davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The PLIGHT OF SANTA CLAUS.

What's to become Of Santa Claus
Good old Santa, children's friendf ,sr
There's the respect must give us pause. 49,
Where is this arctic thing to endf
All well enough to find the pole
Bully for Cook, and Peary, too
And yet what Is that good old soul.
Jolly st. Nicholas, TO do!
Whence shall those wond' rous toys now comsH~
Fun for kiddies throughout the world
Where shall be made the doll and drum,
Now that the Yankee nags unfurled
Over the spot where the shop
Where all the Christmas presents grewf
Must ST. Nicholas business stop? -
How in the world can he put ii through
Cook. with se1tant, taking the sun
Peary watching the northern star;
Dogs and ESkimOs on the run
Don't you feel that the sight much jar
Dear old Chris, who's been working there
Ever since time began to tickf
Cannot you him rend his hair7
Don't you think 1t must make him sick
To have his cozy. private nook
Where all was peace and naught went wrouG
Invaded by a Doctor Cook
With Peary coming right alonsi
Oh, children. dear. this planet Ger
Where'er you dwell, where'er you roam,
Think on this situation sore
ST. Nicholas has got no home. -es
Can't big subscription funds he found 49,.
Whereby you'll take him, shop and all,
To remote antarctic ground.
Beyond the present human call?
There let him work. in peace serene,
ON Christmas things The whole year through.
Should that pole he discovered, too!
H. T. Craven, in Philadelphia North American.
Evening star., 1909-09-12
A CERTAIN ABSENT ONE.

From the New York World
unfortunately the only person who couId
settle onhand the controversy over the
discovery OF tie north pole is devofine
himself to faunal pursuits.
From the Albany Evening Journal
About all that we can expect In tha
way OF addition to recent startling news
Is that Mr.. Roosevelt has "bagged" a
From the Columbus Ohio State Journal
II Col. Roosevelt Is to attract anv. at-
tention at all to Africa he positively ronst
sandwich in the capture OF q dipdie he.
tween north pole discoveries.
From the Syracuse Herald.
The American people are requested 70
reserve Judgment In this north pole CON.
troversy until Mr.. Roosevelt gets home
and settles It.
From the Atlanta Journal.
Mr.. Roosevelt will probably regret that
his absence In Africa lost him the chance
of finding the north pole.
From the Cleveland Plain Dealer
Too bad Mr.. Roosevelt isn't on the toh
He would settle this Cook-Peary confro-
versy with about two strokes Of the pen.
From the Milwaukee Journal.
two teeth. Why doesn't some enterpris-
ing citizen cable this Information to
Teddy?
From the Providence Journal.
In the news Of the day certain person.
ages at present rank about as follows:
PEARY, COOK Harrimana roosevelt. .,
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The JOYS OF TRAVEL.

Just home from my vacation trip
My mind still staggers In a daze
From watching railroad men equip
Their trains with comforts that amaze
On each winged palace now appear
Maid. valet. barber, all alert,
We had bands. banquets. bridge whist beer
And we had dirt.
We had drawing room. a bar.
dining hail. a tailor fine,
nursery and wofnan's car.
CTrafn babes no more I'm public dine.)
We had q porteress OF skill,
Who with wives weird buttons fused
land doubled up our tipping billD
And We had dust.
We reveled In the changing scene
From observation platforms packed;
We had electric light, and cen
Five feet of books. all paper-backed.
We had the base ball scores, a bath.
photograph and vaudeville crew,
StenOgraphers to catch our wrath,
And cinders, too.
We had folding bedroom suite
Whose Windows keeping out all air.
Let In upon our heads and feet
The garnered Crime Of everywhere.
You may love work OF short cake best
On all things all men can't agree .t
But travel tas they said out wesD =.
Is what scots me. Puck
Evening star., 1909-09-12
VARIOUS VERSES
ON TIMELY TOPICS
A SOCIAL CALL.

When Mrs. Readymoney found a card upon her
polished floor
Which Mrs. Godenhair had pushed that after
noon beneath the door.
She picked IL up and read the name, then on her
face there erept a grin,
And Mrs. Readymoncy said: I'm mighty glad I
wasn't In.
Then Mrs. Readymoney went to call on Mrs.
Goldenhair,
And she. too left calling card because she
she didn't fnd her there
She neither sighed frowned a look
to indicate chagrin.
She merely told her husband this: I'm mighty
glad she wasn't in"
Next time they met. she said: My DEAR" and
funbled with her tortoise comb
Il was 50 sorry to have had you call when I
was not home;
Nor 1 tell you my regret" and here
she sadly dropped her chin.
Upon the afternoon called on you and didn't
find you in"
And then both Mrs Goldennair and Mrs Ready.
money told
Each other Just how sad they were. their grief
was more than they could hold:
Then each one parted. each one smiled. and later
each was heard to say.
Thank goodness that is now, and that's
visit, anyway"
Detroit Free Press.
Evening star., 1909-09-12
Not a "Discovery."

The return Of two arctic explorers
within a week each with a tale of having
reached the north pole has set the world
to talking about the discovery" Of the
northern hub Of the earth. when, as a
matter of fact, the pole has not been
discovered" at all. The north pole has
not even been found The north pole
has, to use exact language, merely been
reached by man. The north pole has not
been discovered for the simple reason
that everybody has known that 1t was
there from the moment the concept Of
the earth as a sphere was accepted. AS
soon as man decided that this planet was
not a great plain. and that 1t revolved
upon an axis. he instinctively understood
1t to possess two polar points correspond
ing with the ends of a pin stuck through
a pea. 1t eventually became his desire
and persistent endeavor to penetrate to
those ends. But he was not seeking to
discover the pole. First. indeed, he
was not even trying to reach the poie.
The early arctic explorers were inspired
by a practical commercial desire to flnd
passage around the northern edge of
this continent whereby the Pacific ocean
might be reached more quickly than by
the long journey around Cape Horn. 1t
was the elusive northwest passage. only
recently found by Amundsen in the Gjoa
that drew the pioneer arctic advanturers
from their more comfortable lines OF
travel. often to their death.
Columbus discovered" America be-
cause he did not know 1t existed. He was
seeking the short cut to India when he
ran into one of the small islands or the
group which, from his quest, became
known as the West Indies. Had Column
bus known Of the presence Of a continent
between him and his Indian goal, had
he heard of the discoveries of the Cabots
and those of the earlier NorSemen. he
would not have "discovered' America In
the true sense Of the werd. De Soto did
discover" the Mississippi river. He was
seeking the great water Of Indian lore,
which he believed to be the ocean which
later Balboa discovered. Had he known
the river to be there, he would merely
have located it or reached 1t.
This Is merely q question Of definition In
one sense, and In another sense 1t has an
important bearing upon the history OF
human research and endeavor. Modern
inventors are constantly discovering new
applications OF old principles and are
occasionally discovering new principles
and elements. But there Is little left for
the real discoverers to find either acct
dentally or as result Of systematic re-
search, geographically speaking. The
world offers few possibilities for the ad-
venturers. 1t may be that there are un-
explored spots where strange peoples are
to be found, or where natural wonders
exist. or where hitherto unclassified crea-
lures remain for the zoologist to study.
Or there may be lands unbound in the
Pacific or In the Arctic or Antarctic seas
But In sense Of real discovery the
world has grown very small indeed, and
the would-be Columbuses are having a
hard time finding things the existence OF
which has hitherto been unknown.
Evening star., 1909-09-12
Politics and the Pole.

VIII the north pole controversy get into
politics? If so, what will the politicians
do when they take up the subject?
Much depends on developments before
Congress meets. If by that time there
has been a Showdown and the scien-
lists have decided between Cook and
Peary, the action by Congress will be sim
pie. The. victor will be recognized by
resolution and probably a medal, and it
would be appropriate TO inyite him to ap-
pear in person before the two houses in
joint session and have him make an ad-
dress.
But if the controversy at that time Is
Still raging: if the two camps are 'red
hot and still a-heatin' if the Pearyites
are denouncing Cook as a faker, and the
Cookites are bestowinG that epithet upon
Peary; If laymen as well as scientists are
divided as between two claimants for the
greatest honor of the era, then what? 1?
Will Congress decide between them
Hardly. Such a decision would have no
value. Will it recognize both? That
would be risky. The likelier course in
such circumstances will be to let the mat
ter stew little longer-to pass 1t up to
the next Congress?
DR.. Cook is democrat, and, it lis said.
an anti-McCarrenite. In Brooklyn poll
tics Long Pat" failed to meet his idea
of what a party leader should be.
Whether he has ever been active as a
reformer does not appear. But that is
neither here nor there. AS an explorer
of the arctic he will probably pay no
penalty for any explorations he may have
made as democrat seeking better poll
tics in Brooklyn Mr.. McCarren will not,
We may all be sure, use his "infiooence''
against DIR. Cook in the latter's contro-
versy with Lieut.. Peary if Congress takes
hand.
If Lieut.. Peary has a preference as be-
tween the two parties it has probably
never been aggressively exhibited. AS a
busy naval officer and one with a hobby
which kept his attention fixed far from
home, he has had no time to concern
himself much with politicians or political
wranglings. He may know personally
many men prominent in political life, and
some in office, but he cannot have much
pull on the political score.
Except for the fact that, with us.
nearly every strongly controverted matter
gets into politics, there would be no point
to the question asked as to this matter.
But II the politicians get busy they should
have care. When the little boy who
had taken the thermometer to pieces
swallowed the mercury and died, an un-
feeling wit'0bserved that 1T was a chilly
day for Willie when the mercury went
down" So may it be said that 1t will be
cold day for the party that takes uu
the north pole as an issue.
Evening star., 1909-09-12
Primary Nominations.

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, a repul-
lican newspaper. in indorsing Gov.
Hughes against the machine politicians.
says:
Enemies OF the direct primary prin-
ciple will not convince the American peo-
pie that 1t destroys party organization.
1t does no such thing 1t destroys cor
rupt party machines, and 1t ought to de-
stroy them"
The direct primary principle has been
both overpraised and overabused 1t has
suffered almost as much at the hands
of It's friends as at the hands of its enc
mics.
At the start its friends claimed that 1t
would both put the machines out of busi-
ness and greatly reduce the amount of
money employed in securing nominations.
In action 1t has SO far accomplished no
such results.
For illustration, take the primary just
held in Virginia. Two democrats con-
tested for the gubernatorial nomination
OF their party. There is a democratic
machine in the state, and the candidate
favored by the machine won It was
charged during the canvass that every
machine influence was being actively ex-
erted in behalf OF the machines man. and
that his success would mean a continual
ton of machine rule. But the machine
leaders were within their rights In work
ing for their favorite. and the voters did
not resent their course.
AS to the question of money. the un-
successful candidate reports an expendi-
ture of about sixteen thousand dollars In
his campaign. a large sum when the
office and it's, salary are considered. Prob
ably the successful candidate spent as
much, and to that must now be added
the expenses of his campaign against his
republican opponent. His full bill may be
In the neighborhood of twenty thousand
dollars.
With the direct primary in use. the
machine candidate successful, and the
|expenses~of both candidates large. what,
Evening star., 1909-09-12
Purse Snatchers.

Reports Of footpad robberies are becom-
ing so numerous Of late that unless the
police are able to check them or the wom-
en- of Washington themselves adopt eff
fective protective methods the capital will
be soon criticised by certain nearby COM
mentators on local affairs as in the grip
Of carnival of crime" 1t is certain
that II two or three more of these high
way thefts occur the District will be de-
nounced as incapable Of preserving the
peace and the local government as totally
inefficient to check the ravages of the
thugs and thieves.
IS a matter of fact Washington Is an
exceptionally peaceful city. It has no
more than Its normal share Of crimes.
major and minor, and human life and
property are as safe here as they are In
any other American community. Indeed.
In many respects Washington is safer
city than some of its close neighbors;
which are always alert to point to the
slightest breach of the peace here as
token Of wild western lawlessness at the
seat of government.
The women of Washington can do q
good work in the protection not only OF
their own property. but Of the good name
Of their fair city, by showing little more
caution in the matter Of their carrying Of
purses and handbags. The present fash
ion in reticules is rather conducive to
crime. The small suit cases that are
being carried just now. in which are borne
the handkerchief. the powder rag. the
latest collection Of samples, the door key
and miscellaneous change and car tickets,
without which few women fare abroad, is
a great temptation to the penniless and
the hungry. 1t suggests possibilities of
wealth which, however unwarranted by
the actual contents, are none the less an
overwhelming temptation to the morally
weak frequenter Of dark places.
If the women could find way to carry
their necessaries Of city travel less con-
spicuously than at present there would be
fewer Of these petty crimes and conse-
quently fewer alarming reports out Of
town Of shocking conditions in Washing
ton. No footpad will be likely to hold uI
victim who Is not advertising the pos
session of loot. A woman who goes through
the streets Of Washington carrying her
purse In her pocket-and Of course with a
precise knowledge Of how to reach tits
not likely to be molested. In nine cases
out OF ten-indeed, in practically all cases
these minor holdups on the streets OF
this city are Of women who are almost In
viting these attentions by carrying their
evidences of af1uence in full view. Hide
the pocketbooks and the footpads will
have to go out Of business.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

That the strike has utterly failed to
effect its object there is every evidence.
1t was sustained by con-
strike tributions obtained by it's
Failure- energetic chiefs. who
nursed the forlorn hope
that something unexpected might lend re-
newed life to their undertaking.
On August p the Swedish women SUBJ
mitted a proposition to the king. signed
by women Of all classes OF society, pray
Ing him to Interfere in order to bring
about arbitration between laborers and
employers.
The correspondent Of the London Pail
Mall Gazette writes from Gottenburg that
the chiefs OF the Swedish trade unions
describe the labor troubles in Sweden as
general strike. The object has been
to make trade unions in other countries
believe that 1t Is general strike In order
to collect contributions of which the
labor chiefs in Sweden are in great need.
The correspondent explains that in view
OF the reduced demand for goods. manu-
facturers had stored great stocks which
awaited better times. The workmen were
ployers and would have understood, but
for their chiefs. that their demand for
increased wages was absurd. The lockout
was necessary, and the employers took
care 10 ADVISE the government OF their
inevitable action. The government thus
had ample time to prepare for any act Of
violence on the part of the strikers. At
the first intirnation Of violence the gov
ernment would have arrested and i'm
prisoned the belligerent chiefs Of the labor
associations and the movement would
have been strangled in its inception. AS
1t Is the workmen will have learned that
their leaders are not their real friends. and
when this conviction assumes form it NAV
result In the breaking up of trade unions
in Sweden.
The Labor Federation Of Sweden decided
to call on the general strike" on Septem-
Der 8. and a dispatch from Stockholm
September 8 formally announced the ter
mination OF the strike on the designated
day. 1t Is said that the government
finally interfered to establish modus
vivendi; between the employer and the
laborer. Was the interference Of the
king the result of the prayer of the wom-
en- OF Sweden? In any event Sweden q
labor trouble. which at one time lesen.
bied a revolution. has terminated. Ex-
perience mas shown that neither strike
nor socialism fiourishes in Sweden.
CHI. CHAILLE-LONG,
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The AUTUMN CHORUS.

The Joneses have come back again
From Ger the seething pond.
they cast their eyes local scenes - ;
With glances that fond;
And Jones remarks, triumphantfy,
As men have said before:
The part OF travelling that's best
Is getting home once more"
The Browns-they went away this spring
Took In the glorious west;
But they are settled down again,
safe In the old, warm nest. +.
And Mrs. Brown, with eyes ashine
Declares in tones that ring: :,
This getting homes the best part Of
The game Of travelling
And so the chorus rises loud
In these glad autumn days, 14..s. ?
When all the suitcase folk return
From far vacation ways;
The things they saw were grand-oh, yes,
But this browns praise Of Rome:
The best part OF this travelling i.
Is getting home, home. home."
Denver Republican
Evening star., 1909-09-12
Over the Footfiphts.

In those good old days. of lace and
feathers 1t was the fashion Of gallants to
sit on the stage at the play and comment
audibly on the performance. to the seri-
Gus annoyance Of che players and of the
less fashionable members of the audi
ence- In the course of time that style
lapsed and the stage was freed OF such
intruders. Then gradually developed a
change of attitude on the part of the
public and the players, with the latter
assuming larger privileges. until finally
during the last few years there has been
tendency on the part of the stage
people, in the less dignified and preten-
tious shows, to forget the line drawn nv
the footlghts. and to talk to the house. -
Alleged comedians of the vaudeville va
riety sometimes build their entire per.
formance on this device of addressine,
persons in the audience Occasionally
this leads to embarrassment, usually for
the; auditors thus brought into promi-
nence, but now and then for the others
rms Is what happened in PHILADELPHIA
the other night, when Singing Gomez
dian played the trick of flashing a snot
lsht In the face of a woman at the eli;
max OF his song, There's Glass to a Girl
Like That When this had happened
once her escort, who chanced to be her
husband. advised the perpetrator to "cut
IL out" The singer persisted, however.
and came to grief. The irate husband
climbed over the footlights and swung
with such precision and promptness that
he had landed three times within fai,
territory when the house policeman
pulled him away. On being hailed to
court he was exonerated by the sittinp
Solomon on the ground that his conduc,
was entirely justifiable. This is fair
warning to alleged comedians who think
IT is 4 point OF humor to treat their au.
dtors as lay figures and crack thei,
jokes at the expense of possibly helpless
neoulp
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The MOVING BUG.

It's present everywhere,
You feel IL in the air,
You can't forget it's there; 80
The moving bug. -.
1t stings your faithful wife.
And harrows MP your life
With visions dire OF strife;
The moving bug.
1t used to come in spring = -.
A fearsome, yearly thing;
What horrors ii would bring.
The moving bug.
Twas born In April showers. :,
And with the May time flowers t-
Attained its fullest powers:
The moving bug.
In autumn now It's born
A season all forlorn,
When summers joys are shorn;
The moving bug.
You have a coy home,
Contentment fills your dome,
But II will make you roam:
The moving bug.
The tramp of tired feet -,
Resounds on every street,
1t drives through dust and heat;
The moving bug. -.
Flat hunters, wild-eyed, 'curst, :.
Impelled from worse to worst, =,
Pay its toll October LIST; :,
The moving bug.
New York Evening Wof2AA
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The BOY SPEAKS.

really think the people
Are treatin' of me bad;
Ruther 20 a-fishin'
Than dig bait fer dad.
He sits there by the river
From early morn till late;
Jest fishes an fishes.
An keeps me diggin' bait.
How kin a boy be glad
Diggin bait fer dad?
Atlanta Copsti
Evening star., 1909-09-12
A September Song.

Lazy days, goodbye. good-bye!
The parting brings a little sigh.
The katydid her message sends,
Take heed the summer playtime endsr'
The apple bloom long since has fed,
And fruit is ripening in It's stead
The wind that whispers seems to tell
The sorrow Of long farewell.
AS fall the petals from the rose
The twilights into darkness close:
The waving field. the bending tree
Have lost their smile for you and me.
The bird long since its nest has fed;
The thrifty squirrel scolds o'erhead
The sweetest pleasures swiftest hy-
Lazy days, goodbye. goodsbyei
Evening star., 1909-09-12

The Controversial Explorer.
To gain the pole he makes a track
Where perils gather thick:
And brandishes when he gets back
What's known as a big stick.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

Katydids are said to be dangerous ene-
mics to the cranberry crop. But 1t Is un-
reasonable to demand a campaign Of ex-
termination against katydids until the
mosquitoes, house flies and rats have been
disposed of.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

The idea Of selling short on the strength
of e. H. Harriman's death was SO GER
tain to occur to numerous lambs that
the stock market overseers could not
think Of permitting prices to drop very
far.
Evening star., 1909-09-12
The Pursuit Of Independence.

do you think that railway king ought
to keep on increasing his fortune?"
WELL" answered Mr. Sirius Barker. "I
don't know that I blame him for trying
to get SO far ahead financially that he
can always travel by motor and avoid
riding in any of his own trains and eat
ing in any Of his own railway restau-
rants"
Evening star., 1909-09-12

Discussion OF what the north pole can
be used for. now that 1t is discovered,
will have to he postponed.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

| Like wise scientific Investigator, meo-
dore Roosevelt took plenty Of witnesses
| with him into the African jungle.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

A New York woman used a cologne bot
tie as a means of attacking a burglar
AS weapon for feminine use. the hat pin
has its rivals.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

The invention of an odorless whisky is
claimed by Tennessee. 1t should be
brought to the attention of the man who
insists on going out between the acts at
a theater.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

In spite OF the fact that Tom L. John
son went broke" playing politics. he has
not lost his fondness for the game.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

Hereafter any explorer may be expected
to treat an Eskimo with the most dis
tinguished courtesy.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

Curiosity is manifested about Mr. Bry-
ans ability TO find a new issue. In the
absence of any other. "Bryanism" may
have TO he accepted as an issue sufficient
unto itself
Evening star., 1909-09-12

It Is feared that Clifford Pinchot has
been more solicitous about saving the
forests than he has been about saving his
political bacon.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

1t would be relief IL Castro would
book a lecture tour SO that he can be
definitely located.
Evening star., 1909-09-12

Sometimes" said Uncle Eben. "it's
lucky not to be too wise. De crow dat
don pay no 'tention to de scarecrow is
de one de farmer is 'bliged to go after
wifi q shotgun"
Evening star., 1909-09-12

There is no hope OF settling the Peary-
Cook controversy without calling in ex-
pert testimony.