davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
GOLF AS A MORAL PERIL.

From the New York World.
 MT. Tafts expressed intention of pop ularizing golf will excite mixed emotions in golfers who now wait their turn to drive off from a crowded tee. Yet there is hope that under the stimulus of his interest millionaire donors may be led to endow public links as they do H. braries and hospitals and that the new demand will be met with an ample supply of golf courses which will breed new race of Traverses and Travises. A pros- pect is opened of time when the hum- blest home will not be without its caddy bag of clubs.
 But the reports from Bayside of school boy truancy due to the lure of caddy fees and the hint of prosecutions to stop the demoralization of youth caused by the game raise an important moral ques- ton. Will the Presdent-elect continue to lend his sanction to d sport which initiates against our school system? Will he countenance policy which may some day complicate campaign issues?
 It would be something to the point if MT. Taft in demonstration of his theory that golf is not rich mans game would exert his influence to cheapen the price of golf balls and secure horizontal reduction of club tariffs.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
A Significant Sign.

Among many signs indicating a healthy industrial revival. nothing is more encouraging or significant, perhaps, than the rapid advance in the United States Steel stoclSs," said fnancier last night. "On Wednesday after the election, Uni- ted States Steel preferred sold for 111ss that being the highest point it touched that day; and the common touched 4ss. Today the preferred touched 114 and the common 5ss4 This advance is taken as a reflection of the confidence which the Steel corporation management has in an early activity in the steel trade.
 "Other industrials are in sympathy with United States Steel stocks and are eorre- spondingly strong The Sloss common, which sold for 7S% the day after the elee- tion, touched SO7s today.
 When the great iron and steel concerns become busy, general trade quickly feels a new and healthy impetus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14

that extends six feet under the water l'ne This armor is from to II inches thicE She is equipped with spider masts that cannot be shot to pieces, and she has so many compartments flat it seems scarcely possible that sre could be sunk by an enemy.
 The best type of turbine engines viii drive her through the water, but the engineers do not claim that her speed will exceed 21 miles an hour This is pretty fast, but some of the latest Eng fish warships are said to have made records in trial tests of 2S miles an hour. However. 21 miles will answer so long as the North Dakota is unex- celled in any other respect.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
Rates on Alabama Rivers

The Birmingham and Gulf Navigation company proposed to inaugurate on November 13 barge lines on the Ala bama rivers that flow into the gulf, with freight rates about 40 per cent be- low those presented by the independ- ent steamboat owners. The latter at once filed objections with the state railroad commission against the pro posed rates. The commission there upon declined to approve the proposed rates, and the barge enterprise is in q state of suspense It does not know exactly where it is at"
 The new company has TO intention of doing a passenger business on the Alabama and Tombigbee river. It pro poses to do barge or freight business only, and it is not easy to see why the state commission objects to its pro- posed freight rates. All that is known is that it has ordered the new naviga- ton company not to make effective it's contemplated rates. This will be dis appointment to shippers along the two rivers as we'll as the barge company itself
 It is but fair to say that the grounds of the action of the railroad commits sion in this case have not been made public, and until the commission has presented its side of the matter there should be a suspension of public opin- ion. The present commission has never been accused of undue partiality to the railroads, and it should therefore be given a chance to defend it's refusal to approve the rates of the proposed new barge line.
 Large sections of the state, includ- ing this district, are interested in this matter, and the commission will no doubt soon explain the stand it has taken against lower freight rates on the Alabama and Tombigbee rivers.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
Warde,s Lecture.

'T greatly enjoyed Frederick Warde's lecture on Shakespeare and His Plays, at the lyceum course,' said well-known educator, "but I would have enjoyed the entertainment even more if it had been entirely Shakespearean reading or re- cital.
 While MT. Warde is a luminous talxer, he is at his best in recting or deelaim- ing.
 Having achieved fame as an actor MT. Warde is simply ideal in Shakespearean Reclamation. I have heard all the great tragedians from Edwin Forrest down, and with the exception of Edwin Booth no one on the stage has so charmed me with his voice as Warde. Being an English man born and reared, his broad as are natural and that fine resonant voice is his everyday speaking voice. His stage man. nerisms are pleasing and taken altogether he is a splendid type of the artst-his- trione. hope MT. Warde will appear here again before the season Is over and that he will give us an evening of read ing from Shakespeares plays"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
Our Clumsy Electoral SYSIem

| If the President-eleet should die be- tween the adjournment of the electoral colleges on January Il and the day of inauguration, our absurd electoral sys- tenn would be subjected to a severe strain. If he should die before the electoral colleges meet, they would simply elect another man, but if he should die after they had adjourned there is no law providing for reassem- bling them. Any attempt to reconvene them would be wholly outside of the law.
 The electoral colleges meet on the second Monday of January. and the two branches of Congress meet to count the electoral vote on the second Wednesday of February. If MT. Taft should die in the intervening time, what then? Congress would act under the 12th amendment, which provides:
 "The president of the Senate shall in the presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates and the votes shall then be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes for president shall be the pres ident. if such number be majority of the whole number of electors appoint ed; and if no person have such majority. then from the persons having the highest numbers not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose im- mediately by ballot the President"
 The House could lawfully under the amendment elect MT. Bryan President, but the present House would not do that, and there would then arise grave legal doubts. The electoral colleges could not be reconyened. ! Hampdea Moore, who has made a long study of the subject. presents his views in the New York Times. He does not think that MT. sherman would constitution ally succeed to the presidency on March in such a contingency.
 The succession in such a case is left in grave doubt and MT. Dougherty thinks a constitutional amendment is needed to remedy the casus omissus of the constitution. It is either that or the resort to an extra constitutional device of the 1876 sort whenever such a contingency arises. The chaos of 1876 and the manner of its settlement will always remain blot in our his- tory, and prudence seems to demand an amendment that would remove all doubts in case of the death of the coun- try's choice before inauguration.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
An American Draadnaueht

Our first great ship, the North Da. kota, was launched on Tuesday at Quincy. Mass. She is larger by 1000 tors than the British Dreadnaught and she ontmeasures Admiral Sperrys flag. ship by 1000 tons The gulf between the North Dakota and the wooden tubs that Farragut commanded in Mobile bay is almost 100 wide for statement so rapidly have batlleships been i'm proved.
 The North Dakota is 300 feet long and her beam is Sj feet She will carry ten great guns, each capable of hurling 12-inch shells 4e,000 yards. Think of that All len guns, too, can he trained on one unfortunate spot.
 She bears a 21toot belt of armor
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
IN HOTEL LOBBIE5
On Inspection Trip.

 w. H. Goadby of New York a promi- nent broker a director of the Sloss-Shef- field company and member of it's execu- tive committee. is in Birmingham and is the guest of President J. c. Maben. He is on his regular seni-annual inspection tour He and MT Maben will inspect the red ore mines today and on Monday they will proceed to Russellville to look at the brown ore mines From that point they will move on to Sheffield. Air- Goad- by win be in Alabama until the latter part of next week
 When asked about the rumor that Jones & Laughlin were purchasing Sloss-Shef- field stock with a view of ultimately ac- quiring control of the property, MT. Goad- by said he knew nothing of any move ment of that kind. "Of course, no inter est can acquire control" said Mr Goad- by. without negotiating with those of us who are now holding the controlling stock. and we have not been approached.
 Mir. Goadby said that business eondi- tions were improving steadily and that the outlook for the new year was very bright.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
Venezuela and Holland

Holland has asked Venezuela to re- yoke her transshipment decree by No vember 30, and both sides seem to be getting ready against that time or soon afterward. President Castro has noti- fled the merchants of LaGuayra to re- move all merchandise from the custom house and to pay the duties before the day mentioned, and guns have been placed for the defense of the principal seaport and gateway to Caracas. The merchants of that place have imported large quantities of salt and rice in an ticipation of a blockade, and alto gether President Castro, ill though he be, seems to be ready to meet a long siege of the ports.
 But Holland may not resort to a blockade. The treaty or protocol of 1891 has been declared of" by her and Willemstadt on the nearby island of Curacoa has been declared a free port for the import and export of arms and ammunition. Revolutionists are HOW free to use the island as a base against Castro. The Hague will not object
 Queen Wilhelminas advisers con slider the use of Curacoa as more dam aging to Venezuela than a blockade would be, and it can be conducted without expense. In other words, the Dutch propose to get even with Castro by matching revolutions. This involves no complications with other powers and no expense on the part of Holland This seems to be the policy that the Netherlands have adopted and it is perhaps, the shrewdest and best that is open to her.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
Democratic Hope.

q am glad to see that not all demo- crats are pessimstic over the party s future" said R. E. Whitson of New Or leans yesterday. "The overwhelming de- feat of Bryan and Kern was as a mat ter of course demoralizing to the rank and file, but as sure as 1912 rolls round just so sure will the democratic party have a ticket in the field And the chances are it will be an exceptionally strong ticket
 q read with interest and encoura ge- ment Urey Woodsons cheerful interview which appeared in The Age-Herald un- der a Louisville date line. MT. Woodson is the secretary of the democratic ma tional committee and he states that he will open permanent headquarters in Washington, D. C., in December and keep his office open continuously until 1912
 MT. Woodson Is not disheartened by the recent landslide in favor of MT
 Taft but on the contrary he thinks we cannot lose in the next contest. am not so optimistic as that but yet l have faith enough in democracy to believe that il we nominate a statesman who can com mand a large part of the business vote we will stand fine chance of winning l Only two presidents since the war have succeeded themselves in the White House | Grant and Mckinley. Cleveland Wal nominated by exclamation in 1888 to sue
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
THE WAY OF A PRIZE BEAUTY, From fha Nav Vnrk yuac14

From the New York World.
 A young woman with s1o,0o0 prize figure having arrived in town, her views on beauty culture have become at once important. 'I eat four times a day., says this new Venus. "and every day [ walk about four miles, eat what pleases me, drink only light wines and cham pagne and limit myself to half pack of cigarettes a day"
 If there is any mistake about this regimen the lady has time to find it out, She is only 24 years old and weighs only 145 pounds as yet.
 Ten years of physical culture, so it ia advertised, have produced this model in feminine symmetry. There is mention of dumbbells, hygienic corsets and, perhaps for the warning of vassar's record-break- ing athletic girls, an avoidance of stren- uous outdoor sports. Yet the striking feature in this case of perfect develop- ment appears to be the absence of hard- and-fast rules.
 There are those who tell us that our grandmothers took no physical culture un- consciously without thinking of it's inches in the course of their housewifely days. For the Indian clubs they had the broom; in place of the ''settng exercise they stopped to the clothes basket below and reached to the line above; instead of prac- Using high kicking they rode the baby to Banbury Cross on an outstretched foot. Evidently our newly arrived model does not owe her curves to domestic employ ments. We are tempted, however, by her free-and-easy account of her course in culture to suspect that really her propor- tions grow upon her and that she merely imagines she has been in training.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY.

From the Newark Star.
 The presidential election of 1908 now forms one of the pages of the history of the past Mir. Bryans campaign was a splendid one, from spectacular view point He sought the coveted goal with his usual yigor and elequence. Practical ly all the national leaders of democracy were with him. Every effort was ex- erted to gain votes in his behalf. especial ly in the east, and these efforts toward the close of the campaign appeared so fruitful of result that the tide of pup
 lie approval in the judgment of most democratic leaders, seemed to De setting in the direction of democratic ascena- ency. The result of the election shows that democratic hopes and forecasts were based upon surface indications. They had failed to reckon with the strong un- dereurrent that was sweeping irresistibly ,o a choice most decisive and decision that in the case of MT. Bryan, was in- tended to be final. MT. Bryan drew his own platform, he selected his own run ningmate, he was unhampered in the choice of managers, and yet his defeat was overwhelming. He may contemplate today three defeats in ascending degrees of decisiveness. MT. Bryan is now with out ground for just complaint. He may rightly claim that he has host of friends and supporters in the nation, but the conviction must have been brought home to him that the majority of the neople are unwilling to accept him as their President.
 Many of the states delegations, that of New Jersey among the number, believed that is was unwise to nominate MT. Bryan for third time. They saw opportunity for democratic victory under differ ent leadership. The result has justified their judgment but 1t has left the party shattered and prostrate The situation to- l. day portrays the passing of MT. Bryan as a leader He goes from the forefront 1 to a private position in the democracy, and that party awaits another standard
 nearer. It Is essential to the wel-being
 of our country that there should be two l parties It is equally essential if the
 democratic party would survive, that 1t should return to Old mOorlngS ana great
 traditions The republican party is all ways well organized. Being in power, l its large patronage enables it to maintain 1 it's effectiveness, even under great diff 1 faculties. The democratic party, on the
 other hand, is i'll prepared when it en-
 ters into the heat of battle, and the
 contest is practically over before the party
 organization is perfected If the demo- | cratic party Is to prevail in a future cleo l ton, organization under competent leader 1 ship must be accomplished, and to reach 1 this result the party must turn to that
 section of the country which has always
 remained loyal to democracy, namely. the i south If the leaders of the southern democracy would undertake this task if they would formulate plan for the rehabilitation of their party, without de- 1 lay and, on the lines of it's cardinal prin- ciples, maintain at all times thorough party organization, the democuitic party of the country will be prepared ano aligned for battle before the boom of the first gun is heard in the next nationa
 campaign.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
The Iron Market.

The week is closing without any excit ing feature in the pig iron market but prices are firm at Sl3 minimum for No. foundry, with a decidedly upward ten- dency. Inquiries are more numerous and more pressing day by day, but only mod crate selling is reported by large furnace interests. In the judgment of many southern iron makers. the present activity is quite sufficient for a healthy trade: that conditions as they are turn out bet ter in the end than a clamorous buying movement, which usually means a run away market
 Matthew, Addy & Co.'S Cincinnati re- port for the current week. after emphasiz- ing the fact that furnace order books are much "fatter' than they were a week ago, says:
 AS to the future of the iron market, there are two opinions. There are many ironmasters who are exceedingly opti- mistic and who look for an almost im- mediate resumption of full activity and 6 speedy climb of quotations to a higher level. They believe this present purchas- ing is simply the prelude of much bet ter things.
 '"rhen there are others who, while just as optimistic yet feel that recovery is going to be slow and that too much haste is dangerous more haste, less speed so to speak. They feel that the iron mar l1et has definitely turned the corner and that the advances which have been made will be maintained, and that there will be a steady and gradual improvement keeping step to the general betterment in the business of the country as a whole Here are two sharply contrasting ideas of the situation and only the develop Inents of the future will show which view ss correct, but there is a substantial agreement in the belief in the upward and onward course of events, the vital difference being in the rate at which things will move.
 "One of the very cheeful signs of ths times is the prospect of large railroad purchasing.
 Northern iron seems bound soon to be firmly fixed at $16 for No. ? foundry. while southern is now f1rm at s13 and with such good sales that this price may not last long,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
ABOUT BIRMINGHAM

Columbus Ledger: Birmingham is she'd ding both tears and blood over her "tigers.'I
 Columbus Ledger: Savannah and Bir- mingham are making it rather warm for the tigers
 Huntsville Mercury We notice that all the unlawful killings around Birmingham are still done with the unla wful pistol.
 Chattanooga Times The ''blind tiger industry at Birmingham had a harvest day Saturday with the result of four vio- lent deaths
 Augusta Herald: Blind tigers in Bir- mingham are of the fighting kind. Four funerals followed an attempt to catch one of them
 Gadsden Times-News: Birmingham has had 13 murders since the first of Novem- Der Bad Birmingham is sustaining her reputation regardless of the drouth.
 Montgomery Times: Birmingham sends it out that things in the great region up there Are improving. Now if Birming ham can just manage to handle her prohibition problem she has cause for genuine happiness.
 West Point and Lanett News: Bir- mingham's record of crime is fearful. In the city limits from Friday until Sum- day there were seven people killed, and five more in the immediate district. "The wages of sin are death.' Goodwater Enterprise: The horrible tragedy in Birmingham Saturday when l four people, including an innocent babe,
 were murdered. is only another evidence 1 that where liquor is there also are I found all the features that combine sor- | row and misery.
 l Sumter County Call: Birmingham was in citizens with murderous intent, and two ] by accident, besides an unusually large 1 list of scraps and accidents in which a large number were more or less seriously l hurt A few more weeks like that and l it will not be considered safe place l for a water resort.
 Montgomery Journal: The Birmingham l papers report the first freeze of the sea l son and ice on Friday morning. There l was also a heavy frost and winter is 1 with us in earnest It was not very cold 1 during the day, the sun being warm, but
 the weather was beautiful and has been since, the nights now being glorious. We 1 have a most wonderful balmy and com l fortable climate and the 'Indian sum- 1 mer, which we are now enjoying can not be surpassed the world over. Very i cold weather scarcely ever comes in these l parts before the first week or later in December, and we hardly expect 1t now before that time.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14

eeed himself but he was easily defeated by General Harrison Then in 1892 the tables were turned. Harrison was nomi- mated to succeed himself but Cleveland won an easy victory. Mir Taft will make popular president but he will prove an exception to the rule if his popu- larity keeps him in the White House two consecutive terms. Democrats should cheer up and look forward to 1912 with reasonable hope. Anything is better than giving Up the old democratic ship"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14

The period of the liberal construc- ton of the constitution against the re- served rights of the states is at it's heighth today. It has given us prov inces and a powerful centralized gov ernment and it looks distinctly toward worlds power with hand in all the movements of the nations.
 The swing of the pendulum is about due, and if high tariffs and large def. eits are much longer continued the American people may conclude they have had quite enough of the Big Stick anu of imperialism in general, and the tie strict constructionists would then gain another inning.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-11-14
SONN T.

fy John Keats. To one who has been long in city pent, Iris very sweet to look into the fair And open face of heaven--to breathe a
 prayer Full in the smile of the blue Armament. Who is more happy, when, with hearts
 content
 Fatisued he sinks into some pleasant
 lair
 Of wavy grass. and reads a debonair And gentle tale of love and languishment? Returning home at evening, with an ear Catching the notes of Philomel--an eye Watching the sailing coudlets bright career He mourns that day so s--- .'f hys Even like the passage of an That falls through th
 silently