davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT
Same Men and Same Result.
(Pnrt land prccc1
portland Press

Nobody took much stock in the cur
rent reports that Senator Lindley Muir
ray Staples of Knox asp1red to the
Democratic nomination for Governor
in 1910. The talk was regarded as
jocular. but Mr.. Staples seems to have
taken it seriously, for he has written
to Hon. o. Gardner denying that he
had any such intent and assuring Mr..
Gardner of his hearty support. This
is the body of the letter:
/ noticed that many of the papers of
the State have published articles stat
ing that l have announced myself as a
candidate for the Democratic nominal
tion for Governor in 1910. This grew
out of a casual remark made by me.
Now let me talk seriously.
| am not a candidate for Governor
in 1910, and probably never will be
You are the logical candidate for re-
nomination, and you will be nominated,
and / hope elected. And to aid in that
nomination, and election, I hope to be
able to render you my warmest sup
port. Under no circumstances would
consent to be a candidate against you.
Ny profession too long neglected, will
at the end of my senatorial term, de-
mand my attention. And never, under
any conditions, will l ever allow my
name IT, be used in this connection. on
ly by the united Democracy of Knox
county, whcse loyalty to me Is fully
appreciated.
1t will be some time before the next
State campaign comes around again,
but SC much at least is settled in ad-
vance. Mr.. Staples will not be the
candidate, and Mr.. Gardiner, if he lives
and retains his health, will be. This
Is no more than has been expected
Mr. Gardiner. as suggested by Mr.. sta
pies, is the logical candidate" 1t is
customary to give a candidate second
aoElration If he wants it, and besides
Mr. Gardiner made a good run. He
polled the highest vote ever received
by Democratic candidate for Govern
or, with one exception, and tha: eX-
oeption was fushion candidate Harris
M Plaisted in 1880. Moreover, Mr.
Gardner came within 5000 of being cleo
ted. The Democratic party III this
State wOuld be foolish to give up the
man who is apparently it's best vote
getter. The party banked on his con-
hectioli dlu popuidFlty WITH TIE dfdnSC
and it is evident that ne drew consider
able support from the farmers, particu-
iarly down east. Then he made Wig
orous canvass on the rum and other
issues as they presented themselves
from the Democratic standpoint. and
there's nc denying that he made a
good showing when the votes were
counted. Mr.. Staples would have none
Of these advantages. 1t is then to be
taken for granted that 1910 will be 1908
over again. with the same candidates,
much the same issues, and the same
result.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
A STRAD FOR MANEN.
Chosen by Spanish Crown to Receive
Fiddle Saraste Used.

When Queen Isabella of Spain gave
to the 10-year- -old Pablo Sarasate the
famous Stradivarius on which ne
played for many years it was on the
condition that after his death it was
to be returned to the crown of Spain,
which should, in turn. bestow it upon
the most deserving of the violinsts of
the day The fiddle has duly been
given back to the government. which is
expected now to present it to Juan
Manen. the foremost Violinist of Spain.
Manen is the composer of the opera
"Acte,' recently produced with success
in Dresden by Ernest Schuch.
Firtuosos who are constantly
lamenting the rate at which fine in
struments are passing into the possess
sion Of museums, will have further
cause for regret because Sarasate gave
his other Strad to the museum Of the
Conservatoire in Paris. He left a
large fortune. for he had been playing
more than 80 years, during the greater
part of which he exercised great draw
ing power on the public wherever he
went
1t is curious fact that in the last
1cN yGdlS vi iiiS Cotl eel ilt dSCGt)lCt
much smaller sums than were formerl.
paid to him. This was true even ii
Germany. where he had perhaps his
greatest popularity.
The explanation of his continued
activity under such conditions is found
in his love for playing. He had nj
resources outside his violin. He nevel
read, and it has been said that h,
rarely wrote letter. He had nothing
to interest him but his art. Therefor,
he continued to play.
His habitual melancholy of appear
| ance has been attributed to a TRACED.
in his early life. When his appear
ances at the court of Madrid had de
termined his career. he set out 70
Paris with his mother to- become
student at the Conservatoire. At
| small village near the frontier she wa
taken i'll with cholera. She had Onl.
her son to watch her during the nigh
| she lay i'll and he was alone for a da.
| with her body before assistance came
His later success never obliteratet
| from his mind the experiences through
which he passed on the frontier.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
Our UuparaIIeled lmmiqr att on.

In its own tongue Ellis Island tens
one Of the reasons why all of us should
be thankful that we live in the Chlteu
States. The lure of America has eX-
tended all over the world. we arc
getting Immigrants from every coui-
try under the sun, except from emma
and Japan, against which we nave
raised barriers. For few months az
ter the beginning OF financial distur-
bance in the closing days of OCTOBER
1907, emigration exceeded Immigration
which was a new manifestation for
| the United States. In general, along !"
that time the gates of Castle Garuel
always swung inward. They are SWING
| ing inward once more, and the lnoihch-
| tum is likely to keep on increasing 1or
long period, as it did for many years
preceding that scare.
| Making allowances for the persons
who figure more than once in the sta-
| tistcs between 1860 when the Repuoh-
cans gained their first victory IN
| presidential campaign, and today 49,
| OG0, 900 of immigrants have come TO US
| This is almost equal to the populatloh
Of the three largest States-New AorN'
PENNSYLVANIA, and Illinois-at the Ia
test national census. 1t is more tnal
were in the entire United States Wnei.
William Henry Harrison was elected
President.-Dr Charles M. Harvey III
| LeSlie'S Weekly. ...
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
THE LARGEST BAROMETER.
LIQUID Column Stands Normally al
About Thirty Seven Feet.

huge oil barometer has been coll
structed in the city Of Faenza, ltaiy' as
a monument to it's distinguished
citizen, Torrcelli the inventor OF the
barometer, the tercentenary sof whose
birth is celebrated this year me
Iiouid column in such a barometer
stands normally at about thirty-seven
feet and its fluctuations are read IN
feet where those of the ordinary
mercury. barometer are in inches. rms
is duc. of course. to the fact that as
oil is much lighter than mercury II re-
o,ires a much higher column 70
balance the pressure Of the atlnoS-
phrrc.
It VAS at first intended To use water
as tbc linuid. in which case the column
woul1 have stood normally at ABOUT
tbirtv-two feet: but this plan was
abandoned. owing to the ease oi
evaporation. Glycerin was next trieu
INT the normal height OF the column
was only twcnty-seven feet. ana l. Mas
desirable to have it much higher. owe
oil was finally chosen ana Is qulle
satisfactory.
The tube, which is OF iron. except az
the top. where the height Of the colunh
must be observed. is supported =! a
monumental pillar Of stone. lhis -
doubtless the largest barometer thdt
ever has been constructed, although II
had some famous rivals even during
the lifetime Of Torricelll
Pascal. French philosopher. mace
barometers of different liquids, lnclud-
ing one of mixed wine and water III
Paris Gopher Mills Of New YORK SCI up
q,vcerin barometer in his house IN
1897 and several water barometera
have been built, Of which the most
notable was probably that set up IN
the tower of St Jacques in Paris by M.
Jaubert in 1890.
The olive oil barometer OF faeiiza
will continue to hold the record TOT
| size until some one succeeds IN uslhs q
still lighter liquid. in which case the
height of the barometric column VIII
of course, be greater.-NeW 1orh
| Herald.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
The Italian Earthquake.

The earlier dispatches concerning the
earthquake in southern Italy and in
the neighhoring island of Sicily gave
little idea of the widespread destruc-
ton and the terrible loss of human life
which is indicated by the latest news
from that section. 1t is plainly one of
the most awful cataclysfms In all his
tory and it will be some time yet be
fore the full extent of the loss and
damage can be known. The earth
quake was followed by a tidal wave
and then fire added it's horror to the
wrecked cities as it did at San Francisco
in 1906 But while not more than 200C
lives were lost at San Francisco the
loss in the densely populated region
that is now afflicted IS certainly many
times that number. Some estinaters
place it as high as 100000 people, an
overwhelming catastrophe whose sig
nifcance it is difficult to grasp
The only thing approaching it in our
times has been the eruption of MI
Peiee when about 10000 lives We're lost
The great earthquake at Lisbon in 1855
caused the death Of fully $4,000 people
that in Japan in 1891 about 10000 peo-
rle, that at Valparaiso in 1906 about
i0UO people. Southern Italy and Sicily
have suffered many times before in
similar fashion. In 1877 there were
$1,000 lives lost in Sicily, and in 1898
100, 900 lives. In 1855 the city of Naples
was wrecked with a loss of 10000 lives,
in 1926 it lost 10000 lives, and in 1905 it
had a lesser shock which cost 5000
lives The latest Italian shocks have
been in the Calabria district where
5000 lives We're lost in 1905 and 700 in
1907. This is the same sect1on-the ''toe
of the boot"--which suffers much more
severely this time, though the greater
part of the present ruin and loss seems
to fall on Sicily, and especially on the
city of Messina, city of 1000 people
The world awaits in suspense the full
story of the calamity and will with.
hold nothing of sympathy or relief
from suffering Italy
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

The celebration of the 300th ann;ver-
sary of the birth of the poet Milton in
December will be followed by the cele-
bration of the 100 anniversary of the
poet Poe in January. Milton and Foe
had little enough in common and yet
both won imperishable eminence in
English literature. 1t is not likely that
Poe will receive in his own country
anything like the honor which was paid
the memory of Milton. for various cir
cunstances have conspired to obscure
his name ami blind the people generally
to his rare genius. No doubt more
honors will be paid his memory abroad
than in this country, for foreigners,
disregardng his personality, rate him
OH his merits as a poet. In this coun-
try probably the chief exercises in hon
or Of Poe will be held at the University
Of Virginia, where he spent a year as a
student
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

stone chimney rose at one end Of the
cabin outside, covering that entire end
while on the inside it opened on a broad
fireplace across that end Of the room.
"The cabin was banked all around
with earth, against which hemlock and
pine boughs were heaped. Sometimes
ranks Of cordwood were piled up al
lnost to the eyes, the better to keen
out the cold, which is always intense
during the winter on those windsWept
hills.
'"Thcre was rarely q cabin with more
than one room. The walls dark and
smoky and from rafter or beam hung
plentifuily strips of jerked venison and
chunks of smoked bear meat, along
With hams and bacon from the family
pigs fattened in the woods and almost
as wild as the bear and deer. But the
choicest and best beloved thing Of the
cabins harder was the fat and well
frozen wild turkey.
while the wooiman's cabin was al
ways prepared for turkey eat it new
er knew when it was coming. A tur-
key eat began with the making up of q
party in neigEboring village or settle
ment. Taking along fiddler, they
would appear at this, that or the other
woodmans cabin of q winter evening.
and the woodman and his family did
the rest
'Instantly the brentwood pail of cider
came forth While the cabins guests
| drank cider the host prepared and spit
| ted the turkey over the hickory Goals
| in the fireplace to roast for the feast.
| When it was ready for the table it was
Placed before the guests on a big tin
| platter Each one carved for himself,
| the plates being squares Of birch bark.
| THE turkey eat was not complete
| though, without a liberal supply of
'paan haas and headcheese, and with
it went the sweetest Of rye bread and
butter. Paan haas is a strictly Penn
sylvania Dutch creation.
1T is made from the rich juices left
after boiling the ingredients for head
| cheese, these being thickened to a stiff
paste with buChwheat flour This paste
is pressed in forms until cold arI is
| served in slices. 1t is a dull blue color
Very rich and very good
| after the feast the turkey eat vas
rounded out by 4 night Of joility su-
pcrinduced by the fiddle and main
tanned by it in its music for the old
fashioned cotillion figures and reels,
which were danced until the gray of
morning.
but most of those outline woods
| men have passed away and on those.
| who ale still dwcllers in the mountains
| the game laws have forced a situation
| that leaves them with their ancient oc-
cupation gone, and the hunt being no
| longer Il source Of maintenance IS
traditions have departed with it. The
| newer generation of these people IS of
other taste and association, so while
! the wild turkey is yet iii proximity in
that Blue Mountain region to supply
the material for the festive turkey cat
the traditions and associations that
made it possible are no more and it is
gone, like the apple cut, the quilting
bee, the piS-klling frolic and others OF
the old-time rural pastimes that are
| now bat memory New York Sun
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
The NEGLECT Of Spelling.

Frequently something arises to
emphasize the neglect of spelling in
the lower grades as contrasted with
the great attention it received in the
good old times. At Northwestern
University, for instance, they have
been compelled to establish class in
spelling and recently 11S Freshmen
were compelled to enter this spelling
class because they missed 20 or more
words each out of 200 In not diff
ficult written list. To discover the
standard of spelling in prominent
American colleges representatives of
10 universities have been asked to
enumerate the percentage of bad
spelling in their respective institu-
tions, to assign causes and remedies
for the prevalence of bad spelling and
also to determine the relative impor-
tance of proper spelling in mans
education. Computing the basis of
the answers, the standard of spelling
at tile IcIl seats VI 10 do AOi-
lows: OF bad spoilers Princeton has
a percentage of 10, University Of
Michigan 20. and University of Illinois
20; the spelling standing at Cornell is
high" at Columbia School of Applied
Sciences ''atrocious': at the Massl-
chusetts Institute of Technology the
percentage is large; at Brown Uni
versity it is not so large as in the en-
tering class at Northwestern: at Yale
the standard is high; at Wesleyan
and the University Of Michigan it is
fair"
Plainly a revival of the old
fashioned spelling school would be q
good thing for the present generation.
Either that, or else the colleges ana
universities will have to teach spelling
and let the common schools have
Greek, calculus, philosophy and
economics
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
FA,THFULNESS OF DOGS.
Eskimos Work Hard for Their Masters
and Receive Little Comfort.

Sitting around a comfortable fire IN
the bachelor quarters of one Of the
party, half a dozen old codgers We're
interesting each other with some OF
their experiences on the stage of life.
One of the party had followed the
sea in his youthful days and sailed all
over the northern waters near to and
adjoining the American coast, but later
on had taken up the profession of a
dog doctor.
"Well." he said. Il have heard much
about the faithfulness and patience OF
dogs, but my experience has led me to
believe that in that respect the Es-
kimo breed is at the top of the heap,
and they certainly have no reason to
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

The Boston Transcript points out
that bringing Goals from Newcastle
has it's counterpart in New England
when the people of Manchester, n. H.
get their Christmas trees from Boston
While Manchester is situated in the
heart of an evergreen growing
country, the trees shipped there
directly from the Hub find much
better sale than those brought in by
farmers and woodsmen from the
neighboring towns. The reason, as
explained by local dealer is that the
trees brought in by the farmers are
usually too large and struggling, while
the Boston trees are neat and compact
and just the right size. Most of these
Boston trees, by the way. were
shipped from Maine.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

According to the Observation-Disclosures
Anzeiger, company in Berlin is fit
ting a steamship which runs on the
Oberhavel, with system of electric
propulsion. The equipment consists
of suction gas plant, consuming
anthracite: gas engine coulped to a
direct-current generator; battery of
accumulators and electric motors on
the prOpelling shafts. 1t is estimated
that the running costs will be less
than those incurred with an ordinary
steam engine equipment, on account
Of the saving in fuel. Two new ships,
with a similar equipment, will also be
added to the service next spring. =,
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30
The 17th President.

Several of our. contemporaries have
mentioned the fact that December 80
was the Tooth anniversary Of the birth
of Andrew johnson, the 18th president
Of the United States, and a few OF
them have commented briefly upon his
life. but the anniversary was allowed
to pass without the slightest movement
towards any general observance. What
contrast it is with the plans which
are being made in all parts of the
country for the celebration of the CEN
tennial Of Johnson's immediate predec-
essor in the White House, which will
fall next February.
1t is a curious confidence in American
history that Lincoln and johnson were
born within six weeks of each other,
only a few miles apart on what was
then the frontier line of American civ
ilization. Both were born in humble
ho,nes and their early lives were full
of hardships and struggles. Within 60
years both of them occupied the White
House, but how different is the attitude
Of the American people toward their
memories. Abraham Lincoln has been
canonized and all the world honors his
name, though in his lifetime the cruel
est, bitterest things were said about
him, and he met his most active oppo-
sition in his great work from those who
should have been his friends.
The Johnson centennial passes with
out notice because posterity has chosen
to treat him with Indifference. He was
of different type from Lincoln, a
man of different mental and moral
rlould, unfit for the great responsible
tiles unexpectedly thrust upon him. Yet
in the light of history third of d GEN.
tury after his death, it will not be de-
nied that Andrew Johnson was pa
his lights His lights We're few, but
he was neither fool nor knave. as
many charged him with being while
he was President.
Yet Andrew Johnson was a remark
allie man in many ways. He had to
he TO rise to such eminence from such
humble beginnings, a man who could
neither read nor write until taught by
the woman he married Then in turn
he became alderman, mayor. member
pf the Legislature, for 10 years men,
ber of the Congress. twice governor OF
States Senate and then IN 1862 military
governor of Tennessee through the APP
pointment Of President Lincoln. He
was not a Republican and never pre-
tended to be, but he was a strong
Union Democrat and did much to
maintain the Union cause along the
border. In 1875, six years after he had
retired from his troubled term in the
presidency, he was again sent TO the
Senate from Tennessee, but died soon
after taking his seat. Students of his
tory will probably be kinder to Andrew
Johnson than were his contemporaries.
And for that matter he is by no means
the only one of the presidents to have n
centennial of his birth practically I'M
observed. The same has been true In
turn of Tyler. Taylor, Polk. Buchanan,
Fillmore and Pierce.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

the Houston Post has so much to say
are not the only things which make
life worth living down in Texas. For
instance, we are told by the same re-
liable newspaper that strawberries are
now selling for 10 cents quart in
Houston. Still. there will be some
people up this way who will contend
that other things not possessed by
Texas are more desirable than straw
berries at Christmas time.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

During 1909, Is army officers and %
naval officers will retire by the opera =
ton of the age limit This limit is GA
years in the army and 62 years in the
that a man is useful two years longer
on land than at sea Except among
army and navy officers themselves the
proposition to make the retiring limit
few years later receives general
SuppOrt
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

All the world loves & bud just bios
SOming into debutante. especially
when the event occurs in the White
House. Hence the somewhat elaborate
accounts of the Edith Roosevelt func-
tion.-5oston Herald.
But it is rather rough on Miss Ethel
to have her name wrong in the papers
which comment ON the function.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Baths sympathy for Charles w.
Morse, it's son and generous benefactor,
does it credit and is no doubt duly ap-
preciated by the dethroned king of high
finance who now occupies a prison cell
1t Is another question whether it will
help release HIM. but Bath proposes to
find out.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Carrie Nation has long been an easy
mark for the newspaper fun makers,
but after all there is something very
pathetic in her. exploitation on the
stage of London music hall. The
woman has long been mentally un-
balanced and it is a pity that she is
not kept in her home or otherwise
restrained
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

The Chicago Tribune reminds its
readers that it was about this time
last year that the Hon. Tom Johnson
of Cleveland was going through the
country telling the people why Mr.
Bryan Must Be NOminated.'
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Augusta-the other Augusta, we
share of advertising. Not only has ii
Taft, but the Boston Nationals will
train there in March.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Mr.. Bryan says he hopes it will
not be necessary for him to run again.
Still if Governor Johnson of Minne-
sofa persists in his ''pernicious ac-
tivity' he may feel obliged to do so.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Some suspicious Democratic editors
can see nothing in Tafts winter in the
South except scheme to win the cleo
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Iead when reduced to very 10"
Temperature in liquid air. is said to act
much as steel at ordinary tempera-
lures 1t will serve as hellcal sprils,
for example. Just as iron Is sou an.
inelastic at high red color, so iea"
is; duh and soft at ordinary tempeia-
lures. for it is then already we'll on us
way to be melted.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Southern Chivalry," isn't showing
up very strongly in the trial of the
Tennessee night riders. Men guilty of
brutally floggng women are the
cheapest kind of cowards
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

With the worlds championship hon
ors in pugilis,n in the possession of a
Texas negro, the color line in that
sport seems to be thing of the past.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Gomez is the most common name
among the worlds presidents and
presidents elect; but Taft is the one
with the most weight
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

M. Bryan is evidently determined
to keep himself in a position to say
scat" to any Democrat audacious
enough to cast his eyes towards the
party presidential nomination in 1912.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

That tragic tale Of earthquake
terror and destruction in Italy is not
less tragic because it has been
familiar for many centuries.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

Developments in Pittsburg will at
least afford an opportunity for Abe
Ruef to slip out of the limelight.
Daily Kennebec journal., 1908-12-30

1t is said that London will take care
OF Carrie Nation by giving her a
chance to star in vaudeville.