davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
CHANCE FOR MUCKRAKERs.

No wonder it costs money to run
the government. Leslie's Weekly
tells one reason why If the muck
rakers want something to do, Mr.. e.
H. Hartman, the railroad magnate,
has pointed out burning oport unity
for them. He suggests that our gov
ernments-local, state, and national
more than any thing else, need a
policy of economy and retrenchment.
He is right. If the pruning knife
were properly used by Congress, tar
If revision, so far as its purpose to
provide additional revenue is con.
concerned, would be necessary. We
have at hand a report of the admin
istration of one of the smaller bu-
reaus of the Federal government
that which looks after its printing
business. No one can read this 'e-
port without amazement mixed with
Indignation. The cost Of public
printing and binding has risen from
$500, 900 in 1850 to 100000 in
1890 to $6,OO0,OO0 in 190S-an in
crease of twentyfold, while our pop
ulation has increased only fourfold.
Much of this work has been done in
violation of the law, and SO much
of 1t was unnecessary that two years
ago more than $500 tons were piled
up as worthless. These documents
would have filled three miles of
freight cars. The accumulation OF
needless documents printed in excess
of the demand for them is such that
8, 100000 volumes must be sold to
save storage expenses. The commits
sion discloses that the estimates
made by the department were small,
while the expenditures were always |
large; that official publications were
loaded up with valueless matter, and
that the expenditures Of the public |
printers office have regularly ex-
,eeded the charges made for work
done, as it was left to him to fix
upon the product of the office any
charges which might suit his fancy.
This is the experience of one depart
nent Of the Federal government. In
he State of New York also the pub
ic printing has become an abuse of
Iuch magnitude that 1t deserves an
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
HODGE BROS

This law was adopted at the recent
session of the legislature: That NO
person shall spit, expectorate or de-
post any sputum, saliva, mucus or
any form Of saliva or sputum upon
the floor, stairway or upon any part
of any theatre, public hall, or build
ing, or upon the floor or any part
of any railroad car or street car, or
upon the floor of any part of any car
of interurban or suburban railway,
or Of any other public conveyance in
the state of Kansas, or upon ans side
walk abutting on any public street,
alley or lane Of any town or city in
the state of Kansas; and it hereby
made the duty of the owner or lessee
of every theatre, public hall or build
mig in the state of Kansas to provide
every theatre, public hall or building
with sufficient number of spittoons
or cuspidors.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

advanced still farther than the ont
given at the end of 1908. 1t is suf-
lcient, however, to point out that IN
the short span Of little more than
a decade, farming has come to be
one Of the most profitable of compel
tive industries.
This surplus has made the farmer,
representing six million or more sep
arate estates, SO much source of
demand for manufacturers that but
for him the panic of 1907 might cas-
lily have left the country In as de-
pIorable a condition as 1t was in
1894, rather than in the fairly toler-
able situation which has character
lied business during 1908-1909.
Now that the same farmer is be-
ginning to work on several hundred
million acres of crops for the current
year, the business world cannot help
but feel that the reviving effect OF
so great a commercial influence as is
indicated in the above figures.
Out Of the rejected slogans, Come
In, the waters flne-99.99 pure"
wasn't so bad.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
THE HEN As a TAxPAYER.

The annual value of the poultry
products marketed in Kansas has
more than doubled in the past
eight years. Even a better compre-
hension Of their Importance may be
had from the statement that the In
come from these in 1905 was suffi-
clent to have paid 90 per cent of the
state, county and city taxes for that
year, while a trio Of Kansas coun-
ties sold enough to more than wipe
out the state debt. The income
from the sale of these products in
Kansas in 1907 was, measured by
the appropriations of the Fifty
ninth congress for that purpose, suf-
ficlent to support for the same year
the United States Department Of Ag-
riculture, with its numerous extern
sive bureaus and divisions and their
corps Of high priced experts.
AS indicating the increased and
Increasing Importance Of poultry
growing in Kansas the following Ia
BILE is suggestive. showing the value
Of the poultry and eggs sold in the
state for each Of the five years end
ing with 1908;
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Farmers are to have a big meet
ing at Springfield, NO., to arrange
a plan to hold wheat for higher
prices. The secretary of the Farmers
Union explains the process: In the
south the farmers are better organ
lied than here and they are able ia
get better prices for their cotton.
The organization agrees upon mini
mum price and any farmer or cotton
grower who must market his crop
before the price gets up to the mini
mum for which they will sell is given
the minimum price by the organiza-
ton backed by members who have
money enough to make him the loan.
When the price goes up this member
is given interest on mis- money and
the benefit Of any advanced price
goes to the organization. So far the
price has always gone up so no
money was lost. Il is to work out
this plan or a better one that the
Springfield meeting is called"
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
THREE NEW LAWS.

House bill ia makes 1t unlawful
for an electric lighting or power
company to fasten wires to any tree
in a city or town or to cut down or
trim any shade trees in town with
out the consent Of the owner.
House bill number 124 requires
that every hotel of more than two
stories must be equipped with a hall
on each floor extending from one out
side wall to the other with an am
pie fire escape at each end of the
hall and that at each fire escape a
red light must be kept burning at all
hours of the night. In all hotels
containing SO or more rooms a COM
petent night watch must be employed
whose duty 1t shall be to patrol the
house not less than once every hour.
The fire escapes must be iron stair
ways on the outside Of the building
with a landing at each floor not
less than 6 feet in length and 3 in
width. The stairways must reach
to the first floor above the ground
floor and from there to ground must
be a drop ladder.
House bill number 267 permits
ex-union soldiers, soldiers of the
Spanish-American war and members
of the 18th and 10th Kansas cavalry
to peddIe in the state without pay
ing license fee.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Something in the school laws OF
Kansas is not generally understood:
The law provides that there must
be school building within three
miles of the home of every boy or
girl of school age, in every district,
and If such schools are not provided
the district can be compelled to pay
the expenses of transportation of all
children who have to be taken to
school, \ distance Of over three miles.
No child is expected to walk more
than three miles to school in any
county in Kansas. There are some
parents who have the idea that they
can, under the law, collect from the
county, the expenses of conveying
children to school, so much per mile
for all over three miles. But this is
not true. The county is not in the
least liable for such transportation.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
ATHLETICS ATTRACT MANY.
Over $50 Entries for the High SchOO
Contests at Lawrence.

A number of the Abilene high
school students will go to Lawrence
Friday and Saturday for the state
high school meet. Already 151 en-
tries representing 81 schools are in
and the athletic contests will be
lively.
In class AA schools, representing
the combined teams of the counties
of Wabaunsee and jefferson will be
represented.
In class A, Arkansas City, To-
peka, Hutchinson, Emporia, Wichi-
ia, Lawrence and the Kansas City,
Kan, high schools will be repre-
sented.
In class B, only Leavenworth,
Dickinson county and Atchison will
compete for the honors.
In class G, Wellsville, Greenleaf,
Rosedale, st. Johns, Perry, Lecomp-
ton, Garnett, Humboldt, Eureka aca-
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
OMAR8

Getting down to business. A men,
Der Of the Minnesota legislature, af-
ter having declared that he could
prove by both sacred and profane
history that cows milk was never
intended to be fed to infants, intro
duced a bill which provides that no
marriages shall be solemnized in that
state where the bride cannot estab-
lish that in the event of children
being born, she will be physically
able to raise them on home grown
victuals without any resort to cows
milk. And what do you think Of
Eldorado Republican.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
Bank guaranty can't do much fc

Bank guaranty can't do much for
some men. Here is one: Hans
Shrader, living north of Clifton, sold
his farm in Iowa and received $500
which he drew out of the bank and
took it home and put into his tin
box bank, and, as a result, someone
broke into his house during his abb
sence and carried his tin box bank
and all of the $500 away with him.
He offers a reward of 5000 for the
arrest of the guilty party and 10 per
cent of the money recovered.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
DENY, Overlook and Usage City
will be represented.

DENY, Overlook and Usage City
will be represented.
The high school in each division
getting the most points will get a
silver loving cup. The winner of the
relay in each division is to get trO-
ply as we'll as the individual athlete
making the most points.
The winners Of the first, second
and third places will receive gold,
silver and bronze medals. In the
quarter mile there will be race for
the entries from each division with
medals for each race, There will
also be two half mile races and two
mile races ON account Of the large
number Of competitors.
Abilene has no track team but the
ball team will play the Freshman
team of the university.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
THURSDAY, APRIL 20. 1909.
POWER OF FARM PRICES.

In the annual report Of the Sec
rotary of Agriculture, OCCASION Is TAX
en- to point out the extent to which
improved financial conditions, have,
within the past decade or more, be-
come feature of American farming.
Speaking generally Of these changes,
he says:
"Momentus changes have oc-
Cured to agriculture in this coun-
try, during the last dozen years. Fea-
lures OF great import have been in
troduced. Forces have become OPP
erative whose results are already
enormous, with the certainty for
the cumulative and accelerated fu-
ture consequences for the nations
good and well-being. The farmers
work and harvest have had the bene-
fit of more varied knowledge and
more effective intelligence. His life
and living have undergone transfer
nations which increasingly make the
farm preferable to the town."
The improvement in financial con-
ditions found its turning point in
prices about the year 1897. Since
that time there has been, with few
exceptions, a steady progress to a
high level, which may or may not by
this time have reached its maximum.
The measure of gain to the producer
of staples is shown by comparing
American farm values, at different
years before or about 1897, with
those of 1908. Among the several
items produced on the farm the fol-
lowing suffice to emphasize the enor-
nous change in the purchasing power
OF the farm, under conditions of de-
parture from low to more profita-
BILE prices:
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29
THE WHEAT MARKET.

Liverpool followed our advance Of
yesterday coming 1 y D higher this
morning. Our markets opened frac-
tionally higher and continued to ad-
vance until near the close, when a
slight set back took place but clos
ing prices are about 1c higher than
last nights close. Chicago May
closed 1922, July $1.Os4s, septem-
Der s1.O2. Kansas City May closed
S1.22A, July $1.O1%, September
96Kc.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

A number Of inspectors from To-
peka are ordering better fire pro-
lection to the hotels of Kansas. See
ing that Topeka burns up few peo-
pie in hotels every month why would
mt it be a good idea to start in
spection at home?
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Frank P. MacLennan paid $4,000
last week for half block of land
adjoining Arthur Capper's new CAP
ital building in Topeka, and it is re-
ported that ne intends to put up a
State Journal building that will make
the new Capital home look like a
bungalow.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Junction City banks have adopted
rule to close at p. m. instead
of 4 p. m. That will will be handler
for the bankers to attend the ball
games.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

A majority of these prices, in
GLIDING the more important commo-
dities marketed from the farm, rose
over a hundred per cent. Such was
the case with corn, oats, potatoes,
horses, mules and sheep. Mean
while, in some of these the price has
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

This device consists of ingenious system of chain links with
link support boards IL inches wide
IL 6 feet long The hook each link formed that
board is bound securely its place All that is required to
with this chains and the necessary
Der Of boards which depend the length of the stack be covered
this method of covering 1t is to draw the tack
but be built 20 rs feet and straight and then
center of the stack be filled form ridge and the
applied important advantage these
will found when the farmer desires to the
era which especially true in harvesting alfalfa
Chains not
old method of topping OUT stack built from the first cutting
temporarily
be easily removed
Write telephone order.
Cheaper and better than
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

A telegram from Los Angeles
tells of the birth of a son to Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Mulks. Mrs. Mulks will
be remembered here as Miss Maude
Estes.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

The automobile club Of Clay Cen
ter has given orders for twenty King
road-drags to be used in improving
the roads Of Clay county.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

1--WE can boost Abilene and we
WILL" makes a slogan that is worth
while. Everybody should live up to
it.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Incomes above $4,000 are to be
taxed but It worry the Kansas edi-
torIal association any.
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

-oOburn's Idyi5 Of KansaA
Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-04-29

Entered a. second class mail matter
at the postoflce at Abilene, Kansas.
The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1909-07-08
Miscellaneous

Ladies rs and IS cent Handkerchiefs at ioc
All hair goods a, jus. One half price.
One lot Boys dress Shirts worth so and 6oc
nov SO cents.
One lot Embroderies worth from to 10 cents
per yard now o5i cents.
One lot Laces worth S to 10 CENTS yard nov
o5i cents yari.
One lot Ladies Wrappers all sizes and colors
worth s1.2s and $50 now 10 cents.
One lot Ladies Belts now io cents.
Hand bags now SO 3 per cent discount.
One small lot Of Globe Thread, nov 10 spool,
for Is cents.
Evening star., 1909-01-24
"BONING"

1UST before examination time college stu
= dents begin to study at top speed. Usually
they call that unwonted occupation cram
ming" grinding" or "boning." The first.
of course, means literally stuffing knowledge
into themselves. The second was suggested
by the phrase about keeping ones nose to the
grindstone: but how about "boning"? 1t
was grateful student who thus dubbed the
process of absorbing information; for he
named it after the "trot" or pony" that he
used.
1t was the famous Bohn library of transla-
tions to which the English student resorted
as an ever ready help in time of trouble. Henry
George Bohn started his library in 1916 and
began what afterward became big business.
For one thing, he began purchasing remain
ders": that is, the old plates of standard
works and trans1ations and printing cheap
editions from them. A New York firm is now
making good living by the same method.
buying the plates of popular novels after their
first vogue has passed and issuing them at less
than half the original publishers price. Bohn
found the publishing of standard foreign works
in English so profitable that he developed the
business; and it used to pay to buy translations
from poor hack A. B.. who were glad enough
to get farthing or two for their knowledge
Finally, practically all the ancient classics
and some modern ones were obtainable in the
Bohn library, and SO popular did they become
among students who feared being plucked that
Bohn's German was turned into English; and
boning" was henceforth recognized as dig
ging into dead writers works by means of the
crafty publishers translations.
Evening star., 1909-01-24
SCIENTIFIC DETECTION OF ERASUREs

THE task of the expert who endeavors to
detect forgeries and fraudulent alterations
of writing is always most difficult. Within late
years it has been simplified by the discoveries
made by the French scientist Bruylant. Some
of these may be briefly summarized as follows:
. When a satin finished paper is partially
moistened, dried, and then exposed to iodine
vapor, the part that was moistened takes
violet tint, and the rest becomes yellow or
brown. If drops of water are allowed to fall
on a smooth finished paper, and to dry, and
then the paper is dipped in water, dried. and
exposed to iodine vapor, the places where the
first drops fell can be distinguished.
If a paper which eraSureS have been made
is exposed to iodine vapor. the roughened
surface takes different tint from that portion
which has not been tampered with.
If the erasure has been lightly made, only
the ink pencil lead being rubbed away, and
the mark left in the fiber of the paper, iodine
vapor the writing to reappear. This is
because wherever the paper has been rough
ened more iodine is absorbed than by smooth
surface This test is effective within three
months after the making of the alteration
The discovery of the action of iodine
partially moistened paper led to Bruylant's
discovery of its action on partially rough
ened surface. and to his invention of system
of invisible writing by using a glass point
dipped in water, this tracery becoming visible
when exposed to iodine vapor.
Evening star., 1909-01-24
NAMES OF NEW INVENTIONS

EVERY new invention excites the word
makers. A few years ago the adoption of
the electric chair in place of the gallows for
formed and eo 1ie II
After Rontgen made his discovery, dozens of
attempts were made to construct word from
Greek roots to express the process and the re-
suit; but popular commonsense discarded
them all. and Rontgen's own tentative :" \
ray" is all that has vigorous survival.
And now Marconis device for telegraphing
without wires is greatly exercising those who
would add to an already overloaded vocabu-
larry. Typography" "undigraphy." "tele-
photography" and other still worse compounds
are suggested. The fact is overlooked that
"telegraphy" does not signify the use of
wires, and is therefore applicable to the wire
less system; so that the simple wireless
telegraphy' is exactly accurate.
Evening star., 1909-01-24
$sss $st:':H: : Week :s:ts: !s!i:; SSZ; @
1O-Acre Irrigated Farm
But First I Must Absolute%
Proue to You that It Gan Be Made to
Net You Over $lO0. % % a Month!

monthly payments You and live It, and by the
application Of industry and
good living aos yo1rsen and f1mily; You won's have
your family supplied with the necessities Of fe
deprive of living for that you win in
your own little highly productive farm.
II think you have to know lot about farming
cannot bring yourself to make great change all
once Of these farms fall back things should
for rest and recreaton and meantime
be made its cultivation under
ence for reasonable share Of the proceeds
The Valley Lands within
stowns only ~ miles land lies between the
Pacific Railway and the Pecos Valley Line Of the Santa
Fe System.
Evening star., 1909-01-24
AN ALMOST INDESTRUCTIBLE PLANT

A CREEPING moss is found in jamaica in
= the Barbados, and in other islands of the
West Indies, which is called the life tree
or more properly the life plant.
The powers of vitality of this strange freak
of nature are said to be beyond those of any
other known plant. 1t is absolutely indestruc-
tible by any means except immersion in boiling
may be cut m and divided in any T manner, % and
the smallest shreds remaining will throw out
roots, grow. and form buds. The leaves of
this extraordinary plant have been placed in
a closed, air tight, dark box, without moisture,
variably va without effect on the plant duration
of life
Evening star., 1909-01-24

dollars for the old iron body of penny In the
slot machine, under the impression that he
was getting rare piece of old Byzantine art.
This transaction is particularly amusing; but
perhaps no more absurd than the folly of the
man who buys a spurious medieval book or a
forged manuscript at price that would have
rescued Chatterton from suicide, or saved
Johnson from long years of grinding poverty.
as it furnishes rascals there is little doubt that
literary impostures will continue to flourish.