davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
oBscURlTY OF THE RICH.

From the New York Globe
 The rich we have always with us. and they turn un unexpectedly at every change in the road. Here was a quiet old woman almost to the century mark whose wealth was somewhere between $10,00C,O00 and $6O.00O,0OO. Yet the great ma jority had never heard of Miss Mary Goodwin Pinkney and they learn of her for the first time through the news of her death.
 The obseurity of our millonaires could hardly be better indicated than by this case. Miss Pinkneys wealth is sup posed to be invested principally in New York real estate. And yet, with record of much of 1t before them, those who un- dertake to appraise her estate are at a loss to say whether it is $10, 600 or six times that amount. So sadly have her affairs been neglected, so careless has the community been of her existence.
 We should not have heard of Mrs Hetty Green one-half as much as we have if it were not for her idiosyncrases. Wealth is, after all, but a poor road either to fame or to notoriety
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
Progress in Birmingham.

"In its December number the elegantly illustrated magazine styled the Building Management, published in New York de- votes nearly two pages to Birmingham" said a member of the Commercial club. Tt describes in detail the plans of the Empire building the tallest yet projected, and the plans of the Chamber of Com nleree both in course of construction, and also tells about the addition to the Brown Marx and the erection of the Farley building. The article concludes as fol- lows:
 The advent during the last 12 months of the United States Steel corporation, the Illinois Central railroad, the Atlanta, Bir- mingham and Atlantic railroad and the Mobile and Ohio railroad has given Bir- mingham an enormous impetus, especially in the building line.
 |" Birmingham has the proud distinction of having moro buildings in progress to- cay than any other city of the south, or any city il the country of even two or three times the size of Birmingham. A 5CO-room addition Is being built to the 16- g " Brown Marx building on the corner ol First avenue and Twentieth street. making total of 800 rooms for that build ing. and on the corner of Third avenue ard Twentieth street the Farley building.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
cHILDs CONGRESS.
Welfare of Mothers Is Discussed Prs
 and Con.

From Life.
 Atlantic City, December 15, 1s14.-At the childs conference held here today, there was a good attendance, delegates coming from all over the country.
 The present deplorable condition of our mothers was the subject of general dis cussion.
 Willie Waffles read a paper, giving his experience at home He said that he had been going to public schools for some years, hadn't learned anything, and his mother didn't even know what text books he was studying. She was, by the way, president of the local woman's club. Recently she fad taken up picture puzzles. During the last three months they had had F different cooks. all of whom had left after a brief individual stay. In 10 of these cases he sympathized with the cook. His remarks were greeted with great applause.
 Mable Muffles spoke at some length was only ', she had really suffered enough for child of 12 It was her opinion that more attention should be paid to mothers, to their home needs, and that their physi- cal wants should be looked after. What they needed was a sympathetic insight into their deplorable condition. At pres ent they were overworked by playing bridge, shopping and trying to make them selves hipless. Was this in line of real progress? She thought not The psy- chology of the mother was yet in it's infancy. It needed looking into. Her remarks were greeted with much ap| plause
 Clarence Calumet of Chicago held the audience fro nearly an hour in his paper entitled, Mothers I Have Lived With," which evoked much interest. He believed thoroughly in divorce, provided 1t could be accomplished rapidly enough to avoid much unpleasant friction. Mothers as a rulo required to be amused as well as other people. Why should they not change husbands?
 The question of legislation came up, and was discussed at length It was agreed that no amount of legislation could ultimately lift the mother up to a higher plane. What was needed most was the power of home influence Every child present was urged to influence her in this direction. By suggesting her use of simple things, by controlling her ex- penditure, and by frequent visits among mothers, it was hoped that generally they might feel the benefit of such wise action. Adjourned.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
Special Interests In the Saddle

No doubt the President-elect desires a real revision of the tariff No doubt the majority members of the Ways and Means committee have assured him there will be a real revision ol all duties bearing heavily against con sumers. But the manner of making tariff bill does not afford much prom ise of . satisfactory bill, especially when all the machinery is In the hands of standpatters.
 Through these standpatters the infiu. ential special interests will get hear ings and probably desired rates. Thess special interests will then proceed uo stand together while the bill is sent to the House. There debate will be limited and a vote will soon be or dered. The opportunity for amend ments will be small indeed, for the measure will become party measure and all the party machinery will be applied to secure its passage as 1t has been reported.
 In the Senate there will be plenty of debate. The Senate, however, Is nearly two-thirds republican, and ,1 that two-thirds the special interests have strong friends. There will be amendments in the Senate and some compromises, but in tne outcome it
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
TWO SIDES OF MORGAN.

From the New York Telegram
 "The dramatst and the romancer." re marked MT. Y. L. Pitt of Boston, Mass, at the Hotel Belmont. "have given us many pictures of two-faced men. The one face is always good and the other re- pulsive.
 "The other day when l read the stories from London describing Mir J. Plerpont Morgan's library, followed by the assers ton that he is probably the greatest col leetor of things, splendid. beautiful and rare, that ever lived I thought of what a unique character the great finaneier is. not only in the history of our time, but in the history of the world.
 "The average American knows Mir Nor gan best as the ideal business man. the money maker and the director of big bus mess schemes. Why Is 1t that we have never taken more notice of his worth as a great collector of the most beautiful things in the world? It is a rather sharp rebuke for the critics and the writers in America, I think, for some clever Eng lishman to discover more wonderful side to MT. Morgan than mere money.
 'We have known in a general way, of course, that he was a great collector of rare works of art, but never before have we been made to realize so strongly how big the man is from two different points of view. The artist looks up to what he has done. The business man, the other extreme, also marves at his ability as an organizer and manipulator. His life puts down, indeed, the rot about the sordid influence of wealth He is two faced man, but both Of them are strong and must leave their good example to future generations"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

From the Denver News.
 The children of Charles E. Perkins have
 obeyed their fathers wish and presented the Garden of the Gods to the city of
 Colorado Springs. It is a fitting honor paid to a noble life. Charles F. Perkins
 was one of the quiet philanthropists who have enriched the life of America even more than machine made benevolence could improverish it. He was a practical man. an imaginative man. quiet, kindly man. He began his railroad life as telegraph operator. He finished it as pres ident of the Burlington, one of the most perfect roads on the continent His rise
 was due to sober energy, capacity for work, far-seeing imagination and utter , honesty. He was one of his countrys assets while he lived, and in his death he provided that the park he had so long maintained should be kept open to the world.
 We wonder how many of the hundreds of thousands who have gazed on the an- ture sculpture in the Garden of the Gods
 knew that they were partaking of the hospitality of kindly railroad president,
 hundreds of miles away. Not many. we fear. But all should know it now. MT.
 Perkins bought the property in 1879 on the advice of that splendid Coloradan. General Palmer. When the state and
 the nearby city grew in fame as a sum- mer restort, the money value of the Garden of the Gods began to mount sky
 ward. Persons anxious to make the famous park money making concern looked up it's owner and tried to buy
 but without success. MT. Perkins did not care to sell. He paid the taxes on his property, kept it in order and kept 1t open to the public without asking or receiving a dollar of revenue from it. And now his heirs have compiled with his wish and handed 1t over to trustees who will make it the property of Colo rado Springs soon as the legal formal
 tiles can be accomplished.
 | Somehow we are glad that MT. Perkins , left the matter to his children instead of 1 settling it arbitrarily by will. It seems to increase the value of the gift.
 l We hope the city of Colorado Springs
 will find some way to mark its apprecia-
 tion of this splendid gift. The Garden of the Gods is MT. Perkins monument and
 very surely he needs no other. But that monument should in some wise be l inscribed with the name of the man who gave 1t to the public. Just how this is
 to be done Is not an easy question to an- , swer, but we do not doubt that an an- 1 swer can be found. And for the honor of the state and the city 1t should bs l found.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
Ontimistic Eorecast.

Business conditions have been improv- ing slowly but surely since last summer, and a very marked improvement has been in evidence since the election" said A. N. Bateman of St. Louis, but the most encouraging feature of the situation is not so much the actual revival of indus trial life and mercantile trade as the wide spread feeling that we will start into the new year with large development projects in every part of the country, and a gen cral letting loose of capital for railroad expansion and other legitimate enterprise.
 Confidence has been restored and the principal railroad companies will be able 10 borrow all the money they need for betterments and extensions. The rail- 1oads will do an enormous amount of work and this activity in the rail road world will have direct and stim- ulating effect on every branch of busi ness. It is almost certainty that next spring will bring genuine prosperity. and if 1909 happens to be another big crop year it will be safe to forecast new high records in all industrial centers. But within three months from now there will be such pressing demand for labor that there will be danger of a labor famine even before the new era of prosperity is very far along.'
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
POnnIar Vote In Twelve States

The full official figures of the votes cast in Rhode Island, North Carolina, North Dakota, Utah, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Georgia, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin and Texas show that Taft received 1924. 653 votes, as against 1,762,649 cast for Roosevelt four years ago. Bryan re- ceived 1,72O,799 as against 1,4SO, ,1S3 for Parker in 1904.
 These figures show that Taft out ran Roosevelt, while Bryan outstrip- ped Parker. The total vote for Taft and Bryan was 3,545, ,452 as against 3,242,S26 cast in the RooseveltParker campaign.
 The figures for the minor candidates are not yet at hand, but all the reports received indicate that more people went to the polls last month than ever before in the history of the country. The total popular vote in 1904 was 13,520,521; in 1900, it was 13,961 ,566; in 1896, it was 13,983, ,1O2 The vote i'll November last was at least 14,500000, and it may go close to 15,OO0 900, which would be a new record, one that will not soon be surpassed. If the votes for the minor parties had not been disappointing the vote would have been a record that might have stood at least eight years.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
DICKENS GREATEST EDITOR.

Lord Northcliffe, in New York Herald.
 Charles Dickens Household Words was the ideal magazine. Dickens was, par excellence, the best magazine editor of his or any time. You may get some Idea of the labor he took by reading Posters life, of which, by the way, MT. J. Pierpont Morgan has so superb copy in his collection. Examine page of manuscript edited by Dickens or talk of the matter with any of his con tributors, as I have done with MT. Parkinson, one of the last of them, who died but a few weeks ago-since I left England.
 Dickens had initiation in looking ahead and ordering the suitable con tribution. He knew exactly what man to commission, and think of the bril- liant men he produced! George Au- gustus Sala, for instance. Was there ever a better general and descriptive writer? I consider Sala's Journey Due North' which appeared in Dickens Household Words or in his other mag azine. All the Year Round-I forget which for the moment-the very pest piece of travel writing l know.
 "I believe Dickens discovered Wilkie Collins. the best of magazine serlal writers. I have been told of the cro"os that waited outside the publishing or flee in Wellington street, London, TOT each successive installment of the Wom- an in White Would they do so now you ask? Of course they would 1T you could produce Woman in White, put you cannot. . u
 "You must remember, too, that all tbis time the magazine was existing in another form. Thackeray, Dickens and Harrison Ainsworth's works were heing issued in monthly parts at 70 cents each--a scheme of publishing that I am convinced would be qulte successful at the present time IT you could find a writer of that caliber.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
DEMOCRACY'S ES. From Leslies Weekly.

Democracy has some inconveniences It compels people to do their own thinking. whether they want to do 1t or not. It is often slow and costly because the people frequently make mistakes If we could be sure of getting good despots all the time. despotism would be cheaper than democracy as well as quicker By a stroke of the pen Russias Alexander II freed 24,ooo,000 serfs, while 1t took four years of war, the expenditure of 6oo,OOo lives and the outlay of many billions or dollars for the United States to emanci- pate 100000 slaves. But. of course, the freeing of the slaves was only an incl dent of the war. The supply of good des- pots, however, is always short. For every one Marcus Aurelius or Alexander III, the sons, respectively of these be- nevolent and intelligent rulers. So 1t would be with the nations in 1908.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
NED BRACE WRITES ABOUT THE ANNUAL
 GRIDIRON DINNER IN WASHINGTON

national committee. who was one of the notable guests.
 "The steam roller was little bronze affair with the name Taft on the ob- verse and the gridiron emblem on the reverse side.
 "The banquet hall at the New Willard, was gorgeously decorated.
 "E. H. Hartman, the distinguished finaneier; Champ Clerk, the new minority leader of the House of Representatives; Gov John Johnson of Minnesota, were among the distinguished speakers of the evening, but rule of the club prevents any report of their remarks.
 
 "one of the most delightful sl5its of the evenings entertainment was fur nished by a roll call of the recent na- tional political battle.
 .-The mournful tap of a drum was ceard in the ante-roopl and there came march, ing in a battered and dilapidated troop. Their uniforms showed they had been on the firing line.
 "PrcCldent Henry announced in solemn members of the troop answered to the voice that the battle was over and that the slaughter had been terrific. The roll call. Sergeant Jim Watson reported as killed while riding to tho front on the water wagon.
 "Privste Charlie Landis. fell at Wat sons side
 Private James G. Dawes passed in his checks and Private Frank Lowden was shot in the pocket
 Corporal Norman E. Mack was re- ported as 'burylng the dead.'
 Corporal William J. Bryan was among the missing Corporal Loeb was in the hands of his friends
 Private Taft was reported present, and Color Sergeant Hitchcock was announced
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
Mine Operators Problem.

"One of the troublesome problems in mining Is that concerning water for steam purposes" said J. R. Ryan. vice pres- ident of the Corona Coal and Iron com pany.
 "The water that many of us are forced to use in the boilers at the mines is so hard and destructive in its chemical action on iron that 1t rusts out the best of boilers in a few months. But I met friend in New Orleans recently who gave me simple formula for treating the mine water that I have applied and 1t works like a charm. This chemical recipe is inexpensive and it softens water without any deliterious effect whatever. |"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

xVxr AsHINGToN, December 2.- N Special. )-The first dinner of
 the Gridiron club since the presidential election this evening was unique in It's features. Unfortunately the rules of the club are simple; 'ladies are always present; reporters are never pres ent," for one can only tell that which the club gives out in advance; and that is told in the following story of the Associated Press:
 "The annual fall dinner of the Gridiron club held at the New Willard tonight was made notable by the presence of a distinguished company of guests. An extended programme, devoted entirely to funmaking. made the night one long to be remembered.
 "The company was one that is possible only at the capital of the nation. The President. the vice president, the Pres
 
 ident-eleet and vice president-elect, presi- dental possibilities of the future. sem ators and representatives without num- ber, newspaper men whose names are known far and wide, captains of finance and industry and men of affairs generally were guests of the club and seated about the gridiron-shaped table.
 "Following the national campaign the dinner was especially notable in the ex- ceptonal opportunities offered in supply ing the subjects for the merrymakers. There were many rollcNing, tuneful songs and jests that carried in their words no sting to annoy the distinguished guests to whom they referred.
 "In an unusual degree the souvenir of the dinner. miniature steam roller, was unique. It drew particular attention to Chairman Hitchcock of the republican
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
as here with the eolors.

as here with the eolors
 <
 The guests included President Roose- welt. Vice President Fairbanks, Mir. Taft MT. Sherman. Speaker Cannon, Secretary of the Navy Newberry Postmaster Gen eral Meyer. Secretary of the Interior Gar field, Senators Aldrich, Beveridge. Bourne, Gallnger Guggenheim. Hemen- way, Newlands and Warner; Representa- lives Champ Clark, Hughes, Hull, Hum phrey, Langley, Lloyd, Lowden, McKin- ley Mann, Dalzell, Moore, Nye. Stevens, Tawney, Perkins, Ransdell, Small. Burle- son and sparkman; Governors Magoon of Cuba, Frear of Hawaii and Johnson of Minnesota; Secretary Loeb, Frank H. Hitchcock, Norman H. Mack, Charles H. Boynton, Victor Morawetz, George w. Perkins, D. II. Hartman and William Rockefeller. all of New York; ". H. Crocker. San Francisco; Milton D. Allies, Assistant Secretary of State Adee, Brig. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards, Prof. Willis  T. Moore. chief of the weather bureau; Sydney Dean, Boston Herald James FL verson, Jr.. Philadelphia Enquirer; Condo Hamlin, New York Tribune; W. E. Has kell, Boston Herald: A. F. Holden. Cleve- land Plain Dealer; Lot Lee. Indianapolis News; ". R. Meeklns, Baltimore Ameri- can; George D. Miller Detroit News; W. R. Nelson, Kansas City Star; Victor Rosewater, Omaha Bee; John B. Town send, Philadelphia Press; E. G. Lewis, Lewis Publishing company, St. Louisi William M. Collier, minister to Spain; In- tertior Commerce Commissioner Lane. Wiley department of agriculture"
 
 None enjoyed the wit and humor of the occasion more than Henry L. Badham of Birmingham and
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
IN HOTEL LOBBIES
Rockies. .sneed Maniacs.

'9Fhe arrest and punishment of a few negro boys who are possessed of a speed mania when riding wheels would do much toward protecting the public from serious or fatal accidents" said a citizen.
 q have had several narrow escapes late ly from being knocked down and run over while attempting to cross streets and avenues, and if something is not done to check these offenders perhaps the victims will take the matter in their own hands and make an example of a few of them.
 'The approach of Christmas when there will be greater crowds than usual in the city. makes the suppression of the speed mania a most important matter"
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
NIGHT COM Es.

By Grace Duffield Goodwin. The gloom of night is dense and deep; Rough Is the path as we grope along; Courage, heart as the shadows creep This is the matin song; After the night Is noon;
 After the Journey, rest; The world will wake in gladness soon, And the heart that sings is blest! The glare of the sun is hard and hot; The road Is dusty, the way Is long; Shift your burden and heed 1t not This is the evensong: After the noon 1t night;
 After the Journey, rest; For the world will wake and the starr
 be bright,
 And the heart that sings is blest.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
REFLECTIONS OF A BACHELOR.

From the New York Press
 The way to have woman believe any thing is for 1t to be unbelievable.
 What do unmarried women do for some body to button them up the back?
 There's nothing can make a woman prouder than having a stylish figure eX- cept thinking she has.
 When a man can afford to smoke us many cigars as he does he wouldn't know the truth If he swore to 1t.
 One of the agonies of life is that the Christmas season heaves In sight just when the coal bills begin to get big.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
STATING THE FACTS.
m the Houston Post.

fIOm lne IIouSIOn Post.
 The Youngstown Telegram observes that member of the Posts staff, who was recently wounded by the accidental discharge cf a gun, lis able to sit at his desk again. We do not know that the cetails of 50 painful an occurrence are important to members of the craft so dis tant as the Telegram, but the gentleman was shot in the chest and, We are happy to say, has con pletely recovered
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

The country stands ready to finance the Roosevelt hunt in Africa if it can get any assurance that the lions will scare the Ananias business out of the Roosevelt makeup.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13
zaJGeoze.
CHINAMEN ARE STOICS

somehow being capable of enduring more suffering and bearing disappointment with more fortitude than are those of the sterner and the supposedly stronger sex. I. K. FREEDMAN.
 Canton, China.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

5ox1O0 feet, is being erected. It Is of reinforced concrete and will be six stories high, with provision for three additional stories within the next year or two
 ." It Is notable fact that both these buildings were financed and work com menced on thim during the recent finan- c,al troubles, which speaks well for the confidence of investors in Birmingham real estate ard development "
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

The tackles, Drowned by the suns of the seven seas, will not feel honored by being asked to march in a keen wind and perhaps in slushy snow in the inaugural parade.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

One young lady stayed in the tele- phone booth so long that the druggist closed up and went home, locking her in. This should be a warning to other young ladies.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

The trouble is, some Christmas shop pers do not know what to buy and have not got the money.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

The John w. Gates circus poster promises to be something new and startling It may present him in the act of betting a billion.
The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-13

General Simon is now King of the Philippians in Hayti until revolution separates him from his job.