davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
WIN FOSTERS HAIRCUT.

Sioux City Journal-The most vibra-
tory jar administered to Bryan since
the November avalanche was register
ed by the seismograph the other day
when Win Foster, of Hamilton coun-
ty, Neb.. drove to Central City and
had his hair cut. 1t meant the terni-
nation of an epoch for Win, and if one
accepts him as representative Of a
type rather than an Individual, it may
be construed to mean the termination
of an epoch for Bryan
Win Foster, plain person, had been
wearing the hair Of which he was
shorn by the Central City tonsorialist,
for nearly thirteen years. 1t was a
symbol Of his faith in Bryan and his
confidence that the self advertised
tribune of the plain people would some
day sit in the presidential chair It
was during the heat Of the fray in the
fall of 1896 that Win demonstrated to
all men the courage of his convictions
by proclaiming solemnly his intention
to let his next haircut go until after
Bryan's election to the presidency.
This was brave proclamation to
make, although Win did not fully real
lie 1t at the time. His expectation was
that the superfuous hair would come
off about the second week in Novem-
Der, 1896. However, Win had miscal-
culated tho strength Of the money
power, and the election returns that
year gave him no mandate to drive to
Central City and patronize the city
barber shop under the bank on the
corner. Was the faithful Hamilton
county follower discouraged by the
first setback of the peerless leader?
He was not. He said 1t was small
matter whether that hair came off in
November, 1896. or in November 1900.
He would wait for the latter date.
In the summer of 1900 Win looked
more like divine healer than a
mere believer in the divine ratio"
but the faith was strong in him, and
the Democratic national convention
made it stronger He heard Bryan
talk from the rear platform about the
iniquity Of imperialism" and spent a
very pleasant autumn anticipating the
relief he would experience in getting
nd of the cumbrous capillary adorn-
ment Just as soon as the R. F. d.
brought him the news Of the BRYAN
victory. Disappointment again, but
not despair.
The year 1904 was faith testing
year for Win Foster. Bryan was out
of the running. The democracy was
flirting with Wall street again, and
the word gold" was spoken out loud
| in Democratic circles Wins hair
lmada him look Like ullrvAvnr OF mus
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
HAS
ITS REST ROOM
GRAND JURY HALL IN COURT.
HOUSE HAS BEEN SECURED
INVITATION EXTENDED.

o Thanks to the Wapello county board
of supervisors which has kindly given
the use of the grand jury hall for the
rest room, a long felt want Is realized
by the Ottumwa City Federation OF
Womens organizations. This culmina-
ton of plan that has been in mind
for months will be of particular inter-
est to farmers wives and families.
1t is for them that the room has
been particularly secured, and the
president OF the federation, Mrs.
Charles d. Hirst, in behalf Of the or.
ganizaton. extends the following
generous invitation to all women and
especially farmers wives and their
children who desire the use Of such a
place.
Attention!
You are especially invited to come
TO this room to rest and refresh your
selves and children when you are in
the city and can eat your luncheon
there II you desire. All the conven-
fences are absolutely free and you ara
urged to take advantage of them.
The court house is pleasantly and
conveniently located; the room Is
large and airy, having fine view OF
our city park, public library and fed.
eral building and you will always res
oeive cordial welcome from some OF
the members of our organization,
Please come and enjoy the room. re
has been arranged purposely for your
comfort and pleasure
Want More Furniture.
NOW that the room is secured ana
partially furnished. the federation asks
the housewives Of Ottumwa to assist
in making the quarters ideal for the
purpose In mind. The federation will
be greatful for contributions in the
way of small rugs, rocking chairs or
folding screens, and anyone wishing
to help complete the arrangement ID
requested to notify new phone No.
416 and the articles will be called for.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

WEARING OUT THE EARTH.
Eminent English Scientist Gives
Theory of Root Poison
inp.

No one knows SO well as the practi"
cal farmer how rapidly a naturally
fertile soil may be exhausted by culti-
walton. In this country the tobacco
lands of Virginia afford on example of
this rapid decline in fertility. The
abandoned New England farms, too,
help to illustrate the effects produced
by the constant cultivation of the same
fields. Land that once yielded crops as
IL by magic now requires an artificial
preparation before it will reward the
farmer for his strenuous labor In the
field
Sir Oliver Lodge, the eminent Eng
fish scientist, Is reported to have ex-
pressed his belief in the theory Of the
poisoning of the cultivated lands of the
world. The advocates of this theory
believe that the systematic rotation Of
crops is needless. They believe that
1t Is impossible to exhaust the ground
by crop, as the food supplies in the
soil are too great to admit of such a
result Other causes, therefore, must
underlie the failure Of crop to what
was once fertile soil. and, according to
the believers in the theory, this failure
Is due to root poisoning According to
the poisoning theory crop does not
do SO well when it Immediately sue
ceeds another of the same sort be-
cause 1t excretes an active poison
which is destructive of its own germs.
Artificial measures are recommended
not so much as food for the plant as
a remedy against these root poisons.
Very thorough investigations have
however, recently been carried out at
Rothamsted, perhaps the most efficient
scientific farm in the world, which
tend to show that adherents of the
poisoning theory have not yet succeed.
ed in fully proving their case. If this
theory be true, manures, in the true
sense, will no longer be necessary, but
something to destroy the poisons ex.
creted by the plants will serve more
useful purpose. AS the root poison is
admitted to exist in small quantities
only, the treatment of land by any
new process looking to this end should
be much cheaper than under the pres
ent system Of fertilization-Phil
phia Record,
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

tang liniment, but his faith was still
firm. Bryan's voice was holding out
well. There would be another cam
paign in 1908. Win would keep his
scalplock intact and wait for the in
evitable triumph of the right. 1t is
suspected that Win did not take the
day. After the R. F. D. brought the
news of what happened to Judge Par
ker Win began looking forward to
1908.
Throughout the campaign of 1908
the faith Of Win Foster was stronger
than it had been away back in 1896.
He was actually glad he had made
that bet with himself. The hair was
an awful nuisance, and his friends had
made lot Of fun of him in connec-
tiCn with it. Well, there would be all
the more fun to be extracted from
finally getting rid Of it. When Win
heard Bryan talk about the beauties
OF the bank deposit guaranty he pat
ted himself on, the back for pinning
his faith to such sure enough states
man.. =
What happened to Win when the
carrier left the paper telling the story
of the avalanche of 1908 is painful to
contemplate. Something inside of him
seemed to snap, leaving him dazed
and purposeless. The political past
seemer unimportant and the political
future blank When the Commoner
came along with plea to be informed
how it happened and what it meant
Win wasn't moved to take his pen in
Inland. Something seemed to be the
matter with him, and couldn't figure
out what. Win kept figuring, however
and eventually he decided that he was
afflicted with complication of toe
upon he hitched up and made bee
line for the barber.
There Is some comedy and not a lit
tie tragedy in the story of Win Eos
ter and his long postponed but finally
achieved haircut. And there may be
a lot of political significance in it too
II Win Foster, plain person, be &C
cepted as representative of his kind
For be it understood that Mr.. Bryan
himself has not accepted the avalanche
of 1908 as conclusive. He is still stand
ing in the limelight, in the attitude Of
leadership, with his finger pointing
hopefully to 1912. Mr.. Bryan has no
released the Win Fosters of the democ
racy from their allegiance. If the
trip of the Hamilton county farmer tt
the Central City barber shop mean:
that the Win Fosters as a class have
released themselves, Mr.. Bryan ma!
find serious difficulty in carrying on
his obvious plans for continued leader
ship.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

crops on. fourteen acres for fourteen
consecutive years is something very
of farm lands and buildings for the
United States when the 1900 census
was taken.
Iowa needs appreciation. Even the
dreamer has never done justice to her
future.
Here is man who was never inter-
ested In the stories of cheap lands be-
ing opened for settlement In the north
west or the southwest. He did not
want cheap land, but good land and
he knew he had good land in Iowa.
The fact that he has been offered and
refused small fortune an acre for his
land Is proof of his good judgment
And there Is his word for 1t that there
Is land all over Iowa that will bring
the same returns.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
---------------------------
FALL MAY BE FATAL,
Fairfield Woman Fractures Her Skull
In Accldent-Head Strikes

FloWer-pot.
Fairfield, May AIRS. Robert Lynn
is lying at her home on North Main
street in very serious condition as
the result of a fall she sustained Sat-
urday evening at the Fl. M. Dysart
home on North Court street.
Mrs. Lynn, with number of neigh.
Dor ladies, had been spending the
evening at the Dysart home, and was
in the act of bidding the hostess good
night and returning to her home, when
the accident occurred that changed
the company from pleasant party tU
an exceedingly sorrowful one. A num-,
Der of ladies were leaving the home
by the back door, and Mrs. Lynn was
the first to step out. In stepping back
to make room for the others coming
from the home she fell backward into,
the cellarway, striking her head on a.
flower pot and fractured her skull,
while the left leg was broken between,
the knee and the ankle and her shoul.i
ders and back were badly bruised.
She was picked up unconscious and
carried to her home, short distance
away, where she now lies in critical
condition, 1t being difficult to deter.
mine the outcome of the accident. Mrs.
Dysart and the members Of the party;
are nearly crazed with grief.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

President Taft Is more deliberate
than his predecessor. 1t has not been
expected that man carrying the Taft
avoirdupois would rush through things
at the gait struck by the strenuous
Roosevelt, but Washington, while ex-
pecting the change, has not had time
to accustom itself to the slackened
pace When Roosevelt was receiving
visitors he usually rushed them
through and disposed of them at the
rate Of thirty an hour. Taft, hears
what his visitors have to say and says
what he has to say to them in return.
This arrangement Is declared by one
of the Washington correspondents to
be much more satisfactory to those
who get in, but somewhat disconcert-
ing to those who are waiting outside,
and he tells this story as an illustra-
ton:
Last week party of congressman
were waiting. Inside there was dis
tinguished publican. After longish
interval one Of the congressman hur-
ried across the street to see the Sec
retary of war. When he got back the
others were still waiting.
Back, l see," said one of the
others.
".Yes," responded the returned wan
derer. 81 went around to the hotel to
get my pajamas."
Just then third entered.
Been waiting long?" he asked.
"See that old gentleman over there
with the long white beard?" they
asked.
yes"
well, he was a rosy-cheeked boy
when he arrived. And he's ahead of
u.s."
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
A Wealthy Soldiers Idea.

During one of the banquets of the
colonial volunteers, although. the war
is far memory One, member of
the stock exchange, was left one wet
and miserable night to guard a wa
gonload Of goods.
He shivered in the unsheltered
place for some hours bordering many
things, and then bright thought
struck him just as the colonel came
around on his tour of inspection.
Colonel" he asked, "how much is
this wagon wirth?"
II don't know" was the answer
Much or little, we can't afford to
loose it,
"well, but, Colonel" persisted the
amateur soldier, you might give me
a rough idea of the value"
about 200 pounds" said the col
onel testify.
very WELL" was the answer. az
will come down to the camp and give
you check for the amount. Then I'll
turn in. I wouldn't catch my death OF
cold for twice that much.''
What the colonel said is not re
-oel:d cd - Malhnurne Timas.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
RUNAWAY DISASTROUS
Glen Willard Injured Near BIakesburq
by Being Pitched From
RunnN 49,

Blakesburg, May Awhile driving
home from shopping trip in this city
yesterday afternoon between 4 and
o'clock, Glen Willard, farmer resid-
ing some five miles east of here
sustained broken leg. The accident
occurred as Willard and his wife were
passing the Aaron Hooks place, when
the team, taking fright, broke and
ran away. The tongue of the car
riage struck the earth and brought the
rig to sudden stop causing both Mil
lard and his wife to pitch forward out
of the vehicle. When picked UP IL
was found that Willard sustained a
broken leg and was brought into the
Hooks home for the night, leaving
for his own home this morning.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

An article on golfing in the May
Scribner calls attention to, the pop
ularity won by golfing in this coun-
try. The writer, H. ]. Whigham, de-
.clares that ut is certainly great
proof of the adaptibility of the Amer
lean character that in less than TWEEN
ty years the youth of the country has
taken up golf, learned the game, pro-
duced one worldwide champion and a
new generation of golfers who could
hold their own in Scotland, where the
game has been played for centuries"
1t would be interesting reading II
some statistician would figure out for
us just now many doctors bills have
been saved and how many years have
been added to the span of life In these
twenty years by this health-giving play
in the open.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION.

In an address to the Yale divinity
students setting forth the principal
inns OF the labor unions, John
Mitchell declared that II he were ask
ed to propose a solution for the vexed
problems of modern Industrial life he
would unhesitatingly advise the literal
application to all questions Of the
Golden Rule.
This is an assertion that as applied
to all the problems of life is automatic.
In one sense it is a complete solution
cor all sociological difficulties. In an
other 1t is not. If all persons were
guided simply and sincerely by the
rule of doing to others as they would
have others do to them all of the
problems that puzzled mankind,
ancient" or modern, would be wiped
out. The dream of the philosophical
anarchists would be realized. There
would be no need Of criminal laws or
officers to enforce them, because there
would be no crimes. There would be
no need of courts to decide civil dis
putes, because the only disputes be-
tween men would be which should do
most for. the other in. their competi-
ton Of altruism. The millennium
would arrive and social perfection
would be attained.
But where the anarchist doctrine
falls short and the Golden Rule by
itself fails TO be complete solution
Is in the presence of those who will
not obey it. 1t is self-evident that
those who rob, murder and assault are
not guided by this doctrine. We can
hardly suppose that those who get UP
combinations to enhance the cost OF
the. necessaries of life for their own
profit are guided by that principle, nor
is it likely to be claimed that the boy.
colt or blacklist Is doing ito others
you" Even within the bounds of leg
atty much Of our life is actuated by
the desire to get more from others
than we give to them.
Social organization is forced to take
note of this fact. So long as selfish
ness, violence and greed exist there
must be provision that these evil quail
ties shall not work injury upon others
An intelligent application offthe Gold
en- Rule itself demands that. Any man
in danger of being murdered would
wish that others should come to his
rescue, and, If that were impossible
should prevent murders in the future
Penalties for crime governed solely by
the motive Of prevention can be rec
onciled with the divine law But 1t il
worth while to remember while we are
struggling with the evils caused b!
selfishness. violence and lust tina
when all men are ruled by that funda
mental Christian law, the difficulties
will be removed and the evils abolish
Ied.-Exchange.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
ADVICE TO DIES MONIES.

After the recent city election in OF
tumwa one of the Des Moines papers
published an editorial under the cap,
ton, advice to Ottumwa." in which
1t was urged that all city elections
should be conducted on non-partisan
basis. After careful reading Of the
Des Moines papers, however, one
comes to the conclusion that Ottum-
wa and the other Iowa cities which are
conducting their affairs on the old
basis, are less in need of advice than
Des Moines with Its comm: ssion form
of government.
The Des Moines papers just at pres
ent are running war stories daily.
The seat of war Is the city hall and
the reporters. who are the wa cor
respondents, are given wealth of
material for their stories. One day
it is "Macvicar flays Hamery and
Ash The next day it Is "Hamery
threatens to expose MacVicar." One
councilman has accused another OF
irregularity in the granting of build
ing contracts. The one accused hits
back by declaring that his accuser
had once faced grand jury charges OF
obtaining money by false pretenses.
Another hints at bribery in municipal!
contract work
Anyone who has been following the
kaleidoscope career of the Des Moines
commissioners would be justified in
hazarding doubt as to the effective
ness of this plan of government. The
greatest trouble seems to he that the
men elected to Office are not respons.
ible to an organized par;y for the
conduct of their official dulies, but to
an unorganized people. The result
according to the evidence given by
the Des Moines papers, seems to be
that the mayor and the councillnen
devote considerably more time to ex
posing each others private past than
to laboring honestly for the welfare Of
their community.
At any rate a little advice to Des
Moines would not be amiss. Des
Moines should act promptly to shut
off this continual wrangling among it,
city officials, or it should take advant
age of the recall provision Of the com
mission plan and GUST the entire
bunch of wranglers, substituting then
with men who will do more work
with less talking and fighting.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
No Wonder.

A very homely and very lovesick
young man conceived the idea of
proposing to the local belle by send
her a copy Of Manuel Klein's big song
hit, "Tm Looking for Sweetheart"
He accordingly mailed her a copy Of
the song duly autographed, and with
his picture accompanying it. By re-
turn mail he received this: well, no
WnnderiN
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
in acreage of oats about 20 per cent?

in acreage of oats about 20 per cent?
increase in wheat 25 per cent; some
spring wheat sown.
Wayne (Seymour)--A lew days OF
warm weather, but was very cold lat
ter part of week; oats acreage about
rs per cent of average.
Decatur Geon) s2; no farm
work done this week; wheat shows.
poor stand and condition; fruit trees
not yet in bloom; very few potatoes
planted; rivers out of banks. (Wek
dom opens with freezing tenn.
perature; ground frozen; hail did
much damage on night of %; so per
cent decrease in acreage of small
grain; seeding not yet finished.
Ringgold (Mt. Ayr)-Rain 40; an
other bad week; only about 40 per
cent of the anticipated acreage OF oats
sown; no blowing done for corn; fruit
trees not yet in blossom; possibly SO
per cent of potatoes have beer
PLANTED.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
The Same Principle.

"Fust time you've ever MIXED a
COW, isn't IT." said Uncle Josh to his
visiting nephew. wal, y do it durn
sight better'n most city fellers do"
ut seems to come natural some
how" said the youth, flushing with
pleasure. "1've had good deal Of
practice with fountain pen. Every
body's Magazine.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
Father Vaughan Is Improved.

Dubuque, May 4.-The condition Of
Rev. Father Vaughn. for whose recos
cry little hope was held out. is somes
what improved at present. 1t was giv
en- out Monday afternoon at Mercf
hospital where the patient was operak
ed upon some days ago, that he Is
holding his own and apparently has
more than an even chance of recoy.
cry.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06
Tribute to j. w. Blythe.

Burlington, May 4.--The attorneys
of the Burlington bar, in special SOS.
sion yesterday paid eloquent tribute
to the late J. w. Blythe. Thomas
Hedge, former congressman and
lifelong law partner of Blythe, dey
livered a beautiful eulogy to his latol
friend
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

The baseball season in the Central
association opens tomorrow and the
championship battle then inaugurated
will wage until early fall. The eight
teams seem to be more evenly match
ed this year than ever before, and all
the clubs seem to be in sound financial
condition. Here's hoping that the
league finishes the season with flying
banners and, as the sports editor
would say, the home team cops the
rag.
Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-05-06

Now If that peace congress gets
through without fight the cause OF
international peace will be given an
other push forward.