davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Primaries In New York

The system that enabled the repub- lican voters of the state of Washington to unload Levi Ankeny is spreading over the country. New York has many Ankenys. Yet in her state conventions held this week the declarations in favor of a primary system were either deficient or meaningless. The power of the machine is still supreme in that state. The people are coming into their own slowly.
 The democratic platform of New York contains this declaration only: 'We favor the election of United States Senators by direct vote of the people" that's all The platform does not otherwise mention the primary sys- tenn, but the declaration as to United States Senators really commits the party to direct action by the people, for when the Tom Platts are unloaded by the people an extension of the sys- tenn to other officers will not be diff cult.
 The resolutions committee at Sara toga was made up almost wholly of anti-Hughes men, and led by the Gug- genheim miner, John Hays Hammond, the committee fought over an indorse- ment of the primary system, and the net result was as follows:
 It is of the highest importance for the preservation of our representative form of government that primaries and con- ventions should truly express the will of the voters of every political party. That there may be the freest action in the se- lection of delegates we favor legislation which will fully protect every voter against fraud and coercion and secure to him the fullest opportunity to vote at his party primary
 This is the greatest straddle on rec ord. It recognizes both primaries and convention. It is an endeayor to evade the primary issue to which Governor | Hughes is committed and yet give the bosses and bosslets chance to muster 1 their strength in the next legislature when primary reform bill is brought up. The plank in question is regarded, says the correspondent of the New York Evening Post, "as direct affront to the governor" The chaotic nature of New York politics is well illustrated in the primary plank of the republican l platform.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
"ALPlNE SHAMELESS"
Loss of Life on the Mountains at Times
 Simply Appalling.
From the Pal Mall Gazette.

From the Pall Mall Gazette.
 For more than half century the Alps have been known as "The Play ground of Europe' The bid fair to go down to future generations as its slaughter house. The loss of life up- on them during June and July has been simply appalling. In the immediate neighborhood of Grindelwald. in the Bernese Oberland, there have been no fewer than three fatal disasters, in- volving four lives, and possibly more, for 1t Is uncertain wh ether all the sur vivors will recover from their injuries. Yet Grindelwald is only one among hundred climbing centers, and the mountains upon which these four deaths have occurred are in close contiguits
 The matter is all the more serious as the victims have been men who's lives were of value to the community. and not lightly to be thrown away. Two or the four were professors at Swiss uni- versailles.
 The third fatality was due to pure folly. Two guileless climbers, despite warnings, glissaded down @ dangerous couloir upon the slopes of the neigh boring Wetterhorn, terminating in precipice of several hundred feet. They paid the penalty with their lives.
 July has closed with a still mora fatal disaster. Three tourists have been killed by fall from the Gabel- horn, near Zermatt, a very favorite climb with English mountaineers.
 It is noticeable that so far all the fa- talities upon the Alps (apart from the death of an Irish climber at Chamonix this week, reported this season have occurred to Swiss. Austrians, and Ba- Varians-that Is to say natives-and all or nearly all have overtaken guileless climbers.
 It would seem that every one bora within sight of the Alps considers him. self a competent mountaineer. A man might as well regard himself as "stee- plejack" because born in the neighbor- hood of factory chimney.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
lmnninration Officer Here.

A. A. seraphie federal officer III charge of immigration and Chinese mat ters at the ports of Tampa, Key west Miami and Knights Key, Fla, IS h Birmingham for few days on business connected with his department.
 T have been devoting most of my time recently to the padrone systems in number of the larger cities said MT seraphio, "and the general public can hardly realize the evil practices that have been engaged in at certain points, Most of the offenses l find are in boot black stands, where padrones nave brought boys from the old country uh- der contract to work for him. Ihe padrone feeds them and pays them rom s75 to $50 a year and requires them to work all the way from 12 to Is hours a day. The most harmful effects are the breaking down of the health of these boys. In a majority of cases where the boys have been working for any length of time we find them affected by tubercu- losis or chronic stomach or liver troubles"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18

both, let the business be begun anu carried toward completion.
 The Twenty-eighth street crossing is regarded as test case. The railroads say they arrived there first. The pub lie have, however, rights in such cases, and the expiring city council author ized and instructed the city attorney to institute condemnation proceedings for the purpose of acquiring a right of way under or over the railroads at Twenty-eighth street.
 The issue is up to the new city coun- cil, and the record it makes in this matter will be watched with deep in terest. Twenty eighth street is now cut in two by the railroads which say it shall not become a continuous, un- broken street in accordance with the map and plan and geography of the city If the railroads can cut a street in two, why may not individuals? The issue really relates to the homosenity of the city, and the new city council should massage it's spine and get ready to settle a vexed problem of the city.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
C1arksburg CMiss.) Correspondent Mem
 phis Commercial-Appeal

Cfarksburg (Miss.) Correspondent Mem-
 phis Commercial-Appeal.
 The Hon. Sam Ham of Bobo, Miss, sends the Commercial-Appeal check for $75 for the Bryan fund. being the proceeds from fine Jersey COW he rallied off at Clarksdale. Miss. on August 29 at S a chance. The above picture shows MT. Ham and the COW rallied off. The pie ture was taken by G. w. Carraway, an enterprising photographer and enthusias- tic Bryan man at Clarksdale.
 MT. Ham got up early Saturday morn- ing, ate breakfast by candle light, tied the COW to his buggy and led it IA miles through the woods and canebrake to Clarksdale and immediately offered it to the public for the Bryan campaign fund at s1 a chance, and within very short while 75 chances were obtained. The COW was then raffled off and Dr. J. W. Gray of Clarksdale won it.
 MT. Ham is one of the largest and most progressive citizens of Coahoma county. He was president of the board of super vsors of the county for several years, member of the legislature from the coun- ty in 19O0-1S02, and is at present member of the Tallahatchie drainage district created by the legislature at it's last ses- sion.
 MT Ham is true blue democrat and a great admirer of MT. Bryan. He believes that if the people are in earnest in their fight against predatory wealth and cor- porate greed they will elect him Presi- dent, and if elected MT. Bryan will be their agent to carry out their principles. MT. Ham thinks they should pay his cam paign expenses and got up this fund and hopes others will do the same.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
ROOSEVELT'S BOYlSHNESS.

From the Baltimore Sun.
 A dispatch from Oyster Bay states that the tent which the President will take to Africa when he goes on his big game expedition was set up on the lawn of MT Roosevelts home at Sagamore Hill last Monday. That day the President, &C., cording to the dispatch, played about it like boy tightening ropes here and there and changing the folds to the best advantage" This description gives a glimpse of MT. Roosevelt in one of the most attractive phases of his personality. He Is an enthusiast in all matters in which he is interested, and he has all the years young. It is great thing for man who has rounded the half-century milepost to feel that he has not outliyed the enthusiasm of his earlier years. The picture of the President playing about the tent like a boy is a thoroughly nat ural one. Some men were born old They were never boys in spirit. MT. Roosevelt has never outgrown his boylshness. We can easily imagine him at 70 years of age playing about a tent or engaging in recreations with an interest as eager and a spirit as youthful as he displays now in his various diversions. We sus- pect the President will never get as old as his years. Fortunate is the man who never loses his interest in life never feels that life Is not worth living, who always keeps in touch with youth and is neither ashamed nor disinclned to play about his tent like a boy"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
TO BANIsH "pEATH WATCH"
Theatre Managers Will Try to Shut
 Out First Nlghters.

From the New York Herald.
 Drastic measures are to be taken this season by the managers of the large theatres along Broadway to prevent fu- ture first night performances in their playhouses from being monopolized so far as seats and boxes are concerned by the so-called first nighters, many or whom are referred to frequently In mall agerial offices as the "theatrical death watch" For several years the managers have vainly sought to have their first nights attended by those whose expres- sion of opinion would be unbiased and honest and who would give the actors encouragement if they deserved 1t from the mouse" side of the footlights. The managers, say they. have found that when their companies open in--New York theatres a look over the first night audi ence discloses the fact that nearly two- thirds of the seats and boxes are occu- n;ed by the so-called regulars" who file solemnly into their seats with a Trapped expression on their faces as much as to say:
 "Now. strike up the band. We are from across the muddy Missouri, and if you have a good play you'll have to show us."
 This season at all of the openings these members of the death watch" never have missed a first performance, and the managers have grown weary of their refusal to see anything good save that particular part of performance that might happen to appeal to them Now the managers have decided to abolish all the first night lists, and the regulars" who expect to occupy their favorite seats will have to scramble for them from the ticket speculators who happen by fair means or foul to get possession of a few choice ones.
 One manager in speaking of the first night audiences he has seen in theatres this season said yesterday that in future he would rather give away every seat in his house rather than have his companies face such an aggregation of what he termed 'hammer throwers'' and knock ers,"/
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
LEoNANIE.

By Edgar Allan Poe, Leonanie--angels named her: And they took the light Of the laughing stars and framed her In a smile of white
 And they make her hair of gloomy Moonlight, and her eyes of bloomy Moonshine, and they brought her to ma In the solemn night. In the solemn night of summer, When my heart of gloom Blossomed up to greet the conner Like a rose in bloom;
 All forebodings that distressed me I forgot as joy caressed me
 Giving joy that caught and pressed me In the arms of doomD Only spalxe a little lisper In the angel-tongue; Yet listening, heard her whisper Songs are only sung
 Here below that they may grieve you (Tear your heart and rack and grievo
 you)
 So must Leonanie leave you
 While her heart is young. Then God smiled and it was morning, Matchless and supreme; Heavens glory seemed adorning Earth with it's esteem;
 Every heart but mine seemed gifted
 With the voice of prayer. and lifted Where my Leonanie drifted
 Above me like dream.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
EngliSh WalnutS In Alabama

It is easy to say that English walnuts can be and should be grown in this state. A citizen of St. Clair county has, however, gone a step beyond Q mere declaration, for he is engaged in growing English walnuts for his own use. He has two trees 15 years old which yield each year all the walnuts he or his heighbors need. And they are fine walnuts, too.
 MT. Moorer,- who lives near Steele station in St. Clair county, does not claim to be a Burbank or to have any of the Burbank ambition. Were he a Burbank he would grow walnut sap lings of the J. regia sort until every landowner in the state had at least one walnut tree at his door.
 The English walnut is the prince of nuts even outranking the shell-bark oceans in popular estimation. The pop ular taste accepts oceans, but it de- clines to discard English walnuts and it never will. The market is ample and St. Clair county at any rate slsuld fill it. MT. Moorer should lead the way.
 Why the nut in question is called the English walnut does rot appear, Tor none of them are grown in the chilly fogs of the British isles. The Juglaus of the big walnut family are grown in the Mediterranean belt, and the Ma deria nut of commerce comes from countries bordering the great inland sea- The Juglau regia becomes at length stately tree, producing an abundance of nuts, and when cut it be- comes excellent timber. A tree that yields edible nuts and grows until it yields valuable timber is good tree to cultivate, and St. Clair county should start Juglau movement of large proportions.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Vicksbure Waking Up.

Dunn & Lallande. the well-known con- tractors, have just been awarded q con tract for constructing a new sewerage system for the city of Vicksburg. The work will cost several hundred thousand dollars, and about two years will be re- auired for the execution of the project E. J. Dunn, the senior member of the contracting firm, left for Vicksburg last night for the purpose of starting his or ganization to wc-k.
 "Vicksbnrg, although it is prosper ous city, has never had a system of sanitary sewers, said MT. Dunn yes terday. "It has had sewers here and there, but no system. The work now to be done will put Vicksburg in first-class san itary condition, and will have far-reach- ing effect for good on the future health and commerce of the city,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
LESSON OF INHUMANlTY.

From the Kansas City Star.
 Bsfore dying in Los Angeles hospital fr6m exposure by the roadside, Burton A' Jarvis, a contractor from Terre Haute' Ind, told the doctors of the agony he suffered as the scornful looks of passers- by were leveled at him when he appealed for aid. It was believed, supposedly, by the people to whom he called that ne was drunk and he was left to his fate which was to be almost devoured by swarms of red ants.
 MT. Jarvis had started to walk a way into the country. As he was not in vigorous health the exertion was too much for him and he tainted. On re- covering consciousness he was too weak to walk. His body was covered with ants and when he was at length rescued he was beyond aid.
 Now, if this unfortunate man had been drunk he would still have been an object
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
MRS. sAGE,s GIFTS.

From the New York Evening Mail.
 Mrs. Russell Sage is the most original of givers both in the nature and in the destination of her gifts. Where other philanthropists give to individuals or private enterprises she gives to govern ments. She made the local government the present of a rh hododendron planta- tion in Central park. She made Sag Harbor the present of a public school. Now she makes the national govern ment the present of an island of his- toric memories nearly 300 acres in ex- tent. in the Hudson, near West Point, and it will be added to the military reservation.
 This gift. like the others noted, sh ows imagination and sentiment, guided by excellent judgment; both declare strong social feeling. So does the s10.000,000 Sage Foundation" for social better ment. Large gifts for sailors and in- digent females add to the useful va riety of this good woman's benefac- tions
 If other wealthy people are stimu lated to copy Mrs. Sage's example, the metropolis may yet find that subway in its Christmas stocking.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
DISTANCE WE DANCE.
rom Harper's Weekly.

From Harper's Weekly.
 Dancing is stenuous exercise. Cal culations show the distances negotiated in a night by fair enthusiasts and their partners to be worthy the performance of athletes. Thus the average waltz turn will require a dancer to travel over 1900 yards. Other round dances in their accomplishment involve: the mazurka, 1050 yards; the polka. a triae under the thousand; the pas de quatre, barely 300 yards. Quadr1lles. howevef, hold the record, since dancing of one entails on each of the eight persons in the set the achievement all unwit- tingly of a constitutional mile and a quarter long. While dancing the full card, inclusive of the cotillon, at ball beginning say at 10 o'clock at night and winding up at o'clock the following morning necessitates the taking of 2S,000 steps. or total dis tance covered of over Il miles.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Now Un to Grayn1ont.

Birmingham on her side, and the county for its part, have put the road to the fair grounds in good order, but the section passing through Graymont is in awful condition, and so badly in need of improvement that something must be done" said a man interested in the sue cess of the fair.
 Mayor Ward has seen to it that the city gang fixed the road as far as the city limits. The county has done the same. Since the formation of Graymont, nothing has been done to the road where 1t passes through the new incorporation. and as result it is in a terrible condition.
 ''So many people ride and drive out to the fair, and the road Is otherwise so inn portant to traffic, that it is necessary to put it in shape right away. A movement is on foot for this purpose"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Indiana and West Virginia.

CT have taken little interest in the pres idential campaign and will be satished 1,,,t1 either Bryan or Taft" said R. T. pepoineton of Illinois. 1T happened to he in Indiana two weeks in August and found that state doubtful with a good chance for the democrats. spent ten days in West Virginia this month ana that state seems to be republican. notice that West Virginia is placed by +he New York Herald, the Louisville courier-Journal and other papers, in the doubtful column; but republican poll t;cians of that state and business men who are known as independent in politics, told me that West Virginia was as sure re- nublican as Ohio or as my state of H. linois.
 "In touring through the south this week-a portion of the south where expect to find everybody talking politics T have remarked the lack of political excitement. On Tuesday I travelled all day in a train and heard men talking ahout crops. good roads. baseball and oeronlaines. but never once heard the campaign mentioned.
 "I used to work myself up to high degree of enthusiasm for the presidential ticket of hy party. which, prior to 1892, was the republican, but have been apathetic in recent years. have won dered whether I was peculiar In this respect but my observations of this sum mer lead me to believe that apathy has been somewhat general I have not de- cided how I will cast my ballot in No vember. I voted the prohibition ticket once and may do so again."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
EUROPEAN STUDENTS.
on Harper,s s Weekly.

From IIarpers Weekly.
 During the past year there were 22S,- 792 students at the 125 universities of Europe. Germany led easily with 21 universities and 49.Oo0 students; then came France with 16 universities and 32,OO0 students, Austria-Hungary with Il universities and 3O,0O0 students, England with IS universities but only 25,0o0 stu- dents, and Italy with 21 universities and 24,000 students Russia and Spain were next on the list, followed by Switzerland. land, Greece. Norway, Portugal, Denmark, land Greece, Norway, Portugal. Denmark, Bulgaria. and servia had each one uni- versity.
 The university at Belgium had the largest nuribes of students-13,SS4. Thea came Paris with 12,9s5, Budapest with 6,551. and Vienna with 6,2o5. Thus Paris retains the pre-eminence which it has held since the Middle Ages; but its ri- vals, Oxford and Salamanca, have drop ped out of the race-at least, so far as numerical preponderance is concerned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
STRIKE OF AESTHETIC MUTES.

From HarperS weekly.
 The municipal mutes who conduct Parisians to their last resting place are dissatisfied with their costumes, and have posted a long and eloquent manifesto on the walls of Paris, appealing to the pub lie to cooperate with them to force the municipal council to give them uniform which shall be less ridiculous.
 The uniform they wear ought to glad den the hearts of all who take pride in their profession. The mutes are dressed in swallow tail coats, high waistcoats and black trousers. Each man wears an oval plate like the cover of a sauceboat, and his hat Is of oiled leather like the hats some of the cabmen wear.
 Nevertheless. the mutes protest that this costume is not only ugly, but ex- tremely unhealthy, and they threaten to go on strike if 1t be not soon changed.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-09-18
Iron for 1909 Delivery.

The southern pig iron market is very strong at SIS for No. ?, Birmingham, but buying Is not active this week. When the last brisk buying movement was keeping southern sales agents busy, northern sellers were taking a rest. It is the other way just now.
 The Sloss- Sheffield and several other iron companies have been out Of the market for 1908 delivery for some time and they have not begun to quote Tor the first quarter of 1909. Some Bir- mingham iron makers are inclined to quote s1S.5O for next year, but it can now be stated that more than one com7 pany will offer first quarter pig at sl". This, it is held by conservative sell lers. is high enough for a starter. It may be that after the election the price for 1909 delivery will advance to $l4; and with such a probability in view optimistic producers of pig metal will hold off until after the ides of Novem- Der. and not many will contract for more than a limited percentage Of their first quarters make before october. Rogers. Brown & Co.'s Cincinnati re- port says:
 No new developments have marked the week in the pig iron trade, pusl- ness proceeding at about the same rate and volume of shipments slightly in creased. There is more effort on the part of buyers to have iron come TOT ward on existing contracts, which IS better indication than they have fur nished for some time. Good inquiry for forward delivery is still in evl- dence.
 "In this territory the lower foundry and forge grades are scarce ana the inquiry for them has been insistent' Production has increased but the move ment of pig iron and consumption ap- pear to be keeping pace with It ana al' of it going into immediate melt
 "The most lively business now is In finished lines for agricultural supplies and this tonnage has recently taken most remarkable spurt."