davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
The Comet of 1859.

Editor National Tribune: Please give
a brief history of the comet that ap-
peared in 1859, just before the civil
war. and was there anything in the ap-
pearance of the comet that people
should think it was token of the war Z
N. o. Williamson, Darby, Mont.
The comet of which our correspond
ent asks is known to astronomers as
Donatrs comet, having been discovered
by that Italian astronomer at Florence,
June 2, 1853. When nearest the earth
it had an apparent length of so degrees,
to the enormous length
of 5000, 900 miles. The tail was near
" 100000 miles wide. The comet
remained. visible until March, 1859.
Comets have from the very first been
regarded by the ignorant and supersti-
tious as prophecies of wars, the death
of Kings. etc You will find in Ham
let" Horatio's speech, which tells how
the comet foreshadowed the death Of
julius Cesar Halley's comet, which is
due to appear next year, has always
been held to be the forerunner of terri
BILE disasters, and it was first noticed in
1856, just before the Turks took Con-
stantinople and threatened the over
throw of Christendom. The old Ava
Maria had clause, Lord. save us
from the devil, the Turk and the COM
et."-Editor National Tribune.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

to clear the mine of smoke and gas,
and the inevitable result followed OF
reviving the flames. The mine re-
mained practically sealed until Friday.
when the first bodies were taken out,
and on Saturday, one week after the
disaster, the miners who had walled
themselves up in some of the galleries
of the second vein, were taken out In
a condition lowering between life and
death.
The accident is a strong Indictment
of the mining experts, who should nave
learned from the terrible experiences OF
the past to prevent the deep workings
from being a death trap tor the men
engaged 1t seems incredible in the
present state of science that such awful
catastrophes as this should be permit
ted. The matter is now being discussed
with such intense public feeling that
we can hope for such a system of mine
regulations as will prevent the repeti-
ton of such a calamity. There should
be somebody sent to the penitentiary
for criminal negligence.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
THE ENGLISH CRISIS.

To understand fully the Parliament
tary crisis in England it is necessary to
go little into, the history of popular
government. The House of Peers was
at one time rail- the Parliament that
England had Then the common peo-
pie. by persistent agitation, secured the
right to he heard and have their voices
regarded. They first gained the right
to say plow taxation should be imposed
and toD originate all revenue bills as
our House of, Representatives does.
Then, during the great civil war, when
Oliver Cromwell became Lord Protec-
tor, the Commons gained the right to
make appropriations That is, they
would not only have the whole matter
OF imposition of taxation in their
hands, but they would also have the abb
solute right to say how the money
should be expended. This gave the
House of Commons enormous power,
and it was only held in check by the
House of Lords concurring or refus-
| ing to concur in such legislation as the
House OF Commons enacted. That is,
before any bill could become a law it
had to be passed by the Commons and
accepted by the House of Lords. Into
| these questions comes the academic one
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
THE NICARAGUA MATTER.

Secretary Knox is keeping his plans
pretty well to himself, but the way he
is acting leads to the belief that he pro-
plain ordinary murderer, and if pos
sible deal out to him the justice that
such a criminal deserves. No glamor
of politics or civil war can disguise
Zelaya's crime. Messrs. Groce and Cam
non were Americans who had incurred
Zelaya's enmity because of their op-
position to his high-handed robbery
and he used treachery to get them into
his power and shoot them.
In his message the President lays
most stress upon the disturbed condi-
tions in Nicaragua, which might inter-
fere with our occupation of the Canal
Zone. The matter goes deeper than
this and Secretary Knox seems to con-
slider it so. We cannot tolerate for an
instant that American citizens in any
foreign country, and especially in these
little make-believe republics, shall be
porary despot who happens to have
the reins of power. The persons of
American citizens doing business or
travelling in foreign countries must be
under the protection of the American
Flag. and any violence to them be a
matter of Government inquiry. This is
a duty of the Government which can
not be neglected or done haltingly,
and it is a particularly imperative duty
in the countries south of us into which
Americans are going In great numbers
upon legitimate business of develop
ing the rich resources of the countries.
Owing to the wretched political con-
ditions in these countries we must deal
with them in different manner from
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
The 9th Ind

Editor National Tribune: Please give
a short sketch of the 9th Ind, and
would like to have the comrades of Co.
C write to me.-Henry ]. Olmstead,
Bertrand, Neb.
The 9th Ind, one of the fighting regi-
ments, was organized at Laporte Sept.
5, 1861, and after serving out two en-
listments finally mustered out Sept %.
1865. 1t was commanded by Coils. Rob-
ert H. Milroy. Gideon c. Moody, of the
Regular Army, William H. Blake and
Isaac c. Suman in succession. In Feb
ruary. 1862, it Joined Buelrs army, and
at Shiloh lost II killed and 153 wound
ed. The year was hard one, ending
with Stone River. where it lost IL killed,
81 wounded and II missing. AT Chick
amauga, Is killed, 81 wounded and %
missing. After the victory at Nashville
the 9th went into East Tennessee, then
to Texas, where it remained with the
army of occupation till mustered out.
1t belonged to Palmer's Division, Fourth
Corps, and lost 131 killed and 222 from
disease, etc. Its total of killed and
wounded was 467. and IA of its uem-
bers died in Confederate prisons.-Ed-
itor National Tribune.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
COMPLIMENTS FOR COL. GLEN.

At the great function of the meeting
pf the Presidents of the United States
and Mexico, where large number of
troops were massed, these were mobil-
fzed under the direction of Col John
L. Glenn, Chief Quartermaster of the
Department of Texas. and he is receiv-
ing much private and official praise for
the SUCCESS with which the troops were
handled. He had the active assistance
OF the railway managers, and the trains
were run 10 minutes apart and on
record-breaking time, without an acci-
dent or a flaw in the schedule. The
trains were made up of tourist cars
accompanied by kitchen cars, and the
troops ate and slept aboard them
There has never been a movement of
large bodies of troops in the history
Of the army to equal this concentration.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
THE SHORT TERM MEN.

We want to say In answer to the
asking us 10 reduce the period of SER
vice in The National Tribune Pension
Bill to so days. the same as the Mexi-
can War, that the bin was framed upon
the lines of least resistance, so as to
give greater hopes of its passage In
framing pension bills the questions of
acceptability to Congress and the prob
ability of passage are of paramount
importance. The Act of June 27, 1890,
made the minimum service 80 days.
This was done after 10 years Of earnest
discussion of the bill, and the limita-
ton so fixed has been followed in all
subsequent legislation. An attempt to
reduce this limitation TO so days would
raise a lot of questions and complica-
tions and bring about an opposition that
We do not want to encounter.
The proper way is for the advocates
OF such a reduction to organize and
impress their views upon the G. a. r
National Committee on Pensions, so as
to induce it to recommend such a re-
duction. We are not unmindful OF
many injustices that the present mini.
mum of so days causes. We should bC
glad to help remedy these objections
butrjust now it is question of policy
and we think a policy affecting the
benefits of much greater number OF
veterans than would be benefited by
the reduction Of the minimum to GO
days.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

our eHH,sse Adwara more civilized and
better ordered states. 1t will not do
to let criminals of this kind off with
an apsIogy qand an indemnity. because
these will hot reach the real perpe-
traitors. The temporary tyrants who
commit these crimes must be held to
a personal account, and this is evil
dently Secretary Knox's intention.
We Itrust, that the abundant force
which, is being dispatched to Nicara-
qua viii hunt Zelaya to his hole. cap
ture him personally and bring him be-
fore a military commission for a trial.
An example of this kind would be of the
highest value in securing protection to
Americans in the riotous countries to
the southwark
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

and the Department of Justice are ex-
erting every effort to discover all the
wrongdoers, including the officers and
employees of the companies who may
have been privy to the fraud"
Considerable space is used in the
message treating of expenditures and re-
eeipts. The President believes that the
Treasury deficit for the current fiscal
year will be S7S,o75,620, but he ap-
proves of Secretary MacVeagh's recon-
mendations to meet this deficit by SELL
ing bonds to pay the cost of the con-
struction of the Panama Canal. He
reviews the efforts in Congress and in
his Cabinet to bring about greater
Economics in running the Government.
Another financial matter Of note in
the message is the Presidents refer
ence to American investments in for
eign countries This Administra tion,"
he says, thru the Department of
State and the foreign service. is lending
all proper support to legitimate and
beneficial American enterprises in for
eign countries. the degree of support
being measured by the national ad-
Vantages to be expected" He refers to
the efforts of bankers to obtain a por-
ton of the recent Chinese railroad loan,
and says that the Chinese-Japanese
treaty of Sept. last which brought
about wide discussion has been proven
to contain nothing prejudicial to 'the
policy of equality of opportunity to
the various Nations interested in the
open Oriental door.
The first half of the message dealing
with international questions in confined
chiefly to a review of what has been
done, such as the reference of North
Atlantic fisheries disputes to the Hague
tribunal. and the completion of briefs
on the International boundary dispute
in Passamaquoddy Bay, the invitation
of Belgium for the United States TO
participate in a Worlds Fair next year
at Brussels, the sending of a mission
to Liberia, and the Congo atrocities.
The President says thai the troubles in
the Congo have not been settled, hut
that the matter is in "a more hopeful
stage"
There is considerable about the Army
and the Navy. The President believes
there should be a personnel law for
the Army. such as the Navy has, and
that officers should be promoted for fit
ness. He approves of Secretary Meyers
reorganization plan and promises soon
a comprehensive plan for the reorgan
fzation of the officers of all the corps
of the Navy" which he hopes will
meet with action suited to it's urgency"
He dwells upon the great expense of
carrying second-class mail and favors
increasing the rates of postage upon
and periodicals.
His concluding paragraphs deal with
the high prices of living, which, he
points out, prevail in other countries
as well as in our own. He explains
this condition as due "at least in part"
to the proportionate increase in the
output of gold.''
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
The 33d Ill,

Editor National Tribune: Please giyo
short sketch of the 3Sd Ill.-J. e.
Spencer, Beemer, Neb.
The SD Ill. was organized at SPRING
field from Aug. Is to Sept. 20, 1861.
and after serving out two enliStmentS
finally mustered out Nov "a, 1863 It
was commanded by Col. Chas. E. Hovey,
promoted to Brigadier-General Sept. 5,
1862, succeeded by Col Chas. E. Lip
pincott. mustered out upon expiration
of term of service Sept. 10. 1865, sue
ceeded by Col. Isaac H. Elliott, in COM
mand at the time of final muster-out.
1T belonged to E. A Carr's Division.
Thirteenth Corps, and lost So killed and
PSI from disease, etc.-Editor National
Tribune
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
THE CoMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

Commander-in-Chief Van SAINT left
Minneapolis, Nov. so, to meet the fol-
lowing engagements:
Dec. 2, Newark, \. J.; Dec. 3, Jersey
City, n. j.; Dec. 4, Brooklyn, n. Y;
Dec. and 6, Red Bank, n. J.; Dec. s,
and 10. Atlantic City, N. ]. (meeting
of Executive Committee, National Coun-
Gil of ADMINISTRATOR; Dec. IL, Phila-
delphia, Pa; Dec. 16 and IT, Battle
Creek, Mich, and adjoining points; Dec.
,19, Chicago; Dec. 20. Chicago.
There will be campfires at all these.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
The 1St Nv. Cay.

Editor National Tribune: Please give
a description of the 1st KY. Cave. A.
Cummings, 212 Garland avenue, Kansas
City, Mo.
The 1st KY. Cav. was organized at
Burkesville and Monticello in October,
1861, and after serving out two enlist
ments the organization, as battalion
of three companies, was finally mus
tered out Sept. 20, 1855. 1t was COM
manded by Col Silas G.. Adams and
Col Frank Wolford, the latter of whom
was dismissed in 1854. The regiment
belonged to Stoneman's Division, Cav
airy Corps, and lost 81 killed and 2S2
from disease, etc.-Editor National
Tribune
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

Very properly the United States is
giving its young engineer officers prac-
tical education in addition to that in
theory. Those who graduated in the
Engineer Corps this year will be as
signed to the Corps of Engineers at
Panama and make a tour OF five
months of observation and instruction.
along the line and required to make
They will be assigned to positions
reports of all that is being done
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

Amend of 81 the of April 49, 1905
Other Acts
BE the and House Representatives
United States of America in Congress assembled:
That who served 80 days the mil
ay naval service Of the United States during the late civil
with Mexico who has honoraby
herefrom who reached
SHALL upon making proof of such facts according and
regulations Secretary of the provide
upon pension roll and be entitled pension follows
such has reached the of 81 years. $5 per month";
$50 month"; 70 $50 month IS $40
month"; and such pension shall from the of
filing of the application the Bureau of Pensions after the passage
approval of this Act Pogded that pensioners
and who receiving under
laws claims pending the of Pensions may
application the of Pensions such
prescribe benefits of this Act and nothing
from prosecuting his claim and receiving pension under other
special act: Procdd that shall
sion under other law at the same time for the period that
receiving pension under the of this Act Psocided
further that who shall hereafter
greater under other general special
would be entitled to receive under the herein shall
sionable under this Act.
That rank the shall be considered appca
tions filed hereunder.
That the clauses in the Acts of June $780, May
and April 49, 1905 denying pensions widows of soldiers sailors
and who married their husbands subsequent June 81 $780,
are hereby repealed.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
PROVERBS.

Give instruction to a wise man, and
he will be yet wiser: teach just man,
and he will increase in learning.
The fear of the Lord is the begin
ming of wisdom: and the knowledge OF
the Holy is understanding.
For by me thy days shall be multi
piled, and the years of thy life shall be
increased.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

The Zone police have adopted
healthy policy of tolerating no loafers
on the Isthmus. They arrested and
deported during October, 81 yagrants.
This dim'nishes the number of crimes
from which the people suffer, and the
work which the police will have to do.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

Inasmuch as Senator Aldr'ch has dis
tinctly said that he has no definite plan
fer a great central bank or for the
reform of our currency, but rs securing
light from all sources. why this abuse
of him for attempting to fasten the
yoke of financial subjugation upon the
,aunfrv0
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
WASHINGTON, D. C., DEC. 9, 1903.
NOTICE.

When you send in your subscription
always state whether renewal or new
subscriber.
When YOU renew from another post
Office give former address as well.
When change Of address is desired be
sure to give former address.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

Here is chance for the poets
Missouri wants a State song and has
not yet been able TO get it. We sug-
gest to the several thousand people who.
during the year, send poems to The
National Tribune, that they tackle the
Secretary Of State of Missouri. There
is any quantity of things in the history
of that great State which will make fine
subjects for poems.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
THE CHERRY NINE DISASTER.

The facts in relation to the Cherry
mine disaster are beginning to appear
thru the lurid haze which wild jour-
nalism has spread over that horrible ca
tastrophe. The Cherry mine has two
large veins, one at 800 feet and another
at 500 feet, known as the second
and third workings" These are rich
veins and fine producers. When the
fire was discovered about three p. m.
Saturday, Nov 13, there were upward
of $50 men in the mine, about equally
divided between the second and third
workings. The coal was hoisted from
the third to the second level by a cage
in the ventilating shaft, which is about
300 feet from the main shaft. At the
to the main shaft and there hoisted to
the surface of the ground. The cage
is hoisted by an engine near the mouth
at the surface. The signal system at
the main shaft is responsible for the
loss of nearly all the lives. From the
engine room tube runs to the mine
with branches to each of the galleries
and the signals are communicated by
a stroke of the piston in the pump
compressing the air and ringing a bell
in the engine room. The man in the
cage cannot. therefore, signal the en-
gineer who is running the hoist. When
the signal has been given for the en-
At the ventilating shaft there is a
large fan which sends the air down in
strong breeze and forces up the foul
air and gasses. In case of fire 1t is Gus
tomary to reverse this fan so that the
fire may not be forced out into the
main shaft, by which the men make
their escape. The fire was discovered
in the mule barn on the second level
between the two shafts, and the men
had begun to come up from the third
level to the second to make their way
over to the main shaft to join those
from the second level to be raised to
the surface. Thru some terrible blum
der the order was given to reverse the
fan, which blew the fire toward the
main shaft. The flames reached the
dust-covered pine timbers when the fan
was reversed again, which drew the
fire into the air shaft and inflamed the
timbers there. Then came other con-
fusing signals, and after three or four
trips down with the rescuers' cage the
engineer started the cage upward. when
he received signal to stop and then to
lower. The engineer waited in vain for
another bell, and after about 10 min
utes he was forced by threats to raise
the cage. When he reached the sur
face it was red hot and the men in it
all dead. Had the cage been kept mov-
ing, according to the fixexd rules gov
erning the engineer, a great many more
lives would have been saved. The only
course left was to seal the shaft and
smother the flames, which was done
On Sunday morning the seal was
broken and the fire found to be only
smoldering. At that time It would
have been feasible to enter the mine
full of smoke as it was, with the as
sistance of oxygen helmets, and once
down, the fire could have been easily
put out with a good stream of water
Instead, the fan was foolishly started
The National tribune., 1909-12-09
GOOD LIVING COOK BOOK

only the and best work culinary and kindred
offered premium but that for the than other
More than that harmony with the trend of the times
the best class of American 1t in the Cookng
Schools today the fashion cities and towns the
fact that Domestic Science being and generally taught
the Public Schools the silent strong protest of good wives and
mothers and of the girls who become gracious heads households
against The protest finds expression in the determination
make homes homeike the folks comfortable
Another thing. good cook book of universal interest. 1t has
do with the comfort and webg of member of the household
where husbands and brothers and beaux will think
the the world 1t make young
lady, the most popular girl in your neghborhood
In this the special merits OF the ooD LIVING Cook
Book only be briefly mentioned.
To begin WITH is strictly uptoae The present edition
absolutely material 1t complete
understand economical The regular S5O per and
bought book department store from mail order
houses at a less price
Living large handsome volume of pages printed
and aactvy bound grade
washable oil CLOTH 1t word happy combination OF and
ornament.
offers its subscribers the COOP LIVING
Cook that unprecedented in the whole history of
premium giving. :
postpaid four yearly subscribers THE NATIONAL
TRIBUNE Address THE NATIONAL TRIBUNE, WASHINGTON d. C.
The National tribune., 1909-12-09

OF whether It Is desirable to have
"uni-camerar' legislature or q obi
That is, whether there
bers in the National legislature. In this
country We have followed the bi-cam-
eral plan. not only, in our National leg
islature, but in our State and municipal
legislatures. 1t is a question for dis
cussion whether two bodies are better
icameraI legislature point out that
where a single chamber is clothed with
entire responsibility it acts with due
regard to that responsibility. This
question Is now uppermost in the Eng
lish agitation. If there is going to be
a bi-cameral legislature the two houses
should be constituted of different ma
terial. In this country We secure this
by having the Senators represent the
States, while the House represents the
people. In England they have heredi-
tary members of the House OF Lords.
ment, but has so far worked well.
Canada tried the experiment of having
life Senators. but seems to be dissat-
isfied with it. The same is true Of
France and other Latin countries. The
radicals in England are for either
ing it in some way an elective body like
the United States Senate. 1t is hardly
likely, however, that this will-be done.
There may be some notifications of
the present constitution of the House
of Lords, but English history teaches
that it will be nothing so radical as
now proposed.
The next and probably the most mo-
mentous of all the questions is what
portion of the general taxation shall be
put upon the land. Like the Agra
rians in Germany, the House of Lords
represents the land holding interest.
The English nobility had their revenues
fearfully reduced when the protection
was taken off grain and other food
stuffs, and the farming interests were
exposed to the competition of the cheap
breadstuffs and meats from America,
Canada and the rest of the world. The
English landholders lost billions of dol
lars in the value of their estates, and
this is the cause of so many of the
English nobility seeking to recoup
themselves by marrying American heir
esses, selling their pictures, etc. The
budget which the Lords have rejected
saddled a still greater burden upon the
land holders, and this drove the House
strong their opposition was is shown
by there being but IS votes in favor of
the Commons bill against some 450 in
opposition.
Under the English system the Minis
try when defeated in such an important
measure, has one OF two courses to fol-
low. 1t can either resign and hand the
Government over to the opposition or
else it can dissolve Parliament and ap-
peal to the country. This the Ministry
has decided to do. 1t is a very serious
matter to dissolve Parliament, because
the expenses of a candidacy are enor-
nous, amounting frequently to $780,
900, and as the members receive no
salary, this money is spent absolutely
for glory. The crisis has been so grave,
however, that the Ministry has not hesi-
tated to dissolve Parliament and order
another election. What the outcome
will be cannot be predicted at this time.