ranged all
the way from Dec. 25 to Easter or
March 25. Our present method of be-
ginning the year Jan. 1 dates from the
act passed in 1851, in the reign of
George H., which provided that II days
should be omitted after the I'd of Sep
tember, 1852, so tina, the ensuing day
should be Sept. Ii, and that the year
should begin Jan. 1. This cut short the
preceding year three months, and great
ly indamed the common people against
the Government which feeling was in
cited by demagogs who had their own
ends to gain. All the other countries in
Europe except Russia and the Slavic
countries connected with her had al
ready adopted this reckoning or were
to do so soon.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

In pursuance of their policy of MAX
ing themselves as disagreeable as pos
sible to the community, many of the
railroads have discontinued the re-
duced rate to the clergy, and others
have served notice that they intend to
do so. This matter is being discussed
by the religious press with great deal
of interest, some of the papers approx
ing and others condemning. The Pres
byterian Banner believes that ministers
should be paid as literally. as those en-
gagged in all other professions. and then
they should pay their way on the rail-
roads, asking no favors. This view has
its attractions, but there are other con-
siderations which initiate strongly
against it. Even if ministers be as we'll
paid as other men, yet there is no class
of professional men from whom more
unpaid and unpayable service is exacted
than the ministers. They are constant
ly called to go to places to minister to
the dying and dead, for which they
receive no pay, and the railroads are
more frequent applicants for their
gratuitous service than any other men,
bers of the community. We have
hacked away at the churches and the
ministers until we have at last gotten
into the position of absolute antagon-
ism, and thus have greatly diminished
influences which lead young men into
that holy calling. This is a misfortune
to the country, in the influence upon
public morals, to say nothing of higher
demands. We should bring into the
ministry as high talent and as genuine
devotion to the profession as any other
calling can offer. We need many OF
our best young men going into the min
istry, precisely as much if not m..ce
than we need them going into law, mel
icine and politics. There should be
concessions and consideration by every
one in the community toward the cler-
gy, and the railroads should do their
part of this.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
OHIO's LIQUOR LAW.

Editor National Tribune: In your
summary of the Progress of Prohibi-
| tion,' in your issue of Dec. 5, you are
in error assto Ohio having tried prohi-
bition for 80 years. The present Con-
stitution of Ohio, adopted in 1851, does
not prohibit the liquor traffic. 1t only
forbids the Legislature to pass any law
licensing the traffic. Neither has any
general law prohibiting the traffic been
passed. Ohio has always had free
whisky under certain restrictions as to
sale. The Townships and municipaIi-
ties now 'tdry'' are so because of the
application of local option laws by vote
of the people. Ohio has no license law,
either high or How. 1t has a law by
which a tax ia collected from those
who are engaged in the traffic, which is
now $1,o00.I butt as stated above, the
licensing of ebtraffic is positively for
hidden by the Constitution of the State.
t-Rey. j. r. Keyes, Co. L, 5th Ohio,
Martins Ferry, o.
What our correspondent says is tech
nically true, but subject to strong mod
ifications in fact. The Constitution of
1851 prohibited the issuance of licenses
for the sale of intoxicating liquors. and
empowered the Legislature to provide
by law against the evils resulting from
the sale thereof" From 1851 to 1888
the temperance advocates in Ohio had
been active at every session of the Leg
islature in devising laws to prevent the
sale of intoxicating liquors, and foun~
the Legislature willing to promote their
proposition. The result was such en-
acfnnenfS a tho hTr(tnnnaIIcuiJIn 1a,
the Adair law and others, under which,
if they had been enforced, not a drop
Of liquor could have been sold in the
State. They were not enforced and
the result was that the number of sa-
looms in Ohio had increased to 14,0O0,
or one for about every 112 males in the
State. Against the violent protests of
the radical Prohibtionists the expert
ment of taxing was tried, with a tax of
5000, which worked much better than
the previous attempts at prohibition,
and the tax has finally been raised to
1000. Local optioi, has been added,
so that the State is practically dry. ex-
cept certain spots in the larger spots.
When the tax law was first enacted it
gave the Supreme Court of Ohio a yio-
lent wrench to give it~constitutionality
The court had to steer it between two
absolutely opposing provisions in the
Constitution, one prohibiting the grant
ing of licenses and the other declaring
that taxation should be equal. If the
imposition was license it was uncon-
stitutional, and if it was tax differing
from other taxes it was also unconsti-
remains on the statute books of the
State.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The Southern papers announce that
the design for the monument to Capt.
Wirz has been accepted. 1t is to be
80 feet high and of Georgia granite.
It will be shaft standing on base
IL feet square, with the word Wirz in
raised letters. The inscription for the
monument has not yet been determined
upon, but it will probably involve the
gross fiction that Wirz was offered his
life if he would give testimony impli-
eating Jefferson Davis. Nothing can
be more absolutely false, since there
was plenty of documentary evidence to
inculpate Jefferson Davis in the atroci-
ties beyond any doubt that could be
raised in the minds of a jury. The
monument will be unvailed on Jeffer-
son Davis's birthday. This will be Jure
8. which is legal holiday in Florida,
Georgia, Alabama. Mississippi, Tennes-
see, Texas, South Carolina and Virginia.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The wave of prohibition rolling thru
the South is a most serious menace to
Bryan's prospects. Heretofore the anti
Temperance sentiment in the North has
been almost wholly in the Democratic
Party, and furnished the bigger part OF
its shouters and enthusiasm. If the
forces which are making for Democracy
in the South have their voice in the Ma
tional Convention, then Democracy will
be pledged more strongly to prohibition
than any great political party has beer
hitherto, and this must take the heart
out of the Northern Democrats, an6
render more hopeless than ever Bryan's
possibilities of carrying a Northern
State. In the recent municipal elections
in Ohio the liquor question was very
much to the front, and the 'wets" un-
doubtediy carried Cleveland against
Burton, and Toledo against the Repub.
lican candidate. This spells a new form
ef trouble for Mr.. Bryan.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The specifications which have been
prepared in the Signal Corps for bid
ders for a heavier -than-air flying ma
chine provide that the machine shall be
able to travel at the rate of 40 miles an
hour on calm day, carry two men and
sufficient fuel for flight of 125 miles
\ trial fight will be required of one
hours duration. in which the machine
must fly with, against and across the
wind. An airship meeting these re-
quirements will place US ahead of the
military airships of the rest of the
world, but it is believed that the stand
ard can be easily reached by our in
ventorS.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
DATE OF THE NATIONAL ENCAMP.
MENT,

Editor National Tribune: Your ed
itorial in the issue of Dec. 26, entitled
Date of the National Encampment,"
seems to have merit in it, but the
points involved We're all up for discus
sion before the Executive Committee
of the Grand Army of the Republic
during their session in Toledo on Sept.
10, 1907.
Two-fifths of all pensions are paid
on Aug. 4, and to these the date of the
Encampment is satisfactorily fixed for
Aug. 31-Sept. 5, 1908. The three-fifths
paid on Sept. can in most cases pro-
cure advances from friends, as they
have many times in the past.
1t is q weIl-knOwn fact that in a
large per cent of cases comrades who
are anxious to attend fhe E .campment
commence saving for it several months
in advance.
We must be thoughtful enough of
our hosts who undertake SO much to
consider their interests, when possible.
In a city like Toledo school houses
must be used for free quarters. To
have held the Encampment here dur
ting the week commencing Sept. would
have delayed their schools for week,
which is not to be thought of if it can
be reasonably prevented.
To have held the Encampment dur
ing the week commencing Sept. Ii
would have endangered the success of
the gathering by possible equinoxial
storms. almost certain at that period in
the lake region.
There were many requests to hold
the Encampment the week commence
ing Aug. "a, but this would be almost
fatal on account of the want of rail-
road equipment. so largely in use at
that season with tourists to and from
Summer resorts.
All things considered. it is not likely
the date of the Encampment will be
changed. The more vital question re-
lating to the success of the Encamp-
ment is a one-cent-a-mile railroad rate,
which we have faith we will procure at
rate of SO for the round trip from
distances of 500 miles of Toledo, cover.
ing the majority of Grand Army popu-
lation. This of itself viii make great
Encampment.-F. NJ. Sterrettt, Execu-
tive Director. 4ed National Encamp-
ment, Toledo. O.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The railroad compromise which has
been agreed upon between the South
ern Railway and the State of Georgia.
and probably will be followed by all
the other States, is for fat two-and-
e-half-cent-a-mile rate for intrastate
travel, with 2,000-mile books, inter
changesble at two cents per mile, good
for heads of firms and employees, not
exceeding a total number of five. There
will be also 1,000-mile books intra-
state and Interchangeable at two cents
a mile, limited to one Individual, with
500-mile books at two and one-fourth
cents per mile, good for heads of fami-
lies and members thereof. which will
be intrastatc and non-interchangeable
This arrangement will go into effect
for one year to give it It fair trial.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

Judge Harmon, of Ohio, is smilingly
coy He is quite willing to be indorsed
by the Democrats of Ohio, and tho he
does not say it, thinks that he would
make a run that would astonish the ''old
'uns." Judge Harmon has not little
reason for the belief that may be in
him. He is clean man, of more than
respectable ability, since he has sat on
the bench in Ohio and was Attorney
General under Cleveland, in both of
which positions he acquitted himself
quite commercially The fight between
the Ohio Republicans gives encourage
ment that he might carry the State as
against the Republicans, and any can
didate who can carry Northern State
in addition to the solid South ought to
commend himself strongly to the DEM
ocracy. Some one to carry a Northern
State is what the Democrats most i'm
peratively need in their business.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

A great rush is now on to new gold
fields just over the Nevada line in Cali
fOrnia, where surface ore has been
found assaying as high as 100000 per
ton. A city of tents has sprung up,
real estate is active and the water sup
ply secured. The town has been named
MAXWELL" and is in San Bernardino
County, only three miles from the San
ia Fee Railroad.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The news comes that the wireless
telephone has proved a failure on the
fleet, much to the disappointment of
everyone. Great difficulties were en-
countered in it's use, but when it work
ed it was a convenience of the first Or
der. The report sounds rather hope
less as to the future. since it is said
that the tumble of sounds on a ship
prevent the weak current used for
telephony, manifesting itself distinctly.
1t is different with the wireless tele-
graph. which has such powerful cur
rent that it can override the usual dis
turbance on board ship.
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

Even the nasty Thaw trial has a
CLEAN Of humor. Harry K. Thaw made
an engagement with his lawyer. Martin
W. Littleton, for visit the next day al
IL o'clock. Littleton did not arrive un-
til 11:30. Thaw was angry, and asked
him why he was half an hour late
Mr.. Littleton replied quietly, 'There
was no need for hurry. 1 knew that /
would find you in"
The National tribune., 1908-01-16

The serious drop in the London stock
market of the japanese bonds is anoth-
er powerful influence for peace. Japan 5
financial situation is very serious, and
it is doubtful if she can continue to
maintain her credit under the heavy
load laid upon her by the last war. AT
the same time American securities are
advancing in favor in London, Paris and
Berlin
The National tribune., 1908-01-16
WASHINGTON, D. C., JAN. 1e, 1908
NOTICE.

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