davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

From the Hartford Courant.
 The announcement that the Travellers Insurance company is to increase it's cap- ital from $1,ooO,OOO to s2,0o0,00O is interest ing in itself and suggestive of the splendid growth of this great Hartford project, and has further interest in suggesting the drift in these days toward expansion Of capital, the basis on which business is conducted.
 Several of our local fire insurance com panies secured from the last legislature amendments to their charters, permitting them also to increase their capital. A street rumor has it that they may soon be following the example of the Travel CTS. The Aetna now has s4,0U,00O, the Hartford and Proenix s2,00O.00O each and the Connecticut and the National $1,000,- o0c each. The Orient has s500,00o. but is owned by and in effect a part of the great foreign London and Lancashire.
 Much has been made in financial circles of the fact that the Aetna, which has the largest capital of all the companies in this country, went through the slaughter involved in the San Francisco disaster and did not even reduce its dividend rate, while it paid every loss in full. All of our companies made full payment or losses, and the reputation of Hartford was immensely advanced thereby; but ev- cry other company here reduced either its capital or its dividend rate. Stockholders went without dividends or went down into their pockets for fresh capital, met their losses uncomplainingly, and hoped for better conditions-which in part came along.
 Now that there has been start made in increasing capital, it is conceivable that other companies will get into line and also make their capital larger. It is no secret that such moves would be popular wIln the stockholders.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
NED BRACE TALKS ABOUT AFFAIRS
 OF INTEREST TO BIRMINGHAM PEOPLE

Birmingham that such exists t is Q. good sthing to investigate. All of us must eat to live and we don't want prices of living in Birmingham higher than in other places.
 And right here the ice monopoly has this town just where it wants it. If you want ice you must be subservient to the black admiral of the ice wagon. He is the commander of the battleship fleet which stops wheresoever 1t cares. A salute of thirteen guns or hot break fast or lunch must be awaiting him to get ice, though you have paid for your book of tickets. or the cash may be on the fence or in the hands of your cook.
 The admiral of the ice wagon passes by and you telephone to the great City Delivery company that you had no re- sponse to your salute. You get the re- ply that we are sorry but you can get some ice if you will send down for it. Incidentally you will be told that there is no profit in selling fee in winter
 % A %
 The poor-fe1low who has not been able to lay fin supply of coal in the summer has to pay for 1t in these times of cold weather.
 Casually look at the quoted price of coal at the mines, add freight and haul age to it and sec what you are paying the retail dealer.
 Whats the use in some people in Bir- mingham trying to get rich in a month?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

THE WORLD IS FULL OF PEOPLE. The world is full of people Some good and others bad, Of people who are deep In woe And people who are glad; Of people who are generous And people who are mean, Of people who are corpulent And people who are lean. The world is full of people They form a mighty crowd, And some of them are silent folk And some of them are loud And some of them are chivalrous And some of them are not, And some are like sunny day And some are like a blot.
 The world is full Of people An ever-changing throng, And some, you'll find, are in the right And some are in the wrong; And some of them have comeliness And some of them are plain, And some are blessed with happiness And some are cursed with pain.
 The world is full of people
 Of people large and small,
 The high and low and middle class,
 The monarch and the thrall;
 And some were made for loving care,
 And some were made for hate, And some are always early birds And some are always late.
 The world is full of people
 Unnumbered are the types,
 And some who dress in purple robes
 Should really wear the stripes;
 And some who hold a lofty place
 No such respect deserve,
 And some are great for excellence
 And some are great for nerve. The world is full of people
 The gentle and the true
 Exist, altho, 1t must be said, They seldom come in view;
 And there are noble minds and hearts That cherish what Is best, And these when faults are nmbered make Amends for all the rest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
A soUTHERNER's TRIUMPH.

Correspondence of the Musical Courier.
 vienna-The piano playing of an Amer ican, John Powell, of Richmond, Va, has been setting the continent on fire He has taken three capitals by storm. His sue cess in Paris, Vienna, Berlin and St. Pet ersburg was instantaneous. His playing is remarkable for it's fauitiess technique, his wonderful singing qualities and his abso- lute musical intelligence. His own com positions are of such force, originality and so thoroughly American in atrlos- phere that he may be called the founder of an American school of music.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
Real Estate Raraalns.

T do not keep up very closely with the real estate market" said successful business man, but take it for granted that attractive bargains are offered here now, and I cap think of no surer way to make money than buying Birmingham dirt and holding 1t for year or two
 Great fortunes have been made on real
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR,
rom the. New York Press,

From the New 1orR HresS.
 A woman can't help being jealous, espe. eially if there Is no reason for it.
 The only way to have any influence with the cook is not to be married to her.
 You can tell a man who has money by how nervous he is for fear you will want to borrow some of it.
 A man has an idea that the reason so few people like him is because they are jealous about hs popularity.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
HAS TO.

See the man?
 Why does he work so hard? He is a married man.
 EARLY SPRING VERSE. Spring is in the air,'' All the bards declare,
 Jubilantly bursting into song. "We shall frolic soon In the fields of June Where the golden hours trip along. Spring is in the air,'' All the bards declare, And these, when faults are numbered,
 make Buds are dreaming still In month they will
 Lift their little faces to the sky!"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Let's get things on a reasonable basis here-upon a live and let live basis.
 Only few months ago we were making much ado about bringing labor here from northern Europe. We couldn't get the labor to operate our industrial plants. Now We have labor to spare. soon we shall need more.
 Let us show the labor we have here now that this district not only pays good wages but that one can live here as cheap as elsewhere.
 The commissaries in the district have been almost abolished. Don't bring them back. Let the little merchant in the mining settlement and the merchant in Birmingham keep his prices within req son. mean those who sell those things we must eat, and those things we need to sustain life and the ordinary com forts.
 Why not take those 50 conviots tho Board of Revenue has the right to take and put them to work on the roads of Jefferson county at once-next week?
 The roads need them. The. people want something done to improve the roads. The convlcts would rather be out in open air. So why not; and why not immedi- ately?
 2a24.zrs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
THE FEMININE WAY,

From the Chicago News. He-Well, Pm willing to admit that was wrong.
 She--You'll have to do more than that.
 He--What more can do? She-Admit that was right.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Congressman Clayton is warmly sup ported by his colleagues for the temporary chairmanship of the Denver convention. His friends at home would be glad to get an opportunity to second the. motion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

A democratic House in the next Con- sress means the elevation of Oscar W. Underwood to the speakership. an honor that has never come to Alabama. Georgia has had two speakers, Cobb and Crisp.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Kansas has gone for William Jennings Bryan, but news of that sort is simply a repetition of popular sentiment elsewhere in this broad country.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Wall street has the blues so thoroughly it can see no silver lining to the clouds during the rest of the present century. It needs a tonic.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The New York World names 1s demo- cratic candidates for the presidential nom- ination, but the plain people are content with one.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Railroad time tables and New York to-Paris motor cars are up against an assorted lot of snowbanks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The fire in Eiffel tower overtopped the blaze in the Singer tower and Paris rests content on it's laurels.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
Question In Every Sentence.

''Why are the girls ending all of their sentences with a question:" inquired Tur- ner Childress yesterday afternoon. "One of the dainty creatures will come at you with a long string of information and always manage to interrogate you with the last two or three words of each sen tence. To make bad matters worse, the questions are of the kind that can't be answered, and in the next place the in terrogator doesn't expect them to be an- swered.
 "rhis business has had me up in the air for the past month. I had hoped that 1t was a habit among one or two, but in- stead I find it is spreading all over the town. Some one has suggested that per haps leap year was the cause of it, as this is the year when the girls put the question:"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Schwab bound for London passed Morse bound for indictments in mid-oeean, but they did not speak as they passed by.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

MT. Taft himself gets about in a big fur overcoat, prepared for blizzards and the movements of favorite sons.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The city of Rawhide, Nev., is coming on handsomely. although it still lacks an op'ry house and Waldorf hotel.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Bryan may be voluble, but Taft is q close second, and there are others who would be glad to join in the chorus.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The cold mornings stubbornly decline to go away from us. They finger too much in our midst.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The awful charge is made in England that there is not a good looking suf- fragette in the kingdom.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Divorce proceedings promise to keep the Thaw family in the spotlight throughout the present year at least.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

War in Turkey would be sad indeed, for every time a general officer is killed widows appear by the dozen.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The Aldrich bill has no friends, but to pass it, and that settles it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The Turks are good fighters and Russia knows how difficult it is to overcome men of heroic mould.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
About Persons,

HbS6t TCioOios
 J. M House of Jasper is at the New Morris
 c. ". Williams of Montgomery is at the New Morris.
 s. D. Battle of Mobile is at the New Morris.
 IT. c. selheimer. the prominent Bir- mingham attorney. returned last night from 0 business trip to Montgomery. J. B. Babb, secretary of the Commer- cial club. left last night on business trip to Nashville.
 Dr. Jake Powers of Huntsville, q book agent, formerly president of the University of Alabama, was in Bir- mingham for a few hours yesterday. Superintendent of Education Harry c. Gunnells passed through Birming- ham yesterday en route to Washing ton, where he attends a meeting of the Superintendents of Education associa- tion, which meets in Washington Mon- day.
 Senator" D. R. Norman leaves this morning for Montgomery.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Hetty Green is no longer popular in high circles in New York She tells things out of school.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
THE END.

After the pain and heartache, After the futile quest, Sleep that brings no dreaming Peace and quiet rest.
 PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

While the House booms Joe Cannon the Senate should whoop 1t up for Fair banks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
IN HOTEL LOBBIEs
Consul General of Rslnil,,,..

Paul Hagemaps, oonsul-general Of Bel l ginm to the United States, is registered at the Florence He is travelling through the south on @ tour of observation and will remain here until Monday evening Mr Hagemans is interested in everything pertaining to commerce, manufacture and agriculture and gathers data on the va- rious activities of this country for the Belgian government. His official resi- dence as consul ul-genera1 is in Philadel- phia.
 Like all highclass consular represent atiyes, MT. Hagemans is a keen obsefv- CT and is trained in the art of assembling facts and making practical deductions.
 '1 have been in the consular service long time and have travelled in many lands. but America interests me in most respects more than any other because of its wonderful resources and the energy and progressive spirit of it's people, said Mir. Hagemans. "The development of the United States has been at once rapid and substantial and I am all the while find ing something new. especially in the line of improved devices and methods employ ed in manufactures. Great progress, too, is being made in agricultural conditions and the enormous crops produced dem- onstrate the foundation wealth of Amer iea, and suggest its wonderful possibil- ities.
 "I have been stationed in Philadelphia is years and in that time have visited every section of the country except the south On my way to Birmingham l ot nd Of other cities and my impressions of the southland are altogether favorable. This is indeed, an attractive section and it's resources seem to be almost unlimited.
 Foreigners used to look upon the Unit ed States as merely a money-making na- ton, but it's advance in education and in art has been well nigh as noteworthy as it's development of eom- merce. Even during my sojourn in Amer lea marked strides have been made in the culture side of life. There is a finer ap- preciation of the beautiful and a more eager interest in higher education today than when I first landed in the United States. Yes, this is a great country and I never tire of watching its progress"
 When asked about King Leopold Mir. Hagemans said his sovereign was not only an able statesman and man of af- fairs, but splendid type of man in ev- cry way. There are several great rulers in Europe" said MT. Hagemans, but in breadth of view or intellectual grasp he is surpassed by none. Were Leopold at the head of one of the large powers he would be the dominant parsonage of Eu- rope. He is Q born leader, a trained d- plomat and a sovereign in the best sense of the word. In his private life our King is extremely democratic and kindly dis posed Few people have ever had King who was more sincerely esteemed"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

If some people who are always hunt ing work should suddenly find it they would die of the shock
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
2eJ1s5ss1

Times-Union. Picked any peekaboos yet? 'Have you-ever heard of genius who possessed the patience necessary to teach a dog to turn backward somersaults?' asks the Chicago Record-Herald. Yes. The man was in vaudeville and the dog helped him to make a good living. "Who's paying the bills?" asks a con- temporary. Fathers paying a good many. sThe World Grows Better'' is the title of recent poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox. It is impolitio of Ella to say that, when she is working for the American.
 FORGE OF HABIT. I'm tired of life," a broker said Who felt the recent slump. Just then an auto blew "Honk! Honkr'- You should have seen him jumpi
 Birmingham Age-Hera1d. 1T hate you," said the daring girl, And went away. Tootl Foot! But came back, when he got a lass, With breach of promise suit.
 St. Louis Times. A Kentucky woman wants to wed Rob- ert Ingersolls ghost. If she does she needn't expect 1t to stay at home O nights.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

san Francisco is cultivating nautical love in anticipation of the ccmins nf the Asst.A
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

The horse is having an inning, for he is now engaged in hauling motor cars out of snowbanks.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
REPLIES.

Paregoric is a "crying need"
 Many a man who carved his fortune can't carve turkey
 Did you ever see anything go down like mince pie?
 Are long runs profitable?' asks a the atrical weekly. We opine that they are when some fierce animal is in the rear. ''Even spring lingerie is blooming in Joyous Jacksonville,r says the Florida
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

| AM not often a kicker. For forty weeks
 or more I have been talking good A times; about what we are doing in Birmingham and what we are to do in this good year which is before us. I feel good because good times are ahead. But I believe fin justice to all people. whether times are good or bad.
 Tn the first place we are soft coal town and We get dirty quickly. The laundry profits and the laundry prices in this town are as high as the highest in the world. and higher than almost any other town in the south. It looks to a casual observer like a trust. All the Iaundries charge the same prices to the ordinary customer who wears a few shirts a week, and some other clothes.
 It would be we'll to print comparison of price lists of the laundries here and  in Atlanta and New Orleans and few other places.
 < % .
 The prices of groceries here in com parison would also be interesting. I am told that breakfast bacon sells for 30 cents a pound, while in other places it sells for from b to r cents. All other prices of groceries are said to be equally high and I have heard it said that the Grocers' association fix prices at which practically everything shall be sold in Birmingham. I don't know that I am correct in this statement. but there is general suspicion among the people of
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
| QUEER CHAP.

'He was always an odd fellow" You don't tell me!'
 "Why, when he was a boy he didn't object to kissing his old maid aunts."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
THE DEAR GIRLS
so THEY WOULD.

Gertrude said my feet were not mates Are they?"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
THE BACHELOR

THE BACHELOR. By the lone fireside Doth the bachelor dream, In the mellow glow And the fitful gleam. He wishes that he Were married, and yet, Can never decide On the girl to get. The clock strikes twelve And the clock strikes one, The fire burns low And his dream is done. Oh, that is the time When the world grows cold And the bachelor man Feels sad and old.
 AUTOMATIC. 4 "Honk. HonlS!' What made you jump" Auto-suggestion."
 REAL VALOR. While Caesar was a fearless man We quote from Plutarchs "Lives''- He wasn't as brave as Solomon, Who had thousand wives.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

estate in New York, Washington, D. C., Chicago, and other growing cities; and there is hardly a foot of realty in Bir- mingham that will not be worth much more three years hence than it's market value today. An upward movement will be in evidence next year and I look for an unprecedented era of prosperity. The Birmingham district is in it's infancy, and now is the time to buy'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23

Let's get things on a reasonable basis here-upon a live and let live basis.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-23
LARGER INSURANCE CAPITAL

"Senator" E. R. Norman leaves thi morning for Montgomery.
New-York tribune., 1908-12-27

line? There are sOvereigns living today who take
with them to their couches of nights this soothing
smoothing doctrine that, what they do, they have
to" do.
Does the average man who shears an associate
or friend in a sharp and questionable business trans
action view his action from any other point OF
view than that of dog eat dog? Business IS
business" says he, roping in the ancient bromide
in self extenuation If hadn't got him, he would
TO look out for himself If 1 hadn't cleaned him,
somebody else would We L had 70, that 5 all
The operator in stocks who pulls down a prOht
of million by secret and unfair manipulation OF
the market would laugh outright If 1t was suggested
to him that his vast gain probably would involve
distress misery cruel hardship the part of the
losers-for it Is mlddling certain even II 1t IS not
generally admitted in speculative circles, that when
a million is won, somebody must lose. The losers:
What has he to do with the losers: What are their
hardships the hardships of their wives and children
to him5 They We're playing the game, weren
they? They pitted themselves against me- did they
not? And its game from which the baby act IS
barred isn't it? | am not here for my health am L:
If | don't win, | lose. don't l! Very well! L We got
to win. It's not open to argument at all have TO-.
The absconder who is caught up with and brought
back from Egypt or Paraguay or Japan or what
ever his jumping off place,-does he often come
right out with this general essence. Yes, am
a thief and I'm caught, and now | II take my med1-
cine? Not very often, according to this writer
experience and, as a newspaper man, he has formed
part of the receiving party at the pier when many
a noted big money thief has been brought back
Nineteen out of twenty of these embezzlers on a
huge scale have what they palpably deem the most
excellent excuses for themselves; excuses in the
excusefuness of which they themselves 1t is usually
apparent, plainly believe.
New-York tribune., 1908-12-27
Our Nature to Find Excuses

IT is the nature of man to find excuses for him
self at any cost of cOmmonsense or by any round
about process of reasoning. Absolute justice in
self consideration is a thing among mortals
Few men, caught by others catching themselves
in an act of treacherV meanness, will address
their images in their dressing glass and say unto
themselves This day | did underhand and
COntenlptibe thing The instructive propensity
IS all IN the other direction. Most viii search
about taking the most devious mental paths for
a balm wherewith the hurt to their latent
self respect They will seek out, and find, reasons
a-plentv why the action neither treaCherOuS
nor mean but the only possible thing they could have
done in the circumstances The other fellow de
served it He brought 1t on himself. l had to. ~
This is more or less the way of the modern world.
1t is an innate and universal trait that search
aboriouslv for reasons why we Il have to do those
wrongful things that make for success profit,
comfort, self protection.
The professional criminal rarely IS able to elucdate
to his satisfaction just why the world regards
his life as all wrong Among the termed high
class criminals, two qualities chiefly, not to
say exclusively, admired: courage critical lunC-
lures and loyalty to pals If the criminal possesses
these, he IS not only approved by his pals but he
approves of himself and he fails TO understand why
he should be considered enemy of society.
Thus, good many of us broad way of speak
ing point out to ourselves our redeeming traits
rarely never turning the ntrOSpectivc spotlight
on our shortcomings or positive deviatIons
from the path of righteousness. And if, driven to
such introspecton by the insistent pulsngs of
science we do hold our lapses up to and
sCrutnize them is 1t not the inevitable drift that
end by reaching the conclusion that We had to-?