davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
FL PASO AND BULLFlGHTS.

From the Washington Post
 The city of Fl Paso is making a self respecting and wholly commendable pro- test against becoming an adjunct to the bull-hghting business that is conducted at Juarez, just across the Rio Grande. Led by the public-sprited Fl Paso Herald, the people of that city are organizing eff fectively to remove from the minds of wis., itors and people in the East the impress sion that Fl Paso is interested in bull fighting, and is chiefly useful as a trans fer station for American tourists who wish to witness the brutal Mexican sport The squarely. opposed views of Mexicans and Americans in humane matters could not be more sharply exhibited than in the matter of bullighting at Juarez. While it is true that these bullfights could not flourish on Mexican patronage alone. 1t is also true that the decent element in Ell Paso is bitterly opposed to the business, and is trying to dissuade American tour ists from becoming the gulls of those who exploit the cruel and bloody sport of bull batting. The Mexican government has done much to discourage bullfghting.
 
 from the Mexican nature love of the sight of blood and death agonies. The so-called bullfghts at Juarez are. there fore, permitted to flourish. after a fasn- ion, although it would be falsehood to assert that the bulls in any of these en- counters are given chance to fight. Ths humans who face the bull are not so cour- ageous as to give their opponent a square deal. The "sport" is merely specialized and varied kinds of torture applied to brutes that are brave and proud enough to resent it. There is nothing in or about the exhibition that is not revolting to every American instinct of decency and fair play. Yet Americans are the sup porters of the fraud.
 El Paso and Texas do not deserve the impression that remains, in some measure, in the Eastern mind-the impression that they are filled with crawling, drunken roustabouts, whose chief amusement is to cross the Rio Grande and encourage vipery little "greasers'' in the torture and massacre of bulls. It is entirely cred itable to Fl Paso that it is doing its best to remove this erroneous but injurious im- presson.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Candidate for National Convent,

Candidate for National Convention.
 R. II. Walker. of Athens, editor of the Limestone Democrat, was in Birmingham yesterday. He is a candidate for district delegate to the Denver convention.
 T have been an earnest advocate of MT. Bryan ever since he entered the Presl- dential field" said MT. Walker. There is. in fact no more ardent Bryan follower in Alabama than l have been, and my friends of the Eighth district are giving me their hearty support in my candidacy for the convention. I like the primary plan, and If l am elected as one of the two delegates 1 will appreciate the honor more than if it were to come from con- vention. While the primary will be little more expensive for the individual who as pires to the honor of being a delegate, 1t gives far greater satisfaction to the pub lie. The primary has come to stay, and the democrats of the state look back and wonder why we ever had any other plan for selecting men to represent us"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
MARRIED ONE HUNDRED YEARS,

From the Kansas City Journal.
 A worlds record has just been created by the celebration in the little village of Isonbolgi, Hungary, of the anniversary of a wedding which occurred just 100 years ago. All Hungary is interested, and the Emperor has asked the authorities to for ward to him official particulars, so that he can personally congratulate the couple The long-wedded couple are named Szath- mari. The husband is 120 years old and the wife 116. They have hundreds of de- scendants in and around the village. A. score of years ago there was a celehra- ton in honor of the mans one hundredth birthday. and application was made to the Hungarian government for a pension. It was granted after the records of the will lage had been examined and the mans age verified. Four years later the woman also was granted pension. The old peo- pie live in a modest cottage, and are well looked after by relatives. They are nearly blind and deaf, and sleep nearly all the time. The man, however, still enjoys his pipe and glass of wine, and neither IS bedridden. It is strange fact that in all their years they have never left the vi- lage, and know nothing of the great world outside of Isonbolgi. They were both born there, and have lived continuously a quiet and peaceful life. The celebration of the anniversary of their one hundredth we'd ding day was participated in by the en- tire village, which is proud of having established, without any doubt, a world record
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
THE COST nE KINGS.

From the New York World.
 Portugal, whose affairs are now oc- cupylng so large a share of public at tention, contains 34,254 squars miles. That is 210 square miles more than Maine and 1096 less than Indiana. It's population in 1900 was substantially the same as that of Illinois, Portugal having 5,016267 to the 4,S21, $50 of Illinois. The population of Illinois is now esctimated to be 5,590, ,0OO The civil list of the King of Portugal is $567,000 year. Maine pays it's governor $3oo0, Indiana pays $SOOO and Illinois 000. Maine, Indiana and Illinois have excellent schools. In Portugal there are so few schools that the bulk of the pop ulation is illiterate. In addition to the cost of the royal family there is the ex- pense of the army navy, embassies and legations throughout the world, as well as the cost of governing colonies. Portu- gal is one of the few nations maintaining two embassies at Rome, one to the Quirinal and the other to the Vatican. The national debt steadily increasing, amounts to nearly $9OO, OO0,00O, nearly as great as the net interest bearing delft of the United States. Is 1t any wonder that there is a strong and growing party in Portugal that favors substituting a re- public for the monarchy?
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
JanuarV's Iron Production

The output of the blast furnaces in January fell to 1,045,000 tons, or, 200,- GOO tons less than in December, 800,- 900 tons less than in November and 1900 ,O00 tons less than in October. It was the smallest monthly production in four years. On February 1 there were but 142 stacks in blast.
 In this district 15 stacks burned out s0,O66 tons, as against BASIC tons in December, and 145,2S3 tons in Janu- ary,' 1907. The loss is not quite 50 per cent, but it is very near it. New York is the closest rival of this district, and its production fell to S2,962 tons, as against 1S6,O57 tons in January, 1907.
 The production in the country in January, 1907, was 2,205,607 tons, while the total outturn of last month was 1,045,525 tons, or something more than 50 per cent decrease. This dis trict has kept step. therefore. with the other producing centers, and that is all that our producers intend, it is plain, to do. The effort is to maintain the price of foundry No. by reducing the ore supply and the furnace output How long the 5Gper-cent cut is to be kept up has not as yet been made known.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
Wheat and Steel BIIIets

Wheat was worth $1.15 in New York before the October panic. It fell to 8S cents, but it had gone back to $1.O9 on January 4, and it is now worth just about an even dollar bushel. These fluctuations cannot well be considered unnatural in the face of heavy con sumption and panicky period.
 Steel billets which were worth but s15.12 in 189S-the bottom year-rose to $30.50 a ton in April, 1907, and they are now held at BPS.
 The difference in the course of the two articles presents a problem in prices. The steel corporation and other manufacturers propose by reduc- ing the output of steel to hold the price of billets at BPS. The price of wheat is buffeted about, however, by every turn in supply and demand.
 The struggle going on at present over the price of steel involves, no doubt, the price of pig iron and the price of Lake Superior iron ore, and if the price of steel can be maintained at BPS, Organization is bigger man than Demand and Supply put together.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11

Blaine, and Hayes was nominated largely through the aid of the south ern delegates.
 Expert politicians venture the opin- ion that the nomination at Chicago will be made by the credentials com mittee Nearly every southern state will send contesting delegations, and the decisions of the committee on ere dentials will decide the contest. To this complexion has the republican party come at last.
 It should be remembered that Harry S. New is chairman of the national committee. It is he who will name the temporary chairman of the convention, and the temporary chairman of the convention will make up the commit tee on credentials. He will be the Warwick of the republican party at Chicago, unless we go back to say that Chairman New is the real and original Warwick.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
PoRTUGAL'S BOY KING.

Manuel II. becomes King of Portugal at the age of IS. The boy King with whom he will instinctvely be compared, AL fonse XIII. of Spain, was literally born to the throne, succeeding to it with his first breath Mary Stuart became Queen of Scotland while an infant in arms Edward VI. was King of England at 10. Charles TX, ascendedN the throne of France at 10 and at 13 was declared of age. Pope Leo K, as Giovanni de Medici was made cardinal at 13.
 There is no presumption of misfortune in Manuel's youth In Alfonso he has the favorable augury of A reign begun under equally grave conditions of mutiny and anarchy. but continuing until the nation, surviving the crisis of disastrous war. now enjoys exceptional prosperity. In Queen Victoria he has the example of the most illustrious reign of modern times begun at exactly his own age.
 With a new cabinet with Dictator Franco out of the way officially at least, with the army loyal and with public animosity appeased by the sum- moning of parliament, the immediate dan ger of a revolution is averted. The very youth and inoffensveness of the new King should enlist public sympathy in his behalf. Given moderation in his coun- cillors, economy at the palace and spirit of consideration for constitutional rights, 'there is some reason to hope that Portu- gal may emerge from the present crisis constitutional monarchy in fact as well as in name under an amiable young sov- ereign whose hold on the affections of his people may increase with years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
"WHISKY BILL" IN PARIS.
Prairia Exile Who Lived in the Latin
 Quarter.


 Vance Thompson in the Broadway Maga- zine
 Whisky Bll' drifts in; he is red of face, and he has a noisome thirst.
 I remember when that brave lad first came over from Kansas. Nature had taught him how to paint out in that part of the prairie-nature alone. And he put line. Only no one would buy 1t; out in Kansas they didn't like his kind of art Luckily at that time an Amazonian re- former named Carrie Nation was loose on that prairie. Welding an axe, she broke into the popular barroom where "Whislxy Bill' was exhibiting his master piece and, To. she slashed it to pieces. How it came know not but the painter managed to collect $500 by way of pay ment for the damage. A little later he appeared in Pars-booted and spurred, with long, lank hair hanging down two feet under his sombrero. He studied art''-chiefly at the Dome. He liked the liquids there and the conversation of Lionel Walden and the dramatists and the bachelor girls. One day, seeing strang things unseen by the others, he was carried to the hospital When he emerged he was white as milk and his hair-the long, lank western hair-was gone. And his money had been spent. He was but the ghost of Whisky Bill" He hid his diminished greatness In a hand me-down suit; he wore his necktie painted on his shirt; there was nothing left of Whisky Bill'' save his joyous way of roaring for his favorite beverage.
 "Garcong, ung viskee!"
 And Lionel Walden smiles and pays; and the bachelor laugh and laugh:
 "Quelle vie, mes enfants, quelle vie!''
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
Contestinq Delegations At Chicago

The Florida republicans chose two sets of delegates. and the chances seem to be that every other southern state will do likewise. One will be an administration delegation and the other an anti-administration delega- ton. One will be made up of, by and for the offceholders, and the other will represent "the downs and outs," and neither will represent an electoral vote or any considerable number of voters. The Chicago convention will make no mistake, therefore, no matter which of the two delegations from a southern state it seats, for both will be non-representatiye in the full sense of the word.
 The antiTaft newspapers through out the north consider the Taft dele gations in the south "disgraceful," and the pro-Taft newspapers reciprocate by deploring the dissensions that the other aspirants are kicking up in the south.
 Not since 1876 has the southern del egate been influential in a republican national convention, but the indica- tions now are that the southern dele gate will be the umpire and referee at Chicago. He has waited long time for an inning, and he is about to have one in all its breadth and scope.
 The southern delegate will decide MT. Taft's fate at any rate. Unless the south can be polled nearly solid at Chicago for the war secretary he cannot be nominated. and if he fall the southern delegate will still be pow erful. In 1876 it was the field against
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
To the Far East Next Summer

The Washington correspondents say the truth as to the destination of the battleship fleet is out at last. It is to go to Manila, and then perhaps to Yokohama, and then it will return home via the Suez canal. This was made plain by the discovery that the shipment of 135,O00 tons of West Vir- ginia coal to Cavite has been complet- ed. The last cargo was landed from the British steamer Mombasso. This vast supply at Cayite was accumu- lated in two months, and it is safely stored awaiting the coming of the fleet.
 The stores of fuel at Honolulu have been greatly increased. The coaling preparations at Honolulu have been conducted with the greatest possible secrecy, and if any coal has been sent to Guam information concerning it has not been made public. The pre- parations made for coaling at Manila bay are conclusive. The fleet is to go tnere next summer And why not? This does not mean war with Japan any more than it does with France or Great Britain. It simply means a big grandstand junket around the world, and that is all there is of it. The peo- pie foot the bills, and the tackles get the fun of it.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
NeurOes At the Polls

The Providence Journal, republi- can newspaper, considers "fhe quad rennial struggle for southern republi- can delegates a disgrace to the party and to the American system of popular government" So 1t may be where a party consists of officeholders and negroes, and the negroes have few or no voters in their ranks.
 In the north all the negroes vote, and, they are remembering Browns vile to the great disgust of MT. Taft's supporters. The negroes claim to be the balance of power in many states. According to the census of 1900 there were S1,247 negro voters in Illinois; 18,445 in Indiana; 15,234 in Kansas; 705S in Montana; 22,85S in New Jer- sey; 39,90S in New ork; 31,624 in Ohio; 13,1S5 in Oregon; 53,757 in Pennsylvania, and 11,578 in Washing ton.
 MT. Taft is up against these negro voters, as we'll as the labor vote, and altogether he seems to be having an uphill fight. The president, too, says he is doing nothing to promote his candidacy, but the men at the labor ing oars, MT. Vorys and Mr. Frank Hitchcock, are tugging away manful- ly at their task.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
The Liquor Traffic.


 q believe in total abstinence agitation, and I believe in local option, but I have never favored statutory prohibition and never will" said prominent citizen who has been a total abstainer for long time. "In rural communities and small towns, where a majority of the people are opposed to the saloon it is right that the sale of liquor should be prohibited, and with a majority voting dry the law will be fairly well enforced. But in large cities, where a majority of the men are in favor of the licensed sale of liquor, it ia well nigh impossible to keep down the blind tiger and a wide abuse of social drinking. While here in the south the consumption of liquor among negroes Is minimized no doubt by prohibition, there is a decided increase in the consumption of whisky in the homes of the well to do. This is especially so in cities. There is scracely a person in Birmingham who scarcely a person in Birmingham that keep liquor in the sideboard, now that the city is dry, but who seldom had drop at home prior to January 1. And my ob- servation is that the class of home drink CTS referred to indulge much more freely than formerly.
 q will be glad to advocate any move ment that will keep down intemperance, but have seen enough of prohibition in other states, to say nothing of Alabama, to make me thing some better way should be found than that now popular in the south.
 "Anti-saloon people here who are pre- senting statistics to prove that prohibi- ton is a grand success, are figuring too soon. Wait three months. Prohibition did work well for two or three weeks. We are now only ten weeks from the first of the year and John Barleycorn is consid- erably in evidence. The effects of strong drink is more and more noticeable every day. And this is no reflection on the dep uties, the police, or the Law and Order league. So long as men are bent on get ting liquor they will manage to procure 1t in some way. And it would require T far larger police force than we have or can afford in order to stop the violations of the prohibition law.
 q counted Il drunken fellows on the streets Sunday night, and l was not mak- ing it my business to look them up, either. But I never ran across so large a. number of intoxicated men on Sunday in saloon days. In six months from now the liquor scandal will be worse.
 Those who buy their whisky in Chat tanooga. Nashville, Memphis, Cincinnati. Louisville and other cities and bring it here lawfully pay no license to the city, and those who are selling whisky unlaw fully laugh when they think how they are doing business without the expense of a license. But the prohibition statute must stand for four years, and it may never be rescinded. In the meantime, let total abstinence men organize and try to bring about moral reform which will be lasting, but not drastic. When I was a young man the Sons of Temperance and the Good Templars accomplished much in reclaiming the drunkard, and. better still, in keping young men from falling into the habit of tipling. These societies should get busy once more."
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
ADRIFT WITH THE TIMES

bargain counter in some department store.
 A waiter at the Plaza picked up two diamond brooches last evening which, some dinner guests had thoughtlessiy left lying on the table. The jewelry' worth at least s5Oo0O, was turned over to the hotel management to be held un- til called for
 While Mrs. Layton Thick was attend ing the opera at the Manhattan opera house last night her handsome home was rined and jewels valued at $2o00OO stolen. There is no clue to the robbery. Miss Patty Demure one of the sea- sons most popular debutantes, went out automobilng yesterday. On her return home she reported the loss of jeweled clasp pin worth $15O0o.
 A servant girl, named Mollie Mitchell employed in the household of J. F. MOO gan. the well known financier, was robbed of A. diamond brooch yesterday after noon near the Flatron building. The brooch was worth $6O0O and was given to Miss Mitchell as Christmas present
 PLANTING TIME.
 Said Cupid, i've
 No time to stop
 I'm busy with
 The June bride crop"
 IN MONKEY DAYS. "He is always talking about his fam II suspect it was a cocoanut tree"
 WHY PROCRASTINATE?
 Fleeting is all earthly bliss, That I VOW.
 If you have a girl to kiss
 DO IT NOWl
 Louisville Courier-Journal. Truth by any random curl. You advancei
 Kiss her while you have the girl
 And the chance! REPLIES A man is nearly always more of man when his wife isn't about There isn't much nourishment in stage meal.
 All men are liars married men merely more so.
 What is beer?" asks a contemporary. In Birmingham it is beerine. The Vanderbilt, 1t seems, are trying to corner the count market.
 ''Where is the limit2" asks a Florida newspaper Where tomorrow is. The soul kiss depends largely on the lips behind it. Pottstown, Pa., churches are to have fire escapes. Churches in themselves are supposed to be fire escapes. PAUL COOK.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11

10000 or 125,OOo. With Birmingham's ex- tended limits this city will have probably a population of 125.0oO in 1910.
 Atlanta has several thriving suburbs and if they are taken into the city At lanta will have a population of 115.o0o to 125,00o in the next census. In my opinion, Memphis, Nashville. Birmingham and At lanta will be very close together in the matter of population"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
MEN WHO FOLLOW THE SEA.

By Taiwa in Nomads Shanghaied in San Francisco, And we fetched up in Bombay They set us ahoat on an old Leith boat, That steered like stack O hay. We panted in the tropics When the pitch boiled up on deck. We have saved our hides, and little be-
 sides,
 From an ice-cold North Sea wreck. We have drunk our rum in Portland, We have thrashed up Boring strait We have toed the mark on a Yankee
 bark,
 With hard-case down east mate. We know the streets of Santos, The loom of the lone Azores, And we found our grub fin salt horse
 tub
 Condemned from the navy stores. We know the track of Auckland And the light on Sydney head We have crept close-hauled, while the
 leadsman called
 The depths of the channels bed. We know the quays of Glasgow And the river at Saigon, And have drunk our glass with Chinese
 lass
 In a houseboat at Canton. They pay us off in London (Its oh, for a spell ashore), And again we ship for the southern trip In a week or hardly more. It's "Good-by Sally and Sue," For it's time to get afioat, With an aching head and straw-stuffed
 bed,
 A knife and an ollskin coat Sing. s'Time to Leave Her. Johnnie" Sing Bound for the Rio Grande." When the tug turns back, we follow her
 track,
 For g. long last look at land. Then the purple disappears And only the blue Is seen, That will send, our bones down to Davy
 Jones, And our souls to fiddlers' green.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
THE MAN WHO GAMBLES

man who gambles wears old clothes and borrows quarter to eat on, while the man behind the partition wears a fur coat and diamonds and gorges himself with T-bone steaks.
 The man who gambles knows all this, but he lives in hope. Some day the man behind the partition may turn phil anthropist and give him his money back.