davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

Vancouver, B. c.. has magistrate
who fined himself S. and costs for au-
tomobil speeding. So far he has re
ceived no offers to go on the stage or
to take part in the "Mikado."
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
Double Attraction.

SLOW would you like to teach school
in the country, Millie?"
Fine"
"And board around?"
"That would be the. best part Of It.
There would be such a variety"
"Or virtuaisI"
mo; Of young men,
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
PERT PARAGRAPHS.

Ignorance OF the law excuses no one
but the judge.
The good old Summer Time is q lady
that takes the opportunity to throw
bouquets at herself. $.
A soft answer turneth away wrath.
but not the young man.
Since flies have been adjudged I'M
desirable citizens everybody is endeav-
oring to screen them.
A razor aud the man who uses 1t
should have a good temper.
Housekeeping is one of the most IN
appreciated jobs that sane individual
ever got up against.
If you don't believe that riches have
wings ask the flying inventor.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
Short End.
len are

VI wonder why so many women are
so discontinued" y
Probably because ftqtheir nus
bands"
How is that"
"They are so cOntented."
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

now that il has introduced petrol but
ter to the table of the people, TO try
its hand at benZine milk and paraffia
eppS2
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
THE ARGUS.

Published Daily and Weekly at 1924
Second avenue. Rock Island. Ill. tEn-
tered at the postoffice as second-class
matter.1
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
BY THE J. w. POTTER CO.

TERMS.-Daily. 10 cents per week
Weekly, 81 per year in advance.
All communications of argumentative
character. political or religious, must
have real name attached for publica-
ton. No such articles will be printed
over fictitious signatures.
Correspondence solicited from every
township In Rock Island county.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29
The Cause of His Awkwardness 50.

Heat last we are alone. and we
have an opportunity to speak. have
been seeking this moment for days and
days. for l have something to say to
you
She-Go on. Mr.. Harkins.
Hell will. Miss Jones. you perhaps
have noticed that at times have been
constrained. uneasy. even awkward. in
your presence; that | have had some
thing on my mind that | felt l must
ray to you?
She (softly)-Yes.
He-That constraint. that awkward
ness, Miss Jones, was due to-due to-
She-Go on. Mr.. Harkins.
He-Was due to the fact that fear.
cd you were not aware that am en-.
gagged to your mother.-Pearson's
Weekly.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

The Rock Island Exposition is the
talk of the town. Are you on?
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

A razor and the man who uses 1t
should have good temper.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

A soft answer turneth away wrath.
but not the young man.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

Ignorance of the law excuses no one
but the judge.
Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-07-29

If you don't believe that riches have
wings ask the flying inventor.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
IMPORTANT TO OMAHA

The decision handed down a few
days ago by the United States supreme
court in what is known as the New
York ~S0-cent-gas case is of importance
TO Omaha, and for that matter to every
progressive American city confronted
with public service franchise problems.
The supreme court has reversed a
ruling of the lower court, which
granted an injunction against the en-
forcement OF a maximum gas rate pre-
scribed by law on the ground that it
was confiscatory. While the text of
the courts decision, with it's full line
of argument, is not yet available, what
has been given out shows that the
power of the state to establish reason
able rates for public service corpora
tons In the absence Of contract limita-
lions is completely indicated. The
court has further indicated that the
capital invested in these undertakings
is entitled to reasonable profit and
that limiting the profit to 5h or 6 per
cent Is not necessarily ~confscatory.
The nub OF the whole rate question
comes down to what constitutes the
capital investment upon which this
profit may be reasonably demanded.
In the New York gas case the gas COM
panies had fixed the valuation of their
franchises at 5000, 900, which had
been cut down by a special master to
some $12, 900, 900, and is now reduced
by the courts decision to $7,7S1,000
by eliminating the item OF good will
and the additions over and above the
valuation Of the original franchises as
ratified by the state at the time they
we're bought by the present company.
No less significant is that part of
the courts ruling (which holds that the
determination whether the S0-cent
rate for gas is or is not c~oniscatory
has not been properly presented be-
cause the rate has not been put into
effect and given a practical test. In
other words, the court holds that be-
fore such a regulation by the state can
be upset on the ground of confiscation
1t must first have a fair trial and come
up on a showing of the actual facts of
operation. 1t is not a far step to see
the application of this doctrine to the
railway rate cases that are pending in
90 many western states.
So far as Omaha is concerned, its
relations to its public service corpora
items, with one or two exceptions, are
for the present governed by contract
conditions stipulated in the franchises,
but when the time comes, rs it will,
for r~earranging these relations, this
decision OF the United States supreme
court cannot fail to give the city a ma.
terial advantage.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Some Timber Left.
P"hiladelnhia Record-

ITIILUNFIHIH INNNVTUs
1t is some consolation to learn that
nearly two-thirds of the timber that once
covered the greater part of this country is
still in existence. In spite of the ravages Of
the lumbermen there are yet about $50, 600, 900
acres Of timber land, about one-fourth of
which area, with about one-fifth of all the
standing timber in the country, is owned
by the government and is being conserved
by scientific methods of forestry. But the
large area of forest lands in the aggregate
affords little consolation to those localities,
covering most of the eastern states, where
the mountains nave been denuded of for
ests until the rains wash the soil into the
rivers.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

THE BAcK-FIRE ON HITCHCOCK. ,
The stories sent out from Washing
ton to the effect hat n appointment
OF Chairman Hitchcock to a position
in the cabinet of President Taft will
encounter opposition when presented
for confirmation to the senate, unless
Mr. Hitchcock shall have frst retired
from the headship OF the republican
national committee. must be taken to
mean simply that the r~eactionsries
have not yet ceased their back-hre
upon the chairman. These political
schemers did their very best at the
outset to prevent the nomination Of
Mr.. Taft and then to keep the chair
manship from going to MIR. Hitchcock.
After he had been made chairman
over their protests his enemies among
the ,~reactionaries set up a back-nre to
force him out wen at the risk OF Sc
riously menaeing the success Of the
campaign, and they have, apparently,
not yet become ~recOnciled.
Pr Inv ObsSStiOh idibNu W MI HUGH
cock going into the cabinet while re-
tanning the Craftsmanship of the ma
tional committee is but a pretext.
There are precedents of cabinet ON
GERS occupying the head place In the
national political organization in the
examples Of Chairman Cortelyou and
Chairman Payne. to go back no fur
ther. The keen sense of propriety
now manifested by the senatorial
junta likewise, stops short of doubling
up the Craftsmanship with a member
ship In the senate. Mark Hanna, Tom
Carter and Matthew s. Quay all served
as committee chairmen while occupy
ing seats in the senate and on the
other side Of the political fence James
X. Jones and Arthur Pue German
were senator's and national chairmen
at n and the same time. II the pres
ent chairman had happened to have
been n of the ~reactionaries there
would not have been even a peep from
that quarter about the "indelicacy'' of
having an oficeholder in that position.
Turning from national politics to
state politics, It is a common practice
among all parties for the officers Of
state organizations to hold official
places, both appointive and elective,
and while an occasional cutlery is
made no serious resentment has ever
been manifested by the people in any
case where the officer has proved COM
petent and faithful to public duty.
In the present instance the back
fire on Chairman Hitchcock is not oc-
casioned by the prospect that he will
go into the cabinet, but is born Of a
desire on the part of his enemies and
the enemies Of Mr.. Taft to get con-
troll Of the party machinery themselves
through a new chairman more plant
to their wishes.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

ments OF the character named would
just about make up for the deficit
cited by the secretary of the treasury.
The objection is that IL would open
the way for bond issues for all man
ner of public enterprises and might
entail upon the country a burden that
would be a source of weakness and
peril in the future. While IL is plausi-
bly, argued that we could easily sup
port a public debt OF 5000, 900, 900
and then be in better condition, popu-
lation and wealth considered, than any
other nation in the world, our policy
has been in the direction of reducing
the debt instead of increasing it. The
debt at the close Of the civil war.
when the country had a population of
34,000,000 and a disordered financial
system, was $780, 900, 900. The
present debt is about 5000, 900, 900, of
which $50. 900. 900 is of the new issue
for the Panama canal.
II, as 1t is claimed, the proper care
of our supply of water, including :he
care of the forests, would largely in
crease the taxable wealth OF the coun-
try, and the use OF water power
brought within the reach of the indus
tries would produce sufficient revenue
to care for the bond burden. then the
bond issue might not only be advisa-
Bile. but justified, as a good business
investment. In the absence of such
assurance, however, the people will be
disposed to go slow on debt imitation
projects and take up only the most
urgent needs, one at a time.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Expansion of LandIordism.

Springfield Mass.) Republican.
1t has been reported that a group of
capitalists, among whom is James ]. Hill,
contemplate the purchase of some 1000, coo
acres Of land In Texas for ranehing pur-
poses. This would give them ownership
of IN area larger than the state Of Massa-
chusetts, and there is something decidedly
~repugnant in the fact that a single indivld-
ual or small group of individuals should
have control of so large a part of the
earth's surface. As a matter OF fact, how
ever. a vast fortune like Mr.. Rockefeller's
is less liable to dangerous uses when tied
up in land than when existent in a liquid
form. But in either case such a private
fortune as that is not a happy fact for
society to contemplate.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

NJ. Leroy-Beaulieu, the eminent French
economist, estimates that the private for
tunes of the French nation represents a
grand total of %, 100000 francs. or
e9,O 10000 900.
The ten-million-dollar stock yards, to be
built on the Hackensack meadows, are ex-
pected to lower the price of beef. They
may also divert the mosquitoes from human
habitations.
A New Jersey man pleaded guilty to the
charge of numbering his wife. but the
court would not accept the plea. Neverthe-
less, the chances are that the man knew
what he was talking about.
Tom Johnson's crusade for Scent fares
in Cleveland reaches an inglorious end. TIL
federal judge who is winding up the street
railway controversy stated recently that
II the monthly rental of $73. 1888 was paid
there would be nothing for wages or other
expenses, therefore, in the opinion OF the
court, 1t is absolutely necessary" to raise
fares to 5 cents to make the service pay
fixed expenses.
Conductor Boles, on the Salt Lake e.
Ogden railroad, near Delena, Ore, noticed
a person trying to flag his train one day
last week; when the train came to a stand
still he found, not a highwayman, but his
wife, who had ridden from Mayer, three
miles, to get him to come home and Kill
a skunk which she had shut up in the
chicken coop. Boles knocked off and dis
patched the intruder.
A New Years gift unique In the history
of gang-ruled Philadelphia was made by
County Commissioners Rudolph BQanken-
burg, 1.-The war horse of REFORM" who pre-
scented his entire salary for the three years
he has been In office, SIS, 1000, In equal parts
to the police pension fund, the firemen's
pension fund and the teachers annuity
fund. To the board of city trusts he for
warded a certified check for the amount,
and requested that the interest each year
be turned over to the beneficiaries named,
each worthy of full measure of public sup
port.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
RIVALS ron SOUTH OMAHA.
Jersey InstitutiOn NrOmIses TO do
Great Things.
Boston Herald.

The perfection Of plans for extensive
stock yards at Hackensack, N. j., may
mean a determined challenge Of the su-
premacy OF Chicago in the meat packing
business and in the market OF by-prOducts.
Even il the tariff on cattle is not reduced
in the new tariff bill, importstions from
Argentina are not impossible or imprac-
tleable, and nearness to the great markets
OF the east and direct steamship connection
with foreign ports will overcome such dis
advantages as exist, Eastern Strengthening
OF minor animals has increased during the
last few years, and the west has made
eastern competition In beef more Of a pos
slbiity than II was ten years ago,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
SOUTH AS A BALANCE WHEEL.
Colonel WAttersOn's View of It's Po-
HticaI Future.
Louisville Courler-Journa

Louisville C0urler-JOurnal
Upon the wide and open sea Of reaction
ism and speculation, the south serves, and
viii probably continue to serve as a bal
ance-wheel to the national enginery. We
could not afford to break up and abandon
the democratic party even If its fundamen-
tai doctrines had grown obsolete. There
would still remain conditions with which
the republican party is not able to deal.
But democratic doctrines are not out OF
date. They are yet vital. In both houses OF
congress they maintain a most respectable
representation. Upon them W. have long
stood and shall continue to sand.
This shall not prevent our giving the new
administration support when we agree with
il touching any of its proposals. Mr..
Roosevelt owes TO that support whatever
measures he has carried. Il may be that
Mr.. Taft will in time owe a similar debt.
II he does IL will vindicate the reason OF
our being as we'll as patriotism OF our
character. Meanwhile II is a long lane
that has no turning and democracy and
democrats. ~ssluting the new president with
respect. can look pleasant and abide their
tine,
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Living Among Earthquakes.
New York World

New HOrK World.
AS when Vesuvius last broke loose, peo-
pie will wonder why men choose to dwell
such scenes of danger. But between the
great disasters that make so portentous a
printed list are Ions periods when the
slopes are golden with lemons ripening and
the rich soil smiles with double haryests
A volcano is not such a bad neighbor. L
always gives warning, and in its worst fits
enriches the soil. The earthquake in its
appalling fury and unacceptable suddenness
is a different matter.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Armories for the state militia com
panies in the larger cities must even
tually be erected If our National
Guard is to be made a real force and
maintained as an effective auxiliary to
the regular army The localities in
which the militia companies happen
to be cannot be expected to furnish
the armories. The whole question,
however. resolves itself into one as to
when the state will be able to spare
the necessary money TO this purpose.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
THE NATIONAL OCCUPATIoN.

Blanche Goodman in New York Times.
Fathers busy launching diatribes against
some trust,
Mothers at an article on How to Danish
Dust" Sc
Sisters In her boudoir grinding verses out
on Spring"
Brothers gathering data for his book on
Motoring
Baby's In the nursery, preparing to indite
Some helpful thoughts on Causes of In
somnia at Night"
Cook is in the kitchen with a pencil and a
pad,
At work for "Anybody's' on Some Places
1 Have Had" .
Neighbors busy as can be-haven't time to
fret
Pushing pens and pencils on a play or
storiette.
What's the use of business cares? Not tho
slightest need.
Since every one is writing things for other
folks to read.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

ing along this line for many years and
has made such notable progress in its
campaign against fee grabbing that
only a few positions still remain where
the fee business has survived. We
doubt now that even the present in
cumbents of these offices will have any
objection TO being put on a salary, pro-
vided, of course. the salary is common
surate with the service and proper
toned to other salaries.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
LAUGHING GAS.

MY husband said we all ought TO know
something about politics, 80 1 asked him
what a political machine was
II always wanted TO know that, too. What
did he say p"
Why, he looked kind o. queer and said 1t
was a steam roller. "-Philadelphia Ledger.
lis Bliggins an epicure?"
No. said Miss Cayenne; 81 wish he
were. In that case me might take enOught
interest in his dinners To keep him from
trying to tell stories. Washington Star.
What makes you think our new con-
gresham is going to be so successful AS a
speech maker said one constituent.
Because answere the otner, when
ever he hears a story thai strikes HIM as
funny he goes into the hall and makes A
note OF 1t IN his memorandum DOCK
Washington Star.
"A Aovel always ends with the marriage.
And very properly 50. There's nothing
novel about the subsequent hunt for a fiat
and a cook, and a job lot Of furniture. -
Puck.
The couple who are going to TAX a
wedding trip in the groom's aeroplane will
nave "A nice little reception-room fitted
up on the airship."
Indeed! That will be a regular sky par
Tor. "-Baltimore American.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

The State Railway commission has
issued an order requiring the installa-
+tion OF a telephone in every railway
station in Nebraska whenever patrons
make the request, to be maintained at
the expense OF the railroads. II is to
be presumed that this order will be
approved by both the Bell and indie
pendent companies, although it may
provoke competition for the business.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Governor shallenberger's inaugural

Governor Shallenberger's inaugural
says several things about platform
pledges made to the people of Ne
braska, but not a word about pledges
in the Denver platform applicable to
state legislation, Have the so per
cent trust remedy and the eurtailment
Of the power of injunction and the be-
Observation-Disclosures publicity
all gone by the board?
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Jim" Corbett wants to fight Jack"
Johnson in order to bring the pugilis-
tic championship back to the white
race. We suggest James X. Varda-
man and Benjamin Ryan Tillman as
seconds for Corbett.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Russian authorities admit that the
country has a cholera epidemic. but
as only the very poor are suffering
the authorities are not much con-
cerned.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Alfred Henry Lewis declares that
$4,000 a year is not sufficient salary
for a member of the cabinet. That's
what congress thought when 1t raised
the salaries of cabinet members to
$12, 900 a year.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

In Russia ~forty-one men who par
ticipated in a railroad strike have been
condemned to death, twelve to penal
servitude for life and forty-eight to
lesser terms of exile. Luckily there is
only one Russia.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Variations of the Pension RON.

ST. LOUIS GIobe-Democrat.
Last year, by the official report, 5O,6 sc
pensioners died. of whom 1888 served in
the civil war. The highest number Of pen
sioners on the rolls in 1908 was 1,OO6.O5S, of
whom only half were soldiers or sailors in
the war of the rebellion. Widows form a
large part of the list and the amount they
receive was recently increased one-half.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Munincent and Expeditions.
Baltimore American.

The best part of a million in cash and
supplies will go to Italy as the gift of the
people of the United States through their
representatives in congress. The gift is a
munificent ONE: but it is not at all likely
that one dissenting voice will be raised in
the popular approval of this prompt aid
1t is a gift worthy of the country and its
resources.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

1t will be hard to make the people
Of stricken Sicily believe that the
large and powerful battleship fleet of
the United States is a menace to the
welfare of nations.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Mr.. Bryan wants it distinctly under
stood that he is not interfering I'm
the work of the democratic legisla-
ture. except where his interference. is
necessary for the salvation of the
party, and as to when it is necessary
for him to take a hand he reserves to
himself the sole decision.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

The prospect of the democrats Or
ganiEing the republican county board
in Douglas county does not seem to
appeal to the republicans who do the
work for republican candidates pre-
sented for election. The republican
commissioner who is figuring on a
tie-up with the democrats will do we'll
TO look before he leans.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

A man in Virginia is appealing to
the unwritten law as his defense for
killing his cook. who not only refused
to marry him, but threatened to leave
his house.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09
Some Pronhst. INDICATED.

Chlcago fecOfd-l1eralu.
Those people who predicted that 1t would
be a cold day when the Standar Oil COM
pany paid that fine are calling attention
to the fact that zero weather came i'm
rnediately after the supreme court had dis
D0sed of the case.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Still, the catastrophe at Messina
will hardly cure the human habit of
building cities at the foot Of a volcano
or IN lowlands certain to be flooded
about once a year.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Just to prevent Nebraska from feel
ing lonesome. the Illinois legislature
has also worked itself into a vote can.
wasting sQuabble.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Anyway. neither the retiring mol in.
coming governor of Nebraska has
urged legislation for prohibiting the
use Of cracked dishes at lunch coun-
tRfa.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

The report OF an earthquake in
Oklahoma must be an error. If we
remember rightly, earthquakes were
prohibited by the Oklahoma coustitu-
ton.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

One OF the recommendations of the
new governor is for final abolition Of
all fee ofhees and putting the officers
on salaries, The Bee has been work
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Senator Tillman will doubtless feel
justified In raising the rates for his
c~hautauQua lectures after all this free
advertising.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Soldiers coming home from Cuba
will please excuse the weather. The
weather man is doing the best he
can with the materials at hand.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Applicants for pardons and paroles
from Governor sheldon must have
been pretty well coached. Every n
OF them must have ascribed his down
fall to Demon Rum"
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Castro came out Of the operation
under the knife without much trouble.
He is finding it more dihicult TO get
from under the operation of the ham
mer.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

In planning the rebuilding of many
Of the forests of the nation, Mr..
Pinehot ought to require the use OF
hreproof material.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

Alfred Austin has not written a
poem on the disaster at Messina.
Someone must have told him that the
sicii.ans are already sufficiently dis
tressed.
Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-09

One Legislative lobbyist has been
duly registered at Lincoln. The 9TH
ers are there, but still travelling incog.