davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
In the Sleet Section

The ice king seems to have done his worst in Atlanta and 30 miles round about. Not for a minute or foot does he appear to have crossed the Ala. bama line, nor was he devastating in Tennessee, or in Georgia for that mat ter outside of an Atlanta radius of 50 miles.
 But in Atlanta, whew! The North Pole was discounted. The governors mansion looked like a battered snow house, and the streets were a medley of broken poles, trees and wires. There was sleet everywhere, but no trolley cars. The ice king reigned supreme throughout Sunday and Monday, en- tirely vanquishing the electric wizard in all it's varied forms. The fire de- partment was handicapped, and the wheels of business refused to turn, probably because the man of business refused to trudge from his home to his place of business thro4 4gh tangles Of wreckage. The courts, the schools, the railroads were all stalled, and even the news service was stopped five miles out.
 When an Alabamian gets along his grate at night to read accounts of the sleet storm in Atlanta and of the ice foes in New York harbor, he begins to be bit thankful over his weather luck. He begins to see that he lives in the only place that is a winter re- sort half the year and a summer resort in the other half, and he goes to bed grateful and happy, or at least he should do so if he is not too sleepy and worn out by the hum of business in these post-panic days.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
 USING "AWFUL."

From Coxey's Monthly.
 Isn't it awful the amount of abuse that word 'awful'' gets.
 One day down east, a travelling man boarded the train and accosted another drummer.
 Say, I'm awfully' glad to see you," said t1fe newcomer.
 How is business? asked the other, presently.
 "'Awfup bad," was the reply.
 T don't know why that should be. Tho manufacturers are in awful good shape down in this country"
 Just then the train flashed past a biz cotton mill
 That's an awful fine plant that fellow has," commented one of the drummers. "Yes, slrreei That firm turns out an awful lot of stuff every month";"
 Just then the train came to a stop at Springfield, and one of the travelling men got up.
 well. Jim, goodbye" he said, when ever you get down my way, drop in. I'll be awful glad to see you"
 Thank you, I'm awful busy now, but"
 The other man was gone, and the sec ond travelling man began to read his pa- per.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
A Nervv Roomer.

"A well-dressed stranger adopted bold method of securing a nights lodging in a private home in Woodlawn last Sunday night" said a man of that place yester- day.
 As you will remember, thefnight was one of the stormiest and most disagree able of the winter. About Il o'clock a young man, a stranger, boldly walked into front room of the residence where two young men, members of the family, and two young men, guests of the family, were sleeping in two beds
 "The stranger quietly undressed and went to bed with the two guests of the home. The young men naturally sup posed that the stranger was a friend of the family and though he made no expla- ts@n, they asked no questions and gave hin room in the bed.
 Next morning he arose before the oth- CTS and quietly walked out at the front door, passing the lady of the house in the hall, who in turn had no suspicion, think ing he was friend that her son had en- tertained.
 '"The remarkable nerve of the stranger developed at the breakfast table, when the mother asked her son and his friends about the man"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
BIG SIX MEMBERS
 FINED HEAVILY

New York, February 11.-7President Patrick H. Mccormick of the local typo graphical union, known as the Big Six and George w. Jackson and Vincent J. Coutell, organizers, today were fined $250 each and sentenced to twenty days im- prisonment for disobedience of an injunc- ton obtained by the Typothetae of New York in 1906. Thomas Bennett and Will liam s. Anderson were fined $1OO on the same charge. Sentence was imposed by Justice Bschoff in the supreme court.
 This is the first instance of any such heavy sentence in the case of a labor or ganization for violation of an injunction in these courts. The troubles grew out of the strike of Typographical Union No. 6, ordered early in 1906, against the asso- cation of employers known as the typoth- etae of New York city for closed shop and eight hour day After the men went out the officers of the .typothetae com piained that the strikers were practicing Intimidation against employees who re-
 mained at work and those who took the places of the strikers and were resorting to the use of violence. On presentation of these complaints Judge Blanchard granted an injunction restraining the of flcers and members from continuing the practice which had been charged. In April, 1906, the employees association asked that the members of the union be pun ished for contempt in that they had con tinued the acts of violence and oppres- son By order of Justice Blanchard a referee took testimony on the charges. It was upon his report and recommends tion that the sentence of today was im- posed
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
New York to Paris

Today six crews in as many auto mobiles will leave Times square in New York city bound to Paris, hoping in that way to eclipse the famous Pekin-to-Paris race of last year. Three of the crews are French, one German, one Italian and one American. The dis tance to be traversed is 20,000 miles. First over the worn and level courses of the populous eastern states; then over the less tray eled western plains to the foothills of the western slopes; up these to the main ranges, where the roads run in trails; then up the long ascent to the far vests white, windy rooftree, and adown the further slopes with gutter ing brakes a-squeal" Cross Bering strait by boat, the racers will resume their racing in bleak Siberia, and tra- versing, if perchance they should, it's wastes and wilds, will next essay the vast expanses of Russia, chugging through it's snow and it's wildernesses with their bowling wolves, over the long run from Mini Novgorod to Mos COW, from Moscow to St. Petersburg, from St. Petersburg to Berlin, thence to Aix-la-Chapelle, and then on to Paris.
 Three of the drivers in today's race participated in the Pekin-to-Paris race, and the chief object of the trip is to demonstrate the endurance of gasoline racing cars and, incidentally, of their crews.
 A good share of the route lies in cold latitudes, but it is doubtful indeed If the 19 men in the six cars find any weather more wintry than that in which they will start when they leave New York They will encounter snow and blizzards and zero weather prob ably all the way to Chicago, to which they go via Albany and Buffalo.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12

Stevens or any other technological in- stitute will be in demand in the indus trial world.
 As a large percentage of students in schools of engineering are high school graduates, President Humphries incl dentally took occasion to refer to what he "believed to be the superficial char acter of much of the preparatory work being done by many of the public as well as private schools of the United States" He agreed with Dr. Hugo Muensterberg in saying that this "superticiality too often produced a 'flabby inefficiency,' a loose vagueness and inaccuracy, an acquaintance with a hundred things and a mastery of none."
 It is doubtless true that these re- marks of Dr. Humphries are, in some measure at least, pertinent, for the work of many schools, private and pub lie, lacks practical method and pains taking thoroughness, but fortunately for the aspiring youth of Birmingham the remarks do not fit the case here. The system developed in the public schools of this city is approved by the best educators of the country, and the boy who graduates in the Birmingham high school with a view of entering technological institute Is sure to give good account of himself. However, in- structors in our public schools, and our college professors, too, should procure a copy of Dr. Humphries' address and read it carefully. It is animating and the thoughts expressed in it are broad and forceful.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
A SENSITIVE GIANT.
, the New York Press.

From the New York Press.
 John McAusland. a Scot of Scots, has followed the careers of all the foremost athletes of the world these 40 years and has their records at his finger tips. He likes nothing better than a manly man. One of his regrets is that Ledbetter, the most perfect specimen of manhood ever seen in our modern world, had an aver sion to athletics almost akin to horror. He was a wholesale dealer in plumbing supplies on a large scale in Glasgow, 6 feet 10 inches in height. and built like an Olympian god. He never trained for any thing. He refused to witness athletic exhibition. But he seemed to absorb strength from the earth or the atmos- phere. and could easily handle any four men in Scotland He could throw Hack enschmidt oyer his shoulder with one hand.
 This Hercules hated to appear in public because he was extremely sensitive about his size. His shoulders were yard wide, and his overcoat reached nearly to the ground. As he walked along the street he could hear such remarks as. 1T wonder how many yards of cloth it takes to make that man a coat?" In public vehicles, when riding with man of average size, Ledbetter would pile the c, 's e" top of each other to elevate his his own level. He was heae ta1 any carriage in Glasgow, to gaze in wonder as he Ihs
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
The night Is long that never finds a dsv Macbeth.
idle Railway Equipment

Before the October panic business men could not procure speedy trans pcrtation. and the railroads could not induce the shops to turn out cars and locomotives fast enough. Then came period of hoarding, and the entire pro- 'gramme was changed. Instead of re- ports of a lack of equipments came re- ports of idle cars and locomotives. The movement of empty cars homeward was phenomenally large in November and in a good part of December. There are more cars at home today than there have been since 1898.
 It is difficult to say how many cars are idle, but the best authorities esti- mate the number at 20 per cent, or about 35O,000 cars and $500 locomo- tives. The Rock Island has 15,000 idle cars: the Pennsylvania, 50,000; the Erie, 15,O0O, and the New York Gen. tral, 50,000 cars. These figures are all approximate, but the chances are that none of them are exaggerated. The hope and belief is that the maximum has been reached, and that a slow but steady growth in traffic will set in as plant after plant comes into operation.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
PASSPORTS MUST
 BE FULLY IGNORED

Washington, February n.-Russia treatment of American passports was discussed today in the House. The com mittee on foreign affairs reported ad- versely a resolution calling on the Sec retary of State for information regard ing negotiations with Russia in the mat ter of passports to American citizens, and particularly Jewish citizens, upon the plea of the Secretary of State that 1t was not compatible with the public ln- terest to furnish the information now, the House by a vote of 11S to 97 sustained the adverse report.
 MT. Harrison of New York asserted that the Russians with characteristic duplicity," attempted to exclude a whole class of citizens simply on account of their religious faith.
 He referred to recent circulars of the state department, making 1t incumbent upon the Jews before receiving Amer ican passports to assure the department first that they were not going to Russia and second, that if so. it was with the express permission of the Russian gov ernment as a most surprising and de- plorable chapter of American diplomacy, which touched closely the American na- tional honor. The right of Jews to travel in Russia was not dependent upon the whims and fancies of an unhappy auto crat," but given to the United States citizens by the treaty of 1882. and ap- proved by the conscience of the civilized world, he said.
 MT. Harrison pointed out that the cir cular referred to was modified January 25, last, and the objectionable paragraph eliminated. MT. Lowden of Illinois said the resolution. if adopted. would defeat its very object, and the committee felt it was promoting the interests of the Jewish people in rejecting it. He said Secretary Root had given personal as- surance that every effort was being made to get rid of the discrimination which the Russian government practiced.
 MT. Lowden said it would not be long before the American doctrine of absolute right of repatriation would become part of the international law of the world:
 Following statement by MT. Capron of New York that the circulars were de- signed as a protection~t to American eit- izens of Russian Jewish parentage who have gotten themselves in trouble under the Russian law, MT. Williams of Missis- sippi forced the yeas and nays vote on the question of the adoption of the ad- verse report on the resolution.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
VAN CLEAVE SAYS
 TAFT WILL LOSE

Chattanooga, Tenn, February H. question of organized labor and has, therefore lost the nomination for Pres ident is the opinion of J. w. VanCleave, expressed in his invective against some of the methods employed by the American Federation of Labor in his speech on "The Industrial South." before a rep resentative gath ering of the Chatta- nooga Manufacturers association, In their rooms tonight. In his address MT. Van Cleave told of the wonderful reports from the south since the civil war, telling of the successes of the day and of the dangers which were be- setting manufacturers and which should be guarded against. Among the problems which he said had to be solved was that of labor. He also paid his respects to the average legislature in the southern states, declaring that manufacturers should pay closer atten- tion to political questions and see that the right kind of representatives were sent to pass the right kind of laws. His reference to what ne COnSlQereu the probable defeat of Secretary Taft fol- lowed a quotation from a press dis patch to the effect that Samuel Com fpers, whom he termed a grand old scoundrel,' intended to enter the polit- ical field and organize party com posed of members of the American Fed eration of Labor. He said he would be only too glad if the party was organ ized as it would prevent such men as Taft from being afraid of the chimera of organized labor.
 Among other warnings given manu- lecturers by MT. Van Cleave was one to protect their interests against the pas sage of unjust laws. He said that this could be done by sending the best kind of men to the legislature. He advised them to pay more attention to political subjects and to elections.
 q was in a Legislative hall recently, said MT. Van Cleave, and l saw 10 men whom I would not pay $4 week to sell stoves for me, and yet they were sent to the legislature. Many Of those who are making our laws for us should he working in the mills or hoeing corn"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
rHE. .nprIMIsTIc MAN.

He always found the brighter side, No matter what befell. In pleasant ways he turned his steps And when not feeling well He'd blithely think about the day When he would rise and dress And look back with a sunny smile Upon his late distress. In politics, twas still the same He didn't lose his head Because some demagogue said trusts Would steal his daily bread. Nor did he ever fuss and fume
 Ger this event or that, Nor waste his time for happiness In talking through his hat. The weather never made him frown, If cold or warm and fair, The rain made music in his heart, The sunshine settled there. The wind was sweeter to his ears
 Than clink of sordid gold And rather would he have content Than fame and wealth untold. In gentle thoughts and kindly deeds His years were lightly passed As lightly as upon lake
 A floating cloud is glassed. Good friends drew round to cheer his
 heart.
 The fires of love burned bright And when death came he did not fear Whose life was lived aright.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
AROUND THE COUNTRY

Norfolk virginian-Pilot: The Panama engineers and the President are the Great American mudslingers.
 Columbia State: There appears to be a painful affinity between the lockers and the jail cells in Georgia. -
 Florida Times-Union: Governor Hughes sounds the keynote for sane procedure which he says investigation should pre- cede action.
 Nashville American: Judge Hargis was buried in a $500 coffin of his own se- lection It will not keep out the gentle man with the forked tail.
 Memphis Commercial-Appeal: It seems that the Aldrich bill is to be killed On general principles, anything emanating from that source is better dead than alive.
 Knoxville Journal and Tribune: Who ever may be elected President next Mo- vember, 1t does not look now as if pred atory wealth will have a partial friend in the White House..
 New York World: Enter the ngnon berry from Sweden, with the indicated intention to hustle the American cran- berry out of job. What says the con- tract labor clause?
 Washington Post: From the throbby &C., counts being printed of Evelyn Thaw 8 visits to her husband in the madhouse, 1t is evident that the New York "sob squad" is still on the job. Chattanooga Star: The leading repub- licans in Congress seem to be afraid of | the President and afraid of the tariff is- | sue, but some of them are nestling up to Wall street like sick kitten to q | hot brick. 1 Washington Herald; Oh, for the good old days before the invention of unions and things, when paragrapher might ring in a dozen or so lingering-in-the- lap-of-spring quips without having folks | look cross-eyed at himi
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12

House committee on naval affairs re- jected the Presidents reeommenda- ton. The five who voted in favor of building four more battleships were Lily of Connecticut, republican; Thomas of Ohio, republican; Talbott of Maryland, democrat; Meyer of Louisiana, democrat, and Hobson of Alabama, democrat.
 The committee did decide to report in favor of the building of two more battleships, but Congressman Hobson proposes to submit a minority report recommending the authorization for four battleships of the Delaware or Dreadnaught type. Such ships cost about $10,OO0,O0O apiece. and at least three years are needed in which to build them.
 The appropriations for the four ships would be spread over at least three years, and there is no reason why Con- gross should hesitate. The other na- tions are not hesitating at all, and to- day our Atlantic coast with its great cities and greater trade is practically unprotected. Mir. Hobson will no doubt bring the issue squarely before Con gress, and the entire House will in that way pass upon a matter that makes for peace faster and better than anything else.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
Two Warships or Four

Because the country is threatened with a deficit of s35, ,0OO,OO in the pres ent fiscal year is really no reason why we should not build ships for the pro- lection of our two long coast lines. A deficit of $35 1000 means nothing to a country that has an available cash balance of $267, ,0OO, 900. It is the best economy to be prepared against war, and to have all possible adver- saries know the fact. The other four great naval powers have adopted that policy. Great Brit ain is completing five Dreadnaughts, and will soon begin the construction of five more. No one knows just what Japan is doing, but she Is probably building battleships as rapidly as her cash resources will permit. France has five ships and Germany nine in course of construction.
 The United States has more to pro- tect than any of them. and yet we are building but two battleships. The President desired Congress to author ige the construction of four more, but by vote of l3 yeas and 5 nays the
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
THE ox.

By Giosue Carducci, Translated by Maud Holland) I love thee, O mild OK, a sentiment Of strength and peace thou bringest
 unto me, Whether as solemn as a monument Thou gazest OCT the fields, fertile and
 free Or whether lowing to the yoke content Mans nimble work is seconded by thee;' He shouts, he lifts the goad; with slow
 gaze bent
 Thy patient eyes answer his urgency. From the broad nostrils, black and moist. arise
 Breaths of the spirit, like a joyous
 strain The believing voice upon the calm air
 dies;
 nple and quiet is mirrored once again, terely sweet within the sea-deep eyes, reen and divine the silence of the
 plain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
WILL AMERIcANIzE HER pukE

From the New York American.
 Miss Theodore Shonts is going to make an American of the Due de Chaulnes. To the surprise of the self-made Shonts, the nobleman has, it is said, admitted his shortcomings. He made his plea so genuinely so sincerely and eloquently (for the Count is cultured as we'll as handsome) that MT. Shonts was so com pletely won over he offered to set the young nobleman up in business, should he so elect after the honeymoon.
 The honeymoon is to be spent in Amer flea, possibly in Florida. Then, after a visit to France, the young couple will return to America If present indica- tions may be taken to portend the fu- ture, we are to have an Americanized French Duke in the Four Hundred
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
About Persons.


 W. R. Lloyd of Montgomery is at the New Morris.
 J. B. Powell of Greenville is at the New Norris.
 A. H. Quinn of Anniston is at the New Morris.
 c. Walden of Florence is at the New Morris.
 J. A Wilkinson, commissioner of az riculture. passed through Birmingham yesterday en route to Montgomery, aft CT having visited the Alabama Agri- cultural school at Athens.
 
 Manuel A. Rainey, brigadier general of the Canton, the uniform rank of Odd Fellows, and the second ranking officer of the secret organization, will visit Birmingham, it was announced yesterday. this month"; Preparations for his entertainment have been begun.
 
 Colonel Ewing of the rifle smoke de- partment of the Dupont Podwer com- pany is registered at the Hillman to- day.
 Col. William Youngblood the well known republican leader. and anti ad- ministration man, has returned from Washington. Colonel Youngblood states that it is not at all improbable that Secretary Taft will slip up in his endeavor to gain the nomination. Hugo Friedman, the well known citi- zen of Tuscaloosa, was fin Birmingham yesterday. MT. Friedman stated that there would be a meeting of the Tusca- loosa county executive committee Sat urday, at which the date for the pri- mary, originally set for March IS, will be changed to March IS, in accordance with the general agreement reached at the meeting of the state executive com mittee last Thursday. He slater that there was much interest in the cam paign for various county officers, and that there were about 30 candidates for the office of treasurer.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR

From the New York Press.
 There's nothing a woman can be so ashamed of as wearing sensible clothes.
 A fat woman is useful as a warning to suitors of what her daughter will prob able be.
 Where a bank burglar is better off than politician he can serve his term and then try to lead a useful life.
 When man adds a column of figures twice the same way he thinks the govern ment needs his advice about how to man. age the country's finances,
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12

Governor Brothers is pestered by office seekers and by the popular de- mand that he shall accept the first offer of marriage that comes to him in leap year. He is growing gray under the strain.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-12
A.FAILEN MAGNET.

There was a man in gay New York Who owned a string of banks, And money flowed into his till
 By simply turning cranks. He organized a trust or two
 Which made the people sweat, And now he pines for sympathy
 He'll never, never getl